Simple Checkout as menu item (vs form button)

[cblue]

Hi, all,

I've been searching but haven't been able to find an answer to this question.

I'm helping my niece with her non-profit Wordpress website. It currently has a Donate menu item that uses a custom link to go to Paypal. She wants it to be changed to go to authorize.net.

I've created a Simple Checkout item for a donation, which generated this code to go into a page:

<form name="PrePage" method = "post" action = "https://Simplecheckout.authorize.net/payment/CatalogPayment.aspx"> <input type = "hidden" name = "LinkId" value ="be12d85b-......." /> <input type = "submit" value = "Donate" /> </form> 

So, I tried to substitute it into the Menu by changing the Custom Link for the menu item to:

https://Simplecheckout.authorize.net/payment/CatalogPayment.aspx?LinkId=be12d85b-......

When I click on the menu button it just goes a page that says "The item you requested is no longer available."

If this is giving some of you eye rolls or laughs, please feel free! I'm obviously not a "real" developer, but I'm all she has, lol.

Thank you for any assistance!

[malikhona]

It looks like you are trying to create a custom link to the Simple Checkout payment page generated by Authorize.Net, but you are encountering an error when you try to access the link from the menu on your WordPress site.

One thing to check is whether the LinkId value that you are using in the custom link matches the value generated by the Simple Checkout item for your donation. It's possible that the LinkId has changed since you generated the code, which could be causing the "item no longer available" error.

Another thing to consider is whether the payment page URL needs to include additional parameters or variables to properly process the payment. For example, you may need to include a reference to the amount of the donation, the donor's name or contact information, or other relevant data.

It's also possible that there may be an issue with how the custom link is configured in the WordPress menu. You may want to double-check the link URL and make sure that it is correctly formatted with the LinkId value and any additional parameters that are required.

If you continue to have trouble, you may want to reach out to Authorize.Net support or seek assistance from a WordPress developer who has experience working with payment integrations.

[samuelmixhle]

I’ve seen a few sites experiment with a checkout link placed directly in the navigation menu, and it can actually reduce friction for users who already know what they want. Instead of scrolling back to a form button, they can jump straight to checkout from anywhere on the page. A similar approach works well on content-heavy pages, too. For example, when browsing something like a full food guide, such as https://thesheetzmenu.com/, quick navigation options help users reach what they need faster without losing their place. Small UX tweaks like this can really improve the overall flow.

[jamies12]

I’ve run into this same debate before, and honestly, placing checkout as a clear menu item often feels more intuitive especially for users who like to review things before committing. It reduces friction compared to hunting for a button at the end of a form. A similar idea applies when browsing structured content. For example, when I was checking menu categories on https://missionbbqmenus.com/, having everything organized up front made navigation smoother and decisions quicker. Clear entry points just make the whole experience feel more user-friendly and less forced.