Use store default currency at checkout

It "seems" the currency selected by user is the one that is used at checkout and the default store currency is ignored. This makes no sense as it forces the store to trade in the customer's preferred currency but the currency conversion based on a base bank rate that has no bearing to the actual one used by the customer's bank, or PayPal, etc.

Because bank rates change constantly and the charging banks don't all use the same base rate (as far as I can ascertain), the price can be out by enough to be a problem over the course of, say, a month or a year's trading.

If a customer decides to pay by Bank To Bank Transfer but then doesn't send the money straight away, the sum eventually sent can be out of step too. For example, the price is £100 (GBP) but user's order shows $153, so they send $153 but because the new exchange rate favours USD, it may convert to £99 (GBP).

If a customer doesn't print the invoice for several days, or even months, that can be out of step as it won't match their statement because their charging bank used a different bank rate to the current bank rate.

Given all of the above, the only "constant" price is the default currency, so that should be honoured at checkout, regardless of the one selected by customer, and when the invoice is printed.

This could be accomplished by having a preference that keeps the current behaviour, and a new one. For example, when adding a currency, have options to set it to View Prices In This Currency, or Trade In This Currency.

In a nutshell, once user is on the Checkout page, use the store's default currency. At that point, customer can see exactly what they will be charged and in which currency. They can then decide whether to proceed with the order, or abort. I would think most will go ahead. If I'm buying from the US or Australia, as examples, I won't abort just because the store is going to charge dollars and not pounds sterling.

Don't sweat the small stuff. You'll drive off more buyers and profits than you'll save in fees.

Think of what's good for getting any order at all, even at a few points less (or more) profit.

Keep in mind, currency swings both ways and over the course of a year it will all even out.

Are you in business to sell goods, or trade currencies? Get the order!

My view on this is that I take payments through PayPal and I only have a UK GBP bank account so although I would llove to offer vistors to my website the option to view products in their own currencies there is no way I want them to checkout in anything other than GBP as my PayPal account will become full of other currencies that I cannot withdraw to my bank acount and pay the leccy bill.....

Yes I can ask PayPal to convert all to GBP but they are theiving bast... the currency exchange rate they offer is rather poor!

Rob