Solving the WooCommerce Checkout Conundrum: Why Totals Only Update When Page is Reloaded Twice

Solution 1: Update WooCommerce and Plugins

The simplest solution is often the most effective. Make sure you’re running the latest versions of WooCommerce and all related plugins. Outdated versions can contain bugs and incompatibilities that might be contributing to the issue. Take a few minutes to:

1. Update WooCommerce to the latest version.
2. Update all WooCommerce-related plugins, such as payment gateways and shipping integrations.
3. Clear your browser cache and reload the checkout page.

Solution 2: Disable JavaScript Caching

As mentioned earlier, JavaScript caching can be a significant contributor to this problem. To combat this, you can add the following code to your `wp-config.php` file:

<?php
define('SCRIPT_DEBUG', true);
?>

This code enables script debugging, which forces WordPress to use non-cached JavaScript files. While this might slow down your page loading times slightly, it can help resolve the issue at hand.

Solution 3: Use the `woocommerce_checkout_update_order_review` Action Hook

This solution requires a bit more technical expertise, but it’s a reliable way to ensure your checkout totals are updated correctly. You’ll need to add the following code to your theme’s `functions.php` file:

<?php
add_action('woocommerce_checkout_update_order_review', 'my_update_order_review');
function my_update_order_review() {
    WC()->cart->calculate_totals();
}
?>

This code uses the `woocommerce_checkout_update_order_review` action hook to trigger the `calculate_totals()` method, which updates the cart totals in real-time.

Solution 4: Implement a Custom JavaScript Solution

If the above solutions don’t work for you, it’s time to get your hands dirty with some custom JavaScript. You’ll need to add the following code to your theme’s JavaScript file (e.g., `script.js`):

<script>
jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
    $(document.body).on('updated_checkout', function() {
        $.ajax({
            type: 'GET',
            url: wc_checkout_params.ajax_url,
            data: {
                'action': 'get_refreshed_fragments'
            },
            success: function(response) {
                $( '.checkout_totals' ).replaceWith( response );
            }
        });
    });
});
</script>

This code uses jQuery to listen for the `updated_checkout` event, which is triggered when the checkout page is updated. It then sends an AJAX request to fetch the updated checkout fragments, which include the totals. Finally, it replaces the existing totals with the new ones.

Solution 5: Clear Session Variables on Checkout Page Load

Sometimes, session variables can get stuck, causing the totals to not update correctly. To combat this, you can add the following code to your theme’s `functions.php` file:

<?php
add_action('woocommerce_before_checkout_form', 'my_clear_session_vars');
function my_clear_session_vars() {
    WC()->session->__unset('cart_totals');
    WC()->session->__unset('applied_coupons');
}
?>

This code uses the `woocommerce_before_checkout_form` action hook to clear the `cart_totals` and `applied_coupons` session variables when the checkout page is loaded. This ensures that the latest values are used when updating the totals.

Conclusion

That’s it! By implementing one or a combination of these solutions, you should be able to resolve the issue of WooCommerce checkout totals only updating when the page is reloaded twice. Remember to test each solution thoroughly to ensure it works for your specific setup.

Don’t let this pesky issue hold you back from providing an excellent shopping experience for your customers. By following this guide, you’ll be well on your way to resolving the WooCommerce checkout totals conundrum and ensuring a smooth, hassle-free checkout process.

Happy troubleshooting!

Here are 5 FAQs about “WooCommerce Checkout totals only update when page is reloaded twice”:

Frequently Asked Question

Get answers to the most common questions about WooCommerce checkout totals that only update when the page is reloaded twice.