If You Have A Lulu.com Online Store -READ THIS!!

Well, I think I've found one big reason why the online store is not selling anything.  Using Mozilla I never saw this problem but I got an email from a potential buyer:

" Dear Sir

I am interested in purchasing some books published by Black Tower Comics. However, when visiting your on-line shop on the Lulu.com website, I noticed that instead of the green padlock symbol that my web browser (Google Chrome) normally displays in the address bar to indicate that a site is secure, there was a grey padlock covered by a yellow triangle.

Clicking on this symbol opened a message box that stated Lulu.com is 'using outdated security settings' and 'is encrypted with obsolete cryptography' and 'includes other resources that are not secure. These resources can be viewed by others while in transit.'

As I am sure you can understand, I am reluctant to enter my personal information and credit card details into a site that might not be secure. Is it possible to purchase Black Tower Comics publications by other means? Perhaps by sending a cheque directly to yourself?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully"

Name deleted.

My first reaction was WTF??! So I sent the email and a query to lulu.com and received this response:

"Dear Terry,

Thank you for contacting Lulu. I hope you are well. My name is Thomie and I will be happy to assist you.

We are aware of the issue our site is having with various browsers and it is under investigation.  In the meantime, we have started a Phone Support service to take orders. 

Our toll free Lulu Support number: 1-844-212-0689. 

We are here Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.

Thank you for choosing Lulu. We appreciate your business.


Kind Regards,

Thomie M.
Lulu Press, Inc."

Which got an even bigger WTF out of me.  They KNEW this but never told those creators using an online store?  Does that mean all my transactions with them are seen by a third party???

And what fecking use is a US toll free number to people in the UK/Europe?

My response:

"Hello.

I am based in the UK, as a long term lulu.com creator using  the service I thought you might have checked that  -and most of my potential customers are here and in Europe. A US toll free number DOES NOT work outside of the US -I know, I just tried it and the connection charge from the UK is steep.

I am quite shocked and appalled that lulu.com has never had a secure payment site.  If I had known this I would NOT have used my credit card.  After querying the matter on my Face Book.yahoo groups I received many emails stating this is why potential customers are not buying.

This is just awful in an age of computer based crime -other parties being able to see card details.

This NEEDS to be sorted out by lulu.com as soon as possible -and creators alerted when the changes are made.

Terry Hooper"

The point here is that if I go onto a site and get an alert that my bank details would be seen by other parties then I'd never use that site.  This has been going on for a very -very- long time but lulu.com -"we care about our creators"- NEVER had the decency to warn creators with online stores that potential customers would be warned about it being insecure?

WTF sort of creator care is this?  Seriously, think twice before using lulu.com because this is something that should be considered VERY basic to a site from which people can buy.