Guests Only Customers, Why Not?

[darvidc]

Hi,

 

We've been running a shop now the last 8 years that allows both guest or registered customer purchases with the result we now have a customer base of over 30,000 customers on the books.

 

Over those years the one big customer support question/problem, we've had to face time and time again is this with returning customers being confused by/the difficulty of purchasing again as a guest or a registered customer.

• If they've purchased as a guest before they can't become a registered guest (without contacting us).
• If they been a registered customer but now (for various reasons) just want to go through as a guest, they can't do that, they have to remember/find their old password (or ask for a new)!

Both scenarios defiantly don't make a customer happy! 

 

So I ask the Questions:

• Why do we have to make it so confusing/difficult for the customer (if 1 person contacts us, I can guess 10 have given up)!
• Why then can we just not have a option in PS to have the choice of a "Guests Only" Cart also ????

 

I personally think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Do any of you know of a good, tried module that can achieve this?

 

David C