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Troubleshooting Mailchimp for WooCommerce Order Sync Issues

39 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Mailchimp for woocommerce

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One of the most common issues users face with the Mailchimp for WooCommerce plugin is orders not syncing correctly. This can manifest in several ways: orders not appearing at all, only certain order statuses syncing, or the sync process stalling. This guide will help you diagnose and resolve the most frequent causes.

Why Order Syncing Fails

Based on community reports, order sync problems are rarely due to a single cause. The issue often stems from server configuration, conflicts with other plugins, or specific data within an order that the plugin cannot process. The plugin relies heavily on WordPress's Action Scheduler and WP-Cron systems, which can be a common point of failure.

Common Solutions and Troubleshooting Steps

1. Check the Order Status

By default, the initial sync may only pull in orders with a 'completed' status. If your store's orders are primarily in 'processing', 'pending', or 'on-hold', they may not sync. This is a common reason for seeing "0 orders" after an initial sync. Note that 'on-hold' orders not syncing can also lead to unwanted abandoned cart emails being sent to customers who have actually placed an order.

2. Investigate the Action Scheduler

The plugin uses the Action Scheduler library to process sync jobs in the background. A stalled queue is a primary cause of sync failures.

  • Navigate to WooCommerce > Status > Scheduled Actions.
  • Check for a large number of 'pending' actions that are not being processed.
  • If you see pending jobs that are newer than the last completed jobs by an hour or more, your Action Scheduler is likely stalled.
  • Try manually running a few pending actions to see if they process successfully.

3. Enable and Review Debug Logs

The plugin's log tab is your best friend for diagnosis. Enable debug logging to get detailed information.

  • Go to the Mailchimp for WooCommerce settings and navigate to the Logs tab.
  • Set the log level to Debug.
  • Trigger a new order or a sync process.
  • Review the logs for specific error messages. Common errors include:
    • "Queue Table Was Not Found": Indicates a database table issue.
    • "Resource Not Found" (404 errors): Often related to a product or promo rule in an order that no longer exists in Mailchimp.
    • "id: cannot be empty": A known data transformation bug where a line item ID is 0.
    • "Error Code subscribed": Can indicate a conflict when trying to update a subscriber's status.

4. Verify WP-Cron is Functioning

Many hosting environments disable the default WordPress cron system. If WP-Cron is not working, background sync jobs will not run.

  • Contact your hosting provider to confirm that WP-Cron is enabled and functioning correctly.
  • Some hosts recommend setting up a real server cron job to trigger WP-Cron. Your host can provide instructions for this.

5. Check for Plugin or Hosting Conflicts

  • Caching Plugins: Caching can interfere with the sync process. Configure your caching plugin (e.g., Swift Performance) to exclude the WordPress REST API (/wp-json/) and paths related to Mailchimp (/wp-json/mailchimp/).
  • CPU Throttling: If you are on a shared hosting plan, a large store (e.g., 16k orders) may hit CPU or resource limits during a sync, causing it to fail. You may need to initiate the sync during off-peak hours or contact your host about temporary resource increases.
  • Outgoing IP Blocks: In rare cases, Mailchimp's servers (Akamai) might block requests from your server's IP. The plugin's Advanced settings allow you to specify an outgoing IP address if you have a static one.

6. Reinstall the Plugin

If all else fails, a fresh reinstall can sometimes resolve persistent issues. This process typically retains your connection settings and can clear out corrupted data that may be stalling the sync. Always ensure you have a recent backup before proceeding.

When to Seek Further Help

If you have followed these steps and reviewed your debug logs but are still unable to resolve the issue, the specific error messages from your logs are the key to finding a solution. Searching for the exact error code or message online, often leads to community discussions or specific patches for less common bugs.

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