Mailchimp on Subscribe widget suddenly failing on BlueHost server only?

Beaver Builder
1

I have a really weird issue that I’m hoping you have seen before and might be able to point me in the right direction.

I have a client site on BlueHost that uses the subscribe widget with an existing Mailchimp account. Everything was working a week ago when I last worked on the site. However, today on her live site, I saw that the Mailchimp account info and API key were removed. When I tried to input them again, the system froze up and didn’t connect. It looked like it was breaking when trying to connect to MC to confirm the API key.

Here’s what I’ve done to debug so far:

  • If I use an HTML block to input the Mailchimp embedded form, it works perfectly (it’s just ugly)
  • When I tested the submit block with a different trusted MC account, it froze in the same way
  • When I ported the site to a non-BlueHost server, I was able to attach the same MC account with no problem.
  • I have tested multiple other (non-BlueHost) accounts with several different MC accounts, and everything works fine
  • One week ago, BB submit opt-ins were working perfectly on this BH server

Since this appears isolated to a single host, I’m not confident you’ll be able to help me-- it’s probably not truly a BB bug. But since I am fighting off “maybe we should just move to a different theme” recommendations, I am trying multiple support avenues in hopes I find someone who knows what might be going wrong in the Beaver Builder- Mailchimp handshake. (Mailchimp support has said they cannot support custom implementations such as BB.)

Have you ever seen this happen before? Any idea what might be going on under the covers to cause it to freeze up?

2

I should have specified: latest version of both WP and BB.

3

Hey Dorothy,

That is indeed strange! I haven’t seen an issue like this before with BH, but it could reside with them. You may want to contact their tech support team to see if they can assist. In the meantime though, I would double check the API key or generate a new one in MailChimp and then give it a shot to see if that helps.

Best,
Billy

4

Thanks, I have successfully connected via this API key after noting the problem with this account, so I am confident the key is OK.

I’m definitely willing to ask for BH support, but in previous interactions with them, it has helped a lot to be able to point them to a specific issue. Since I can use Mailchimp on a BlueHost site with the MC embedded form but not via the BB widget, I’m not sure exactly what to ask them to check. Can you give me a hint as to what happens under the covers of the BB opt-in widget when it accepts the API key and tries to contanct MC? That’s got to be where the problem is, and I want to be able to explain it to BH when I ask them for help. (Tech documentation is fine, I’m reasonably tech-capable.)

Edit to add: OK, I took your advice to create a new API key just to see if it worked, and no, it does not. Bummer. I’d have been fine with a hacky workaround for this particular issue if it had just worked. I have also tried creating an entirely new page in case the code on the specific page had gotten corrupted. No luck.

5

Hey Dorothy,

Are you seeing any console errors by chance or have you tried going the plugin deactivation route to ensure there isn’t a conflict elsewhere?

Best,
Billy

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Update: I have deactivated all plugins but BB and confirmed the same JS error occurs.

8

Hey Dorothy,

We’re getting the same thing when using our MC accounts. I’ll have our lead dev check in on this. Do you mind sharing FTP access to the site as well?

Ben

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11

Hey Dorothy,

Thanks for letting us know! I’ll be sure to pass the message on to our lead dev. :slight_smile:

And thanks for the kind words, really appreciate it! :slight_smile:

Ben