<?php
session_start();

echo "POST variables<br>";
var_dump($_POST);

echo "<br><br>SESSION variables<br>";
var_dump($_SESSION);


$itemcount = isset($_SESSION['itemcount']) ? $_SESSION['itemcount'] : 0;
if ($itemcount == 0)  {
header("Location: "."error.php?msg=".rawurlencode("Please add items to your shopping cart before checking out."));
exit;
}

echo "POST email value: ".($_POST['email'])."<br>";

if (!isset($_POST['email']))  {  //  <--  FAILS HERE
header("Location: "."error.php?msg=".rawurlencode("We did not find your information, please enter the needed information again."));
exit;
}

echo "server request method: ".$_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'];
if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST')
{
$_SESSION['shipname'] = $_POST['shipname'];
$_SESSION['shipaddress'] = $_POST['shipaddress'];
$_SESSION['shipzip'] = $_POST['shipzip'];
$_SESSION['shipcity'] = $_POST['shipcity'];
$_SESSION['shipstate'] = $_POST['shipstate'];

$_SESSION['paymenttype'] = "PayPal";
header("Location: "."thankyou.php");
}

$shipname = isset($_SESSION['shipname']) ? $_SESSION['shipname'] : '';
$shipaddress = isset($_SESSION['shipaddress']) ? $_SESSION['shipaddress'] : '';
$shipzip = isset($_SESSION['shipzip']) ? $_SESSION['shipzip'] : '';
$shipcity = isset($_SESSION['shipcity']) ? $_SESSION['shipcity'] : '';
$shipstate = isset($_SESSION['shipstate']) ? $_SESSION['shipstate'] : '';

?>

POST variables
array(11) {
    ["lastname"]=> string(6) "dfgdfg"
    ["email"]=> string(22) "kelliemmarsh@gmail.com"
    ["city"]=> string(8) "van nuys"
    ["fax"]=> string(0) ""
    ["state"]=> string(2) "WA"
    ["firstname"]=> string(5) "dfbdf"
    ["address2"]=> string(0) ""
    ["phone"]=> string(12) "509-555-1414"
    ["zip"]=> string(5) "90266"
    ["address"]=> string(14) "123 any street"
    ["Continue"]=> string(8) "Continue"
}
SESSION variables
array(8) {
    ["cart"]=> array(4) {
        [0]=> array(6) {
            [0]=> string(6) "ch-002"
            [1]=> string(6) "ch-002"
            [2]=> string(0) ""
            [3]=> string(0) ""
            [4]=> string(0) ""
            [5]=> string(0) ""
        }
        [1]=> array(6) {
            [0]=> string(26) "Fish Wavy Stripe Turquoise"
            [1]=> string(26) "Fish Wavy Stripe Turquoise"
            [2]=> string(0) ""
            [3]=> string(0) ""
            [4]=> string(0) ""
            [5]=> string(0) ""
        }
        [2]=> array(6) {
            [0]=> int(1)
            [1]=> int(2)
            [2]=> string(0) ""
            [3]=> string(0) ""
            [4]=> string(0) ""
            [5]=> string(0) ""
        }
        [3]=> array(6) {
            [0]=> string(5) "10.99"
            [1]=> string(5) "10.99"
            [2]=> string(0) ""
            [3]=> string(0) ""
            [4]=> string(0) ""
            [5]=> string(0) ""
        }
    }
    ["itemcount"]=> int(2)
    ["shipname"]=> NULL
    ["shipaddress"]=> NULL
    ["shipzip"]=> NULL
    ["shipcity"]=> NULL
    ["shipstate"]=> NULL
    ["paymenttype"]=> string(6) "PayPal"
}

POST email value: kelliemmarsh@gmail.com
server request method: POST

if (empty($_POST['email']))  {
header("Location: "."error.php?msg=".rawurlencode("We did not find your information, please enter the needed information again."));
exit;
}