Care to review my new site?

[thentavius]

Hmmm.... I'm looking at Zen cart right now.

I still have my old business webhosting account--the one I used OSCommerce on, and I noticed they no longer install OSC, but they do install Zen Cart. So, I did a one-click basic install to mess around with it on my old domain name--just to see what it's like. Heck. That works for me.

I still have the old account because that's where I host my auction photos. Good thing I kept it. Now I can mess with Zen Cart in a subdirectory. Heh.

[thentavius]

Xppman said:

Now ZEN makes your customers have to sign up to make a purchase.
I didn't like that so that's why I went with oscmax.

Really. Hmm.... what exactly do they have to sign up for? A customer account? In OSC, they had the option to checkout without making an account. Is this different for Zen Cart? I don't like that, either.

For me the kiss method seems to be working so far.
No shipping calculators (free shipping)
Only two options of online CC gateways to pay. (PP and LinkPoint).
The price they SEE is the price they pay. (They seem to like that)

Oh, totally! If I had less than 100 items, I'd be more than happy to use OSC. Last time I tried OSC, I had over 1,000 separate items. Blecchh. The mass upload helped a lot, but I still had to go in and repair the damage the upload did to apostrophes and certain characters.

I do think that OSC is a fantastic tool and your site is perfect for it. I would do it in a heartbeat for a site with a small number of products. If I do a site with jewelry and art (one of a kind type pieces), I'll probably use OSC.

I agree. This is turning out to be a very good thread. All of the angles we've seen here are helpful to people selling all kinds of products. It's also opening up discussion about the plusses and limitations of certian cart systems.

[xppman]

I kind of liked Zen till I found out about the sign up thing.

I'm just weird like that I guess.
I don't like having to sign up to make purchases on the net
(unless I know Im going to be buying from them a lot)
nor do I like to give Radio Shack or Lowe's or any company
my telephone number at the counter when I make a purchase.

Happened the other day at a home improvement store.
Lady asked for my number and area code. I said NO and just about bit her head off with that quick NO. Then I said "umm sorry I don't have a phone and the marketing department really don't need to know it if I did have one so". I know she thought I was a bitch but that's just how I feel
about it and i know I'm not alone.

OK sorry for OT rant.

[regic]

Zen doesn't have checkout w/o account. The only data input difference between checkout w/o account and creating an account is the password field. 

Credit card numbers aren't stored on your server.  Account creation allows the buyer to retain their shopping cart for a later date, check order status/history, check shipping tracking numbers, maintain a wish list, speed subsequent checkouts, etc.

[Jen]

I do the same.  Can't stand it when I'm paying with cash and they're asking my zip code, phone number, etc.  I just usually say - NO, I'm paying with cash, last I checked cash doesn't need verification.

[thentavius]

On one hand, I can see the usefulness of having customer accounts. It allows them to store things like wish lists, previous orders, and addresses. I love it on Amazon and use customer accounts on some sites I buy from.

On the other hand, I also hate to force anyone to sign up for something before they can buy. That would be like every grocery store forcing you to join the store club before you can pay for your loaf of bread.

While the good aspect of a customer account is enjoyable to many--the only data I want to require from customers should be what's needed to process the order. I hate having to force people who aren't in the mood to remember a username and password to write that stuff down, etc.

Those that want account features should be able to sign up. Those that don't, shouldn't have to.

I guess that means Zen Cart is a no-go. What a bummer. Why is it that every time I research a shopping cart system, there's something really basic and logical that's wrong with it--that all of the others seem to have? No one cart seems to have every logical thing in it.

[stardust]

I don't really mind giving my zip code out. 

I figger it's just a way for them to track where their customers are coming from so their marketing department can send folks within those zip codes all sorts of hideous junk mail weekly and clog up their already stuffed-full mail box, making it impossible to pull things out without ripping envelopes, etc.
>
I think I just changed my mind.

[Jen]

You just gave me an idea . . . so, stardust, what's your zip?

[stardust]

[xppman]

Credit card numbers aren't stored on your server.  Account creation allows the buyer to retain their shopping cart for a later date, check order status/history, check shipping tracking numbers, maintain a wish list, speed subsequent checkouts, etc.

Maybe I don't understand the process but I thought
I saw (while tinkering)....
When you customer starts filling in the information,
the CC info was entered too (at my cart page)
and then all that was passed on to the gateway
(provided you have you a mod configured to pass them to the gateway).
I also seem to recall you could collect ALL that data and enter it yourself via a virtual or physical terminal if you wanted to process your orders that way.

Now I'm not shooting down the features just pondering a few things
and thoughts I have out loud here.

retain their shopping cart for a later date?
Why would I want them to do that?
To me it's like... order that stuff NOW and slide that card over here to the gateway and PAY.
Don't run off the store or out to the movies then come back and decide if you want to complete that  order . DO IT NOW.
(That feature to me, sounds like eBay's watch list)

check order status/history
Again maybe just me but... huh?
Order status "processing", shipped", "I'll do it another day"?
Don't really sound like a feature I would need as a customer.
The company sent me a confirmation e mail and it stated "Allow 10-14 days for delivery".
Why would I need to "go back everyday" to see where it is?
(Weak feature IMO), but I know a lot of big sites use it.
Just don't know how many customers after ordering sit around and go
"I'll go check back to see what's going on".
When I order stuff I tend to forget about it and then a few short days later or so I go
"oh yea I ordered that the other day, cool it's here"...

check shipping tracking numbers
I guess that's great for the larger guys who are all automated.
But I send an e mail when the item is shipped.
A personal e mail at that. Can be a lot of extra work in the holiday rush
but that's all part of the personalize service
that sets some of us apart from our lager counterparts / competitors IMO.
I don't even give them a tracking number, used to, but sometimes the "number" would
not show via USPS causing undue fears and added time to explain that the
USPS system my not have updated yet or to explain eDC is NOT tracking, it's eDC.

maintain a wish list
To me that's right back to eBay's watch list.
DON'T WISH FOR THE ITEM YOU WANT.
(and put it on some list you will never remember later how
to go back to retrieve.... BUY IT NOW.  LOL

speed subsequent checkouts
I can see that as useful for those who do have repeat customers.
Like me on musicians friend. We buy stuff from time to time so OK.
I'll sign up. (Note: I HAD to do that the first time anyway I do believe)...

I guess over all the features mentioned can and are beneficial to
some, but I can't see why my customers need it or if the even want it.

Again that's back to what we sell, the volume and the frequency
to the same customers we sell to I guess.