Explain more in detail how OSCommerce works?

[franco7]

:confused: Yes I am so confused. Would someone please explain a little more how the OSCommerce works? All I want to do is get something set up on my site in order to sell some books. How do you get paid threw OSC and do they take credit cards or just how do they work as for clients buying things? I am sure I have used this on other sites when I purchased items online! And of course I will have more questions after someone is so kind to answer these questions for me. Please help. Thanks, Franco7.

[Galax]

OSC allows you to use several choices for processing paymnts. You can have the informaiton sent to you and you can process it yourself manually, or you can run it through a payment gateway like paypal. This is all determined by you when you configure the software on your site.

[franco7]

What is the reason for having both osc and paypal? Is it so you can have a shopping cart? Thanks, franco7

[Winston]

Oscommerce is used to list the items that you are selling on your site (shopping cart). Paypal is a merchant account or as Galax stated, it is used to accept credit card payments. You need both so that when someone purchases an item on your site you can receive the payment.

[franco7]

Okay now this is falling into place a little better. I think we need a link set up on powweb called for dumbies :) , like me.

[franco7]

I went to the thread that Dragon has supplied on how to install osc and she says to go to mysql link and then explains how to install in your ops panel. My next question is on my site I have a newsletter and also a forum board.If I remember right the forum board is set up in the mysql area. (I had help setting up both of these features so now I am lost, in fact I did not set either one up) would someone give me some help as to how I set this osc up in the mysql and not mess up my other program in there? Thanks every so much, franco7. Please help.

[Winston]

If you don't want to use the same Mysql database that you are currently using for your newsletter and forum, you can always order another database for your shopping cart. You get 5 free databases included with your hosting package.

To set up another MySQL database: - Log into OPS and click on the "Hosting Packages" tab and then the "Billing/Plan" tab. Towards the bottom will be where you can order your database.

Then once you create your new database name, username, and password, you can follow the install instruction on Jade Dragon's site. ;)

[franco7]

If you don't want to use the same Mysql database that you are currently using for your newsletter and forum, you can always order another database for your shopping cart. You get 5 free databases included with your hosting package.

To set up another MySQL database: - Log into OPS and click on the "Hosting Packages" tab and then the "Billing/Plan" tab. Towards the bottom will be where you can order your database.

Then once you create your new database name, username, and password, you can follow the install instruction on Jade Dragon's site. ;)

Thank you so much for your help. Now hopefully I can maybe figure this out.I am sure I will get messed up some how. Do you suppose you may be on line today very much in case I get losted in this thing setting it up and would be able to help me out? I have got to go out this morning and run some errands. I live in Florida so I don't know what time frame you are on. Oh can I ask you this when using osc can people actually download your books or do the have to be shipped to the clients? I just want to set this up as easily as I can for me. Thanks again so much for your help, franco7.

[Winston]

I'm off from work at 6AM, however I'm sure someone can assist you on chat.

[stevel]

osCommerce has a rather steep learning curve. It is a shopping cart system and does offer support for downloaded products. If you do this, you must use a payment gateway that guarantees that the payment has been made. The default processing does not do this.

I am going to suggest that osCommerce is not for you, franco. You may want to look instead at Zen Cart (www.zen-cart.com), which is based on osCommerce but is supposedly easier to install and customize.

[bularae]

I am setting up a small store, have gotten products entered, but find this to be quite limiting as I have T-shirts in 6 sizes but have to list one each as a separate product, rather than the sizes be an option, so that the customer can order more than one shirt in different sizes.

My options do not appear in the order I entered them, or in the order of the option ID. Most of them I need in a specific order because they are times.

I also want to get rid of the "What's New" box, and some other "junk" like that.

And my picture links don't work, even though I can see the link is accurate when I'm defining the product.

I don't really know PHP at all but I do understand enough about code to go find stuff if I know exactly where and what it looks like.

Also I'm still getting the warning about writing to my configure.php file even though I have set the permissions to 444. What's up with that?

I just saw the referral to ZenCart and it looks to offer so much more than OS Commerce without having to go through the pains of customization.

Am I better off going with it? How tough is it to install?

If someone wants to check out where I'm at and offer some guidance I'd appreciate it.

https://ultimatewhalewatch.com/ultimatestore/catalog/index.php

P.S. Payment will be through Authorize.net

[Jade Dragon]

For things with multiple sizes/colors look at "Product Attributes" You will then be able to set up one product with multiple options. These product attributes are also optional per individual product and can have additional prices added on to the main product price.

You can learn more at http://www.oscommerce.info

For securing osc - you cannot FTP the permissions change with your local client. You can possibly use http://webftp.powweb.com or I have a script (from stevel originally) on my site - http://pownuke.com/oscommerce/oscsecure.php you just upload that file to your site, and point your browser to it.

=)
Jade

[stevel]

I also have an osC contribution (http://www.oscommerce.com/community/contributions,2137) that makes securing (and unsecuring) the configuration easy.