Mobile Friendly

[Johnnycopilot]

I have read dozens of threads about this and I still don't know how to go about it. I have a few questions that may help me understand better. Question #1... Do ZenCart mobile templates, like the ones by picaflor-azul0 (search 'mobile friendly' on ZC Forum to view templates), work in addition to my existing website, and those mobile templates only 'show up' on mobile devices? I don't fully understand exactly what those templates are. Question #2... Google, more or less, TELLS me what I need to do, and even offer some code to put into my CSS file, video tutorial, etc...... but, many instructions that I have followed from Google Webmasters tools aren't necessarily working,,, so,, Question #2, can I simply 'add' code to my CSS File, etc (along the lines of Google Webmasters instructions,,,, or not), & modify the physical look of my site, and make my device Mobile Friendly? Google says the ranking of my site, ON mobile devices, will reflect my 'mobile friendly' appearance; which, pretty-much means they won't show my site in a search result from a mobile device. That's not good. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Thanks

PS. Will this help, and what exactly will it do? Thanks!! http://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.p...nto-every-page

[RixStix]

Question #1... Do ZenCart mobile templates, like the ones by picaflor-azul work in addition to my existing website, and those mobile templates only 'show up' on mobile devices?

Picaflor-azul (Anne) responsive templates are NOT in addition to your current template.

They are just that.... responsive to the device... ie: your website changes appearance depending upon desktop, tablet or mobile device and then Portrait or Landscape orientation.

If you look at any of her demo installations on different devices, you will see how they are intended to function. Try one, you will probably like it.

[schoolboy]

To be as effective as possible across MOST mobile devices, a dedicated responsive template is necessary. It's quite a complex and detailed arena, so you can't just add a few lines of css or jscript and hope your existing template will behave on all devices.

The look of an ecommerce site today is moving rapidly towards minimalism. Get rid of all superfluous distractions - particularly on the home page, product info pages and the shopping cart and checkout pages. You want a site that loads superfast, takes the customer quickly to the products they are after, and enables rapid and easy checkout.

People who use mobile devices are by nature people seeking speed and convenience - essentially, they're "lazy", so you need to play to this psychology. If you make things very simple, fast and focused, you'll keep them happy. We convert over 90% of our visitors to a sale and believe that it's the ease of our sites that help to achieve this.

About 62% of our customers shop with us using mobiles, and of that number, about 78% are using Apple and most of the remainder android - but we get quite a few people on Blackberry as well.

[Johnnycopilot]

Please tell me if this will work. Install new Zen Cart with a mobile-friendly Zen Template into a {new} folder in my main directory, and use my current Database as the Database for that new template. Then put code on my current site {in hedder text?} to re-direct small-device traffic to that other site with mobile template. Is that how it's done? Will that work? (I have Zen 1.5.0 ... will I have to upgrade to 1.5.4 if my new mobile-friendly version is to share the same database (assuming I use 1.5.4 on my new mobile version)?

[gilby]

Please tell me if this will work. Install new Zen Cart with a mobile-friendly Zen Template into a {new} folder in my main directory, and use my current Database as the Database for that new template. Then put code on my current site {in hedder text?} to re-direct small-device traffic to that other site with mobile template. Is that how it's done? Will that work? (I have Zen 1.5.0 ... will I have to upgrade to 1.5.4 if my new mobile-friendly version is to share the same database (assuming I use 1.5.4 on my new mobile version)?

I personally hate it when sites force you to a "mobile" site.

imo: Much better to have a "responsive" site instead

[Johnnycopilot]

I personally hate it when sites force you to a "mobile" site.

imo: Much better to have a "responsive" site instead

I don't like it when that happens either, but making my site mobile responsive isn't an option for me at this time. Perhaps in the near future I can make my site responsive, but I need to do this now. Do you know if the way I was thinking about doing it will work? Thanks :)

[jeking]

Please tell me if this will work. Install new Zen Cart with a mobile-friendly Zen Template into a {new} folder in my main directory, and use my current Database as the Database for that new template. Then put code on my current site {in hedder text?} to re-direct small-device traffic to that other site with mobile template. Is that how it's done? Will that work? (I have Zen 1.5.0 ... will I have to upgrade to 1.5.4 if my new mobile-friendly version is to share the same database (assuming I use 1.5.4 on my new mobile version)?

This is not generally how it's done, no. A 'mobile-friendly Zen Template', ie a responsive template is all you need. Install the new template on your current site, make the necessary edits to carry over any customization made to your current template into the new one. Done.

Now your single Zen Cart installation will work on desktop, tablet and mobile devices.

[Johnnycopilot]

This is not generally how it's done, no. A 'mobile-friendly Zen Template', ie a responsive template is all you need. Install the new template on your current site, make the necessary edits to carry over any customization made to your current template into the new one. Done.

Now your single Zen Cart installation will work on desktop, tablet and mobile devices.

Thanks, I understand exactly what you are saying, and why you are saying it, but at the same time I'm slightly confused. What's going on when I go to a website on my mobile device, and when I type in anywebsite.com , my phone is redirected to m.anywebsite.com? I don't want to change my website (for home computers) if I don't have to. I have worked many hours to get it like I want. I mean, how are the other sites doing that? Thanks!!

[jeking]

Thanks, I understand exactly what you are saying, and why you are saying it, but at the same time I'm slightly confused. What's going on when I go to a website on my mobile device, and when I type in anywebsite.com , my phone is redirected to m.anywebsite.com? I don't want to change my website (for home computers) if I don't have to. I have worked many hours to get it like I want. I mean, how are the other sites doing that? Thanks!!

There are a few different ways your site may be redirecting mobile devices to m.anywebsite.com You'll need to figure out what method your site is using and disable it. A responsive template does not redirect to a different url. Start with the author of your mobile template. They should be able to tell you how they set-up for the redirect to occur.

[Johnnycopilot]

There are a few different ways your site may be redirecting mobile devices to m.anywebsite.com You'll need to figure out what method your site is using and disable it. A responsive template does not redirect to a different url. Start with the author of your mobile template. They should be able to tell you how they set-up for the redirect to occur.

Thanks. I can figure out the redirect part, I just want to know if the way I mentioned above will work. I want to know how to build a completely different mobile site; or more specifically, the best way to do it.