Can I use Zen Cart?

[Mommadoodle]

Thank you so much for your reply.

It's a place to open a storefront etc. I have heard you can't use Zen Cart at DIY (do it yourself) Website Builder, but have also heard you can. So I have no idea what to believe.

They use their own cart system there, I think it's Prim Mart? My issue with finding another storefront site is, I have no clue how to install templates for the "look" of my store, and all the other things that are involved.

Does anyone know of a place that offers a storefront/hosting etc, that does much of the work for you as far as HTML, set up and such?

Something easy.

TIA!

[schoolboy]

Zencart is a complete "solution" for e-commerce and works on the basis of "dynamic content". Basically, this means that the web pages (the html) is compiled on-the-fly by programming called "php", which cobbles together data and elements from a variety of resources, including data stored in a MySQL database.

There is (generally) no user-compiled HTML. The vast majority of information about your e-store is housed in the database, and (depending on what a visitor requests from your site), each page is compiled dynamically. It "evaporates" when the user clicks a link to another resource on your site.

The management of this data (inputting and website configuration) is done via a password-controlled admin console, and while there is a lot to it in terms of detail, the procedures are relatively straight-forward. It does take a while to learn how to use the features, but for zencart users there is a brilliant book available, as well as one of the most comprehensive wiki and faq sections on the zc site. Also, there is this forum.

My suggestion is to have a go at installing ZC on an appropriate server (see "Recommended Services" link above) and then spending a couple of weeks playing about with the demo data. When you are feeling a bot more comfortable, buy the book and start setting up your e-shop.

Come to the forum whenever you need help and advice.