the simplest possible one page site

[simple]

hi all zen masters,

has anyone ever written the most simple possible minimal template for zen cart? namely:

- "one page" store containing e.g. 10 t-shirts with add to cart buttons and two attributes (size and color) for each.
- header: my logo and 3 navigational links.
- layout: blank white
- i want to include this "one-page" store wihin the existing site which uses very minimal design and just lists brands of clothing on the left hand side with a couple navigational links in the header.
- i want to learn how to make it look better with time, rather than reverse engineer themplates available now. i just need to sell right away!

If there is such a simple template, where can I get it and how do I install it?

thank you very very much for any advice.

ps: why doesn't he just go with paypal? because i don't know how to automatically update inventory with paypal unfortunately and i like shipping and tax integration options of zen cart.

[JollyJim]

I think you misunderstand the concept of the Zencart e-commerce engine - in fact the concept of e-commerce engines in general.

You see, the look of the store is just this - a design or a skin if you prefer. Whereas the scripts behind the e-commerce engine is the muscle - the bit which makes the data and the design glue together and appear on the screen as a whole page.

The two are not one and the same. The engine is a combination of powerful code and databases. The design (in zencart anyway) is a template which includes bits of code to tell the engine where things should appear within the design.

It does not matter to the engine if there is one page with 10 products or 200,000 pages with 500,000 products. The job of the engine is to fetch the data from the database and put it in the correct place within the design then serve the whole lot up into the browser as one page. Similarly, it the template does not care how many products there are either. Its job is to make things look pretty.

So you see, your question is rather the wrong way round. The template can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. Neither the Zencart engine or the template really care, nor do they care how many or few products there are.

Once you understand these concepts you begin thinking in three dimensions rather than two dimensions. You think of Zencart as the engine, the template as the design and the database as the volume of information being transferred.

Now add another tier to this line of thinking. Think of the way you accept payment as a fourth system. Zencart allows you to accept payment from many places and will auto-update your available inventory. Paypal happens to be one of these places. You simply install a bit more code in the right place (a plugin module) to tell the core engine which payment systems are being accepted. The same rule applies to shipping too.

I hope this helps you understand things a little better.

[simple]

i actually understand all the stuff you wrote quite well, thanks for the summary of course. i was trying to write a post that a diletatnt with an interest in starting a store but wanting to start immediately would write. is there are primer for customization of zen cart design that is available. i am currently reading through http://www.creatusitio.com/Modulos/C...in_page=page_1.
but mainly it will make arrive exactly at the page i just described.

i want to start selling tomorrow - that's the bottom line (i actually do, i have stuff in my bedroom). at the current rate of customizing everything zen cart has, i will spend at least a week or so just reading through all he modules. i don't know, i like to learn and stuff, and i really want to udnerstand what my cart does, but i am just being pragmatic. i just need it done now. unfortunately, i have no money to hire anyone write a cart or adapt a cart right now, as most new entrepreneurs. what i do need is of course to pay rent lol. that dictates my question mostly...

[simple]

i was just talking about a simple one page store that would come preloaded with the install i guess, so one can just modify the values.

[sabastina]

LOL! We ALL want to start selling tommorrow! And for most of us, REALLY learning ZenCart is a months long process, but the better you know your system, the more you can offer your customers in the way of customer service!

Actually, MOST new enterprenures use ecommerce programs that are already offered as opposed to having them custom made.

What he was telling you is that an ecommerce program is just that - a ecommerce program. All ecommerce programs do the same thing - fetch information based upon user clicks and the options you've provided.

On the other hand, templates control the look of your store. THESE are what most people hire others to customize - not the ecommerce program it's self. I have seen some very amazing things done with ZenCart!

It seems to me that what you are looking for is a simple shopping cart that is added to a simple web page. You likely can get one of these for free from paypal.

ZenCart is complicated when you decide you want to customize your site, but, in the end its worth it. One thing I will say is this, you aren't likely to find an ecommerce that is easy...if that is what you are looking for, again, I suggest you look into a simple shopping cart program (like paypals).

Good luck!

Sabastina

[simple]

sabastina,

i am sure it's amazing and all, after all it's supposed to be a fork form unusable os commerce code right? well, i am not really finding a huge difference but i am stuck with it and trying to fix it up.

paypal doesn't offer inventory management, the only reason most small timers don't automatically settle for it.

here is what i thought would be the most helpful way to customize the cart. if someone could just draw lines on the "classic template" that comes with install, so these lines identify the element (e.g. "new products" titles in the new products box) and write the corresponding file in the install that would save eons to make things work. for both the product detail page and the main page. i don't know just a thought. would work for me, but most people wouldn't want to read code period.

i don't think i am going anywhere with my question, it's all about learning. i mean, what an outlandish idea: have a simple one page site. pretty sure that 90% of people opting for free cart are looking for something like that (with a couple of categories at most), otherwise they would buy the wiggedy whack out of the box thing or something. i don't know.

[kuroi]

here is what i thought would be the most helpful way to customize the cart. if someone could just draw lines on the "classic template" that comes with install, so these lines identify the element

If you are using Firefox install the web developer add-in from http://chrispederick.com/work/webdeveloper. If you are using IE install the Internet Explorer Toolbar from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en. Both offer options to draw lines round different types of elements on any page and to bring up windows showing what CSS is associated with them.

However, I would also suggest that by starting with the classic template, you're starting in the wrong place. Here's why and what you should do.

[sabastina]

i am sure it's amazing and all, after all it's supposed to be a fork form unusable os commerce code right?

Actually, I believe it's just a fork from the OSCommerce - not part of unusable code. The founders of ZC didn't like the path that the OSC was taking and decided to go another direction. If I understand my research correctly (it's been a while since I looked into that part of ZC).

well, i am not really finding a huge difference but i am stuck with it and trying to fix it up.

1. A difference between ZenCart and what?
2. No, you're not 'stuck' with it, you can uninstall and use another method.

I think that kuroi gave really good information(thanks! I plan to look into it myself). If you are unable to work with the code -or just don't want to, you could look into

1. Running a websearch to see if you can find a free template that meets your needs.

2. Hire someone to make one for you. I don't think it would cost too much.

If I understood the new template system already (I just upgraded a couple days ago) I would try to make one for you. I plan to work on templates, so maybe I'll do this next month and add it to the contributions section.

The old ZC (pre-1.3.0) had the tables which gave a look similar to what you are talking about and personally - I liked them as well as the new look. So I DO plan to make templates with those in it...

I think you're right about people starting small sites only wanting a couple catergories - but I know people who only sell 3 or 4 items who use ZC and I know of sites that sell dozens of items that use html.

It's all about preference and learning about the stuff like you are doing.

[simple]

you are right. about kuroi's advice. i basically followed the direcitons and realised that for my needs i can just keep the template of the site i have, create a table with links to cart's product pages, and have the product pages have a slightly different look than a template of my site. makes it easy since right now i only have category pages and no product pages anyways, so i have a clean slate, as long as my logo is at the top, which i've included already.

with only ten products or so, i don't expect to create a dynamic site just yet. but, hopefully this step will enable me to move faster in that direction.

very curious about a template you might be able to design.

thank you very much for taking my comments in stride. felt a bit frustrated in the morning. but another day another little step forward and i am feeling good as nina simone famously sang.

[sabastina]

I can understand completely where you're coming from.

On top of days of coding (I like to code ) I have a cat that constantly taps my leg and shoulder. (he's got bad breath as well!

But seriously,

It's frustrating to need something, yet to not have a clue where to look so that you can actually figure out what exactly your needs are (let alone what will fulfill them). Especially when you have money invested in merchandise that you need to sell.

When I do make the template, I'll be sure to add it to the template section. It will probably be at least next month before I start on it.

Glad you've got things figured out a bit more!

sabastina