Newb question

[pityocamptes]

Hi. I found this site and it seems to be what I was looking for. I am under the assumption, and hopefully someone can confirm or deny, that Zen may be used as a cart with the Google checkout.

I am in the process of building a web site using asp.net but am having problems as far as the checkout and payment screens. I have built simple sites in the past but nothing that incorporated payments and checkouts.

Simply put how does Zen work and is it fairly easy to integrate into a web site? How exactly does google checkout work (not familiar with it and hopefully someone can answer)? Does Google checkout use methods for CC transactions? (perhaps I will ask these over at google, but would appreciate it if someone knew). Finally, does google checkout return an XML schema or flag that confirms payment, so that I can reduce my inventory within the database?

Lots of questions. If I have missed the obvious please feel free to chip in. Thanks again!

[kuroi]

Your initial assumption is heading in the right direction. You can use Zen Cart as a cart with Google Checkout. But then you take a wrong turn.

The normal approach isn't to integrate Zen Cart into a website, but to build a website using Zen Cart. Google checkout is an add-on module which can be downloaded from here.

Most users will have little interest in how it is structured, just the ease of installation and confirmation that it works. If you need more than this, then it is easy to download it and perform your own evaluation.

[pityocamptes]

Your initial assumption is heading in the right direction. You can use Zen Cart as a cart with Google Checkout. But then you take a wrong turn.

The normal approach isn't to integrate Zen Cart into a website, but to build a website using Zen Cart. Google checkout is an add-on module which can be downloaded from here.

Most users will have little interest in how it is structured, just the ease of installation and confirmation that it works. If you need more than this, then it is easy to download it and perform your own evaluation.

Hey, Thanks!!! I was certain if Zen Cart was only software for a cart page or could be used to build a sit. I will be buying the book, I assume it gives step by step instructions or advice on how to build a site using Zen-Cart?

Also, perhaps you might know, but how does the CA/SSL certs come into play? LIke I said I'm new to this whole thing. Do you have to have one for google checkout, is one required or recommended? Do you buy one to use with google, does zen-cart provide anything along these lines? Thanks again, I really appreciate the help!

[kuroi]

Hey, Thanks!!! I was certain if Zen Cart was only software for a cart page or could be used to build a sit. I will be buying the book, I assume it gives step by step instructions or advice on how to build a site using Zen-Cart?

Also, perhaps you might know, but how does the CA/SSL certs come into play? LIke I said I'm new to this whole thing. Do you have to have one for google checkout, is one required or recommended? Do you buy one to use with google, does zen-cart provide anything along these lines? Thanks again, I really appreciate the help!

The book is an invaluable for understanding how to configure and administer a site, and is a great supplement to the information available in the FAQ on this site, though I'm not sure that I would categorise it exactly as a step-by-step guide to building a Zen Cart. I would certainly recommend it though.

You'll find a Google Checkout thread here, full of people who know a lot more about this than I do.

You would normally use an SSL cert to support encryption of sensitive data such as customers personal details when creating an account or financial information where making a purchase. It's less relevant with Google Checkout as financial information goes straight to Google and not the shopping cart, but I don't know about personal data. Again the support thread for the Google CHeckout mod would be a good place to learn more about this.