Big picture - multiple stores

[Brian1234]

Being a general web developer (mostly static pages) I have been getting asked more and more about making online stores. I'm looking for some feedback about managing multiple zen-cart stores, etc.

First, I have a small one I'm setting up for a friend right now, he's already paid up-front for 5 years at GoDaddy, so I've set it up there. Seems to be going OK.

I have another site that's on a no-name ISP... it's an old ZC (ver 1.1.4d) and is now busted due to a PHP upgrade. I dislike the ISP more and more, and am considering moving it, perhaps to GoDaddy too. I use GD for all my names and static hosting, have had good luck that way.

At least 2 others want me to work on a store for them.

Sooooooo..................

Is there anything special I can do to manage multiple ZC stores? Any advantage to hosting them all at the same place?

Is there any way to get a ZC store up and running faster/easier? It seems there are literally a couple hundred things to do in the admin interface and overrides. Any kind of more complete summary available? (eg1: what are all editable files that relate to email like account creation, product purchase & status, PW reminder, etc. eg2: How do I know what each sidebox is for and when it is enabled?).

How much do experienced people usually get for setting up an 'average' ZC store? (nothing too complicated) How much time does it take?

Thanks!

[schoolboy]

First - a personal comment. I wouldn't host any of my zenshops with GoDaddy. They tend to have a "one-size-fits-all" approach to hosting which may be suitable for flat html sites, but can lead to incredibly frustrating issues when you may need some server-side feature that they point-blank refuse to accommodate.

If you are intending to build e-commerce sites for clients (ie: do this professionally) then your partnerships (web hosts, designers, illusratrators, custom coders) ALL need to know what they are doing, and have a competent understanding of the e-commerce software you are using.

So... Start by looking at the people featured in the "hosting" link at the top of this page. I have no commercial interest in any of these ventures, so my recommendations that you use them are entirely impartial. I know - from personal experience - that if you intend doing e-commerce properly, work with people you can trust, and who have the systems and KNOWLEDGE to help and support you.

As far as "what should you charge" is concerned. You can charge whatever you like. The market will decide if you are too expensive, and if you offer value for money - or not....

[schoolboy]

Is there any way to get a ZC store up and running faster/easier? It seems there are literally a couple hundred things to do in the admin interface and overrides. Any kind of more complete summary available? (eg1: what are all editable files that relate to email like account creation, product purchase & status, PW reminder, etc. eg2: How do I know what each sidebox is for and when it is enabled?).

How much do experienced people usually get for setting up an 'average' ZC store? (nothing too complicated) How much time does it take?

Thanks!

Zencart takes a couple of hours to unzip, upload, basically configure and install.

In reality, it's a fully functioning webshop from the moment you complete the install - capable of taking orders and doing all it's designed to do.

Naturally, everyone needs to do customisation - from payment gateways to setting up shipping options, currency, sales tax, personalised info pages, as well as uploading your products and images.

If you are happy with the existing "classic" template, you could probably have your zenshop functioning pretty much they way you want it - with your own products and important customisations - within a couple of days.

How long is a piece of string??? Some webshops take MONTHS to build. It depends on what you want.

My advice is:-

1. Set up a test zenshop on one of the recommended hosts' servers.
2. Buy the book (see link, top right of your screen).
3. Using the book as your chronological guide, work through all the key features of a standard zenshop.

This will take you 2 - 3 weeks, at 4 - 6 hours a day.

But it's worth it... after that you will have a degree of confidence that would otherwise take months to accomplish.