Restrict Customer Registration Based on Zip Code

[sghill]

Hello All:

I am attempting to use Zen-Cart for a local-only business. As a local-only business, I need to restrict the geographic area of the potential customer. I would like to do this through the registration process, by simply not letting those outside the zip codes that I serve create an account. Thus far in my searches, I have not been able to find out how to restrict customer registration at all, much less by zip code. How would one go about this?

I do like the look and feel of Zen-Cart very much. I think it could be a good solution for this project. However, I am all-ears if there is something anyone thinks would work better.


Thank you,
Steve

[sghill]

Perhaps this information can be found in the manual? I would gladly purchase it if I knew that, but surely you can understand my apprehension. This may not even be the right product for what I am trying to do. I chose it because of the flexibility, cost, and open-source nature.

I assume customers are entered into the ZenCart database. Is it possible to simply put a restriction on the field in the database from a client?


Any and all help is appreciated,
Steve

[Marg]

You could simply use a javascript where they put their zip code in and it either sends them to the create account page or, if it's a wrong zip code, sends them to a page explaining that you don't service that area.

How many area codes are you talking about?

[sghill]

Thank you for the reply. This sounds like a very intriguing solution.

I assume javascript does not bring up any security certificate errors in most browsers? I know that firefox has an extension that blocks all scripts, but many users would not have this installed.

Currently the "Create Account" page is the default; it requests 12 fields to be filled out before submitting. I am generally a fan of creating an account one one-screen, but it is quite aggravating when there is an error and everything is lost. Is it possible to put an EZ-page, or something similar, between the "Create Account" link and the default page? Ideally, this page would check the validity of your zip code and present the outcomes you have described.

Currently there are 12 zip codes.



Steve

[stevesh]

This guy figured out something like what you want - you might PM him and ask about it.

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85303