How to limit the total amount of products can be inserted?

[Jackz]

Hi All,

We want to limit the total amount of products can be inserted in the Zen Cart. Let's say we only allow maximumly 500 products can be inserted by our client. Is there any way we can accomplish this?

Thanks in advance,

Jack

[tino.schlegel]

No there is no such functionality for this since it is an open source software and not intented to restrict users. And, you shouldnt charge your clients for adding more products when you use a open source product. Not sure if this is allowed with the licence. I think its fair to charge someone for the work you put in creating a nice template or installing it on a server. But not for restricting the use of open source software.

[schoolboy]

I agree with tino...

This is underhand and goes against the spirit of OS and Zencart.

For what purpose are you intending to limit the number to 500?

If you are thinking of setting up a tiered structure where people pay for more than 500 items in a store then you may indeed be violating the licence.

[Jackz]

Thanks for your answer. You were right in some degrees.

Well, everything has its reason. I dont think we are breaking the spirit of the opensource. We offer hosting for the client. We just want to control the bandwidth so they don't use too much of the bandwidth. Because we pay bandwidth! Hope this is understandable. Thanks!

[mprough]

Limiting the number of products in NO WAY helps to control bandwidth. They can create unlimited pages and promote their site with great success and use MORE bandwidth if than if they are limited to 500 products.

This is not a proper use of the license. Configure your hosting properly to prevent overselling of bandwidth or let the client host himself..... Hosting is a professional service and should be handled as such.

~Melanie

[Jackz]

FYI, as I can see on one of the certified hosting provider - Geek Host. They have the limitation of 50 products maximum. http://geekhost.ca/index.php?main_page=page_4

[mprough]

That is the number of products they will insert for the customer w/ setup...

~Melanie

[Jackz]

Thanks Melanie!

Oh, Okay. I see. It was quite confusing though.

We have this headache. Because the client just want to put their Zent Cart on our server. We have been with them for a while and providing other IT services. They dont want to pay another bill. And we have to do all the technical support for them. They know nothing about the computer stuffs. However, we dont want to tell them that their bandwidth is limited neither (long story).

[gilby]

Thanks Melanie!

They dont want to pay another bill. And we have to do all the technical support for them. They know nothing about the computer stuffs.

And you do all this "Out of the kindness of your heart" ?

Come on, educate them that they need to pay for decent hosting and for any other services that they want.

This is a business after all

...or move on...

[Jackz]

Thanks gilby!

This is a hard time for all businesses. Our clients are all SMBs. Usually they dont want to spend even a penny on those unnecessaries. Unless it shows there is a clear reason. We have tried but the reality is although they understand the word "bandwidth", they dont know what exactly the result of bandwidth will bring to them. "you have spend 2G or 20G this month" doesnt mean nothing to them. They are still going to ask you why I should pay you this much? Because there is no direct relation that high bandwidth=more sales. It's very hard to clearly measure it.

We think it is easier to tell them that "okay, you have approximately 1000 products, then you can insert maxuimumly 1200 products in your online store, and it will cost you this amount of money", that's it. We dont want to control them with exactly how much bandwidth they can spend. It can be a reasonable range. In general, a store with 1000 products compares with a store with 10000 products, should have different bandwidth spending. And the hosting price should be different as well.