So many things so very very bad.

[i-make-robots]

Firefox is not rendering the textarea of this forum
It's just a dark grey box with the bold/italic/past as text/etc options. The javascript from yahoo is failing to load, not sure if that's the issue. Writing my post in a text file and trying to use the paste option didn't work.

Downloadable products are way too hard for customers
- I set up a free downloadable product. The product page shows "please choose:" with a one item radio button. Stupid!
- With nothing else in my cart I check out. I'm told that the product will be available for download as soon as my payment is processed. Why, when the product is free? I would expect a link to direct download either in the cart or in my confirmation email.
- I go into admin, change the order status to "shipped", and then go back to my email. Nothing. Eventually I find the download link hidden in the page for the order history. What! Who would ever think to look there?

Registering to buy from the zen-cart store is irritating
You want my billing and shipping info before I'm a member? Forget it.

Billing & Shipping addresses should only be collected if the payment processor doesn't already offer to handle it for me. I use Paypal for payment processing which offers the billing & shipping info. The only thing I would need before checkout is the zip code to calculate shipping.

When creating an account all I should have to give is a user name and a password, like reddit. Lowering the barrier to entry means increased sales. Is there a way to do that?

Collections of Products
My main products are kits which are a collection of other products. When a kit sells the store should understand and adjust all product inventories. I am constantly playing the inventory management game. Is there a better way?

Thank you!

[stevesh]

Always better to come here and ask a question politely rather than criticize and ridicule the software in the rude manner you've chosen.

The answers to your questions are easily found in the FAQ area or by taking the time to search in, and read through, the forums.

There are several other free, open source shopping cart programs. Maybe you would be happier with one of them.