Zen Cart v. Pay Pal

[bigcaat]

I am not really adept at programming language, although I have done a pretty good job making my Zen Cart match my site. (I am good at design.)

The reason we first started looking into Zen Cart was so we could use Google Checkout instead of Pay Pal, and we found out that Google does not calculate tax and shipping like Pay Pal does.

What concerns me, however, is the amount of time it's taking me to learn every little nuance, every step of the way, and the concern that once I get the site up, if there's a problem, I won't be able to quickly deal with it.

So I started looking around for opinions about simply using Pay Pal or using Zen Cart with Google or Pay Pal.

I ran across one post that stood out to me. It said, "If you have less than 100 products, just use PayPal." I will have far less than that. Same things, just different colors.

Would it behoove me to just use Pay Pal for now, and then revisit Zen Cart only if and when my site gets big enough that maybe I'm moving more merchandise than I plan on doing right now?

Thanks for the input.
Caat

[kobra]

When you state "just use pay pal" are you meaning that you have sa an html page/site and place a PP button to buy??

If so what happens is I want 2 things one red and one green? do I have to go through the process twice?

[bigcaat]

I tried to edit this, but ran out of time. I wanted to add:

The reason we first started looking into Zen Cart was so we could use Google I ran across one post that stood out to me. It said, "If you have less than 100 products, just use PayPal." I will have far less than that. Same things, different designs and colors. Each item I sell, however, will be handmade and will need an individual number. So they can't just order, say, "A black bag." They will have to order a "specific" black bag, which they will be choosing from the picture. There will be no two alike. I will have to make an "Order Now" button for each and every item I sell, if I use Pay Pal.

Caat

[bigcaat]

When you state "just use pay pal" are you meaning that you have sa an html page/site and place a PP button to buy??

If so what happens is I want 2 things one red and one green? do I have to go through the process twice?

Yes. My Zen Cart would not be my front page. I have a .php page that I would just be forwarding people to the cart if they want to buy something.

If they want to buy more than one thing, I believe that Pay Pal will allow for that. I believe it allows you to add more than one thing in your cart. I'll make another button right now and check, though.

Caat

[misty]

http://www.zen-cart.net/demo/index.p...products_id=84
Demo of what can be achieved with zencart including colour choices etc, at above url

[bigcaat]

If they want to buy more than one thing, I believe that Pay Pal will allow for that. I believe it allows you to add more than one thing in your cart. I'll make another button right now and check, though.

Caat

Hmmm. Sticky. I just checked someone else's site and was able to add more than one item, but when I did it on mine, it didn't work. There must be a trick to it. Also, I'm not sure how that would work with the shipping. I don't necessarily want to charge people full shipping charges if I'm sending things all together. I'm not sure how Pay Pal handles that.


Caat

[bigcaat]

http://www.zen-cart.net/demo/index.p...products_id=84
Demo of what can be achieved with zencart including colour choices etc, at above url

That is nice. I've got my cart designed, but I haven't figured out how to do the attributes and options yet. It scared me a little, but otoh, so did fussing with the css, and I did okay with that.

Here's my site (not complete) http://www.spiritcaat.com

And here's my cart http://spiritcaat.com/zenshopping/

Caat

[bigcaat]

http://www.zen-cart.net/demo/index.p...products_id=84
Demo of what can be achieved with zencart including colour choices etc, at above url

Is there a way of adding more pictures so they can see each color choice?

Caat

[misty]

Is there a way of adding more pictures so they can see each color choice?
Caat

Yes, just add more swatches

I don't necessarily want to charge people full shipping charges if I'm sending things all together. I'm not sure how Pay Pal handles that.

ZenCart handles shipping charges for you.. quite a number of options.
Suggest you view zencart from admin perspective.. demo at
http://www.opensourcecms.com/index.p...sk=view&id=300

[bigcaat]

Yes, just add more swatches

Oh. Those can be pictures, not just colors? Cool.

C.