COWOA (for ZC v1.5.x)

[DivaVocals]

After uploading the COWOA files (I did change the name of the admin folder, and the template folder), when I try to SEND the SQL code I get "WARNING: An Error occurred, please refresh the page and try again."

And what does the log file say the error is??

[magz]

Hi Diva Vocals,

I'm loving this mod, so easy to implement, and the graphic steps are really nice. Just one change would be useful in my particular case...

Is it possible to safely skip the payment page in COWOA mode but keep it for logged in customers? On my website, there's nothing for a COWOA buyer to do on this page - they just entered their billing address on the billing page, they don't get any gift vouchers, they don't get to choose a payment method (i only use paypalwpp), they already entered comments if any on the shipping page, they'll see their total on "confirm order" page, and they make their payment on paypal.com after they confirm the order (I don't accept any payments directly on my website). If it's doable for someone fairly familiar with if/else statements but whose coding ability is limited to copying and pasting, how would I go about making this change?

Thank you!
Magz

[DivaVocals]

Hi Diva Vocals,

I'm loving this mod, so easy to implement, and the graphic steps are really nice. Just one change would be useful in my particular case...

Is it possible to safely skip the payment page in COWOA mode but keep it for logged in customers? On my website, there's nothing for a COWOA buyer to do on this page - they just entered their billing address on the billing page, they don't get any gift vouchers, they don't get to choose a payment method (i only use paypalwpp), they already entered comments if any on the shipping page, they'll see their total on "confirm order" page, and they make their payment on paypal.com after they confirm the order (I don't accept any payments directly on my website). If it's doable for someone fairly familiar with if/else statements but whose coding ability is limited to copying and pasting, how would I go about making this change?

Thank you!
Magz

You can disable the gift vouchers though so it doesn't appear on the payment page by disabling the gift voucher module..

I know the default Zen Cart checkout skips the shipping page when there are no shipping options enabled or if the order requires no shipping (in the case of downloadable products).. I believe that the payment page is skipped when the cart contains only free products by default.. Dunno what is required to skip the payment page if only one payment method is enabled in the store.. Maybe another community member can chime in..

[magz]

Thanks Diva Vocals...

I can't disable GVs because registered customers use them, and can't totally disable the payment page because that's where the registered customers redeem the GVs...unless GV redemption can be moved to a different page. Ideally, I'd have a single-page checkout but without all the hassle and incompatibilities of the FEC mod... I guess that would be a lot of figuring out of what code to copy & paste from/to where... ;-)

Yes, if other community members could chime in that would be great...
Thanks!
Magz

You can disable the gift vouchers though so it doesn't appear on the payment page by disabling the gift voucher module..

I know the default Zen Cart checkout skips the shipping page when there are no shipping options enabled or if the order requires no shipping (in the case of downloadable products).. I believe that the payment page is skipped when the cart contains only free products by default.. Dunno what is required to skip the payment page if only one payment method is enabled in the store.. Maybe another community member can chime in..

[DivaVocals]

Thanks Diva Vocals...

I can't disable GVs because registered customers use them, and can't totally disable the payment page because that's where the registered customers redeem the GVs...unless GV redemption can be moved to a different page. Ideally, I'd have a single-page checkout but without all the hassle and incompatibilities of the FEC mod... I guess that would be a lot of figuring out of what code to copy & paste from/to where... ;-)

Yes, if other community members could chime in that would be great...
Thanks!
Magz

as I said before a single page check out isn't necessarily going to save time because a lot of processing still has to happen in the back end.. and it doesn't change the same basic four steps to completing a sale. payment, shipping, review, and confirm.. where this module improves the stock checkout process is that it provides an improved user interface with good visual cues for the shopper so they know exactly where they are in the process, what part of the process they have completed, and what steps left are in the process..

Finally, COWOA will be the DEFAULT checkout process in the upcoming 1.6 release of Zen Cart as it is being integrated into the core code.

[Eldridge]

I've installed COWOA for 1.5.1 and it works great but it asks for Billing information even though Pick Up and Pay in Store are options, so if they choose those, I won't need them to enter billing info. Any way of changing the order in which it asks for things? Like, it should only ask for billing info if you are paying with some method that requires a bill sent out. Billing info should come after payment method is selected. Eg If I select PayPal Express then billing and shipping are handled without entering anything again.

[DivaVocals]

I've installed COWOA for 1.5.1 and it works great but it asks for Billing information even though Pick Up and Pay in Store are options, so if they choose those, I won't need them to enter billing info. Any way of changing the order in which it asks for things? Like, it should only ask for billing info if you are paying with some method that requires a bill sent out. Billing info should come after payment method is selected. Eg If I select PayPal Express then billing and shipping are handled without entering anything again.

Are Pick Up and Pay in Store payment and shipping modules... a single module? What??? Because I'll bet MONEY that you'd have the VERY SAME "issue" with the default checkout process (which COWOA follows).. So sure you COULD re-write the checkout process to accomodate your needs..

[Eldridge]

No, they are separate modules. By COWOA forcing the customer to enter Billing information, it's almost as much work as them having to register an account. It sort of defeats the purpose. I mean who really bills their customers anyway? We mostly expect payment up front through PayPal or Credit Card or payment on pick up or delivery. So being confronted with a page where you have to give your name, address etc before you have selected your payment method makes no sense.

[DivaVocals]

No, they are separate modules. By COWOA forcing the customer to enter Billing information, it's almost as much work as them having to register an account. It sort of defeats the purpose. I mean who really bills their customers anyway? We mostly expect payment up front through PayPal or Credit Card or payment on pick up or delivery. So being confronted with a page where you have to give your name, address etc before you have selected your payment method makes no sense.

Okay..It's a discussed to death fact that COWOA MUST create a customer record. You do understand that you have to collect CUSTOMER DATA in order for Zen Cart to record an order.. Regardless as to whether or not they are paying with PayPal, you still have to create a customer record in order to create an ORDER record..
BILLING isn't about sending the customer an INVOICE.. It's a term to mean WHO/WHERE the payment will be collected from.. If you don't like using that term, you are free to change the language file to use a term that you prefer.

[osulywan]

I installed COWOA in Feb on my Zen 1.5.1 store. I received some complaints that products are being placed in the user's cart that they did not acquire. Further research revealed this customer was a COWOA account. There were rows in customers_basket table for her customer id that did not belong. (We have product option values for Name on these products which is how I know they do not belong). I know Zencart has a "merge cart" feature designed to capture stuff put into the cart in a previous session when the user logs in. I am not sure how that should behave for a COWOA session. Timing is an issue since these customers may have been on the store simultaneously.

Is there a way to assure that COWOA customers bypass the merge cart routine?