Why I'm Quitting Zen Cart

[shags38]

For what it's worth,

- we're actively rewriting the Checkout flow code to allow for Guest Checkout and shorter/longer checkout page combinations for v1.6.0 (you can see it on github now)

Doc - I was about to make a post about checkout confusion when I saw and read this thread and in particular your comment above. As much as the greater majority of eShoppers are savvy there are many who are not quite so - checkout confusion of 'check out' button vs 'checkout with PayPal' button is creating so many problems and loss of sales - I hope that by the above comment you are indicating this confusion will be eliminated? (so sick of error: 10486 This transaction couldn't be completed. Please redirect your customer to PayPal - and sending explanation emails that I hope are understood at the other end).

cheers, Mike

[frank18]

Shopify as an option to ZC?

SEO is a problem with Shopify - offsite/3rd party links are benefiting Shopify, e.g. yourshop.shopify.com, your shop is effectively a sub-domain

I recently did a cost comparison - Shopify vs Zen Cart:

At the time of writing this (June 2015) the Shopify monthly charges for their plans are:

Basic $US29.00/month
Professional $US79.00/month (claimed to be the most popular plan)
Unlimited $US179.00/month

Hosting - included
SSL - included but shared


Now let us look at the cost for some essential Shopify add-ons (Apps). I only concentrated on the plugins which I have been using for years and which I personally deem to be essential. I have only chosen the cheapest version of a Shopify plugin.

Recover Abandoned Cart from $US8.00/per month - FREE on Zen Cart
Back in Stock Notifications from $US3.00/month - FREE on Zen Cart
Quick (bulk) Price Updates from $US5.00/month - FREE on Zen Cart
Image Resizer (automatic) from $US3.00/month - FREE on Zen Cart
Store Pickup from $US19.00/month - STANDARD on Zen Cart
Local Delivery $US13.99/month - FREE on Zen Cart
Google Analytics would cost a whopping $US39.00/month - FREE on Zen Cart

Just these 7 essential plugins can set you back by an additional $US91.00/month if your ecommerce store is based on Shopify. In my humble opinion that $US91.00 looks better in my pocket! At a GP of around 33% I would need to sell an additional $US280/month just to offset these costs! You may want other plugins so add the costs to the calculation above.....

When we add it all up on an annual basis, to run a Shopify store on the Basic Plan would cost you in excess of $1400.00 per year (Basic Plan $US29.00 plus the plugins in our example $US91.00 = $US120.00/month x 12 months = $US1440.00 per annum and that is $US).

In Australian $A that would be around $A1800.00 per year!


What about the annual costs of Zen Cart?

Firstly, the Zen Cart software is FREE and open source. Zen Cart is continuously being developed, expanded and simplified. All the plugins mentioned in our example above are either FREE or standard.


With Zen Cart you will need to choose a web host, the cost is somewhere between $A5.00 and $A20.00 per month, depending on the company you select. A decent host with a good reputation and 99.99% server uptime would cost you about $A12.00-$A13.00 per month. For our calculation let us use the higher amount, $A13.00 per month or $A156.00 per year.

Of course you can choose some El-Cheapo host, but you get what you pay for.

Then you need your own domain name. In Australia the registration of a domain name costs you an average of $A10.00 per annum.

You may choose an SSL certificate for safety reasons, an additional cost of say $A30 per year.


That adds up to around $A200 per year.... a saving of $A1600 - say no more!

And you retain full control over your ZC installation, database, coding etc etc - not so with Shopify.

[DrByte]

(so sick of error: 10486 This transaction couldn't be completed. Please redirect your customer to PayPal - and sending explanation emails that I hope are understood at the other end).

cheers, Mike

Answered at: https://www.zen-cart.com/showthread....ut-with-PayPal

[lucidlee]

Stupid accounting. I've been watching AccountEdge closely, by Acclivity. I'm going to be implementing that when I get a chance...there is some room for importing orders and so on...it's quite nifty, with a rather interesting mobile app as well. iOS only for now, but the desktop software is for Mac and PC - and it syncs some stuff back and forth to the mobile app.

Please - if your choices are AccountEdge or a gun - shoot yourself. Just spent an afternoon with it - just horrific, and i've used it, man and boy, since it first came out as MYOB. Today's pain was trying to sync its iPad app via DropBox. Brainless thing could not authenticate.

Accounting packages fall into two classes in my view: old school wherein the package and its data live under your control. MoneyWorks (cognito.co.nz) is magic for that - plus it also a REST interface for the other situation wherein the cart and the accounting package are cloud-based subscription services that integrate via public APIs. This un/fortunately is the megatrend, led for example by Xero and say BigCommerce.

For businesses with a consistent cashflow the costs for these services are manageable. For 'mom-and-pop' style businesses with sporadic or threadbare cashflows there will always be zencart.

For myself I need zencart because only Rod's OzPost handles my peculiar shipping needs, but in spite of the best intentions I can't summon the energy to find and implement all the little changes (and resolve the contradictions) for the plugins I have and so I'm stuck at 1.5.1 instead of glorying in 1.5.4

[RodG]

With apologies (assuming this doesn't get deleted)

For myself I need zencart because only Rod's OzPost handles my peculiar shipping needs

Ozpost and ZenCart are not synonymous. There is an ozpost module for a number of different eCommerce systems, and the ozpost servers don't distinguish between them - Should you ever opt to use one of the other supported cart systems your subscription, etc remains valid regardless of the cart.

The benefit (and pitfalls) of using the ZenCart version of ozpost is because this is always the 1st to be updated with new carriers, new shipping methods, etc, and ZenCart is the software we use, so any problems or issues are quickly noticed and rectified.
It is also the 1st to get to see the all new bugs that are inevitable with any new release.

In contrast, some of the other implementations can be months behind the zencart version. I don't use the other systems on a regular basis (I develop for them purely on a local test site) so bugs and problems can go unnoticed for years, unless someone reports them.

So, although there are many good reasons to stay with zen, if ozpost is your only reason, then it isn't a very good one. :-)

Cheers
RodG

[solo_400]

I've read this topic twice ...

To be honest, there were days I felt the same "ZC modern look frustration" to be the main reason of all ugly thoughts, until I understand why I'm still here. Someone wrote it before: "I have always regarded FUNCTIONALTY being far more important than COSMETICS, and despite what some people say, ZC is one of the easiest systems to tweak from a cosmetics point of view."

Sometime I compare ZC with Linux; a strong community always adapt and survive.

[spminis]

While you have some valid points, my philosophy is that it's the products that matter not the beauty of the website. An appealing website, without a lot of clutter and that works well is what I was able to achieve with Zencart. That's all I wanted and that's what I got.
Carol

[RodG]

Why I'm quitting zencart,

Nothing to really keep me here really, people get offended and defensive WAY to easy.
I'm getting threats via PM that a person is going to make my ozpost module for zencart worthless (or words to that effect). Too late mate, someone beat you to that several years by uploading a hacked version of my code.

Sadly, 2 years ago there were at least 200 forum posts daily. These days we are lucky to see 50.

Two years ago there was an average of - 30 people running ozpost on trial in any given month, this is now down to an all time low of Two. (your threats mean nothing to me Mr PM)
The number of active ozpost-for-zencart subscribers can now be counted on two hands and falling. (in contrast, the Woocommerce version was released just a few months ago, has ~25 people running the trial at any given time. The 1st trial periods started to end barely two months ago, as of today we already have more Woo subscribers than ZenCart subscribers.
The latest ozpost updates have been performed on the Woo System (as will all future updates), the reason being is that the code is a lot cleaner and easier to work with. It allows updates (all modules, not just ozpost) to be 'pushed' out at a moments notice (no need to create and validate zip archives and having to wait for the zen gods 'approval' before acceptance and release)

I do still have one more ozpost/zencart update 'in the wings' (providing support for Hunter express, as well as a few bug fixes and other minor updates). I hope to have this finalised and uploaded before Xmas, but due to the dwindling support this is most likely to be the last release for the zencart addons (future bug fixes, if any will be made available via the ozpost auto update code)

This could well be the last post I'll be making in the forums. I know many people will applaud this because I do speak my mind and am very opinionated. The wiser among you realise that I'm very rarely wrong (which really irks a lot of people)

In short I think zencart has lost its way, there's nothing to keep me here and recent events and the 'threat' to destroy the very thin thread that ozpost still has is a real joke, but also the last straw. Well done Mr PM, it was the comments such as yours that caused the transition of ozpost being fully supported and 100% free (for almost 5years) into the server subscription system that it later became. It took just one person to push me too far and everyone ended up paying the price. You have effectively achieved the same thing. You must be really proud of of yourself. Did you also go crying to mummy, or was crying to the moderators enough to satisfy the dreadful hurt I must have caused you?

[lloyd_borrett]

That's very sad news Rod.

[shags38]

This could well be the last post I'll be making in the forums. I know many people will applaud this because I do speak my mind and am very opinionated. The wiser among you realise that I'm very rarely wrong (which really irks a lot of people)

Rod - I was taken aback to read your post - I am not privy to the background details however let me say this, you have always been very supportive in a number of threads I have been involved in (unrelated to your plugin) and you have helped me greatly on a number of occasions - I for one would be sorry to see you and your expertise leave the forums.

cheers, Mike