Need Novice Advice!

Hi! First time Zen user, and it seems ok so far, but until the first sale goes through, I just want to make sure if I understand this well. I upgraded to the latest version of Zen 2 weeks ago, forgot what version exactly it was. I am an intermediate/advanced web designer but am a novice in PHP and other db languages.

First I made a splash page the way I want it to look because I didnt want to mess with the cart page until later due to a short deadline. Is there any downside to doing this? I realize the default "Home" link on the cart pages takes u back to the cart home page... not a big deal but is there a way to change that? (I mean without messing with the actual code manually)

Also, taking a look at the cart page, if I simply add the payment gateway in the admin, is this ready to go as far as the setup? Is there anything else I am missing that I may have overlooked?

Any advice or basic links/tutorials would also be appreciated, thanks!

This is the URL:

http://lotushealthzone.com/

Rather than have a splash page that is not connected to your Zen Cart site, you could put the splash content in define_main_page.php, and disable the sidebar for the home page. There are instructions with examples in /includes/templates/your_template/common/tpl_main_page.php.

You have your products in the top without any categories; this will cause problems later if not now. You will need to delete all products and create at least one category, then put the products in the category.

To determine what version of Zen Cart you're running, log in to your admin and press the "Version" link at the top right.

Re: your other question - yes, installing a payment module will allow people to buy things and check out.

gjh42:

Rather than have a splash page that is not connected to your Zen Cart site, you could put the splash content in define_main_page.php, and disable the sidebar for the home page. There are instructions with examples in /includes/templates/your_template/common/tpl_main_page.php.

You have your products in the top without any categories; this will cause problems later if not now. You will need to delete all products and create at least one category, then put the products in the category.

Hi and thanks for your quick response!

With the way I did it, a whole separate landing page, will that be a problem somehow, or r u saying that the way you suggested is just cleaner and more professional way to set up the site? I do want to do this properly, but I also want to learn on the way, so I hope you dont mind me asking the reason... I do much better in implementing when I "understand" whats going on, and since I am not a programmer, I sometimes cannot "see" these things on my own.

Will implement the cats asap, thanks again!

swguy:

To determine what version of Zen Cart you're running, log in to your admin and press the "Version" link at the top right.

Re: your other question - yes, installing a payment module will allow people to buy things and check out.

Ya sorry I was away from my home computer so I had no way of logging in. It is v1.3.9h.

As for the other thing, I was asking if thats ALL I had left to do in order to have orders go through, if there are any other steps I may need that I beginner may easily neglect.

Thanks.

And btw, as u can see I need it, where is the code for centering the all the components as one in the shop page?

You have to install at least one payment module to be able to sell things on your website. If you install Paypal or a credit card gateway, you will also need to set up an account with them, and coordinate their account info with Zen Cart (they will have instructions for you).