Should I use TemplateMonster?

Hi,
I am new one on zen-cart system.
I was looking for a template. I found a few good templates on templatemonster.
I little confused. Because i have already installed payment modules such as (credit card, paypal, direct payment...). If i buy and install this template, will my current modules replace with new template file? if i install new template, which files will change ? which files will not ? Actually They didnt make me clear when i asked to them about that case.
If someone is using templatemonster's template.Please share your experience and suggestions.
Thanks...

Hello probtc, and welcome to the Zen Cart forum. This question has been asked many times before - if you look at the top right hand side of the page, you'll see "Advanced Search." Go there and set keyword = "template monster" with "Search Titles Only" selected instead of "Search Entire Posts." (Hint: you're getting into a world of pain by using their templates.)

The problem is that the folks doing those templates know nothing about Zen Cart and its structure.
They rearrange the structure and the stylesheet to match their particular method instead of taking the time to figure out ZC's ways.
IF (and that's a very big if) someone is REALLY familiar with php, css, etc they can usually get the templates to work after hours of searching and munging.

Then, there's that new mod to add...............
:shocking:
:frusty:
:censored:

Our prices triple as soon as we see a TM problem.:yuck:

... and we have a long-standing policy of not working on sites that have Template Monster templates at all. Life's too short.

dbltoe:

The problem is that the folks doing those templates know nothing about Zen Cart and its structure.

I'll have to respectfully disagree. I think the TM ZC designers know zencart pretty well. Otherwise, they couldn't rearrange it's structure and make a template that actually works...which theirs do if one wants to use it as is.

Now, WHY they have to rearrange ZC's structure I can only speculate. Perhaps it's too difficult to make a TM quality-looking template using zc structure. Or perhaps they just want to keep the templates within the TM system so only they can sell them. Who knows?

Is there anyone making zc templates that look as good as those at TM while using proper zc structure? Who is TM's competition?

dbltoe, just looked at your Russian Radiant...now, that's an especially good one! Reminds me of the jquery black 2 with both columns on right, but yours are on left where most people would expect them.

Thanx,
Customer insisted on the TM template. Took days to get it working with IH and FS. Gonna cost em big bucks to upgrade to 1.5.
The same thing can be done with almost any ZC template by changing the order of the columns inside the wrapper. Just a lot of work to make sure the file and css are a match for sequence. Example at http://tinyurl.com/bunqg5v

thanks for many replies..
I talked with TM support about price, they said me template price + installation + if my system needs to change ZC engine they will charge 600USD more.
I just smiled and i said no thank you :D So now i am looking for similar templates such as TM templates (37429, 37088, 34199, 32793).
If someone knows a website which one sells similar templates. Please let me know. Actually I found same templates half price but they dont give me PSD files.
So any suggestion for similar TM templates ?

probtc:

thanks for many replies..
I talked with TM support about price, they said me template price + installation + if my system needs to change ZC engine they will charge 600USD more.
I just smiled and i said no thank you :D So now i am looking for similar templates such as TM templates (37429, 37088, 34199, 32793).
If someone knows a website which one sells similar templates. Please let me know. Actually I found same templates half price but they dont give me PSD files.
So any suggestion for similar TM templates ?

The best suggestion is to NOT touch Template Monster. Have you looked at the many free templates available in the modules area, then simply edit to your taste.

SPH:

Now, WHY they have to rearrange ZC's structure I can only speculate. Perhaps it's too difficult to make a TM quality-looking template using zc structure. Or perhaps they just want to keep the templates within the TM system so only they can sell them. Who knows?

Is there anyone making zc templates that look as good as those at TM while using proper zc structure? Who is TM's competition?

I've always suspected that they make the radical code changes and require SQL patches because if they just did what the rest of us do and modify a few overridable files and the stylesheets, it would be a lot easier to 'back-engineer' their overpriced templates.

I think Picaflor Azul's templates come close to matching the quality of TM, but she doesn't have nearly as many and the demos don't look as impressive because they lack the hi-res graphics TM jams into it's work, which have to be changed anyway to use the template on your site.

The only TM 'competitor' I know of is algozone, and to be honest, despite their protestations to the contrary, I think they are connected to TM. Interesting that they would make a point of claimng otherwise, though.

I think the best way to do it is to take your $600 budget or what TM requested, go to Elance, Post a new job their listing exactly what you want your site to look like. I am pretty sure you will find quite a few contractor that will agree to do your template for $500 or less especially if they don't have history on that website.

Adding a Template a website is the easiest thing to do if you have the PSD design especially if you don't require any special modules that require configurations.

Keeping in mind most ZC stores you see on this forum are outdated designs and don't have much going for them in the taste area. Any developer will have to do some hacking and core changes to Zen Cart to make the site looks decent, just look at the portfolio for some of the people that give advise on here and compare their work to most of the good websites and you will see how their design/look looks more like 1999 than 2012 with not much functions all they do is install free plugins from the download section, except for few people that actually do real coding most of people on here just instal plugins and use outdated templates.

My point is, nothing wrong with TM, even though they do rearrange the cart folders to get the layout and design you see, but that is sometimes that only way to do it to get the results you see. If you ever need to instal modules that don't work just by dropping the files from the module package into the folder and run a sql batch and you have an actual developer doing the work, they will easily find the problem and fix it without complaining but if your developer knowledge is limited to downloading and uploading modules then they will let you hear it about TM templates. Let's face it most modules will only override few files if any, so taking the time and merging the files shouldn't be a problem.

Yes you're right.I can hire someone or install TM template myself but actually i have already installed payment modules such as (credit card, paypal, direct payment...). Problem is if the TM template would be replace my current payment modules. it would take a long time to fix it for me. Because I am new one on ZC. And I still try to understand ZC core and template mental.But I think I can do it myself. I am really wondering about is there any new ZC core ? which means full function AJAX site and nobody need to edit and use TPL files :smile: just change image files and template will be replaced... I am expecting full AJAX new ZC site from ZC team.

My point is, nothing wrong with TM, even though they do rearrange the cart folders to get the layout and design you see, but that is sometimes that only way to do it to get the results you see. If you ever need to instal modules that don't work just by dropping the files from the module package into the folder and run a sql batch and you have an actual developer doing the work, they will easily find the problem and fix it without complaining but if your developer knowledge is limited to downloading and uploading modules then they will let you hear it about TM templates. Let's face it most modules will only override few files if any, so taking the time and merging the files shouldn't be a problem.

So, the extremely experienced and knowledgeable developers who have said exactly the opposite earlier in the thread are just plain wrong? I am on the 'life is too short' side of the argument here.

niccol:

So, the extremely experienced and knowledgeable developers who have said exactly the opposite earlier in the thread are just plain wrong? I am on the 'life is too short' side of the argument here.

Its true though. If you want a really modern looking and working store with custom features or layouts, then you will need to hack the code yourself from the original Zencart structure, so penalising TM for doing this is a moot point. It is a 'custom' template, not just a pretty 'style'.

TM templates are not advised for "novice" users. They generally "re-shape" or even "remove" a lot of the critical functionality of zencart, and the time, effort, cost and degree of expertise needed to re-establish core functions is not worth it. If you are a PHP, HTML, CSS and MySQL Guru, then you may consider a TM template. Oh... and expert knowledge of ZC is also needed.

Bear in mind that TM employs skilled graphic designers, and their objective is to "seduce" you into purchasing the template. The vast majority of people then need to apply their own graphics, so unless you have access to the skills needed to "replicate" TM graphics, your site will look "amateurish" anyway.

You're then stuck with a site that does not behave the way you expect it to, and looks bad too..

TM templates.... keep away from them.

Kuroi @ 10000 posts on this forum
Dbltoe @ 4000 posts
Schoolboy @ 8000 posts
Stevesh @ 16000 posts

They all agree. Listen to the experts.

It is not the fact that the code has been modified. It is the way that the code has been modified. In most cases this appears to have been done by people who have very little understanding of how the fictional 'average user' may choose to further modify the solution. In other words TM templates are very unfriendly to add-on modules. If the template does everything that you want it to do then this is really no problem. If you want to use many of the free add-ons that are available you will probably run into issues, and won't get much help from the experienced people here who have wasted too much of their lives already trying to understand the TM 'logic'.

Further to that, with the whole PCI thing becoming more and more important to many users can anyone really comment on the effect of the all the changes that TM templates make on security. I can't but maybe someone else can.

The various professional developers on this thread are all saying 'stay away'. Why would one ignore that advice?

niccol:

Kuroi @ 10000 posts on this forum
Dbltoe @ 4000 posts
Schoolboy @ 8000 posts
Stevesh @ 16000 posts

They all agree. Listen to the experts.

It is not the fact that the code has been modified. It is the way that the code has been modified. In most cases this appears to have been done by people who have very little understanding of how the fictional 'average user' may choose to further modify the solution. In other words TM templates are very unfriendly to add-on modules. If the template does everything that you want it to do then this is really no problem. If you want to use many of the free add-ons that are available you will probably run into issues, and won't get much help from the experienced people here who have wasted too much of their lives already trying to understand the TM 'logic'.

Further to that, with the whole PCI thing becoming more and more important to many users can anyone really comment on the effect of the all the changes that TM templates make on security. I can't but maybe someone else can.

The various professional developers on this thread are all saying 'stay away'. Why would one ignore that advice?

I don't have any issue pulling apart TM templates and getting things working. I don't know what the issue is. Its not rocket science.

It may be rocket science for a novice, but everything will be rocket science to a novice, even basic html and css, so a TM template gets you to a level of a professional looking site, that will convert sales, and put money in your pocket.

Buy the TM template, its only like $100, if it doesnt work, throw it in the bin.

dgent:

Buy the TM template, its only like $100, if it doesnt work, throw it in the bin.

Great advise! If one isn't seriously cash-strapped just buy it (usually around $140) and see if it works, including increasing sales. Should be abel to write the template off as tax expenses whether it works or not. It probably will work, though, from my limited experience with TM.

There is really no point of trying to defend TM or anyone else. No body said anything about the other posters, I have used plenty of their modules and still do. Nothing personal but in this age a plain Jane Free Zen Cart template will not cut it. I have no problem with starting with a free template just don't use the ones from templateinfo as they are way outdated. In fact I encourage starting with something free till you get your feet up and know for fact that your business model is going to work and convert.

If you look deep enough and long enough there are other smaller companies that do templates and sell them for small amount like $50 which are pretty good looking. The only free template I like is the one by Rubik Intigration but you need to buy some of their modules to get the full effect.

There are a lot of good developers on here but I just don't see any of them that have the finishing touches to make a website stand out. All the portfolios I see have free template and some free plugins installed which is something that any of us that have been using Zen Cart for years can do so besides Schoolboy I am not sure I see anyone that has portfolio that I like or any websites that they have done that will make me stop and think about using some of their features. Niccol doesn't even have a link to a portfolio on his "Web Service" site so nothing worth showing off I guess.

Niccol doesn't even have a link to a portfolio on his "Web Service" site so nothing worth showing off I guess.As someone once wisely said,> We can only start the customer on the right track. Whether they decide to follow our advice is up to them.I think we might try to agree to disagree without the "My site can whip your site" mentality. There are several sites that we've done that make me cringe when I look at what they have become.

What HAS NOT been mentioned in the case of TM templates is that they do not take into consideration what settings are coded into the database. They simply put there own span style and add a bloated css file to make it difficult to find what might fix a problem.

I appreciate (I think) the unsolicited label of expert but, I have yet to see a TM template that didn't cost more money to "fix" than it did to buy. And, it happens over and over as more mods are added.