guest checkout

Is it possible to set up my zen cart so that somebody doesn't need to sign up for an account to purchase something? I think its called guest checkout? Any help on how I can do this?

thanks...

Search the Plugin area for COWOA and/or Fast and Easy Checkout, which has a cowoa function.

Keep in mind that even with a guest checkout, if your products need to be mailed, the customers will still need to provide their name and address details.

Whats more, if you install/use the PayPal Express checkout module you'll effectively be giving your customers the appearance that they don't need to create a store account, assuming they select this method of payment. IMO this makes the other 'solutions' obsolete.

That's just my opinion though.

Cheers
Rod

RodG:

**Whats more, if you install/use the PayPal Express checkout module you'll effectively be giving your customers the appearance that they don't need to create a store account, assuming they select this method of payment. IMO this makes the other 'solutions' obsolete.
**Sure if you are using PayPal Express as a payment option, and assuming customer UNDERSTAND this, and assuming the client WANTS to offer PayPal Express as a payment option..

I used to think the same way until I discoverd there are reasons to use a guest checkout module..

My vote goes for COWOA..
It's stable.. plays well with other modules (FEC sometimes doesn't play well with others, and most importantly, the upcoming v1.6 of Zen Cart will include a guest checkout feature that is based on the COWOA module.

DivaVocals:

Sure if you are using PayPal Express as a payment option, and assuming customer UNDERSTAND this, and assuming the client WANTS to offer PayPal Express as a payment option..

I did stay 'assuming'. (just as you did, I suppose).

DivaVocals:

I used to think the same way until I discoverd there are reasons to use a guest checkout module..

I realise that I tend to run against the grain with many things, and this is no exception.

I've done a LOT of online buying over the years, and I tend to avoid the guest checkouts even when available.

Why?

1. If I'm willing to buy from a store I'm willing to provide my name and address details (the 'privacy' defence)
2. If I buy from a store once, the chances are I'll be back again. I get frustrated if I need to repeatedly enter my details with each order. (I like to make things easy for myself).
3. Guest checkouts generally provide no way of tracking or checking the status of orders placed. I like to watch for these status changes to help ensure the order is being correctly processed.
4. Less chance of making 'silly' addressing mistakes when placing subsequent orders.
5. Creating an account on a store will generally place me on a mailing list for the store (optional). I've only rarely gotten 'real spam' from such signups, but I do often get notified of specials, etc, which I'll often take advantage of.
6. Guest accounts generally aren't any quicker to place an order than creating a user account. Nearly all the same details need to be provided, wich makes things like "FEC" a bit of a misnomer. Not really faster, or easier.

Simply put, I tend to see login accounts as being far more productive than a guest account (from both the merchants and the buyers perspective).

I'll use PayPal Express wherever possible because I don't need to enter any details at all (ok, this negates some of the account creation benefits, but the bottom line is I like making the checkout process as fast and painless as possible. PPE achieves this aim perfectly.

As for the benefits of FEC/COWOA, I personally don't see any. The exception being for ###### toys, drugs, or some other not quite above board purchase. Not that I've ever done this of course. ;)

Just my opinion. Nothing worth 'arguing' about.

Cheers
Rod

RodG:

I did stay 'assuming'. (just as you did, I suppose).

I realise that I tend to run against the grain with many things, and this is no exception.

I've done a LOT of online buying over the years, and I tend to avoid the guest checkouts even when available.

Why?

1. If I'm willing to buy from a store I'm willing to provide my name and address details (the 'privacy' defence)
2. If I buy from a store once, the chances are I'll be back again. I get frustrated if I need to repeatedly enter my details with each order. (I like to make things easy for myself).
   **3) Guest checkouts generally provide no way of tracking or checking the status of orders placed. I like to watch for these status changes to help ensure the order is being correctly processed. **
3. Less chance of making 'silly' addressing mistakes when placing subsequent orders.
4. Creating an account on a store will generally place me on a mailing list for the store (optional). I've only rarely gotten 'real spam' from such signups, but I do often get notified of specials, etc, which I'll often take advantage of.
5. Guest accounts generally aren't any quicker to place an order than creating a user account. Nearly all the same details need to be provided, wich makes things like "FEC" a bit of a misnomer. Not really faster, or easier.

Simply put, I tend to see login accounts as being far more productive than a guest account (from both the merchants and the buyers perspective).

I'll use PayPal Express wherever possible because I don't need to enter any details at all (ok, this negates some of the account creation benefits, but the bottom line is I like making the checkout process as fast and painless as possible. PPE achieves this aim perfectly.

As for the benefits of FEC/COWOA, I personally don't see any. The exception being for ###### toys, drugs, or some other not quite above board purchase. Not that I've ever done this of course. ;)

Just my opinion. Nothing worth 'arguing' about.

Cheers
Rodand if I was the ONLY one shopping on my client's website I would agree with you.. but I'm not and my PERSONAL shopping preferences don't matter.. How I personally shop/feel about it is of no consequence.. That said for my clients who have COWOA installed, to my utter disbelief they have and great deal of REGULAR, RETURNING customers who despite being told the benefits of registering with the store prefer to shop using the guest checkout feature.. So I say if this is a clear customer preference I see no reason to NOT offer the option if my client requests it.. It doesn't hurt anything and the option to register for an account isn't replaced. Rather COWOA is simply offered as an additional checkout/account option..

On another note, did you know that guest checkout (based on the COWOA module) will become part of the Zen Cart core code starting with v1.6??

BTW, regarding point #3, You are incorrect.. COWOA does INDEED offer a way to track your order status if you used the guest checkout.. FEC?? :no: nope... no guest order status tracking.. (incidentally this is one of a few reasons why I replaced FEAC on my client's site with COWOA..)

Not arguing.. just responding..