Free Templates VS. Templates you Buy

Hello,
We just downloaded Zen-cart and we are trying to figure out what template that we want to use and I have a few questions I was wondering if anyone could help us.

1. What is the difference between Free Templates and the templates that you purchase
2. Are all templates that you choose compatible with Cell phones and tablets.
   My 3rd and final question do any of the templates support videos. I am sure I will need a lot more help in the future but thank you for now
   Thanks Tara

There really aren't blanket answers to these questions - you would have to investigate on a template by template basis.

But the difference between the free templates in the Plugins area here vs paid templates is just that in the former case, the author(s) have decided to sell their work and in the latter they have decided to give it away (with the hope that you will purchase customization or services from them). Don't assume that the free ones are inferior; I have seen a number of paid ones that looked nice but once you pulled back the covers had plenty of problems.

Welcome to Zen Cart and good luck in your online venture.

freeves:

Hello,
We just downloaded Zen-cart and we are trying to figure out what template that we want to use and I have a few questions I was wondering if anyone could help us.

1. What is the difference between Free Templates and the templates that you purchase
2. Are all templates that you choose compatible with Cell phones and tablets.
   My 3rd and final question do any of the templates support videos. I am sure I will need a lot more help in the future but thank you for now
   Thanks Tara

Hi! Welcome to ZC!

Hopefully others will weigh in on this as well, but I'll try to offer my 2 cents on the above questions:

1. Couple of things and some will emphasize different aspects. Free templates (like from this website) are at least supported by the community but generally heavily supported by the original author(s). While they would appreciate compensation, it is not a requirement. As part of that support (and original design) the capabilities of ZC are not lost beyond the description of the template (ie. Some templates are one, two, or full three column and so stated) but that is known up front and intended to complement the graphic design. Pay templates may or may not fully support the functionality offered by ZC. If they don't, then generally speaking the community doesn't support them as the provider is the one that should support the product as a funded item. There are those that take shortcuts or manipulate the code to suit their presentation at the cost of operation or compatibilty with other software mods. General suggestion is to search out a template that offers the general look and functionality desired but keep in mind that colors can be changed through css and image modifications...

2. No, well, kind of... Depends on what you expect on the receiving end. By today's standards, responsive o mobile detecting templates are the oones "designed" to. Provide a mobile friendly experience. Responsive templates are basically the same template with the items rearranged on screen to support smallerr window displays. A mobile template is one that is generally a completely different template than the desktop version. Some mobile templates are properly integrated into ZC to support operation of all other plugins, while others operate "outside" of ZC and require a little more tending to obtain the desired "functionality".

3. The template is not generally speaking the deciding factor on video support. There are several meda player related options out on the internet. Integration of the video to the desired location on the site can be incorporated where/as necessary with applcable modification. The area of "trouble" usually comes in what media types are "allowed" by the applicable .htaccess file for where the video is stored... If a video requires a specific player type declared inline, well not sure that many templates have that already incorporated, but it's not really difficult to do that especially if in you're post t find out how to do something that you provide the information requested in the posting tips and provide as much as you can about the particular player... Or could always seek out someone for hire if it would be more convenient.