Checkout without account

isrzencartus:

the communication between you and the zen-cart team in previous posts is what I wanted to touch on.

I think you are confused about who the zen team is. I haven't communicated with members of the zen team on this topic. Any communication you are referring to was with other zen users and turned into a debate on the whole issue, which is what most posts about this topic turn into.

You came in here saying "We need this!!!" but I don't think you fully understand that you are beating a dead horse. This has been talked about over and over again even before I came to Zen Cart (which wasn't that long ago by the way).

I would also like to clarify... there is a thread out there where I say something to the effect that users should have to log in and entering a password should be no big deal. This was when I was new to zen cart and came across a thread about the subject. I hadn't had my cart online for very long and didn't see what the big deal was about logging in. After implementing User Tracking and watching customers leave when they got to the login page, I searched these boards for "checkout without account" like everyone else does. I've read every thread on the subject. At the time, I was PMing with another zen member about a totally unrelated mod. I mentioned checking out without an account. He basically said "Here, I've got this code I've been messing around with that kinda does what you want." I took that code, installed a test cart, and experimented. I came up with a workaround for my problem that wasn't quite what I wanted, but was better than nothing. I noticed there were a lot of people wanting this same thing and considered writing it up as a mod for other people to use. Then someone sent me a PM asking for help on this topic. So I wrote the mod, gave it to him, and posted it here. Its not like I woke up one morning and said, "Hmmm, let me BASTARDIZE zen code today and screw the zen team!"

I'm with you.

We're all with you.

I applaud any effort to create a "checkout without account" module for Zen Cart. But I will wait a litter longer until it is mature. It is my first time using Zen Cart so I do not want to mess around until I'm good at it. Meanwhile, can someone tell me if Paypal Express Checkout will work around this issue? Will PEC allow customer to pay me without create an account whatsoever?

I believe this one of the few disadvantages of ZC. Merlinpa1969, I know you have reasons to believe that an account is neccessary for customer. As a seller, it would be nice to have all customers sign up for account so you can effectively manage your orders. But buyers are buyers, they do what they want. I am both an online seller and buyer for many years. I only want to sign up for an account with stores where I know I will need to return many times, any there is only one for me now. Even with stores that I do return, I still prefer COWA.

One of the reasons I do not want to sign up is security. Signing up with a store means it will keep your information somewhere online, and if this store is hacked, your information is accessible to criminals. Of course without signing up, your information can still be captured, but between a greater risk and a smaller risk, I would choose smaller risk. Another reason is when signing up, you have to remember your ID and password for the next visit. If I only visit a store once or twice a year, it would be too long since my last visit to recall it. My memory is already filled up with so many IDs and passwords for my bank account, eBay account, Paypal account, email, on so on. I do use the same ID and password for some accounts, but I do not want to use the same password as my bank account for a store I hardly visit.

I hope that explains why COWA is neccessary.

henryvuong:

Meanwhile, can someone tell me if Paypal Express Checkout will work around this issue? Will PEC allow customer to pay me without create an account whatsoever?

An account is still being created with any of the mods that exist right now for optional or no account checkout, so that should not have any effect on a customer checking out with PayPal. These mods are entering auto-generated passwords and allowing duplicate email addresses for those who choose not to sign up. When the Zen creators make a "real" guest checkout, I'm not sure how all of this will work. Don't we need the customer in our system anyway? At this point, after installing J_Schilz's optional account mod, I don't really need the Zen developers to make any changes to Zen. I don't see how them re-designing the checkout would be any different from how that mod works.

(How do real PWA carts work?? Are orders only emailed to admins with no record being kept in the DB? I don't like that if thats the case)

PPEC automatically creates an account transparent to the user. You have an option of auto-emailing customer with a randomly-generated password. As long as the returning customer uses PPEC, s/he would never have to log into Zen Cart.

If you don't want to email customers their password, then it's probably a good idea to delete order status/account links in order status emails. You'll also have to word Gift Certificates carefully so that they know that an account/login is required.

Nice site Katie!

Thank you, craftzombie!!

Could you clarify this: If I use PPEC I don't need to intall this mod in my Zen Cart, PPEC will take care of the "check out without account" thing like Katie's store does, correct? Thanks.

Even if COWA process creates an account in the background, as a buyer I still prefer this method. Whenever I see a store requires an account, I have an impression that the process is a bit complicated (even though it's not always true), I simply click away and look elsewhere. There're some strange behaviors of web users that you can never explain. You just have to accommodate to them.

No, you don't need to install this mod for PPEC to work. The only reason I'm not implementing COWA (this version or the "other" one) is that I don't want upgrades to be a nightmare. So for now, PPEC is fine with me. I'm also one of those buyers that hate to create accounts.

There are only 3 files outside of your template area that are modified.

They are:

admin/orders.php
includes/filenames.php
includes/modules/pages/login/jsscript_form_check.php

All other modifed code are inside a folder with your template name on them and should not need to be modified when updating.

It is such a easy fix and worth the modifications.

I wanted to touch on the account no account issues some of the posters have with this mod.

1. Creating an account is only an account if there is customer login interaction.

2. Without customer login action your just have customers information that allows you to bill and ship a product or service and a way to contact that customer if additional information is required in reguard to their order.

Once that order has been fufilled you are free to delete or retain that information as long as it is protected on your system.

KTNaturals:

No, you don't need to install this mod for PPEC to work. The only reason I'm not implementing COWA (this version or the "other" one) is that I don't want upgrades to be a nightmare. So for now, PPEC is fine with me. I'm also one of those buyers that hate to create accounts.

henryvuong:

One of the reasons I do not want to sign up is security. Signing up with a store means it will keep your information somewhere online, and if this store is hacked, your information is accessible to criminals. Of course without signing up, your information can still be captured, but between a greater risk and a smaller risk, I would choose smaller risk.

So in other words, you believe that simply because you do not sign up for an account when placing an order on website XYZ, they have not saved the information concerning your order in their database? Including your name, address, what you ordered, email, telephone number, payment method, etc.? This is not a valid argument for COWA.

If you don't want to use the mod then don't use it.

I would rather shop at an online store that doesn't require anlog in and I offer that to my customers.

There isn't an arugment about it on our side.

:unsure:

This is free code to alter as we want to. If you don't want to then don't.

I'll probably be taking a beating for this one, but here goes...

If you are that worried about your information being stolen, should you even be shopping online in the first place? Its not like you are giving away your social security number. Tons of people ALREADY have access to your name and address. Credit card companies are usually good these days about refunding unauthorized charges. I've been shopping A LOT on the web for 10 years and have never had an incident of my information being used against me. Maybe I'm just one of the lucky ones?

A few years ago, my father wanted to buy something he saw on tv. I told him there was probably a website for it and I would get it for him. He was apprehensive about giving me his cc # (he's in his 70's and totally ignorant to the internet by the way). So I went ahead and used my card and he gave me the cash for it. A few years later, his credit card number was stolen by a waitress at Denny's. His bank did not charge him of course, but I just thought that was ironic since he was so afraid to use his card online.

Anyway, I'm ready for my beating (ooh la la!)...

Hello

I am lost , after reading and reading , which option i best for checkout without account ,

their is no simple way to just turn it off in admin? i have the 1.37

www.tiledepot.us/store

thank you

motti:

Hello

I am lost , after reading and reading , which option i best for checkout without account ,

their is no simple way to just turn it off in admin? i have the 1.37

www.tiledepot.us/store

thank you

Nope, no admin switch for this one. If your customers will be using gift certs, downloading things, receiving newsletters through Zen, etc. or if you use Dual Pricing and have wholesale customers, then you should go with optional account. If those don't pertain to you and you just want them to get in and get out, then use mine. Mine is more of a pain when it comes to editing your templates because Zen wasn't made for this. You've got to remove everything that mentions having an account. You don't need to do this with the other mod because people will be able to see that there is an option. They won't be confused when they see "My Account", etc.

usernamenone:

If you don't want to use the mod then don't use it.

I would rather shop at an online store that doesn't require anlog in and I offer that to my customers.

There isn't an arugment about it on our side.

:unsure:

This is free code to alter as we want to. If you don't want to then don't.

I am not arguing against it. I understand that this mod does have some uses for certain types of stores. You apparently missed the point of my post.

I installed "Integrated Checkout Without Account" Ver. 1.0 and now my shipping modules won't work. UPS, and USPS tells me to check the ZIP Code because it's unable to find a suitable shipping method. I had this working last week when the store crashed and I re-built it. Everything was working fine, so I added COWOA, but now no one can complete the Checkout.
I only used the files in the Install Directory, and did not use the "Add ON'S".

Hello! You should post this question at the "Integrated Checkout Without Account" board found here. This board is not for COWOA, but for my little workaround. The creator of COWOA would be able to help you more than I can because I'm not sure how his mod effects shipping modules, etc.

gxjenkins:

I installed "Integrated Checkout Without Account" Ver. 1.0 and now my shipping modules won't work. UPS, and USPS tells me to check the ZIP Code because it's unable to find a suitable shipping method. I had this working last week when the store crashed and I re-built it. Everything was working fine, so I added COWOA, but now no one can complete the Checkout.
I only used the files in the Install Directory, and did not use the "Add ON'S".

Thanks. Didn't realize I was in the wrong place.

craftzombie,

You are a goddess! Simply love this option.

Since I am a web designer and answer to my clients--I'm very glad to see this available.

Don't care what anyone says. It's not MY store, it's my client's store! So whatever they want, I want to be able to give them.

Just awesome - keep up the good work :)