Host site not compatible with Zen Cart?

I'm thinking of using GO DADDY as a host. But they said they don't support Zen Cart. They did say I could add a navigation link that would take the customer to some other place where Zen Cart could be utilized. What can you suggest as to where I would link to? Perhaps somewhere on your site? Or should I look for another host? I want to use Zen Cart. Thanks.

You'll need to get a real hosting provider that supports the minimum needs of zen.

Read this article:
https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=6

BTW - I use 1and1.com for hosting. It works there (1.3.x) and I've been satisfied with them. I think someone I know uses Lunar Pages to host their stuff.

If you need more than this for a "how" you may want to look around for a company that specializes in zen hosting. Check out the commercial services forum here or google for "Zen Cart Hosting"

http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=infopages&pages_id=10

Hi and thanks for all your replies . . .

Yes, I went and checked out blue host and host monster and camelot and 1and1. but I guess these sites aren't as user friendly in terms of actually building the website . . . (I'm a "newbie" building a site for a singer who sells CDs).

So I've been looking at GO DADDY; it has easy web site builder tools, and I can keep the cost down to about $8 a month . . . unless I need a shopping cart. So I don't know what to do . . .

One more question will help me decide . . . Can Zen Cart process Visa and MasterCard WITHOUT going thru PayPal? If so, then I'll make Zen cart a priority and the host company a secondary issue.

missterri:

One more question will help me decide . . . Can Zen Cart process Visa and MasterCard WITHOUT going thru PayPal? If so, then I'll make Zen cart a priority and the host company a secondary issue.

Technically they are 2 different things.
You can use papypal to process cards for you or you can use a payment gateway to process the cards. There is also an offline option but that really depends on how secure your set up is and whether your customers would trust it.

If so, then I'll make Zen cart a priority and the host company a secondary issue.
Card issue was answered...

I think you have this issue backwards - If you make Zen Cart a priority then you should make selecting a host the same priority - A non user/Zen Cart friendly host will only exacerbate your frustrations.

Without offense, it sounds like managing the technical end of an e-commerce site like zen may be a bit out of your expertise.

If you can live without server priority or SSH access, 1and1.com hosting is only $3.99 per month to start (very basic) but looks like it has PHP and MySQL that you would need. Also includes one domain registration but I always advise that you do your domains through a seperate account from your hosting so you can move more easily if you need to.

I think you are going to have to come to terms with the fact that you will need to roll up your sleeves and do a little work or hire it out to get a zen cart running. At the most basic level, it's not rocket science, but it's not like using a WYSIWYG tool at Go Daddy to make a static HTML page.

With great power and flexibility comes moderate complexity.

You'll be building your site with Zen Cart, so other web building tools provided by the hosting service are unnecessary.

or find a web host that helps you install it would be my main target when searching.

Thanks Again!

Yes - someone said this might be beyond my expertise! Absolutely!! :yes: I've only built one other website, so I'm very much still learning. I'm having to learn all the language as I go along too. For example, I had to find out what a "gateway" is . . . (gotta learn it sometime!) I have more of a customer mindset than I do a web builder's mindset . . . this is soon to change tho . . .

I think I've got it now however; it looks like Blue Host is my first choice currently - only $8 per month. And I went to a "gateway" called "Pro Pay". It looks like I can add them to my set up for an additional $5 per month. So I'll have a dedicated site with SSL, and can take 4 major credit cards - and yes, Blue Host will install the Zen Cart for me.:clap: All for about $13 a month. Not too shabby.

Now if I can pull a few more rabbits out of hats . . .

So - I may show up here again somewhere! So far, everything I know about website building I've learned thru a forum or some techy who will let me pick his brain. Thanks so much y'all!
Miss Terri

just top let you know,
if you use propay you will need to take the credit cards manually on ZC

and then go to propay and manually run them,
you will get 1/2 the number on the order invoice in ZC admin the other 1/2 will come in an email that needs to be defined in the setup of the cc module

Thanks - VERY interesting,

I also just called Pro Pay - and now I find out they want MORE money to set up a link so that the cards can be processed right on my site.

Or like you say - I could do this manually instead?

I have an email into Pro Pay right now - and they're supposed to call me within 24 hours. It may be Monday before I get answers (I'll be gone next 2 days).

I AM going to solve this! :bangin:
MT

GoDaddy might not know it to ask them, but they do support ZenCart, as a matter of fact, in their "GoDaddy Hosting Connection" (accessible if you have GoDaddy Hosting) Zen is one of only 2 eCommerce solutions they deploy via script.

I was talking to tech at GD yesterday and they are scripted to tell you that they don't offer Technical Support for Zen, but the GoDaddy site DOES support Zen. (v.1.3.8)

I'm running it there right now with no problems, however, it is my own install... (The GD scripted install never really seemed to install correctly.)

What I won't recommend is doing what I am doing. I developed a Zen Cart site on my hosting account with 1and1 and have now moved it to the clients hosting space on GoDaddy. YIKES! It's hard to tell which of them has the most proprietary system! (You won't find a standard cPanel in either.)

So, the two lessons learned here are...

1. Zen is going to work and perform fine on just about anyplace you can install it.

and...

2. Don't EVER AGAIN consider devving on one host and moving to another later.

Since all of your products are downloads your will actually be better off going with someone like linkpoint that is an automated gateway....
http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=infopages&pages_id=30

there is already a gateway for this,

as for propay we used to use them, and they wanted way too much money to be able to even access the API, then you would need someone to create the module for you, this would need to be an xml type payment module.

The fee for the XML Authorization Interface is $395.00 for the first year and $195.00 each year thereafter.

this is on top of the annual and per transaction charges

So, the two lessons learned here are...

1. Zen is going to work and perform fine on just about anyplace you can install it.

and...

2. Don't EVER AGAIN consider devving on one host and moving to another later.

These statementrs are not quite true,

1 ZC will run on godaddy as long as you dont need to run anything using a nonstandard port ( linkpoint canadapost etc ) and their cURL support is setup by proxy and is spotty some times, as to other hosts, you need to make sure that they are setup to run mysql intensive programs and are NOT over loaded.

2 We move sites all the time, no issues, I have moved about 100 so far this year
it just takes practice, mind you I have moved lots from godaddy but never any too godadddy.....

We are right with the amount we haved moved two since 3:41 am this morning is a repeat status plus from several others per year.

GD and many others refuse to optimize their servers the way it should be for zencart due to extra hours and payout for hired help.

Certain ports and other varity of things they refuse to change or optimize for best performance and functionality

Wow - thanks for the Host-99 web host link! It seems to be pretty good . . .
I've got a call into them right now . . . Their price is very comparable to the Blue Host Service I had been looking at . . .

I'll let y'all know what I settle on.

Good stuff! Thanks!! :smile: