Power Sellers Unite

diesel · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 145

Hi there.

I noticed that most shops are using the osCommerce system. I was wondering as to who uses Zen-cart which is supposed to be an "upgrade" of the osC system.

Did you guys use fantastico to upload this or was it thru an open-source website?

As for the CMS, what do you guys prefer...Mambo, Joomla, phpwebsite...or what?

Please note that I am a beginner and would do this on my own ...so the "easiest for the beginner" would be the best advice.

Cheers!

childrensclothesetc · Joined: 05 Sep 2006 Posts: 14

I really like oscommerce. I downloaded it through oscommerce and it is pretty easy to customize. I looked at all of them, but I chose oscommerce (now I can't remember why!). I really suggest going to their websites and playing around with the demos and looking at the forums. If you can, how about downloading both and trying them out? Hope that helps!

LSNLLC · Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 50

Been running an OSCommerve site for over two years. I'm not much on graphics, but a lot of mods.....

psunite · Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Posts: 6213 Location: Columbus OH

If you like mods oscomerce is a good choice but then you have to be pretty technical to install the mods and keep up with the updates since fantastico does not install mods.

As for CMS I think Joomla is the best. I used to use mambo but once the main developers of mambo forked off and started Joomla I followed. Virtuemart is a great ecommerce addon to Joomla. That combination is actually what we use for our PSU Store webhosting package see http://www.powersellersunite.com/psustore_about.php

LSNLLC · Joined: 12 Feb 2006 Posts: 50

The mods are easier to install now on MS2 version. You can install the mods installer, and install 90% of the new add ons through the admin area. MS1 all installs mod install were manual

maxxgraphix · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 39 Location: Kentucky

I run OSC and PostNuke.
Originaly I just had PostNuke. To advertise services, but then I thought why not sell widgets? So then I added OSC as a module.

axsstech · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 85

after using both zencart & osc for years, i've gone the same route as psunite suggests...joomla/virtuemart combo.

i got tired of the generic cookie cutter look of the aforementioned apps, there is so much more you can do w/ joomla.

i have three almost finished sites up using this, 2 are in my sig (you can access the 3rd from my homepage @ axss.us(bottom of page).

as a design guy, i'll bet you would love joomla/vm...good luck!

Daikon · Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 949

A fresh install of OSCommerce is missing some very important key features, all of which can be installed later, but this process can be a bit daunting for beginners.

A different flavor or OSCommerce is CRE Loaded, which is a version of OSCommerce with the most important contributions pre-installed.

CRE Loaded

Pidea · Joined: 15 Oct 2006 Posts: 2

I've run an OsCommerce site for ages. The trouble with OsCommerce is that it has a lot of features missing straight out of the box. You can add these by installing contributions but it becomes more complex as you add additional contributions.

I've been playing with CRELoaded which has many of the essential contributions pre-installed (and even wrote a tutorial about installing and configuring it) but I'm tempted to move to ZenCart for my next project.

I'll let you know how I get on . . .

dealgates · Joined: 07 Jan 2006 Posts: 845

Hello,

I built importing modules for both ( Os-Commerce and zenCart) and I had a preference for ZenCart...

Best Regards
Luc Michalski

Stockmiser · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Posts: 1169

Glad I found this thread!

I've been running a modified OsCommerce site for around 4 years - I've probably added 20+ mods, and it's been extremely stable and does most of what I want.

I'm about to open a new webstore with a completely new design so I figured now is the time to look at alternatives.

I've looked at Zencart and Cubecart, and neither has anywhere near the 3rd party support of free mods that OsC has, nor do they have as many readily available templates.

But I hadn't considered the Joomla/Vituemart combo until reading this thread.

I have just one question. I really do like the variety of free templates for Joomla - but do the template apply to add-ons like Virtuemart?

angelsolutions · Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2006 9:39 pm Post subject: Re: Zen-cart or osCommerce

Hi Stockmiser!

They sure do! Take a look at the store demo site, over in the "Ecommerce Details" link on the left. You can check out the site/store (joomla/virtuemart) side as well as the admin backend side.

PSU has a bunch of joomla templates loaded too, which you can modify to your needs.

My Boutique Shop Online below uses Shop-Script, which has done a real good job for me, but lacks the creativity of joomla. LOL I'm setting up a new store and for that one, I chose a PSU store.

Best wishes! Shout out if you have questions!

sylvia

knappschiles · Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 4035 Location: Wi

One thing I've found out about OSC -- if you want to use Google Checkout, the mod isn't ready for prime time.

My host offers OSC and I specifically asked them if I would be able to use GC. At the time I didn't know which cart my host was offering. They sent me the link to the GC mod. It's a mod made by Google. But if you go to the OSC forums, you can see that there is virtually no one that has been able to get it set up and working yet.

So I looked at Mal'sCart. Mal's does have a GC mod and claims to have at least 100 sites using it just fine.

So far that's all I can say about any of this as I haven't actually jumped in and used any of the carts yet.

Carol