Clean Install & Contribution recommendations

[freshjuice]

I was looking to the most-error free solution to my needs. I've examined some loaded versions, but they don't have everything I need or they have way more than I need.

 

This is for a band website and we have a tight budget. So I'm doing most of it myself, but I also want to ensure I've got the right product for the job and that it's not going to give me too much headache figuring everything out.

 

THere are a lot of contributions out there but there's no way to tell which are best.

 

So which one would you recommend for these items? (And which are already included in the current build?)

 

Here are the features I need:

 

* Ability to customize design fairly simply to fit our existing (see crenshawtheband.com/store.htm ... I did all the graphic and html on this site BTW)

 

* Integration with Authorize.NET's AIM system (our server has a SSL cert. built in)

 

* Ability to sell downloads (mp3, PDF, etc)

 

* Ability to sell physical products

 

* Ability to sell products with multiple options (different designs, colors)

 

* Ability to sell one particular product that has over 50 different selectable options, off which customers can choose any 12 they want. (This could be simply a Java-type form check to make sure they selected 12 and only twelves)

 

* Ability to sell username & passwords (ideally generated upon purchase) to password-restricted directories (i.e. paid Member Content). Could also be a subscription to a BB.

 

* Assurance that our cart can handle a mixture of all of these types of products (downloads, physical, membership) in one shopping cart

 

* Ability to get---on every page, with every order---

-referrals

 

-newsletter subscriber email

-Street Team Subscriber Email (like newsletter but second option)

 

* Auto thumbnailing of product info

 

* Simple-as-possible checkout

 

* Can buy without being a member (but member info is requested)

 

* Bestsellers/Hot Products generated content

 

* Search Engine-friendly URLS/Catalog (possibly Froogle-friendly) [someone told me this isn't really necessary...would you agree]

 

* Remember members/personal greeting

 

* Any other slick-n-simple customer loyalty plug-ins/options

 

* And, hey, just a few other goodies that I can't think of right now but might be cool for a band to have

 

I know it's a ton of items. IF you just have experience with any off the top of your head I would certainly appreciate replies to individual itmes. Thanks!!

 

THANKS!

[♥Vger]

Okay, so you don't want much then!

 

Basically, if you want that degree of customisation - you're going to have to do it yourself. The problem is that the more you add 'contributions' to the default install the more likely you are to have your site develop errors with one contribution overwriting part of another.

 

There are a few basic things you can do to make your life easier. People tell me it's made their life a lot easier, so I suggest you install my Fixed Width & Centred Contribution below. This won't affect anything else. Then, you'll want to strip out the left and right columns from everyy page, and replace with your own navigation and your own table structure. Once you do those things everything becomes possible. Basically, you can list products exactly as you like, but you'll have to write them into the pages yourself (as you would with html pages), and then you just use the osCommerce Sign-Up, Login/Logout, and Checkout process to sell your goods, and the backend of osCommerce to administer things.

 

Hope this helps - Vger

 

off to enjoy Christmas and New Year!

[freshjuice]

Okay, so you don't want much then!

 

....

Hope this helps - Vger

 

off to enjoy Christmas and New Year!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Very helpful suggestion. You're the best. Thanks! :wub:

[livwest]

Does the fixed width contribution take care of the login/logout item? If not, can the pay without account contribution be added you think? Any known issues with "fixed-width" and "pay without account" working together?