Newbie - Template

[tkara]

I have been searching the past two weeks for a template for a on-line store or a catalog store front. I have looked at hundreds of templates and found a few that I really like (oscommerce). The problem is which template do I use? There are ecommerce, oscommerce, zencart, dreamweaver, php, flash, dynamic, script, etc.

I purchased Dreaweaver, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc so I can begin customizing a template. The problem is that I am absoultley a newbie to templates and the choice of a template for a beginner seems to be very vast, some come with a shopping cart, some you can only change certain aspects of the template, some are so complicated that I have no idea what means what?

Any suggestions with a template that would offer me a store/catalog that I can add my product too, and sell my product with a shopping cart and then of course a merchant account would be great.

 

 

Thanks,

Michelle

[adammde]

If you want to use an osCommerce template, the first thing you need to do is download osCommerce and install it onto a server. It would be a great idea to try it out on a friend's server if possible, to give you a chance to learn it before trying to run an actual shop. You could also download XAMPP and use osCommerce with that to test it out on your own PC, if you want to try something a little more technical.

 

This will give you a basic store where you can add products, but you will want to customise the look. This is the point you install a template you like, which usually means copying some files over the osCommerce ones you've already installed. As you've seen, loads of them come ready-made. If you want to try using Dreamweaver and Photoshop to make your own look, try downloading STS from the contributions section. STS allows you to make your own template for osCommerce without worrying about writing PHP code. You just put special 'tags' into your template where you want functions to appear, like $cartmenu where you want your product list displayed.

 

I think the other things you are thinking about are osCommerce installations which come ready-modified with a look and functions. I have no experience of these but if the look suits your store and the functions give everything you need, it might be worth testing one of these too. Zencart is another program entirely that isn't supported here.

 

As for the merchant account - programs such as osCommerce come with support for many, such as PayPal and Worldpay, but not an actual account. To save you from having to install a payment provider contribution, if there is a particular bank you want to work with, this might help inform your choice of store software. However if you like osCommerce you may find it easier to pick a merchant account from the list supported 'out-the-box'.

 

Good luck!

[i2Paq]

but you will want to customise the look. This is the point you install a template you like, which usually means copying some files over the osCommerce ones you've already installed.

 

What a load of crap!

 

osCommerce is NOT template based and "installing" a template means that you will overwrite ALL the original files and thus you will lose any installed contributions + most "templates" are based on older and buggy osCommerce versions.

[Laurie C.]

:blink:

What a load of crap!

 

osCommerce is NOT template based and "installing" a template means that you will overwrite ALL the original files and thus you will lose any installed contributions + most "templates" are based on older and buggy osCommerce versions.

 

 

 

Okay, Norman, then help us! I just spent two days overwriting files and now my site doesn't come up at all. It says it's been moved.

 

So, what IS the easiest quickest way to get a decent looking store up and running?

[bkellum]

What a load of crap!

 

osCommerce is NOT template based and "installing" a template means that you will overwrite ALL the original files and thus you will lose any installed contributions + most "templates" are based on older and buggy osCommerce versions.

 

Norman, you would be correct if you had not taken Adam's comments out of context. Adam was referring to installing an osCommerce add-on (STS) that would add template functionality to osCommerce.

 

OsCommerce "can be" a template based system IF you install the Simple Template System (STSv4.5.8).

 

STS allows you to create your own templates for osCommerce or even use purchased templates. The template can be osCommerce based or simply generic web based templates.

 

I have written a step by step on how to use STS to convert a "buggy/older" osCommerce template so that it will not over-write any of your existing contributions and updated osCommerce files. This tutorial will show you how to keep your updated version of osCommerce and only bring in the design and layout of the purchased template. Here is the link (post# 2587): http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/index.php?sho...p;#entry1131089

 

I hope others find this useful,

[bkellum]

:blink:

 

 

 

Okay, Norman, then help us! I just spent two days overwriting files and now my site doesn't come up at all. It says it's been moved.

 

So, what IS the easiest quickest way to get a decent looking store up and running?

 

This all depends upon your skill level. If you prefer to use Dreamweaver or MS Expression Web 2.0 to create your web site, then I would urge you to give STSv4.5.8 a look. It allows you to design your osCommerce shop just as you would any other web site using a WYSIWYG HTML editor. If you are struggling with the design and PHP code all mixed together, then STS is your best option.

[Laurie C.]

This all depends upon your skill level. If you prefer to use Dreamweaver or MS Expression Web 2.0 to create your web site, then I would urge you to give STSv4.5.8 a look. It allows you to design your osCommerce shop just as you would any other web site using a WYSIWYG HTML editor. If you are struggling with the design and PHP code all mixed together, then STS is your best option.

 

 

Thanks Bill, I'm going to try that. In the meantime, about my site.

 

Though I spent 2 days uploading files from a template just to have my site disappear; and though I spent almost an entire day configuring admin; I'm wondering if I should just start over. Delete and reinstall. Or do you know what I did wrong and how to easily fix it?

 

I could really use some help here. Under pressure from a new boss I'm trying to impress. If I could just get a skeleton up, that would be great!

 

Michelle -

Sorry, didn't mean to take over your post. But no one answered mine, and I'm starting to get anxious.