- ShowMe Guides eCommerce User Manuals

ShowMe Guides osCommerce User Manual
Table of Contents
About Free Updates ....................................................................................................... 8
Difficulty Ratings......................................................................................................... 10
Icons used in this book................................................................................................ 11
Feedback, please! ........................................................................................................ 11
2 About osCommerce ....................................................... 12
What is osCommerce? ................................................................................................. 12
Features of osCommerce: ............................................................................................ 13
What’s New in the latest version of osCommerce? ........................................................ 14
History of osCommerce ................................................................................................ 14
Differences between osCommerce and other related programs ..................................... 15
About add-on programs ............................................................................................... 15
What kind of skills does a user need to use osCommerce? ........................................... 16
3 osCommerce Quick Installation Guide .......................... 17
Method 1. FREE Web Host Installation ........................................................................ 18
Method 2. Installatron.com One-Click Installation ....................................................... 18
Method 3. SimpleScripts Installation ........................................................................... 21
Method 4: Fantastico Deluxe ....................................................................................... 24
Installation Problem-Solving ........................................................................................ 28
4 osCommerce 30-Minute Quick Start Guide .................. 29
Log onto your new osCommerce Administration or "Admin" for the first time .............. 29
Use the main Administration menu ............................................................................. 33
Must-change menus and what to do ............................................................................ 33
5 Configuration Menu ...................................................... 51
Configuration - Administrators .................................................................................... 51
Configuration - Store Logo ........................................................................................... 52
Configuration - My Store ............................................................................................. 53
Configuration - Minimum values ................................................................................. 55
Configuration - Maximum values ................................................................................. 56
Configuration - Images ................................................................................................ 57
Configuration - Customer details ................................................................................. 59
Configuration - Shipping ............................................................................................. 59
Configuration - Product listing..................................................................................... 60
Configuration - Stock .................................................................................................. 61
Configuration - Logging ............................................................................................... 62
Configuration - Cache ................................................................................................. 63
Configuration - E-mail options..................................................................................... 63
Configuration - Download ............................................................................................ 64
Configuration - GZip compression ............................................................................... 65
Configuration - Sessions.............................................................................................. 65
6 Catalog Menu ............................................................... 67
Product Management Checklist ................................................................................... 67
Catalog – Categories/Products ..................................................................................... 68
Catalog – Products....................................................................................................... 70
Catalog – Manufacturers ............................................................................................. 73
Catalog – Categories/Products ..................................................................................... 73
Special - downloadable products ................................................................................. 75
Catalog – Reviews ........................................................................................................ 79
Catalog – Specials........................................................................................................ 81
Catalog – Products....................................................................................................... 82
7-1 Modules – Boxes Menu .............................................. 84
Modules - Boxes .......................................................................................................... 85
Left and right column boxes in osCommerce – picture guide ........................................ 86
7-2 MODULES – Order Total, Social Bookmarks, Action
Recorder & Dashboard Menus ......................................... 89
Modules - Order Total.................................................................................................. 89
Modules - Social Bookmarks ....................................................................................... 96
Modules - Action Recorder ........................................................................................... 97
Modules - Dashboard .................................................................................................. 99
7-3 MODULES - Payment & Header Tags Menus ........... 101
About online payment security .................................................................................. 101
Payment processor comparison chart ........................................................................ 103
Authorize.net............................................................................................................. 107
ChronoPay ................................................................................................................ 109
InPay - instant online bank transfers......................................................................... 111
Cash on Delivery (COD) ............................................................................................. 114
iPayment Inc. ............................................................................................................ 114
Moneybookers (now Skrill) Credit Card/Quick Checkout .......................................... 116
Check/Money Order .................................................................................................. 118
NOCHEX ................................................................................................................... 120
PayPal ....................................................................................................................... 121
Paypoint.net .............................................................................................................. 126
2CheckOut ................................................................................................................ 126
PsiGate...................................................................................................................... 128
RBS WorldPay Hosted ............................................................................................... 130
Sage Pay FORM ......................................................................................................... 132
Sofortüberweisung Direkt .......................................................................................... 135
Modules - Header Tags .............................................................................................. 136
Modules – Header Tags - Canonical Header Links ...................................................... 137
Modules – Header Tags - Category Title Header Tag ................................................... 138
Modules – Header Tags - Google Analytics ................................................................. 139
Modules – Header Tags - MailChimp E-Commerce 360 .............................................. 140
Modules – Header Tags - Manufacturer Title .............................................................. 141
Modules – Header Tags – OpenSearch........................................................................ 142
Modules – Header Tags - Product Title ....................................................................... 144
Modules – Header Tags - Robot NoIndex .................................................................... 144
7-4 Modules - Shipping Menu........................................ 147
Comparison chart of pre-installed shipping methods ................................................. 148
Flat rate shipping ...................................................................................................... 150
Per item shipping ...................................................................................................... 151
Table rate shipping .................................................................................................... 152
United States Postal Service Shipping ........................................................................ 153
Zone rate ................................................................................................................... 154
8 Customers & Orders Menu ......................................... 157
Customers - Customers ............................................................................................. 159
Customers - Orders ................................................................................................... 162
9 Locations/Taxes Menu ............................................... 171
Locations/Taxes - Countries...................................................................................... 171
Locations/Taxes - Zones............................................................................................ 172
Locations/Taxes - Tax Zones ..................................................................................... 172
10 Localization Menu..................................................... 174
Localization - Currencies ........................................................................................... 174
Localization - Languages ........................................................................................... 177
Localization - Orders Status ...................................................................................... 181
11 Reports Menu ........................................................... 183
Reports - Products..................................................................................................... 184
Reports - Products..................................................................................................... 185
Reports - Customer orders - total report .................................................................... 186
12 Tools Menu ............................................................... 187
Tools - Action recorder (log only) ................................................................................ 187
Tools - Database backup ........................................................................................... 188
Tools - Banner manager ............................................................................................ 189
Tools - Cache ............................................................................................................ 191
Tools - Define languages ............................................................................................ 191
Tools – Send email to customers ................................................................................ 195
Tools - Newsletter manager........................................................................................ 196
Tools - Security ......................................................................................................... 201
Tools - Server info ..................................................................................................... 202
Tools - Version checker ............................................................................................. 203
Tools - Who’s online .................................................................................................. 204
13 Templates and Look & Feel ....................................... 205
Edit the original osCommerce template ...................................................................... 207
Edit your stylesheet ................................................................................................... 207
Customize your header .............................................................................................. 208
Customize your footer................................................................................................ 208
14 Records Management & Security .............................. 211
Create a disaster policy ............................................................................................. 212
About your shop’s online security .............................................................................. 215
15 Advanced Customization .......................................... 217
16 Super-Cool Add-Ons ................................................. 228
CK Editor .................................................................................................................. 230
Modular Front Page ................................................................................................... 231
Extra Pages Info Box ................................................................................................. 233
Monthly sales/tax report ........................................................................................... 236
Site Monitor .............................................................................................................. 237
IP Trap ...................................................................................................................... 239
EasyPopulate ............................................................................................................ 239
APPENDIX A: Recommended osCommerce Web Hosts................................................ 247
APPENDIX B: osCommerce “Technical Pro” Freelancers ............................................. 250
APPENDIX C: Recommended osCommerce Templates ................................................ 253
NOTICES
Showme Guides osCommerce Online Merchant User Manual
©2013, 2012 by Kerry Watson
REVISED MAY, 2013 TO OSCOMMERCE 2.3.3
About Free Updates
THIS EBOOK IS UPDATED EACH TIME AN IMPORTANT UPDATE IS RELEASED IN THE
OSCOMMERCE 2.X SERIES. ONCE YOU HAVE PURCHASED THE FULL USER MANUAL,
SIMPLY RETURN TO OUR WEBSITE HTTP://OSCMANUALS.COM TO DOWNLOAD THE
UPDATED VERSION. ALL MINOR UPDATES ARE RELEASED ON OUR WEBSITE AS FREE
“What’s New in Version XYZ?”
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission
from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained
herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and
author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages
resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
Trademarks & Intellectual Property
All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been
appropriately denoted as of date of publication. Pithy Productions cannot attest to the accuracy of the
information, and the information may change. Use of a mark in this book should not be regarded as
affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark. Pithy Productions and ShowMe Guides are
trademarks of Pithy Productions, Inc.
Warning & Disclaimer
THE AUTHOR, OSCMANUALS.COM, PITHY PRODUCTIONS INC., AND THE SHOWME GUIDES BRAND
BOOK SERIES ARE NOT OWNED BY OR AFFILIATED IN ANY WAY WITH OSCOMMERCE OR HARALD
PONCE DE LEON. Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and accurate as possible,
but no warranty or fitness is implied. The information is provided on an AS-IS basis. The author and the
publisher have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or
damages arising from the information contained in this book.
Notice to Consumers
Some countries or states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of implied warranties or the limitation of
incidental or consequential damages or the limitation of liability for personal injury, so the above
limitations and exclusions may be limited in their application to you.
About the ShowMe™ Guides Series:
“We show you everything you need to know”
The ShowMe™ Guide Series covers everything that a new, non-technical store owner
needs to know to open an online store. Each task is rated from easy (one clock) to
difficult (five clocks). If a task really should be handled by a programmer, we say that. If
you can get it done for free somewhere, we tell you that too.
Every book in the series is based on an ACTUAL install and setup of a full ecommerce
store. You see before-and-after shots with a screenshot of the ACTUAL settings that work
for that screenshot.
The most valuable part is the HOT TIPS for non-intuitive steps. You could buy our book
just for the tips and get your money’s worth.
All books in this series are arranged as follows:
•
•
•
•
Quick Install & 30-Minute Quick Setup Guide Chapters
Guide to the Menus – one menu per chapter
Advanced Task Information, and
Helpful Resources.
Tips for using this book:
This book is for new osCommerce users who have NO graphics or programming skills. All
you have are product photos and a store logo, and a willingness to try something new.
•
•
•
•
Have your first store installed for you for FREE by a web host that SPECIALIZES in
osCommerce web hosting. We list these hosts in the Appendix.
Print a copy of the Admin Menus Cheatsheet to quickly find each menu.
Follow the 30 Minute Quick Start Guide chapter to quickly work through each
feature that MUST be set up for your store to operate.
Then use the Table of Contents to find specific information by task or menu name,
and the INDEX in the back to quickly find every place a menu is discussed.
Difficulty Ratings
Because time + skills = money, each task in this book is rated from one to five clocks as
follows:
Anyone can do this; it is both quick and easy!
You can do this, IF you take a bit of time to think it through
You need some thinking time AND experience to tackle this
Your Techie must do this for you
Do not attempt this unless you are a professional.
Icons used in this book
TIME-SAVING TIP: Like a menu or button that is hard to see, or has an
unexpected name, or something else.
CAUTION: Follow directions exactly, this is easy to mess up!
ADD-ONS: This is bonus information about a helpful add-on contribution that
could make running your store MUCH easier.
Feedback, please!
If you have puzzled over ANY part of this book, please help so others do not have to!
I welcome your comments. Please send me a quick note to [email protected].
Sincerely,
KERRY WATSON
2
2 About osCommerce
What is osCommerce?
osCommerce is a powerful, Open Source online store management program. Its powerful
features can be used almost immediately by a store owner with no programming
experience, because most modules in osCommerce can be edited from the private store
Administration panel or “Admin” by filling in form boxes.
The power of osCommerce is that it can be highly customized with thousands of add-ons,
originally called “contributions” because they were contributed by the programmer,
available from the osCommerce website, http://addons.oscommerce.com/ You can add
any osCommerce add-on to your website, as long as that contribution is compatible with
your version of osCommerce and the other modifications in your osCommerce store. There
are a few rules to follow if you choose to use add-ons, and it is often advisable to have a
programmer do this if you are non-technical, so be sure to read the “Super-Cool Add-Ons”
chapter carefully.
Features of osCommerce:
For Customers:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
All orders stored in the database for fast and efficient retrieval
Customers can view their order history and order statuses
Customers can maintain their accounts
Address book for multiple shipping and billing addresses
Temporary shopping cart for guests and permanent shopping cart for customers
Fast and friendly quick search and advanced search features
Product reviews for an interactive shopping experience
Secure transactions with SSL
Number of products in each category can be shown or hidden
Global and per-category bestseller lists
Display what other customers have ordered with the current product shown
Breadcrumb trail for easy site navigation
For Shop Owners:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
User-friendly administration using your web browser
Double-login to the Admin for extra security
Add/Edit/Remove products, categories, manufacturers, customers, and reviews
Upload one product photo, the program automatically resizes it for the viewer while
leaving the original unchanged
Template system allows you to install many semi-custom templates for a unique
look
Unlimited products, categories and sub-categories
Store owner must approve product reviews by customers before they appear on
your site
Turn side column boxes on or off, move up or down, left and right with a just few
clicks
Support for physical (shippable) and virtual (downloadable) products
Contact customers directly via email or newsletters
Statistics for products and customers
Tax zones, classes, and rates
Payment and shipping modules link to popular payment processors and shippers
•
Display prices in any currencies, add language packs and your own product
translations to display in any languages, automatically update currency exchange
rates
For updates to the current features list, scroll to the bottom of the official page:
http://www.oscommerce.com/Products
*“Open Source” software is software whose code is free to look at and modify. It does not
mean it must be given away for free! Many popular Internet programs in widespread use
today are open source, including Linux, PHP, MySQL and Apache servers, with both free
and paid versions.
What’s New in the latest version of osCommerce?
osCommerce 2.3.3 is mostly a maintenance (bug fix) release. However, four new modules
were added and are covered in this updated user manual:
1. Robot NoIndex Header Tag Module: Increases security by adding a meta tag called
“noindex” to pages that should not be indexed by search engines.
2. Google+ +1 Button and Google+ Share Social Bookmark Modules: Adds buttons to
the product information pages for Google+ +1 and Google+.
3. Canonical Header Tag Module: Improves search engine juice by setting preferred or
“Canonical” links to the product information and category list pages.
4. Pinterest Social Bookmark Module: Improves social networking by adding a
Pinterest share button to product information pages.
History of osCommerce
osCommerce was started in March 2000 in Germany by project founder and leader Harald
Ponce de Leon as The Exchange Project. While osCommerce is still officially in its
development stage, version Milestone 2.3.3 is considered stable. This book does not cover
osCommerce Milestone 3, which is still in development and is not yet ready for production
use.
Differences between osCommerce and other related
programs
Because osCommerce is licensed under the GNU Public License, anybody who wants to
can make improvements to it and release it to the public.
There are many popular programs based on osCommerce. These include:
•
•
•
CRE Loaded – an improved version of osCommerce packed with over 75 add-on
modifications. Other add-ons may need custom modification by your programmer
because the base code has been changed. Very visually pleasing, beautiful Admin
module. Free and paid versions.
osC-MAX - has dozens of add-on contributions but the base code is not modified,
so add-on osCommerce contributions can be added if they do not conflict with the
prior modifications. Free.
WP Online Store – a version of osCommerce modified to be a plug-in for the world’s
most popular website program, WordPress. Many non-technical people use
WordPress to manage their websites. Free.
About add-on programs
Add-on programs are often called “contributions” because they are donated back to the
osCommerce project. All add-ons on the osCommerce website are free, but others may also
be sold for a small fee elsewhere. Sometimes the fee includes free installation.
Some add-ons are easy to add, (simply uploading a file or files) and some are extremely
complex (database changes, manual changes to files and extensive testing for compatibility
with other add-ons). Moreover, each add-on that is used can interfere with other add-ons,
so each addition must be tested before adding another.
We recommend several add-on programs and modifications to make the program easier for
non-technical users, and for security. Remember, you can also start with a “loaded”
version of osCommerce and not have to worry about compatibility or paying for the
installation of each addition. See the Add-Ons Chapter for recommended add-ons.
What kind of skills does a user need to use osCommerce?
A user does not need special skills to manage osCommerce. It is good if you enjoy
technical things but not required.
•
•
•
Many changes to the program can be done in the Admin or password-protected web
pages; they are marked with one or two clocks below.
Some OPTIONAL advanced tasks can be done by editing one line of code; they are
listed as change THIS to THAT.
Any task that requires changing more than one line of code is marked with four or
five clocks. We include these for your information, but we recommend only
advanced programmers tackle them.
osCommerce is a technical program, and we recommend that every user have a techie that
they can call on quickly in times of need. You have an auto mechanic, a doctor, a dentist.
Your online store is an investment; do not short-change yourself by trying to do your own
surgery yourself.
3
3 osCommerce Quick Installation Guide
Decide which installation method you want to use:
#
1
2
3
4
5
Install method description
Free web host installation - when signing up
for a new web hosting account (see Appendix
A)
Installtron.com One-Click Installation
SimpleScripts Automatic installation
Fantastico Deluxe Automatic installation
Manual install using phpMyAdmin, FTP cPanel
and your browser
Time/Difficulty
Easiest! 30 seconds.
Easy! 1 minute.
Easy! 2 minutes.
Easy, 3 minutes.
For programmers only,
NOT covered in this book.
Method 1. FREE Web Host Installation - 30 seconds
See list in Appendix A, select a host, and request the installation when you sign up for
your account. Tell them what domain name you want. Look for a “Welcome email” with
your login information. Skip to the next chapter!
Method 2. Installatron.com One-Click Installation – 1
minute
Installtron.com is easy, fast and free, and can automatically update your website for you
any time an update is released. Grab your Account Information email from your web host,
and install as follows:
1. Go to http://www.installatron.com, click the top APPS Link and select OSCOMMERCE.
2. Fill out the one-page form as follows:
TIP: If you already have an existing website and you want to keep the store files
separate, put osCommerce in a folder named anything like shop as shown in the first
box below. If not, and you want customers to immediately be at your shop when they
type your web address, leave off the /shop.
That’s it! Easy, fast and fun. Turn to the next chapter. Or try the next install method if you
had any difficulty.
Method 3. SimpleScripts Installation - 2 minutes
SimpleScripts (see www.simplescripts.com) is a popular script installer offered free by
many web hosts because it is SO EASY. SimpleScripts is always kept updated so you
cannot accidentally install an older script.
If your web host does not offer it, you can use the Simplescripts.com website. Simply open
an account and follow the below instructions.
To begin installing your osCommerce store for free from your web host’s
control panel, sign up for a web hosting account with ANY web host above
that offers the SimpleScripts Service. Using the account information sent
to you from your new web host, log onto your web host's cPanel control
panel and click the SIMPLESCRIPTS icon.
This brings you to the SIMPLE SCRIPTS Script List:
Select OSCOMMERCE from the Script List.
This brings you to the OSCOMMERCE INFORMATION PAGE:
Click the INSTALL Button. This brings you to the INSTALLATION PREFERENCES Page:
TIP: OPTIONAL: If you have an existing website and you want to keep the store files
separate, put osCommerce in a folder named anything like catalog, shop, store. Type
the name above in the Folder Name box. Example: type “store” in the Folder Name
box; the address to your store would be: http://www.touchofgold.com/store.
All of the above items will be filled in for you except the checkbox for Legal Information.
Check the box, and click the COMPLETE Button.
As the installation progresses, SimpleScripts tells you what it is doing. When it is finished,
you will see this SUCCESS PAGE:
That's it! Skip to the next chapter.
Method 4: Fantastico Deluxe
Fantastico is an automatic installer included with many web hosts that use cPanel or
Plesk control panel. Check with your web host’s sales support to be sure that the host
offers the most recent version of osCommerce. before you buy.
If you do install an older version of a program which is common with
Fantastico, for security reasons you must immediately “patch” or upgrade
it to the current version, which is a technical task for advanced users.
Easier to start with the right version!
TO BEGIN installing osCommerce with Fantastico, after opening an account with a web
host who offers cPanel or Plesk hosting, tell them what domain name you want when you
sign up, and look for several emails from them confirming your new account. See the
Appendix for recommended hosts and accounts.
Log onto your web host’s control panel, cPanel or Plesk with the instructions from your
web host.
•
•
From the very long page after logging on, find (you may need to use
Find, CTRL-F) and click the Fantastico De Luxe icon:
This brings you to the Fantastico Home menu. In the left column, find
(CTRL-F if necessary) OSCOMMERCE and click it. Make sure it says
version 2.3.1.
Finally, click the NEW INSTALLATION Link to begin installing. This brings you
to Install osCommerce Page 1 of 3:
INSTALL ON DOMAIN: Select
your website name from the
drop-down box. MISSING?
ASK YOUR HOST.
INSTALL IN DIRECTORY:
Leave blank unless you want
the store address to be
separate. The example will be
touchofgold.com/store.
ADMINISTRATOR USERNAME:
What name do you want to
use when you log in to
administer your store?
PASSWORD: Choose a random
number; weak passwords are
the #1 way hackers get into a
store. Search for “Random
password generator” for a
truly random password.
SHOP NAME: Your choice. Will
be automatically displayed on
Home page, Contact Us,
invoices, packing slips and
automatic “Welcome’ emails.
OWNER’S NAME: What email
address you want to use on
these emails. Can be a
company name or a generic
name like “Sales.”
SSL: IMPORTANT: Say yes
now ONLY if your web host
has already installed the SSL.
You must have your web host
add this before your store
goes live.
SHOW PRICES INCL. TAX: As
it says – are you required to
display prices with, or without
tax?
WHEN CLIENTS REGISTER: Do
you want to force visitors to
answer these questions?
Click the INSTALL OS COMMERCE Button when finished.
Install osCommerce 2 of 3: This brings you to a confirmation page. This information is
very important, so print this page or copy and paste it into a note to yourself.
After printing, click the FINISH INSTALLATION Button:
Install osCommerce 3 of 3: the final or success page! Again, this information is critical,
so print or copy it and also BOOKMARK the address of your Admin area; you will go to this
page daily for a long time:
Finally you have access to your new online store! To see your new store as a customer will
see it, in your browser, type the full URL. In the above example, the owner will type
http://www.touchofgold.com. Here is your “storefront” or the view your customer sees –
this is a store that has completed the Quick Start Guide in the next chapter:
…and here is what your new store Administration (or “Admin”) looks like after logging in:
Installation Problem-Solving
1. Re-read each step of your manual. Look for extra spaces or characters that should
not be there.
2. Ask your web host for installation support.
3. Go to a technical forum and search for a similar problem, forums.oscommerce.com.
If all else fails, pay for technical support; your time is valuable. See the Appendix for how
to hire a technical pro.
4
4 osCommerce 30-Minute Quick Start Guide
After you have had your store installed, grab your store logo and product photos and you
are ready to do a Quick Start! Just get your product photos and a store logo, fill in form
boxes for six menus and you will have an ecommerce store in just a few minutes.
If you have any difficulty, contact your web host or get a technical pro listed in the
Appendix.
Log onto your new osCommerce Administration or "Admin"
for the first time
Using your web browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, go to the address
http://www.mystorename.com/admin. Our sample store is
http://www.touchofgold.com/admin.
OR click the address shown in the email sent to you during installation.
TIP: The instructions in this book just use the address
"yourstorename.com/admin" but if your store admin uses "catalog"
"shop" or something similar, just substitute
"yourstorename.com/catalog/admin" each time.
This brings you to your new Admin Login Panel server login (permission to enter the
folder).Type your email address and password that was specified during installation. Now
you are in the Admin folder.
If you haven't already, BOOKMARK
your new Admin page or add it to your
browser's “FAVORITES” List NOW! You
will be going there every day from
now on.
This brings you to your new ADMINISTRATION HOME PAGE or DASHBOARD:
Administration Menu Cheatsheet
So you can quickly find the menus you need, SAVE and print a copy of the Admin Menu
Cheatsheet from this link:
http://oscmanuals.com/download/oscManuals.com-Admin-Cheatsheet-for-OSC2.3.3.pdf
Use the main Administration menu
To make changes to your store in osCommerce, you will click the item you want to change
from the Admin home page OR in the left-column below, called "the left column
navigation"; click the item to select it, and fill in a form box to change it.
For your convenience, keep TWO browser windows open when working on
your store: one on yourstorename.com/admin and the other on
yourstorename.com. Each time you save a change in your Admin, in the
other window - click your REFRESH or RELOAD button to see the changes.
Must-change menus and what to do
The following menus MUST be changed when you first set up your store. There are also
many optional settings that are covered in later, detailed chapters of this book. For now,
we just want to get you up and operating so you can see your store in action. All these
items are covered in this Quick Start Guide.
CONFIGURATION: Add administrators, upload a store logo, and edit
details such as store name, your email and street address, specify
standard image sizes for small, medium and large images.
CATALOG: Add products and categories.
MODULES: Select which information boxes appear in left and right
columns; set payment, shipping and checkout pages.
LOCATIONS/TAXES: Set tax zone, tax classes and tax rates.
TOOLS: Edit Information Pages such as privacy and shipping &
returns.
This Quick Start Guide will guide you through the menus to accomplish the following
tasks that MUST be done to open an osCommerce store. Instructions for each step are
below. For detailed assistance, turn to the related chapter.
MENU #1: Configuration Menu changes
1. Administrator
Add or edit your Administrator username and
password. Change this frequently for security, and use a
strong password.
From your Admin's left-column navigation, click
Configuration – Administrators.
Your login name is highlighted, so click the EDIT Button.
This brings you to the Edit Admin Member page.
Make any changes or additions and click the SAVE Button.
CAUTION: DO NOT UN-CHECK THE BOX, “Protect with htaccess/htpasswd.”
This is a powerful security feature and your store may be vulnerable without
it.
CAUTION: osCommerce does NOT have a built-in “Forgot Password?” link,
because that can be a security risk. Follow instructions for adding an
additional login in case you forget your password.
Next, add one or more additional logins for other administrators, or in case you forget your
password.
In the ADMINISTRATORS Menu, click the SAVE Button, and type the information same as
the edit menu above.
2. Store Logo menu: upload your store logo
Next replace your store’s osCommerce logo with your own company logo. To upload your
store logo, in your Admin, go to CONFIGURATION – Store Logo, click the CHOOSE FILE
Button, select the logo and then click the SAVE Button.
TIP: The size of the original osCommerce image is 200 by 50 pixels; larger
images may need to be reduced OR require a little programming to fit. You
may not have this problem with other templates, only the original template.
TIP: If the image is in a different format than PNG, simply use an online photo
editor to upload, then save as .PNG format. Try this one:
http://pixlr.com/editor/
3. My Store menu settings that apply to the whole store
The “My Store” menu tells your store its new name, your name, email address, and other
details that will be displayed throughout many areas throughout the program.
From the Left-Column Navigation Menu, click CONFIGURATION - My Store.
Look at ALL items in My Store in order, and change items that are WRONG. This includes
your new Store Name, Store Owner (you!), Email (your email), Email FROM (address you
want customers to see), Country, Zone, and Store Address and Phone for invoices and
contact us page. If you want to be notified each time an order is placed in your store, put
your email address in “Send Extra Order Emails.”
To edit an item, click to highlight the row, then click the EDIT Button. A detailed
explanation and an edit box will appear in place of the EDIT Button.
Simply type the change you wish in the edit box, then click the SAVE Button. Repeat to
edit each of the highlighted items in the MY STORE Menu.
3. Images menu - automatic image resizing
Your store will resize the product images you upload, so they display as the size specified
in the Images menu. The program does NOT change your original pictures! Use the
suggested sizes in the screenshot below, look at your store, and tweak if desired:
TIP: It’s easiest for new users to work with SQUARE IMAGES. It’s
impossible to get the dimensions wrong that way! Your original photos
must be square, OR you must resize them by uploading to and saving from
an online photo editor like http://pixlr.com/editor/
CATALOG Add categories and products to your store
Before you can add your own products, you must first
create a Category for it. Products will NOT display in the
"Categories" box until you create a category! The Category
Name is the link that will display to customers in the
Categories box of your store, as shown to the left.
Products added to a category will display as shown in the next image:
Do you have dozens or hundreds of products, categories, and images to
enter? If so, there is an add-in product, or “contribution” called
EasyPopulate that can add your products and images in one batch. Ask your
programmer to set it up for you. http://addons.oscommerce.com/info/7725
To enter your product and category information, in your store's Admin, from the leftcolumn navigation menu, click Catalog, then click Categories/Products:
Add your First Category
Click the NEW CATEGORY Button and fill in the following:
Category Name: what link do you want to appear in the
Categories Box shown above?
Image Upload: If you wish to attach an image, click the
BROWSE Button and find it on your computer.
Sort Order: If you want this category to be listed FIRST in
your category listing, enter “1” in the Sort Order box.
Otherwise, it will sort alphabetically.
After you have made your changes click the SAVE
Button.
..
TIP: LOOK at your new category in your store - what your customer sees before continuing. To look at your new category, from your Admin’s top gray
navigation bar, click ONLINE CATALOG, then click the new category link you see
in the Category Box.
Add your first new product
To add your first product to this category, start by opening the new category (yellow
FOLDER icon) where you want to put the product. In the example above, the folder is to
the LEFT of the category BYZANTINE COINS.
Then click the NEW PRODUCT button and fill in the page as shown and described below:
TIP: You can always move a product if you put it in the wrong category or no
category! It just won’t appear in your store until you move it to a category.
For a Quick Start, you must enter the following:
Products Status: MUST be "In Stock" for product to appear in your store.
Date Available: CANNOT be a date in the future, or the product will not appear in your store until
that date.
Products Name: A brief descriptive name in your language box (British flag for "English").
Tax Class: If you are required to charge tax on this item, set to "Taxable Item."
Products Price: Enter the price without tax in PRODUCTS PRICE - NET, not in PRODUCTS PRICE GROSS. The gross is the price including tax, which the program calculates for you.
Products Description: Enter a brief description of the product in your language box, enough
information to allow the customer to decide whether or not to buy.
Image Upload: Click the BROWSE Button and find it on your computer.
Sort Order: If you want this category to be listed FIRST in your category menu, enter “1” in the Sort
Order box.
Products Weight: For your store to charge shipping, you MUST specify a product weight or the
program will think it is a downloadable product. Also, the program adds a separate "tare weight" for
your packaging (see shipping information), so do not add extra weight here.
When you have finished, be sure to click the SAVE Button.
IMPORTANT! IF you fail to specify a product weight, or if you enter a weight of
zero, the program thinks it is a downloadable product and will NOT charge
shipping!
TIP: For detailed assistance, and lots more pictures, or if you need to set up
product sizes, colors, or other product attributes, turn to the PRODUCT
MANAGEMENT chapter or contact your programmer for help.
5. Modules menu: Select boxes, set up payment, shipping &
checkout pages
Boxes
Choose which information boxes appear in your store’s left and right columns. The Boxes
List is below.
From your Admin’s left-column menu, select MODULES – Boxes. This brings you to the
Boxes List:
To turn a box on or off, move it to the left or right column, or move it up or down in the
column, highlight the box name and click the EDIT BUTTON.
TRUE means “yes I want it on” and FALSE means “No, do not make this box appear in my
store.”
Make changes as shown in the screenshot above, and click the SAVE Button.
TIP: The “Sort Order” could be 1, 2, 3 etc. but if you change one you have to
re-number most or all of them. So larger numbers are used for convenience.
It will display the boxes in numerical order no matter what the numbers are.
NOTE that “0” is the FIRST number that will display, not 1.
Payment
For quick setup, the payment module “Cash on Delivery” is already active. This allows you
to make fake purchases while you are building and testing your store. PayPal Express is
also pre-installed, and is an excellent and secure payment method. See the advanced
chapters for installing PayPal and additional payment modules. You must first open a
merchant account or PayPal account, and then enter the information they provide into the
form.
From your main Admin menu, select MODULES – Payment. Choose a payment method.
Click INSTALL or EDIT for each method and follow the instructions.
CAUTION: There are many strict security requirements for processing cards
on your website (called PCI). Start with an "off-site" processor such as PayPal
which meets most security requirements for you if your host installs SSL for
you and you do not store credit card information in your online store. See
PAYMENTS Chapter for more info.
Shipping
osCommerce Online Merchant comes with Flat-Rate shipping method pre-installed, which
is excellent for your quick start. It will “charge” each customer $5.00 US for each
purchase. Note that flat rate is an excellent method for many live stores that sell goods
that are all about the same size and weight, such as CD’s or books, and process your
shipping offline using any shipper you wish.
To edit the Flat Rate shipping method, From your main Admin menu, select MODULES –
Shipping. Highlight Flat Rate and click the EDIT Button.
Edit the Flat Rate shipping method as follows:
ENABLE FLAT RATE SHIPPING: True for
yes or False for no.
SHIPPING COST: change the flat rate
charged to all customers by typing a new
rate here.
TAX CLASS: Are you required by law to
charge tax on shipping? If so, from the dropdown menu select Taxable Goods. Otherwise,
leave at NONE.
SHIPPING ZONE: To limit flat rate shipping
to only a certain zone, such as your city,
state or country, select it here. NOTE you
must have first set up Locations/Taxes
countries, taxes and zones.
SORT ORDER: If you offer multiple shipping
methods and want customers to be able to
select which method they want, enter 1 to
display first, 2 to display second, etc. Note
that zero is the SMALLEST number so it
displays FIRST.
Installing and using other optional advanced modules are covered in the detailed chapters
of this book. We recommend that you start your store with this simple method, then add
more complex methods as you grow.
Order Total
Select the pages that appear while a customer checks out, and in which order they appear.
There are five possible pages to show customers during checkout, and not all of them are
necessary. Would you want to click five times before your order was finally placed? Select
only the important ones now.
To select the order pages that appear when a customer is checking out, and in which order
they appear, From your main Admin menu, select MODULES – Order Total. Choose the
pages you want - subtotal and tax may not be necessary.
Click REMOVE MODULE or EDIT for each checkout page, and follow the easy
instructions.
SORT ORDER: 1 for first, 2 for second, etc. In the example below, the checkout pages will
be displayed to the customer in this order:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Sub-Total
Shipping
Tax
Total.
TIP: The shipping, tax, etc. are all automatically calculated, even if you do
not use the customer the separate shipping or tax pages during checkout.
TIP: Do you want to charge your customers a penalty for placing small
orders? Install Low Order Fee checkout page by clicking the top right
INSTALL MODULE, then select Low Order Fee and click INSTALL MODULE.
NOT RECOMMENDED.
6. Set up locations
You must tell your store where you are located so it can calculate correct taxes, shipping
charges, and other items.
From your main Admin menu, select LOCATIONS / TAXES. If you live in a very small
country, simply check to see if your country is listed in Countries. Then click ZONES and
make sure your country and state or province are listed there. WHILE you are checking
zones, click CONFIGURATION - MY STORE - COUNTRY and ZONE, and be sure that your
country and zone are listed there.
TIP: To see 100 countries (and 100 orders, customers, etc.) at a time, in
CONFIGURATION - MAXIMUM VALUES change Search Results from 10 to 100
and click the SAVE Button. RECOMMENDED.
7. Set up taxes
In order to charge the correct tax for your location, you must tell your store where you are
in the previous Step 6 (location, country, zone), and now what the tax is called (tax class),
and how much it is (tax rate).
CAUTION: Check with your accountant or lawyer so you know exactly what
taxes you must charge.
What:
Where and how to do it:
1.Where is the tax?
Click LOCATIONS/TAXES, then click Tax Zones, click the INSERT
Create Tax Zones –
Button, and enter your zone. EXAMPLE: Tax Zone "Texas."
usually state or province Description: "Texas state tax."
or other taxing
authority.
2.What is the tax
Click LOCATIONS/TAXES, then select Classes. "Non Taxable" and
called? Specify Tax
"Taxable Item" are entered for you. If you have more classes to
Class(es) – a description add, click the NEW TAX CLASS Button and enter the information.
to be printed on
invoices, etc.
3. How much is the tax? Click LOCATIONS/TAXES, then select Tax Rates. Click the NEW
Specify Tax Rate(s) to TAX RATE Button, select Taxable, and enter the tax rate
charge
(example, 8.25 for a tax of 8.25 percent). Enter a description
("Texas sales tax") enter a priority of 1 if you wish this tax to be
added first, and click the INSERT Button.
8. TOOLS – Define Languages menu: Edit information pages
such as privacy, shipping & returns, conditions of use.
These pages must be customized in your new online store or customers
will see text such as, ‘Put here your Privacy Notice information’:
Shipping & Returns
Privacy Notice
Conditions of Use
TIP: The Contact Us page in the Information Box above can only be edited
by changing the text in CONFIGURATION – My Store – Store Address and
Phone, or by programming.
Here is how the privacy page looks in a newly installed store:
Here is what that same page looks like in your Admin’s TOOLS – Define Languages page:
You must edit the text between the two apostrophes, being careful to not insert any
punctuation that your store will mistake for a command, such as apostrophes within your
text. Be careful to not delete or change either of the apostrophes or you will get an error
message!
There is an add-on that makes editing your text as easy as typing an email,
no code like the above! This easy editor is pre-installed in many other
ecommerce programs, but not in osCommerce. SEE Add-Ons chapter for
details.
CAUTION: If you use any apostrophe’s (“single quotes” or the ‘ symbol) the
program will think that is a command for it to obey. Tell the program “the
next character you see is NOT a programming command, it is just
punctuation!” by putting a backslash immediately in front of the single
quote. EXAMPLE: It’s a fine day! MUST be written as It\’s a fine day!
STEP 1. FIRST MAKE A BACKUP COPY of the file you will edit: highlight ALL the text in
the box and click COPY or CTRL-C, then open a Notepad document on your computer and
Paste (CTRL-V) and save to your Desktop. Now you have a backup in case – no, for when you make an editing mistake.
STEP 2. In your Admin’s Tools – Define Languages – Privacy page box, delete the text
BETWEEN apostrophes ‘Put here your Privacy Notice information.’ It will now read
define('TEXT_INFORMATION', '
');
Leave this file open while you prepare the text to paste between the apostrophes.
STEP 3. Use an html editor program to type up the text you want, formatting it with bold,
color, fonts, etc.
Try this very easy online editor: http://www.free-online-html-editor.com/
(use FireFox or IE; may not work with Chrome.) See the example below.
When you are satisfied with your text, copy the code and paste within the apostrophes. If
using Free-Online-HTML Editor, after typing the text you want in your privacy page, click
the very first button marked SOURCE:…
Free Online HTML Editor from
http://www.free-online-html-editor.com/
… And it will display your HTML code that you need to copy and paste into your file. To
copy the HTML code, highlight all the code (CTRL-A) and click COPY (CTRL-C).
STEP 4: Paste the code into your privacy page, and click the SAVE Button. Repeat for the
remaining files Conditions of Use and Shipping & Returns.
STEP 5: Finally, test, test, test! Register as a customer in your store and make some fake
test purchases, then look in your Admin for the orders. Don’t let your customers be your
testers.
This completes your Quick Start!