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Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

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    #1

    Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

    I am still in the learning process with Alpha v11 (from my experience so far that seems likely to be a lifelong state!!) ....

    I need to add ecommerce to the app I am developing. It needs to be very much editable and (relatively) easy to manipulate and add to.

    I can't find anything about ecommerce or shopping carts that has been posted in the past year, so am hopeful for advice here now. Would appreciate learning from anyone who has developed an ecommerce app what they did to include the cart side of it. That is, did they write it all themselves (whew - that would be a big job), or did they purchase a cart and integrate it with A5, or are they using a hosted ecommerce solution. Any ideas will be of value including bad experiences as I want to make an informed decision and go through as little pain as possible in the process.

    I don't want to re-invent the wheel and hope I can learn from other peoples experiences.

    Frankly, I would have expected in that A5 has been around so long, there would be several cart options available. The only two I can see discussed are Steve Woods shopping cart (I would be keen to purchase this but am aware this may be yet some time off) and A5JaxCart which I don't believe is still available(???)

    Actually, I am really surprised at the lack of discussion about this subject given that a large number of apps would use ecommerce of some sort. Seems to me there would be an opportunity there for someone??

    I do hope this post will get the result I'm looking for. Thanks in advance for all comments.

    Ron S
    Tags: None
    #2
    Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

    Ron -

    One way to do this without re-inventing the shopping cart wheel is to use an existing cart solution and extend it with A5.

    For the "halibut", I installed the latest version of PrestaShop on my local web server, built a new A5 connection string to the db (MySQL), new web grid component, hooked it to the products table, chose some fields and there it was Changed the price in the A5 detail view, and yep, the updated price in now on the "store".
    Cheers!
    Lyle Chamney
    http://www.2ninerniner2.com/
    Websites rebuilt with WordPress
    http://goodcheapfastwebsites.com/
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    Comment

      #3
      Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

      The only two I can see discussed are Steve Wood's shopping cart (I would be keen to purchase this but am aware this may be yet some time off)
      Just to be clear, my Shopping Cart had been available for over a year and I have over a dozen happy customers. What Ron is referring to is a new, more advanced Cart that is not yet released. I made the mistake of promising a delivery date on that one. With everything else on my plate, I only get a little done each week. I am writing a new Cart partly because I personally want a more advanced Cart at www.alphatogo.com and www.alphadevnet.com, although the existing ones are perfectly fine. The existing cart only works with PayPal and best suited for electronic download items; and one of the features Ron would like to see is more payment options like check, credit cart (not via PayPal), etc.
      Steve Wood
      See my profile on IADN

      Comment

        #4
        Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

        Just to be clear, my Shopping Cart had been available for over a year and I have over a dozen happy customers. What Ron is referring to is a new, more advanced Cart that is not yet released. I made the mistake of promising a delivery date on that one. With everything else on my plate, I only get a little done each week. I am writing a new Cart partly because I personally want a more advanced Cart at www.alphatogo.com and www.alphadevnet.com, although the existing ones are perfectly fine. The existing cart only works with PayPal and best suited for electronic download items; and one of the features Ron would like to see is more payment options like check, credit cart (not via PayPal), etc. ]
        ..... and just to reinforce this comment by Steve, no criticism was or is intended. As he says, our needs are greater than what his cart provides, which is the reason for my post - to try and find a cart that will do most if not all that we want.

        Having said that, I restate my surprise that the subject of shopping carts is rarely raised in the forums. Is it they are too difficult to produce in A5? Is it that the os and commercial carts are easy to integrate with A5? Are they so far ahead it would be uneconomic to create one in A5? There has to be a reason surely ... or, maybe our needs really are unique, or I'm really missing something here!!

        I would have thought that if there are carts out there in the real world enough experience by A5 developers and users would have led to a rush of suggestions or recommendations from my question a few days ago. So far one person has commented (thank you 2ninerniner2) ..... It appears even Alpha Software themselves have no comment or recommendations for this (essential, critical??) feature??

        Ron S

        Comment

          #5
          Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

          Originally posted by 2ninerniner2 View Post
          Ron -

          One way to do this without re-inventing the shopping cart wheel is to use an existing cart solution and extend it with A5.

          For the "halibut", I installed the latest version of PrestaShop on my local web server, built a new A5 connection string to the db (MySQL), new web grid component, hooked it to the products table, chose some fields and there it was Changed the price in the A5 detail view, and yep, the updated price in now on the "store".
          Thanks for the comment Lyle, really appreciated.
          I've had a look at PrestaShop and it is a likely candidate along with Magneto. I'm processing the features lists just now, so far looking good. However, our business model requires both rental (varied term/different cost per item) as well as sale, and it is difficult to see if this is achievable from the on-line blurbs. So, currently awaiting response on this. Hopefully I'll be able to report back a success .......

          Ron S

          Comment

            #6
            Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

            I just feel bad I haven't been able to get to it. if it wasn't so expensive where I live, it would be easier to do I want to do rather than what I have to do.
            Steve Wood
            See my profile on IADN

            Comment

              #7
              Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

              if it wasn't so expensive where I live, it would be easier to do I want to do rather than what I have to do.
              I know the Bay quite well ... don't blame you one bit not wanting to move away ..................

              Comment

                #8
                Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

                Bump (for Steve)

                Just curious to see if the new shopping cart ever hit the market. I would be very interested in it it if so.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

                  Double bump
                  NWCOPRO: Nuisance Wildlife Control Software My Application: http://www.nwcopro.com "Without forgetting, we would have no memory at all...now what was I saying?"

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

                    Bump and double bump taken. I will see what I can do.
                    Steve Wood
                    See my profile on IADN

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

                      I would be very interested in a simple recurring subscription option that works with the standard sql security setup (active link tables as per these directives -http://wiki.alphasoftware.com/a5/Using%20SQL%20tables%20in%20Web%20Security.pdf)

                      while your at it...
                      NWCOPRO: Nuisance Wildlife Control Software My Application: http://www.nwcopro.com "Without forgetting, we would have no memory at all...now what was I saying?"

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

                        What do you mean by works with the sql security setup?

                        The IADN.com Sign-Up is an example of PayPal Subscription integration. It lets you pick your membership level, then signs you up as a Free member. Then a few seconds later, the PayPal notification comes as a POST under the hood confirming their payment, and toggles their membership to whatever level they paid for.

                        I guess that is sort of a "shopping cart" except the choices are a membership rather than a product. PayPal would require separate transactions for that. Now, I am also working on Authorize.net as an alternate to PayPal. The later is very convenient but not everyone has a PayPal account and some people downright dislike the service.
                        Steve Wood
                        See my profile on IADN

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

                          Yes your IADN signup is great but what I mean is if you have an app and security is enabled certain things happen when you create a new member. My app would require on confirmation of payment information written to 3 tables.
                          1. The "Users" table would need the email added to the "user_id" column as well as their PW, a GUID and "Company_id" (=remspecial (create-guid)) - which that last one is my addition to the table (custom field?) as well as an is active/expired toggle.
                          2. The members table would need to assign that GUID to the Group_id to assign the member to the group
                          3. Finally I have an additional need to add an entry to a companies table to add the associated company_id as well as the user_id (email)

                          Agreed I have a lot of needs outside of the typical cart system so that's what I meant by works with alpha security.
                          I have not used your cart but that's because of the paypal thing. Not that I am completely against it - I was hoping there was going to be something that works with authorize.net.
                          I would guess I would just need to add in my own fields to your (UX?) subscription integration - if that's the case then you are awesome.
                          Again, I have not really checked out what you have created so far but from your description I should be able to work with that.
                          I just have a problem with paypal because a long time ago they froze an account of my brothers due to credit card fraud, even though he provided them with all of the fraudulent users information including name address, phone number, etc right down to the IP
                          Paypal kept every penny (over 5k was in the account) froze the account and never responded in any way regarding a resolution. Believe me there is no recourse and thats that.
                          They kept not only the money from the fraudulent charge - they kept it all.
                          so yeah sour grapes here...my dealings with paypal have been excellent but I have never forgotten what happened to my brother.
                          NWCOPRO: Nuisance Wildlife Control Software My Application: http://www.nwcopro.com "Without forgetting, we would have no memory at all...now what was I saying?"

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

                            One other question: If I purchase the cart as is and you release a new version within 6 months do I need to purchase the new one at full price or is this an upgrade to the cart?
                            NWCOPRO: Nuisance Wildlife Control Software My Application: http://www.nwcopro.com "Without forgetting, we would have no memory at all...now what was I saying?"

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Re: Shopping Cart for Integration with A5

                              My app would require on confirmation of payment information written to 3 tables.
                              It does not matter what you want done on confirmation of the payment, anything can be done. All that comes back from the payment process is Success or Failure, and reference to the transaction number. You take that information and run whatever script you want to.
                              Steve Wood
                              See my profile on IADN

                              Comment

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