48 replies to this topic

[Randy]

I think Mal's might be able to do what you want to do Arlen. I'm not sure though.

A developer friend of mind has a site she created that uses a commercial shopping cart (CKshop I believe) but it integrates with Mal's for the actually billing side of things. All of the forms sit in pages on her site and inside her own cart. Only the data is submitted.

I'll ask to make sure, or just point her over to this thread she she has experience with using Mal's as the processor only.

[arlen]

Thanks Randy, I've looked at Mal's and it's pretty similar to what I'm using now (could have saved me a lot of money though). I suspect it has the same limitations ... largely due to either the need to cover the broadest range of needs as they are a service or to the fact that they host the cart pages.

I ran across PHPCart, which seems to do exactly as I need, and is inexpensive. I've posted some specific questions on their forum. It seems very straight-forward, and as the code is made available (though it's not OS) and is PHP, I at least have the opportunity to expand or modify it as I learn more.

I searched HR and found no mention anywhere. I would be would be interested in feedback if anyone around here has used it.

(BTW, I have no idea why I posted in this existing thread ... my questions should probably be a new thread if any mod wants to move them).

Edited by arlen, 09 September 2006 - 11:14 AM.

[Randy]

I spoke with my designer friend via Email and have a feeling Mals also does what you're trying to avoid.

It does allow you to set up a form on your site to collect all of the basic information and send it over so that everything is pre-filled. But the first page when you hit Mals would still ask if someone wanted to use a credit card or Paypal account. I was hoping they would allow you to set that variable in the form on your site and skip this step, but it sounds like it doesn't.

Sorry, I've got no better solution. I do all of that stuff on my own sites outside of the 3rd party processors, so was hoping they had something similar. For instance, I can set it up so that people enter the basic name/address type of info, and choose their payment type. When they submit that they either get sent directly to Paypal (since it keys off of the email address), get the short CC payment form or --the newest thing I'm adding as I find time-- they get a short online check form.

Doesn't sound like that's possible with the 3rd party processors. Shocks me that it's not a variable they would allow you to set though.

[arlen]

Yeah, I've been frustrated and just lived with the limitations up to now. I thought I'd found a solution in this new cart, but think I've run into a barrier that they aren't willing or able to help me overcome.

On further reading of the PHPCart forums, I think a couple of versions from now it will be able to cover all my needs w/o a total rebuild of my site, but right now they have some other limitations like the way they handle shipping charges, etc. that will probably keep me from using it. It's pretty basic, which appeals to me, but it doesn't offer a number of options other carts do. To my limited way of thinking, simple is best, but there are some minimum requirements. It might be possible to hire someone to do a little tweaking to the php to get the results I want, but it may not be either. I'll keep looking.

I suppose I should consider using zencart, x-cart or something similar and going totally dynamic, but it gives me the willies to do so for a number of reasons, mostly based in my own ignorance and concerns about un-doing the progress I've made up to now, and downtime due to breaking something I have no idea how to fix.

I do feel like I'm trying to reinvent the wheel with yesterday's methods instead of embracing the way things are done today. Still, I resist.