Need Help!

I don't know where to begin to be honest. I think the best way is to tell you what I'm trying to do and work from there...

I am setting up my website for users to buy and sell products. I know this is available via the ads section and the store. Now, the store from what i understand allows members to list items, but how do they get paid? Am i missing something? I cannot find the part as a member to be able to link a pay-pal account to the store. I have read a few post about a dolphin payment cart but i don't have any more info on this, does it exist? I want to be able to sell physical and down-loadable things.

Basically all i want is for registered free members (for now) to create an account and list their products and sell them. As i look deeper into dolphin it just gets more and more confusing. Some sections are editable and others not. I cannot make any sense!

Has anyone done anything like this and if so can i get your advice?

Does Dolphin offer support for its paying customers?

You should have (as a logged in user) a "payments" option under account (dashboards) settings.

The store feature thus far is only really partially completed- digital products mainly.

Ok i see. Is there a way i can integrate a ready mod. Does one exist?

Thanks for your help.

M

There's nothing stopping you from using physical products.

Shipping Module with calculated or predefined rates? Nope.

Try entering a product without a file of some sort. (Since it's a physical item). The workaround? A hoakey file of some sort that the purchaser has to download.

I stand firm. the built in store module is only partially completed- its more suited to digital downloads and the method required to invoke a physical product sale is not purchaser friendly.

I'm working on the store module for my own system, if I get it finished anytime soon I'll drop it for free up here on the market. (Dont hold your breath on it, D7 is just a hobby)

I agree, it's not necessarily physical-product-friendly, but you can do it. Just upload a thank you letter or something, and contact the buyer for their shipping address (which should be on their profile).

There are several possible store replacements in the market. For example, there's an eBay module that I believe you can make use of, but I haven't taken a close look at it.

Thanks for your interesting comments.

I really need a strong e-commerce solution here. Can i integrate a different one within dolphin? I want to offer a buy and sell service, if i cannot do this then i need to find a diff software.

Do you think its better to get programmer to do this for me or integrate a ready made e-commerce package?

I will check out the mods.

Thanks

You may want to look through the market, as there may be some other e-commerce solutions available. You can also post a job to have one made for you, but the price will vary. For example, you may want to look into integrating something like Zen Cart.

Thanks for your help everyone.

I am finding this quite hard as i do not have a lot if experience with carts. How easy is it to integrate zen cart? Can anyone make a payment from anywhere? does it work like paypal? I just want to be able to sell products online, any advice greatly appreciated.

Has anyone else used a cart and which would you recommend?

Thanks.

Ok i have figured out most of the issues, maybe i can help others in my shoes:

1. to get the 'add to cart' button to show you have to upload products files in my store (not just products info, otherwise it doesn't work) and then put the price there. It will then show the add the cart button.

2. for the add to cart to work you have to set up payments found under the dashboard. Otherwise it will give an error when Trying to buy as a test/live. I believe both testing accounts have to have payments set up. Or at least the one buying. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

3. there is no Shipping Module with calculated or predefined rates - as Ancientwolf kindly mentioned above. So i don't know how I'm going to work this out but when i do I will let you know. If anyone knows please let us know.

I think I'm going to have to buy a mod to get this to work properly, i just have to spend hours researching this. Any suggestions or experiences greatly appreciated.

Any other information regarding this would be very helpfully here.

Thanks everyone for your help

M

As you are finding too the "store" feature is just a base file shop. The way it's looking here is this:

1) You will not see a response from the developer on just about any subject here. From what Ive seen of the premium side, its the same there too- Ive never seen a genre of software like this type where people continue to pay/use a software with so little public relation between the developer and customer. Thats just my opinion but I'm only calling it as I see it. My learning curve for Dolphin was very short because I did most of my research before even coming here and have already gone through just about everything else out there, but thats the way I do things. Meme, I'm not dissing Dolphin here, I'm sincere when I say I hope things turn around- the current state is in sink or swim mode because this industry is not static. Ive seen a prototype for a CMS-SES hybrid that has built in bridging between popular industry api's (facebook,myspace,digg, etc) and the "store" functionality we are looking for- all "free" because it's being looked at by a rather biG hitter in the internet world that doesnt need the nickel and dimeing. (Dont ask, I cant say) Its not a priority but it IS being looked at.

2) There are a couple 3rd party developers here that seem to be the type that wont try to make you mortgage a kidney for what translates into a couple pages of code- it looks like the closest thing you may get to getting a solution is either a bridge (ie; like Zen Cart to Dolphin, etc) or a add-on to the current store module. Finding them is easy- just browse the forums and the market and jot your findings based on your own criteria.

3) I'm working on a solution myself but it wouldnt be popular here, nor finished very soon. My route: I'm trying to find software outside that will give me the flexibility and expandability I want without having to rely on things inside- this doesnt solve the urgency for said solution, but I'm also not reliant on a internal method for "hard" product sales. My research involves current CMS front ends with working cart systems already done/built in and a integration with a SE (social engine software) that will be easy on the user to navigate. (Ive done it already but it involves working with multiple softwares which isnt for the faint of heart)

Thats all I can think of for now.

Please Meme if you find something interesting please comment about it.. i'm searching for the same here....

Thanks!

Papik

Would integrating something like zen cart in an iframe on a new page called Store work?

Okay in your PayPal account  Website payment  settings  you may redirect members to any url you wish after making purchase (If this information is not provided to you by paypal*)  Redirect the purchaser to .hmtl page which consists of form for shipping information.   Your paypal account should also give you shipping & tax options as well which will all function if you have entered the appropriate information into your store payment setup.

you can make excellent html form here http://phpformgen.sourceforge.net/new_demo/phpformgen/index.php  upload html to your server,  direct your customer to this form  after purchase instead of the default Dolphin data return url   modules/?r=payment/act_finalize_checkout/paypal/0  (be  sure to include "Thank You" in your form page.  you may redirect them to the default  data return page after submitting the completed form.      see image for paypal options

I hate to plu other products  but you may find this much more suitable for your needs of a store  http://www.jrox.com/