Tutorial on setting up attributes and allocating them to a product in zencart. Step by step instructions.

The basics of this is in 3 parts:

All found in the Catalog Menu.

1. Option Name Manager: This is where you create the name of the option, e.g. Colour

2. Option Value Manager: This is where you create the ‘possible’ values of a option name.
e.g. Blue , Red

3. Attributes Controller: This is where you allocate option name and option values to a product.

So, when setting up attributes, you do it in that order, 1 then 2 then 3.

More detail:

Example of setting up an option called ‘Colour’ , allocating 2 values to it ‘Blue, Red’ and then allocating it to a product.

1. Option Name Manager.

a. Select Catalog -> Option Name Manager
b. in the ‘en’ box type in the name of the option: Size
c. in the order box, enter 1
d. leave it as a dropdown (as there will be choices for this option).
e. Click Insert.

2. Option Value Manager.

a. Select Catalog -> Option Value Manager
b. In the option box ensure Colour is selected.
c. Enter the first value of Red into the ‘en’ box
d. in the order box, 1
e. Click Insert.

f. Repeat b to e for Blue

3. Attributes Controller.

a. Select Catalog -> Attributes Controller
b. In the first drop down box select the category the product resides in.
c. in the next box highlight the product you want the allocate the attribute to and then click ‘display’
d. Under ‘ADDING NEW ATTRIBUTES’ highlight the name of the attribute ‘Colour’ and highlight the first option of Blue in the next box.
e. In the order box: 1
f. If there is an added cost with this particular attribute then enter the added cost into the price box. For instance the product may be setup with a price of £10 but you want Dimension Blue to be £5 extra, you would enter 5.00 in the price box
g. Click Insert.

h. Repeat d to g for the 2nd option Red.

http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?p=743708#post743708

Although our own customers come first, we are offering a free service to other zencart 1.3.x users to apply the fix:

http://www.iwebshop.co.uk/apply-admin-security-patch-june-2009-p-60.html

All our shop and web hosting packages give you complete control of your website. Manage your website using the feature packed cpanel. We have servers located both in the UK and USA using fast and reliable LINUX Servers.

If you dont have your own products, we have setup a special package to allow you to sell items from a dropshipper, without holding your own stock.

Standard Shop

The Standard Shop is the entry level ecommerce system. Allows you to get your shop online, configured and populated with your products.

Professional Shop

The professional Shop is the search engine optimisation ecommerce package. Allows you to get your shop online and configured to your specification, and set up to maximise marketing and for search engine optimisation. The professional Shop has many more features than the standard shop.

Dropshipping Starter Pack

If you do not have your own products to sell, then our Dropshipping starter pack is designed to get your shop up an running and puts you in contact with a wide range of UK and International dropshippers to enable you to sell products online, without having stock.

This package includes well over 130+ dropshippers willing to provide you with your goods to sell.

The dropshipper starter package inlcudes implementation of an easy populate system that allows you to import supplier product data file to add/update your products quickly into your shop.

Additional Optional Services to the Shop Packages:

Customised Template

If you require us to create a customised template for your site, professionally made, then we can do that based on any brief you give us.

Logo and Header

If you require us to create a logo and header for your site, professionally made, then we can do that based on any brief you give us.

Update Your Products Automatically

Updating your products can be a pain, and a very time consuming one. Constantly having to check if your products are in stock, what new products there are, price changes etc. The administration for making sure your shop products are up to date can be a nightmare, especially if you have hundreds or thousands of products. An impossible task to be done accurately and quickly.

The majority of suppliers can provide a data feed containing their products. For zencart shop owners this can be a life saver. However, what you find is that the data feed is not compatible with importing into Zen Cart so manual amendments have to be made to ensure the file can be imported. Whats more, you have to look for new and amended products where you have to manually upload the images.

RapidSSL Certificate

For every ecommerce website, a dedicated SSL Secure certificate is advised. It gives your site a professional touch and makes your customers feel secure.

The Certificate includes a dedicated IP address. At this time, we only install dedicated SSL certificates to websites hosted with iwebshop.

Stable, 128/256 bit single root install SSL certificates ideal for lite ecommerce.

If you intend using the SSL Certificate to allow you to take credit cards online for your shop, then we will install any relevant module to your shop (Zen cart shops only). For instance, PROTX Direct, Paypal Web Payments Pro.

Shop Maintenance

Whether iwebshop has created and launched your online shop, or another developer, we can maintain your shop, saving you hours of time. We can appreciate that you want to spend your time running your shop and not updating the shop.

Migrate your Hosting

We have a free migration service, for those looking to move hosting to us. Whether your unhappy with the support you recieve from your current host, or want to go with a cheaper or alternative hosting solution then we are available to move your site to us for free.

We have servers located in the UK and USA, which you choose your preferred location when ordering. We have recently increased our server numbers and reduced account numbers on each server to ensure effecient and cost effective hosting.

Zen Cart Optimisation Pack

The zen cart optimisation pack, is designed for those zen cart users who would like to maximise their Search Engine Optimisation of their site and products.

iwebshop will first backup your files and database (files that would be over-written only), then install the addons which you require. We will install the newest verison of the addons required and determined by the zen cart version you are using.

Install Zencart Addon

iwebshop can install the majority of addons to your zen cart shop. Please specify in the text box which addon you would like us to install.

iwebshop will first backup your files and database (files that would be over-written only), then install the addons which you require. We will install the newest verison of the addons required and determined by the zen cart version you are using.

Once your order is recieved we will contact you for further details to access your site and database.

We are currently running a special promotion, enter the coupon code DSF at checkout to recieve a 17.5% Discount.

You can see it in action here:

Webshop Pricelist

What is Google Base?

Google base is a shopping area of google, when you do a web search on any keyword, if there is a product that has been submitted to google then there is a good chance it will appear on the first page. Sometimes appears at the very top with the product name, cost and a comment. Occasionaly and no idea why, but the product may appear half way down or at the bottom of the search results page.

This is a guide to a new installation and configuration.

Instalation

1. Download http://www.iwebshop.co.uk/googlebasefeeder.zip and then Unzip and upload all files to your store directory (except .sql files)
2. Chmod feed directory to 777
3. Go to Admin->Tools->Install SQL Patches and install googlefroogle.sql by copying and pasting (do not upload);
4. Go to http://base.google.com and create/sign to your account. Follow the link on the right hand side of their website to create your FTP account.
5. Go to Admin->Configuration->Google Base Configuration and setup all parameters;
6. Register your bulk upload .xml file using the same name in your Google Base Configuration at base.google.com
7. Go to Admin->Tools>Google Base Feeder and follow instructions to create, view, and upload feed file.

If you have a zencart ecommerce store, and not using this addon, then you are loosing sales!

Iwebshop add this system to their professional shop service: http://www.iwebshop.co.uk/professional-shop-p-22.html

I am currently working on my internet venture : iwebshop.co.uk. After spending a few years using the various free cart software I decided to take that knowledge and actually make a career out of it. The site will be properly launched on the 1st November so I am still putting in content / products etc. Alot of it at the moment is placeholder things.

My favourite cart software is Zencart. Ive found it ticks all the right boxes when your looking for shopping cart software. It is ideal for search engine optimisation, and have felt this is one of my strongest areas in web site development.

I have started to implement the tools needed to make my website noticed and ranked well with search engines such as google. Infact, I make the point of optimising my sites for google specifically and then adjust when required for other search engines (yahoo/msn (now live search)).

I decided to start some tests, to attempt to find the best ways of getting your site to the top of the search engines.

Day 1 (28th Sept 08):

Keyword phrase: Build an online shop

link to my site would then be : <a href=”http://iwebshop.co.uk”>Build an online shop</a>

The test is to get lots of link backs to my site using that keyword and see what effect it has with google. i have set a target of getting 20 links to my site per day. I have made sure my index page has the words ‘build an online shop’ in the title and also description/keywords and content of the page.

Google is visiting my site (deep searching) every day, and my domain was only registered on the 21st August 2008. I also submit my sitemap every few days, depending on how much it has changed.

I trawled the internet for ecommerce type blogs and added a comment to them, a suitable comment and not just some spam, something worth while posting and reading.

Alot of the blogs were ‘moderation comments’ so in the end, i posted 12 links that appeared immediatly and will be about 20 links that need moderator approval.

Part 2 is here: Build an online shop