Websitecm?
 

3 days ago we spent ё120 on an xcart blogging module from a 'module company' called WebsiteCM -http://www.websitecm.com

Still not received an activation code for the module or any answer to the several emails I've sent them, asking about it.

Incredibly, i've just noticed this company appears in the above list of recommended vendors...

I was so sure that I had just fallen for a scam and been ripped off that I was about to contact my bank and see if they could help me get my money back.

Before I do can anyone here vouch for this being a 'real' company? (though given they can't provide a product or any customer service the word 'company' would seem a rather generous if not entirely misleading description).

And can anyone recommend a company who CAN deliver a blog module for xcart ?

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Hey jodaki,

Jon has been around for quite a long time, you may find the below thread of interest

http://forum.x-cart.com/showthread.php?t=67124

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Such of situation really affects XC image. I am sorry for that.

Qualiteam has an extra product for mixing Wordpress with X-Cart. Very good and it could be improved. Unfortunately it is an extra, not a module. Its cost is very expensive for now. Hope QT will release it as a module in the near future.

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Gosh well I had no idea - I have only had my experiences to go on.

Anyway I tried the key download function again just now, and found that someone has fixed it so at last I can see how the module works.

Still no reply from websitecm though.

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

what about a phone call?

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Hello,

I am the sole owner operator of WebsiteCM and am currently working through high volume, for that reason I have publicly posted that support tickets can take up to 96 hours for resolution. I realize that long-term this is too long a delay in the fast pace of the Internet and am actively taking steps to improve this over the next 1-2 months.

My internet provider (Shaw communications) was experiencing network issues last night and I was having difficulty connecting to the admin and support desks due to packet loss, but with much patience I was able to login to your account and test the download link and it did work for me. I then added your secondary domain on your license. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get the support desk to load however to provide you an update.

I would very much appreciate if you could please provide more details as to the error you were receiving when trying to download, and the frequency at which you tried to download, so that I can assure this does not happen in the future.

I apologize for the delay and thank you for your patience.

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

There isn't one.

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Hi Jon,
Here is the support ticket I posted on your site with details of the error (17/6/13 2:31 local time):

******
...there is a server error now downloading my key... Clicking on the key icon generates the following server error:

"We're sorry, but it seems we're having difficulty sending you that file. If the problem continues, please contact us for assistance."
******

As I say, it suddenly started working yesterday, so I have a key now. I'm still angry at the experience of being ignored for so long however, especially after paying in good faith - really not good dude.

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Here is a free wordpress integration:

http://www.arscommunity.com/wiki/articles/x-cart-wordpress-integration

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Hi Jon,

This post relates to websitecm account #12298

Our set up requires three domains on the license:

1. local development server
2. staging server, for public testing prior to going live
3. live domain

Because you only allow two domains I have just tried to switch the local dev and staging addresses in the license. However there was no warning prior to doing so that you require 24hrs to make the changes. This is completely untenable for us as our client is expecting to see the site in the next few hours - therefore I have had no choice but to remove your software from the staging version for now - unless of course we want our client to see your website instead of their own when they come to preview it.

Your protection policy has put us in the embarrassing and utterly needless position of
1. not being able to show our client something we promised them; and
2. having 24 hours downtime every time we make changes between the development and staging servers.

Can you see how frustrating this is and how amateur this makes us look?

So, if pretty much all development companies require IP-tied licenses to work with a minimum of three server locations, why is your software tied to 2? What can't we use 3?

The only situation someone would require 2 server locations is if:
1. they hosted their own live servers (ie. they were an ISP)
2. they actually developed on a remote server across a broadband connection. which in 18 years of web development I have never heard of.
3. clients didn't want to see a site before it went live.

In EVERY other situation, there would be a minimum of 3 servers.

Anyway, I don't know why I am writing a support ticket on your website. I have written three previously in the last 5 days and you have replied to none of them. I will put this on the xcart forum, as you seem to check that more frequently.

So, please can you either add three domains to your key file or please ignore the change request submitted just now, as if it goes through I will lose yet another day waiting for it to revert back to the development server.

Life should be easier than this....

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Not exactly...

License #1: local development server
License #2: the server

use a /dev/ partition that is IP and/or password restricted for the staging server, for public testing prior to going live.

And considering most pro developers have insanely fast broadband, the local development server isn't really needed anymore. I do ALL of my development on the primary server in a locked down, IP restricted partition. It doesn't get indexed. It's a realtime indicator if the code is bloated.

There are 101 reasons why you SHOULD develop on an internet connected server and not a local machine.

So although your concerns about timely replies to your emails are valid, your workflow is not the only way a professional may work. There are other workflows that could possibly be superior to yours. I only need a single site license when developing most sites.

Just saying.

I hope you get your issues resolved with Jon. You do NOT want to turn a store on to the web without CDSEO active.

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Licenses can take up to 24hrs, usually sooner, but as I am one person I simply can't be in front of a computer every hour.

You can specify a primary domain and as many secondary domains as needed, you just need to specify them all as secondary. Licenses are also licensed for all subdomains and localhost by default. I've updated your license.

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Well, Just saying... I disagree. In 19 years of doing this job I have never heard of a decent agency working the way you describe. I've known little guys working in their attics doing that, but never a pro agency.

Every agency I know and have ever heard of, develops on their LAN, stages to a private internet server, then mirrors to a live address. There are 101 reasons why this is a cool way to work. And as insane as your internet connection might be, it is still much much faster to work on a local network, it is still much more secure, and much more robust - internet connections still go down, what sort agency would want to down tools every time their ISP had a network issue? I think you are simply wrong dude. Your way may work for you but I do not agree it is a professional way to go.
Each to his own...

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

I would like an answer to the question myself. This company is on the recommended list, however no phone number posted anywhere on their site.

I wanted to get work done but not without contact information. Every website is required to have valid contact information when selling products of any kind taking money of any kind otherwise you leave yourself open to being charged with fraud.

I read the comment of how he has been around for awhile. If this company has such vast experience and age, then they should know they need to supply a phone number and answer emails from people, especially after taking someones money.

They should also know how much business they are loosing right now by not supplying said items . But more importantly and how sketchy they look by not supplying the above.

And if they get in trouble xcart should be aware since they listed them they could be liable as well.

So maybe xcart should not be posting them to the list until this stuff is cleared up.

In the meantime can someone recommend someone who has actual contact information so I can get some work done?


Sophie

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Thank you for the feedback on our appearance. We are currently working with very select clients and are not looking for further work at this time. Our phone number is provided on the order receipts but is not posted publicly to encourage people to use our support system for assistance prior to contacting us.

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Hi Sophie,

Welcome to X-Cart.
I'm just a customer (owner of a B2C site) so I have zero to gain by replying to you... but you need to understand a few things:

Jon Peters is one of x-cart's top-10 devs (if I said top-3, I'd be pissing someone off).

You make some blanket statements that show your newbie-ness, and maybe if you asked questions, you wouldn't come off as, well, I wouldn't want to sell you anything if you spoke to me like that.


IN our business (especially tech), we buy and sell without EVER speaking to our suppliers or customers. Email, text, tweets, PM and other written communication. I've spent $10,000+ on developers without ever having a voice call.


Required? By whom? What country? What state? What time zone? Our businesses are global and our suppliers may not be in your time zone. I have hired devs from India, Ireland, Russia, UK, Canada and Pennsylvania, USA. Because we may be 13 time zones away from our developer, voice usually doesn't matter.


Liable for what? X-Cart is a Russian company. WebsiteCM is Canadian. GO ahead and litigate. I'll buy the popcorn.

I've been here 8 years. I would jump off a cliff with Jon not knowing if he packed the parachute before I would trust X-Cart code out-of-the-box for anything.


If WebsiteCM drops X-Cart development, the sound you hear of store admins (like me) leaving X-Cart for another platform will be be pretty significant.

This wasn't supposed to be a love letter to WCM, but Jon's top-tier and he shouldn't have to justify if his phone number is published for pre-sales or not.

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

I read the thread and fully understand what he is saying , but the kiss principle applies :

List somewhere if you want to contact them here is the link to the forum or a number some of us who are working on projects even in small companies do not have the time to fill out a form and wait 2 days for a reply.

All websites especially ones who take money in any format have to have a number they can be reached you can find that in your merchant account agreement or you could loose your merchant account.

To go through the hassle of posting on here and have to come back and read a thread is bad customer service.

He now has one customer upset and one lost.

Good luck with that set up.

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

I read the thread and fully understand what he is saying , but the kiss principle applies :

List somewhere a link to contact them , or a number . Some of us who are working on projects even in small companies do not have the time to fill out a form and wait 2 days for a reply especially in another time zone. No one asked for his cell number. And not to have some format looks shady.

Websites especially ones who take money in any format have to have a number they can be reached, you can find that in your merchant account agreement or you could loose your merchant account over a complaint like the other one.

Something your 8 years of knowledge should have afforded you.

My 20 years in Web, Print and Programming , Customer Service, has afforded me this:

I just read your love letter here is what it is getting your lover.

You are going way overboard, if I were him I would be embarrassed on so many levels the fact that you posted IN WHAT COUNTRY? shows your lack of knowledge of ecom sites. And in your next 8 years you should maybe do some research on Merchant Accounts, Discrimination Laws regarding all sites must be readable for the blind. In USA, Aust, Canada and may other countries etc, to bring you up to date. That's just two examples of lacking knowledge.

It is NOT for you to reply, John is the one with the site and no number taking money and not replying to people NOT you.

He is the one in danger of loosing his merchant account NOT you.

He is the one with one upset customer and loss of more business from another one NOT you.

He is the one who should fix the situation NOT you , unless you work for him as his customer service agent and are going to fix the situation.

By your unprofessional rantings you have made it worse for him. If any of my business associates ever went at a customer of mine like you have I would cut all ties with you.


If you love him so much do him a kindness , be professional and email him say hey you have an unhappy customer you should contact them right away.

Hey people are trying to contact you update your site so they understand the ticketed format . Or put up a number and walk them through the process.

Or hey I know John I will contact him for you and let him know.

That is what a professional person does that cares about a co-worker that is so great. Its called Customer Service and a great business associate.

No one ever questioned Johns ability to do his job, or that is work is crap.

We simply wanted to get in touch with him to do business and now based on your posting . I will be sure never ever to do business with him , simply because I do not have the time nor energy to waste on childish and unprofessional emotional behavior replies by someone who has nothing to do with his business .

And the sound of you leaving would probably sound like bolly wood musicial when your replaced. Everyone is replaceable.

So feel free to jump, but I highly recommend based on responses to a person you do not know, on his behalf , PACK A SHOOT.

And feel free not to respond.


Good Luck.
Sophie

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

It's on the invoice post-sale.
WebsiteCM chooses to not publish a voice number for pre-sales. There is no law or contractual fine print about that.

Try "calling" Facebook advertising sales. Regardless of your ad spend.
I was told you need to spend >$50k with Facebook before you get a phone # to call. And double that before you get a person who answers the phone.
Facebook is not breaking any laws or contracts.
They simply don't have a phone number to call for "regular" customers.

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

I'm ready to throw my 2 cents worth into this.

Six years now using Jon's products. Nothing compares. His code is elegant, and as he upgrades the various mods over time they just get better and better. xCMS is a power of magnitude better than Wordpress integrated into X-Cart. CDSEO is a requirement, not an option.

Every business gets buried at times and has glitches. But when the smoke clears Jon is solid, knowledgeable, generous with his time and can be counted on. I, too, would rethink X-Cart without his products.

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

@Sophie

Mmmm, lets see shall we "...childish and unprofessional emotional behaviour..." It is you that is shouting and angry.

Done business with Jon for years now and NEVER a problem. Mods are great, good value and work. Customer Service is First Class.

Get over the "no phone number" - if this is how you behave on a forum, in writing, I would hate to have a phone call from you - just sayin...

You have only 3 posts so far here and they are all angry - I would have a lie-down and think your attitude through.

carpeperdiem is another helpful guy here and always polite and willing to help, so I have no idea why you have unleashed on him?

BTW I have NEVER spoken to Jon or Carpeperdiem - come to think of it I have never seen or had voice communication from anyone,ever regarding anything x-cart.

Hope that your day gets better?

Kind regards

Re: Websitecm - real company or scam?
 

Times have changed. In addition to phone, fax and email, there is now facebook, twitter, fb messaging, skype, text, forums, live chat etc. and companies put a lot more effort to make information available on the web and want people to read that content instead of just picking up a phone.

As stated with carpediem's post about Facebook, phone support is less cost effective and is now often reserved by online companies for the biggest spenders; too often people pick up the phone and expect consulting for free.

We offer phone support if requested by email for a specific purpose. With our new offerings coming this summer I will be providing a direct phone line for clients who work with us on a monthly retainer. I will not be offering phone support to the general public.