Easy Checkout Mod for X-Cart 3.5.x and 4.0.x
 

I've redone the checkout process for both 3.5.x and 4.0.x versions of x-cart and provided it as a module for just $99.00.

You can view details here:
http://www.websitecm.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=69&cat=0&page=

It:

Works with your existing layout to use your custom look and feel.
Uses the language database for multilingual sites.
Easily integrates into heavily modded x-carts.
Works with both 4.0.x and 3.5.x versions of x-cart.

Outlines the checkout process with straight forward steps indicated with tabs across the top of the checkout process.
Streamlines the checkout process removing long, messy, and confusing pages.
Removes potential distractions during the checkout process by placing the checkout outside of the store layout.
Allows for a user login or a user registration on the same page, avoiding any confusion for visitors.
Upon login, it moves the user forward in the checkout process, instead of back a step to the cart like the default x-cart.

http://www.mixtapemp3.com/temp/screenshot1.gif

http://www.mixtapemp3.com/temp/screenshot2.gif

http://www.mixtapemp3.com/temp/screenshot3.gif

http://www.mixtapemp3.com/temp/screenshot4.gif

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really nice jon! i like how youve streamlined the checkout.

It would be cool if you posted your template changes instead of charging $200+ but i understand :)

great job, looks very professional

Looks nice,

but you need to change those standard xcart buttons to match the custom ones you have.

See now that's the way to do it. Quite a few of the developers out there have hacked up the checkout so it works like that, it's much friendlier :)

X-cart should definately take note. They keep adding stuff but they never seem to refine what's needed. I'd trade all of the new features in x-cart 4.0 for a version of 3.5.X that was cleaned up it's of more value to both myself and my customers.

X-cart is great feature wise, but they've still not learnt to stop adding features and concentrate on the more important parts, there's still loads in x-cart that's been neglected in favour of adding another feature.

Areas that immediately jump to mind are:

- Custom Invoice and dispatch note printing that's easy for the *admin* to change

- Lable printing that's actually got a use

- Cleaner less clunky customer registration that doesnt fit everything everything onto one screen (these things put customers off)

- Friendlier Login screen with easy redirection to the page they came from or to one chosen by the admin

- Quit with the use of programmer terminology (example "Credit card checksum is wrong"... use words like "credit card number is not valid")

- CVV2 portion needs help links by default

- *cough* "your order is being processed in white screen unformatted times text" *cough* :wink:

- While the product screens in x-cart were reformatted to break them up they've managed to make product population that use those fields complete torture, it's far far far far too slow

- A check out like jons modification as standard or at least give the option of "nice checkout" or "original checkout" :D

Anyway nice work Jon.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I'm continuing to work on this as it's not live yet, and will change the buttons eventually :D

Another thing about the x-cart checkout process that's frustrating, is during checkout when they login they get put back into the cart, and essentially a step backwards in the checkout process, as opposed to a step forward. I've fixed that so they get moved forward. Considering checkout is one of the most important factors in determining a sale or a non-sale, this really is essential, and I'd be surprised if we didn't see this in a future version of x-cart ;)

I've put all my mods free on the forums so far, the thing with this is that it's very involved. I started documenting all the changes to release the mod, but it was just too much. So in order to do it I would have to do the custom work myself and well I don't work for free ;)

You don't ever need to explain charging for your mods Jon. To an owner of a "real" store that does significant business, $200 for an improved checkout is peanuts.

^ Agreed. Just wanted to explain that I did originally intend it to be released though :)

Please pardon my ignorance... but I really don't see anything tremendously wrong with the checkout process. Perhaps I just haven't seen better.

Assuming you are logged in:

• you put items in your cart
  you press "Checkout"
  you select your payment method
  you enter the payment info
  you press "Submit"

If the credit card transaction goes through, you are done.

Can someone show me how it can be done in a more friendly way?

^ Most of the difficulty occurs when your not logged in. The main difficulties I've found are: The register and login pages are seperate making them hard to find, so the login/registration process can be confusing, the pages are long and messy and once you login or register you get redirected back to your cart and out of the checkout process.

For technical users this isn't normally an issue because they can make sense of the junk on the screen, and when they get sent back to their cart they realize they were moved back so they click checkout again. Less technical users are easily confused and they are the majority of the market place so the easier and more straight forward you can make it the better.