Jen C Designs

Zen Cart is a go-to e-commerce solution which I’m personally very fond of. My personal store is being built with it and it is so easy to use! That being said there are some essential tips and tricks which make it easier to get through the installation and customization process.

This post will cover a couple of the quick tips to get you started – especially as I’ve set up a number of Zen Cart stores over the last several years and know that there’s a number of issues which come up early on in the process.

How do I install Zen Cart?

You have two options for installing Zen Cart. The first is by using software which comes pre-installed on most websites when you purchase a domain and hosting (i.e. Softaculous, etc.). The second is by downloading the software from the Zen Cart website. Softaculous is a one-click installation – with a couple of things required from you (i.e. your email address, shop name & contact details, etc.). Installing Zen Cart yourself is relatively straightforward as well. It requires FTP software (i.e. Filezilla, FireFTP) and following the instructions provided by Zen Cart.

How do I get rid “Zen Cart!, The Art of E-commerce” in my browser bar?

1. The file that requires editing is in the file: includes/languages/english/meta_tags.php
2. Remember to backup your files before making any edits! This is critical because if something goes wrong after you’ve made your alterations, it will save you from having to reinstall Zen Cart from scratch again!
3. When creating a Zen Cart shop I always work with one version of the files which includes the original files; the second version is the working version of the files.
4. Search for the following code:
   • // page title
     define(‘TITLE’, ‘Zen Cart!’);// Site Tagline
     define(‘SITE_TAGLINE’, ‘The Art of E-commerce’);
5. As you can see – that’s the bit of code you want to change – be sure not to delete the single quote mark.
6. Save your edits and then upload your new version of the includes/languages/english/meta_tags.php file
7. Refresh your browser and it should show your edits. If it doesn’t you may perhaps need to clear your cache.

So there you go – once you’ve installed Zen Cart and edited your title and tagline you’re a good chunk of the way there. What else do you need to do? Well, among other things, I would suggest you’d need to select a theme and/or customize it;  install the payment method(s) which you would like to use; set out the structure of your shop (categories); set up your taxation rates; if you’re working with digital downloads the option names and values require configuration; and then you can add your products!

Contact me if you’d like me to set up your website and/or if you have any questions. If there is anything you’d like to add to this post, please comment below.