Need Help/Suggestions on Getting a Store Started

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bschaeffer
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Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:10 pm

Need Help/Suggestions on Getting a Store Started

Post by bschaeffer »

So I've been toying with PHP for the last couple of months just for personal projects and am looking for something more challenging than working with API's.

I think starting to work on a login system/store would really help me learn a lot more about PHP, organizing a project and securing information.

I'm aware of things like OSCommerce, but I don't fully understand what's going on there just by looking at the code. I think I'd like to build the whole thing from scratch, and am about 99% sure that doing so will be a pretty extensive, time consuming project, especially for a relatively new guy like me, but that's what I want to do, mainly so I can extend my knowledge.

I'm interested in building a store that sells digital content using something like PayPal or Amazon for the checkout process, but I have no idea where to start.

I'd really, really, really appreciate any suggestions for starting points, reading material, examples... I mean, I don't even no how to go about organizing my tables and php files in any kind of standard way.

Anyway, I know it's a broad question... but I really don't know where to start.
mars_rahul
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Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 12:22 am

Re: Need Help/Suggestions on Getting a Store Started

Post by mars_rahul »

Hello,

I am Rahul. I was in the same situation last two years.
Firstly,
Let me tell you how to organize your php files basically.

1. Create folder-> Class -- here you will put all pages where u have define class to be used in other page. Classes like Mysql connection, pagination, breadcrumb....and others.
2. Create folder-> Includes -- here you will put all those php files that are necessary for other pages. Pages like Configuration page, and other pages containing functions.
3. Create Folder->Images -- For all images in whole website.
4. Create folder->Scripts -- For client side Scripts. Such as Javascripts.
4. Create folder - Template/Design-- If you are using templates or design. Such as Smarty, XTemplates... and others.
5. Create folder - Admin/Monitor -- For Administration of website and this folder will contain all the folder above again if required.

Secondly,

For online payment connection Paypal is one the most popular and effective way.
For that Just login to paypal get "Pay Now" Button with encryption button and use that in your website. You must learn first how to use API of Paypal.


Any Queries,
Rahul - IT Profession at Lumbini Bank Limited
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aceconcepts
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Location: London

Re: Need Help/Suggestions on Getting a Store Started

Post by aceconcepts »

Google Checkout is nice and easy to intergrate.
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bschaeffer
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Re: Need Help/Suggestions on Getting a Store Started

Post by bschaeffer »

First, thanks for the quick replies.

Rahul, those tips on organizing projects are really going to be helpful, and really, they make perfect sense.

Also, I heard Google Checkout was awful from a business standpoint... but I guess that doesn't really matter seeing as how I have nothing to sell off the bat.

Thanks again!!
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aceconcepts
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Location: London

Re: Need Help/Suggestions on Getting a Store Started

Post by aceconcepts »

Depending on the scale of your business different payment gateways would apply. I've used Google Checkout and it's not bad at all. It's very secure and takes a lot of the pain away from other merchant integrations.

However, of course it does have it's set backs.
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