Zen Cart came into being in 2003 as an offshoot of osCommerce. After introducing code that offered a new architectural structure, Zen Cart took off and became a shopping cart giant. Today, developers from around the world contribute to the open source shopping cart platform, and it boasts over 100,000 users. Read our Zen Cart review below.
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OverviewAs an open source platform, Zen Cart is completely free to use. Typically, this means that there are definite limitations when it comes to services. However, that isn’t the case with Zen Cart. Fans of the platform claim that it is robust enough to compete with commercial platforms.
The other unique advantage of Zen Cart is that its founders envisioned it as an accessible platform. They didn’t want a platform that could only be used by those with an IT degree. While you will need to know PHP and there is a certain learning curve involved, Zen Cart does manage to be more user-friendly than other open source options.
Zen Cart is best suited for medium to large businesses who have access to web development resources. The templates are fully customizable, but you will need someone with PHP programming experience. You can’t simply download the software and open your store without first putting some time into coding. If you are familiar with PHP, you can build an excellent website for free. This eliminates a significant cost for businesses.
The primary benefit of an open source platform is that you can totally customize your online store website. Also, since Zen Cart has been around since 2003, there are plenty of free plugins available. When you download the software, you instantly join a vast community of users.
Scalability
As long as you know PHP, there are no limits to how large your store can grow. Businesses can add as many products as they like. However, there have been reports that speed load times start to drop after 1,000 products.
Awards and Quality Certificates
The Better Business Bureau has accredited Zen Cart.
Why Choose the Zen Cart?
If you care familiar with PHP and looking for the best open source option to build your online business, then Zen Cart should be at the top of your list. It offers a lot of the great features that come with paid services. Because it has been around for so long and is such a popular choice, there are plenty of support resources available.
Key FeaturesWhen it comes to Zen Cart, the experts and users agree on the various pros and cons of using the program. Experts also awarded Zen Cart an average of 3 out of 5 stars and were quick to point out that the program simply isn’t for everyone.
The fact that the software is free constitutes a significant advantage, but the nature of the software means that you will either have to be an experienced developer or have access to one. The cost of hiring a full-time developer is simply beyond the budget of most startups. However, if you have the resources or knowledge to fun Zen Cart, it can be a powerful tool.
Ultimately, experts conclude that the vast majority of businesses will be better off choosing a turn-key solution. These programs will involve far less of a learning curve and allow businesses to get up and running a lot faster.
It is also important to note that Zen Cart receives pretty dismal grades when it comes to SEO capabilities, mobile integration, and outdated coding techniques. Any developer will have to work to overcome these significant disadvantages, which is why Zen Cart only get lukewarm recommendations.
The reviews for Zen cart tend to fall at two extremes. Either consumer loves it or hates it. Ultimately, the combination of 5 star and 1-star reviews end up averaging out to 3 out of five stars. Those who like the software point to the extensive list of features. Zen Cart provides enough out of the box capabilities to be competitive with other paid services.
Zen Cart is also an excellent option for anyone looking to conduct business on an international level. The program boasts a large community of contributors from around the world. The result is plenty of tools that can help your store reach customers outside of the U.S.
Perhaps more than anything else, satisfied users like that they can enjoy a free piece of software that is entirely customizable. With coding skills, there are no limits to what you can do with Zen Cart.
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that most of the user complaints against Zen Cart have to do with ease of use. A lot of consumers don’t realize how much knowledge and experience is required to actually use Zen Cart. That being said, even developers describe the program as complicated and outdated.
Based on user feedback it seems that updates also present a huge headache. While it is great that developers are always working to release new features and versions of the program, the updates have a tendency to erase any custom work that has been completed. You can imagine how frustrating this can become.
There were also quite a few complaints about the developers. It seems that those who have worked on the program aren’t especially receptive to criticism. Responses to suggestions have been less than friendly and a major turn off to users.
Design & CustomizationWhen you open Zen Cart, you will notice a default template. Practically no one will want to use this to get started. Instead, you can start by searching for free templates. The Zen Cart website features 200 free options, and you can find much more through a simple Google search. Since these templates are created by developers from all over the world, the quality will vary. It may take some time to sort through all the available options and find one that works for you.
Of course, there are many other design choices. You can sift through paid template options, shop an extensive list of template alterations that will allow you to customize quickly specific features or create your website from scratch. When shopping for templates, be on the lookout for those that update friendly.
The biggest challenge to starting your site will be getting used to the cluttered back end. It’s not intuitive, and there are an overwhelming number of options. The more PHP knowledge you have, the easier it will be for you to learn to navigate the site and manage content. Most users won’t bother with many of the available functions, but it will still take sometimes find your way around.
You can think of this as the trade-off for being able to create a fully customized website. Free plugins will allow you to add any social sharing apps you might want to use. Perhaps the biggest drawback is that creating a mobile site can be difficult. This isn’t a standard option, and available plugins simply aren’t up to par.
Features & Tools When it comes to these main shopping cart features, Zen Cart is strongest when it comes to shipping tools. All the options you will need are available right out of the box. The checkout area and payment gateways may require some additional plugins to provide all the functions you want. Luckily, there are plenty of options that can be easily integrated.
| Feature | Overview |
|---|---|
| Mobile/Responsive Store | This is one area where Zen Cart needs to catch up with the times. You can purchase a plugin to help make your site mobile friendly, but the free, open source mobile solutions are unimpressive. Part of the problem is that takes a lot of coding work to make a site mobile friendly. This is certainly something you could do yourself, but it would be a time-consuming process. Since the majority of customers shop from mobile devices, it would be ideal if Zen Cart worked towards making this a standard feature. |
| Adding Products | The default product features are more than enough to help you quickly add products. This portion of the user interface is relatively straightforward, and you shouldn’t have to worry about the need for plugins |
| Product Display Options | Again, the out of the box options allow you to make simple modifications to how products are displayed. However, the crowded interface can cause some problems. While the capabilities are there, you may have to do some searching around to find the right place to make changes |
| Cart Functionality | This is another area of Zen Cart that can seem somewhat dated without additional plugins. The checkout process could be streamlined so that customers know what is happening as they move through the steps to making a purchase. Any confusion can lead to abandoned carts |
| Apps Integration | While Zen Cart offers thousands of free and paid plugins, no all of the are integration friendly. The biggest problems occur when Zen Cart releases updates. Users find that glitches start happening with many of the apps. This means that you may have to do some troubleshooting with your apps as updates roll out |
| Integration with eBay and Amazon | The only way to easily integrate Zen Cart with eBay and Amazon is by purchasing a plugin. These solutions tend to be rather expensive and unimpressive. Developers are still working on writing a script that makes this process easier |
| Content Management | As long as you have a PHP expert at your disposal, content management will be quick, easy and straightforward |
| Language Management | If you would like your website to support other languages besides English, there is a downloadable language package. The main drawback is that volunteers did all translations. There is no way to ensure the accuracy of any content. You are taking your chances and hoping for the best |
| Hosting and Security | With Zen Cart, you will be responsible for hosting and security. Fortunately, any hosting company should provide secure servers, and SSL certificate and a PCI compliant payment gateway. If you put time into research your hosting provider, you can get all these features in one place and avoid purchasing plugins |
| Bandwidth and Storage | The limitations also depend on your hosting service. Be sure to do your research and go with a service that can grow with your business. You are in full control of your website’s capabilities, which is one of the major advantages of an open source platform |
| Backups and Site Exporting | Zen Cart allows you to back-up your entire site. Everything can be saved, stored and exported if needed. For those who want full control of their website, this is an especially attractive feature |
| Payment Processing | Zen Cart comes ready to accept PayPal, FirstData, and Authorize.net. You can choose which credit cards you want to take and set up international payment options. If you wish to install a particular payment gateway, all you will have to do is install the correct plugin. The options are limitless |
| Shopping Cart Plugins | The great part about working on an open source platform is that for years developers have been working to create solutions. With Zen Cart, people from around the world have been contributing to the software for over a decade. This means that you have a pretty good chance of finding a free plugin to help with any functionality you might want to add. You won’t be disappointed with the number and quality of available plugins |
| Order Management | Zen Cart comes standard with robust order management tools. There is plenty there is help you get started |
| Inventory Management | The same applies to the inventory management tools. You can view stock levels, change product displays and manage your store without additional plugins |
| Abandoned Cart | Downloading a module will allow you to send out abandoned cart email reminders to customers. This is an excellent tool for increasing conversion rates and it only takes a couple of clicks to install |
| Payment Card Industry PCI Certification | The three payment gateways that come standard with Zen Cart meet the industry’s highest standards for security. Also, practically any gateway that you add will be PCI certified. Your customers can confidently use their credit cards on their site without worrying about fraud |
| Gift Certificates, Deals or Coupons | Zen Cart makes it easy and convenient to sell certificates and create special promotions. Everything can be done right from the admin area without having to worry about adding plugins or messing with code |
| Tax and Shipping Calculators | All the tax and shipping options are conveniently located in the admin section of your dashboard. You can adjust settings according to location and other variables. This automated, yet customizable feature will help your business run smoothly |
| Shipment Tracking | Customers can track their packages through the carrier’s website, or you can install a simple plugin that will allow them to view tracking information on your site. The choice is yours! You can offer the options that best cater to the needs of your customers |
| CRM Features and Reports | All the necessary information you will want to know is available right out of the box. You can post customer reviews, handle inquiries and view product performance. The reports aren’t exactly in-depth, but they provide a solid start for managing your customers |
| SEO | Zen Cart has some room for improvement when it comes to SEO tools. There are SEO plugins available, but they aren’t all that useful. Because SEO is such an important aspect of any online business, effective SEO tools should come standard |
| Social Sharing Integration | Integrating your social media accounts is a snap. This is particularly the case for PHP experts who will be able to customize every detail down to the design of “Like” buttons on your site |
| Blogging | Launching and maintaining a business blog is easy and straightforward with Zen Cart. In just a few clicks, you can create a blog page and start adding content |
| Newsletters | Partner with any great newsletter and email campaign provider. Most services are free up to a certain number or people on your mailing list. This provides an affordable and efficient marketing tool to help you reach existing and potential customers |
| Built-in Promotion Options | From the admin section, you can design and launch a customize promotion. Offer special discounts on new products or advertise seasonal sales. The options are all built right into Zen Cart |
| Site Statistics and Analytics | Zen Cart’s standard tools allow you to view top performing product, customer demographics, and overall site performance. If you want to dig into keyword information and more detailed analysis, you will have to integrate a program like Google Analytics. Fortunately, adding additional reporting programs is quick and easy |
Plans & Pricing The biggest concern when it comes to open source platforms is ongoing costs. In some cases, a “free” platform can end up being pretty expensive once you purchase themes, hosting services and plugins. With Zen Cart, there are plenty of free tools available that will help you keep costs down.
While you can certainly opt to pay for a template or specific add-ons, it comes ready to use. There are only two significant costs to take into consideration:
Customer Support It is important to remember that as an open source product, Zen Cart doesn’t come with a technical support staff at your fingertips. That being said, Zen Cart does have an impressive list of helpful resources.
Compared to other open source platforms, Zen Cart has one of the most active and helpful developer and support communities around. You won’t be on your own when it comes to troubleshooting problems.
Ease of Use Downloading the software and getting started is super easy and takes just a couple minutes. You can create a custom domain by partnering with a hosting service provider.
Once you have downloaded Zen Cart, your first view can feel overwhelming. At first glance, a lot is going on, and it is hard to know quite what you are looking at and where to start. Forget about WYSIWYG editors and drag and drop tools. This is not that kind of program.
Be prepared to spend some time mastering the user interface and becoming familiar with the website navigation and which areas you will need to visit often.
If you are looking to integrate Zen Cart into your existing website, there is no easy way to do it. Zen Cart is meant to create a website with shopping cart capabilities. Those looking to expand on a website should look for another eCommerce platform.
Conclusion Is Zen Cart the Right Choice for Your Online Store?
Zen Cart comes with some definite limitations. While it does come with an extensive list of great standard features right out of the box, it is not meant for beginners. You won’t get anywhere with this program without PHP expertise. This means that it is mostly geared towards established, medium to large size businesses who have an IT department or, at least, one developer on staff.
If you have all the resources you need to handle PHP, then Zen Cart is an excellent choice. Not only is it completely free, but you will also have access to a vibrant support community. As an open source program, it is continually being updated and improved. Zen Cart will continue to grow and develop as markets change and technology develops.
Why Should I Choose Zen Cart over Other Open Source Platforms?
Mainly because it has a great reputation and track record. Since Zen Cart has been around for over ten years, there is an extensive collection of support documents and plugins. With over 100,000 users, you will also enjoy the input or talented developers from all over the world.
Finally, Zen Cart comes ready with more standard features than any other open source platform. Sure, there is room for improvement, but Zen Cart provides a solid foundation that you can fully customize.
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