One of the first things you need to do after installing osCommerce is alter its configuration. This includes elements such as shipping information, tax rates and even payment gateways. The osCommerce system has a lot of settings in its configuration, and these need to be adjusted if you want to make money.
Starting an online store today doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll start making money immediately. You need to customize your store in order to charge correct amounts, shipping costs or even add a company logo for branding.
Today, I’m going to show you how to configure osCommerce and customize it to suit your needs. Just by changing a few options, you can drastically alter how the site performs.
Configure osCommerce
From the osCommerce dashboard, click the “Configuration” button on the left.
A list will expand under Configuration of all the different settings you can change. I suggest carefully going through each of these one by one. This will help you customize osCommerce to operate exactly how you need.
What about changing the settings themselves? Let’s take a look at the store options so I can show you how to make changes. Click the “My Store” link directly under Configuration.
The main screen will change to a list of settings regarding the information of your store. Let’s say we want to change the Zone from Florida to California. Click the section for “Zone” from the list.
The right panel of osCommerce will change allowing you to make adjustments to the property you click. Since we clicked “Zone,” we have an edit button for Zone. Click the “Edit” button to make changes.
Select your zone from the drop down menu. As you can see, osCommerce supports many areas around the globe. Find the one that best fits your location.
Click the “Save” button to commit your changes.
You will change each configuration setting in a similar way. Each time you click on an element, the right panel will show what you can customize.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to go through each of these settings under the Configuration section of osCommerce. This will directly affect the website’s ability to function correctly.
For instance, many shipping modules require the zone for accurate delivery costs. Otherwise, you might not charge enough or perhaps even too much when sending an item to a buyer.
Improper settings can also lead to a loss in sales. In addition to other elements you should check if sales are down, make sure your settings are always correct in Configuration.
Make it Your Own
When you customize osCommerce, you’re making the site more efficient while vastly improving your chances of success. Make sure you go through each of the settings and tune them to your specific needs and objectives. A lot of functions are available, and it could take you a bit of time. But the ends absolutely justify the means when it comes to making money online.