PrestaShop Tips - Free PrestaShop product sold counter is available to download

A free version of PrestaShop product sold counter is available to download.

What is it?
===========
This is free PrestaShop module that will display product sold count (number of unit sold) at product information page.

Compatible Versions
===================
This module should be able to work for PrestaShop 1.2.0 and above

Where to download
=====================
you can download it at here http://prestashop-addons.com/

PrestaShop TIPS - How download a ordered file without log in

At PrestaShop, if you ordered a downloadable product like a eBook,you will receive an mail with a link to download the file. But by default, when you click the link in the email, you will be redirected to authentication page to log in.

This is a normal and safe way, to protect store owner files. But some store owners think it is necessary to do so, because we already have a hashed key in the link something like below.

http://prestashop-addons.com/get-file.php?key=7ce9ab5kdsdfddccfcc.....c392ebe948b2bbfbebf68e

I also agree, because

It is very hard to figure out the link if you don't know the link. It is secure enough to protect your files.

If someone want to distribute file, he/she doesn't have to distribute the link, he/she could distribute the file itself.

So if you really want make it convenience for customer to download from link in email without logging in, you can make following changes to make this happen.

comment out following two lines (line 55,56) in file get-file.php

 //if (!$cookie->isLogged())
 // Tools::redirect('authentication.php?back=get-file.php&key='.$key);

PrestaShop Info - New version of PrestaShop Paypal Express Checkout module/addon is relased

A new version of Agile Paypal - A PrestaShop Paypal Express Checkout module is release. In this version, it fixed a a few bugs and support lower version of prestaShop 1.2.x.

This module allow customer check without registration in less than 3 clicks. The module will create/register customer with information from Paypal automatically after payment is done.

Now it supports both PrestaShop 1.2.x and PrestaShop 1.3.x
The module is currently on sale at very low price.
You can order the module here http://prestashop-addons.com/

Features

* Module supports both express checkout and normal checkout
* Module allow customer to select Express Checkout or normal checkout with registration.
* When customer choose normal checkout all process will be as just standard PrestaShop.
* Module will ask customer to agrre on "Terms and Conditions" before redirecting to payment.
* Module will create a new account automatically with information from Paypal for the 1st order of the customer. Customer will receive "Welcome" and :Order Confirmation" emails.
* Module will link orders to existing customers by Paypal account email address from 2nd order of same customer.
* Module will create a new state if the address posted back from Paypal contains state which is not found in store database. And also an alert email will be sent to store Owner

PrestaShop Information - PrestaShop v.1.4 Alpha 3 is available

new PrestaShop 1.4 Alpha version has just been published!
Don’t wait to find out the new features added to the future leading version of the e-commerce solution.

The Template Installer is also one of the new features included in PrestaShop 1.4, to simplify templates installation for merchants, discover it below!

New Features
* Multilingual sitemap with pictures (SEO improvement)
* Geo-localization: Check your visitors’ origin
* Countries are now related to currencies (ability to define currencies depending on the country where the orders are made)
* Taxes and countries are now related (ability to define taxes depending on the country where the orders are made)
* New statistics added to the dashboard and lots of improvements
* Ability to restrict your e-shop access or orders for some countries predefined thanks to geo-localization
* Installation of language packs directly from Prestashop.com

PrestaShop TIPS - How to fix default Carrier issue

In PrestaShop, there is a default carrier setting at back office. But I found there are some issue with AdminCarrier tab in PrestaShop back office.

Issue I found
1. Every time when I update existing carrier, the ID of carrier will be changed. After several time changes, ID of of carrier "CanadPost" from 3 to 35.

2. There is carrier drop down list of carrier for you to set Default Carrier, but no matter you change to which carrier as default and click "Save", the default setting in database never updated. It is kept as original 2.

Problems
Because of above issue, there are a lot of problems will occurs. Here is one of the problem that occurred to me.

Shipping fee is always 0

Solution
The only solution to this issue is manually set default carrier at database.

1. Check the ID of carrier you want it to be Default Carrier at your back office.
2. Go to your database admin tool such as MyPhpAdmin, look for table ps_configuration,
3. Look for record with name = PS_CARRIER_DEFAULT and change the value to the ID of the carrier you want to set.

Done. You have fixed the issue.


Other tips to configure shipping correctly.
1. Check if your zones are set correct, status is active
2. For each shipping country. Shipping zone? Contains state?
3. State, you can set shipping zone at state level
4. Make sure your carrier is available to correct customer groups

Related posts:
http://alvinjiang.blogspot.com/2010/11/prestashop-tips-how-to-set-different.html
http://alvinjiang.blogspot.com/2010/10/prestashop-tips-how-to-fix-address.html

PrestaShop Tips - How to use Paypal Sandbox test

What is Paypal Sandbox?

Sandbox is a set of tools and resources to enable developers and merchants to develop eCommerce web sites and applications using PayPal web services. Most important purpose is to perform testing.

What you have to do

Most people are confused by Sandbox account and testing account, and so don't know what to do, how to use Sandbox.

Here are basics steps you will need to follow to do test.
1. Sign up an Sandbox access account. By signing up this account, you will gain access to Sandbox. But only this account, you will not able to perform test.

To sign up , click here
To log in, click here

2. Create a Business Sandbox test account to represent your business, seller or merchant. At prestaShop, you will be need set this email address of this account to related Paypal module.

After you logged in to your Sandbox access account. You will see links on the left top corner. "test accounts" is among them. Click this link to start create test account.

3. Create one or more usually Personal Sandbox test account to represent customer, the buyers, purchasers.

After you created those account, now you ready to perform testing.
For more information, visit Paypal Sandbox Overview

Some tips

During your test, you must logged in to Sandbox with your Sandbox access account. Otherwise, following error will appear when you are redirected to Paypal Sandbox.

In order to test with SandBox account, you must remain logged in to Sandbox account.

You will not receive any email from paypal for those Sandbox test accounts. But you will be able to confirm them by access "test email". There is a link locates at the left top corner of your Sandbox access account home page.

PrestaShop Information - PrestaShop v.1.4 alpha 2 is available to download for evaluation

PrestaShop takes the leap! Discover today PrestaShop v.1.4 alpha 2. This new version, real milestone for our software, contains more than 50 new features!

New partners joined our solution to help you in every important step of your online activity: customer relationship, payment, marketing, shipping… Our team has also developed a lot of new modules expanding again the features richness of PrestaShop.

Discover in this newsletter a selection of key features that make PrestaShop 1.4 an outstanding version! Please note: this version is currently Alpha 2, so it should not be used in production. Dear contributors do not hesitate to test this version and to report us your comments and suggestions!

Download and try here now