Add eCommerce

[dealy14]

Comos LMS is: http://cosmosconsultingllc.com/LMS/index.html

This is hosted at GoDaddy. Jeff Kady's is the owner and his credentials have been sent to Charles.

The task is to follow abaceu.com and CEC on integrating with Cosmos LMS.

• What ecommerce package? Select and install.
• Post install- need to build catalog of coruses.
• Do we use same process as CEC?

[ccalvert]

I have a question about this: Is there a requirement to be able to put multiple courses into a "cart" of some sort, or are we expecting users to buy only one course at a time?

[dealy14]

Good ?

The eCommerce package should allow for the users to add multiple products to a cart. We'll confirm.

I'll build the product catalog or find someone to build it...

-----Original Message----- From: ccalvert [mailto:reply@reply.github.com] Sent: Friday, November 04, 2011 4:56 PM To: dealy14 Subject: Re: [LearningFox-LMS] Cosmos site - Add eCommerce (#2)

I have a question about this: Is there a requirement to be able to put multiple courses into a "cart" of some sort, or are we expecting users to buy only one course at a time?

---

Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: https://github.com/dealy14/LearningFox-LMS/issues/2#issuecomment-2636420

[ryanammons]

Research for eCommerce/shopping cart system

After reviewing several open source eCommerce/shopping cart systems developed in PHP that provide the required functionality and flexibility, the choice was narrowed to the following:

• osCommerce
• Zen Cart
• VirtueMart

While osCommerce is widely used and robust, Zen Cart is arguably less complex to implement and is based on osCommerce, yet it includes more core functionality. VirtueMart is also a solid contender, but its main drawback works as its strength: it is dependent on the Joomla CMS. For sites running Joomla, VirtueMart serves as an excellent eCommerce module--seamlessly integrating with the Joomla frontend and admin backend. However, for sites not running Joomla (where VirtueMart is not viable), Zen Cart is the prime candidate--providing 'standalone' eCommerce functionality.

The Cosmos site does not use Joomla, eliminating VirtueMart as an option. Zen Cart is the appropriate solution for Cosmos as a standalone eCommerce/shopping cart provider.

[ryanammons]

Zen Cart installation and basic configuration

Zen Cart has been installed and configured (basic) in the /shopping_cart folder on the Cosmos site.

[ryanammons]

Level of Effort (LOE) Estimate for Zen Cart (ZC) integration with LMS/api/course-purchased

The basic workflow is as follows:

1. Once the user has reviewed and placed an order on ZC, the user is forwarded to PayPal (my assumption) for payment
2. User pays via PayPal.
3. PayPal transmits payment notification to the IPN on ZC.
4. ZC IPN handler calls LMS/api/course-purchased.php with the order details.
5. The course-purchased API then handles the details and course(s) registration, user setup.

The modification of the IPN on ZC and the customization in the course-purchased API to handle single/multiple course(s) should require 4-6hrs.

Design Change

Due to implementation difficulty and lack of ongoing support for PayPal IPN/Payments Standard, the design has been modified to use PayPal Express Checkout (EC). EC is the replacement for Payments Standard, with community/ZenCart/PayPal developer support into the foreseeable future. Further, EC is more streamlined and less reliant on bilateral communication between PayPal's servers and Zen Cart, thus yielding a more stable and reliable payment processing solution. Finally, EC can be implemented in Zen Cart in significantly less time than traditional Payments Standard.

The new workflow is as follows:

1. The user places courses/products into the ZC shopping cart, then selects 'checkout'.
2. ZC obtains a transaction token from PayPal, and the user is redirected to PayPal for authentication or credit card info entry.
3. PayPal sends the user back to ZC (Cosmos) to complete the transaction, which takes place 'behind the scenes' while the user remains on ZC/Cosmos.
4. Upon successful payment processing, ZC displays a 'success' page to the user.
5. A custom plugin in ZC waits for this event, at which point the plugin grabs the user info and cart contents, generates a querystring with the data and sends it via a GET request to the course-purchased API in the LMS.
6. The course-purchased API then parses the details from the GET request, using that data to register the user and courses in the LMS.

[ryanammons]

LOE Estimate for Zen Cart (ZC) template creation to match Cosmos site

Approximately 2-3hrs would be required to create a basic template that emulates the look and feel of the Cosmos site.

[ccalvert]

I talked to David on Skype and he approved the estimates and ask that we proceed immediately.

[ryanammons]

Custom Zen Cart template created

The new Cosmos-themed template has been developed and installed on the live Zen Cart installation on the Cosmos site. Here is the production URL: http://cosmosconsultingllc.com/shopping_cart/

Update on Zen Cart integration with LMS/api/course-purchased

I've made significant progress toward integrating the shopping cart/PayPal module with the LMS course-purchased API. It will be functional by the end of business today. I will update the team when basic testing can begin.

[ccalvert]

Ryan expects to be done today, so we're planning to test tomorrow (Wed., 11/30). David stated that there should be a test course in the Cosmos LMS already. If not, ask David for help.

[ryanammons]

Target PayPal account info needed

Although I have successfully tested the shopping cart payment system using my own PayPal sandbox account, I will need to know what PayPal account will be used for the production system. Please provide the PayPal account credentials so that I can (a) activate Express Checkout (obtain the API credentials) in the chosen PP business account and (b) setup ZenCart with that account information so that payments post to the proper account.

[dealy14]

Question: By using paypal, can users pay with a Visa and/or Mastercard?

If Yes, then please proceed. My paypal account/log in info: dealy@davidealytechnologies.com/davey1420

If No, then we need to have the ability to pay with a credit card. Please advise asap if No.

Thanks for your effort.

David

[ryanammons]

David,

Question: By using paypal, can users pay with a Visa and/or Mastercard?
Absolutely. PayPal allows payment by Visa and MC--and a user doesn't even need a PayPal account to do so.

Thanks for your effort.
Sorry for the delay. I'm dedicated to getting the system running so that the test can go forward tomorrow.

Ryan

[ccalvert]

FYI, PayPal also allows payment by Amex as well as Visa and MC.

[ccalvert]

We have a test scheduled for 16:45 pm EST today, Thursday, December 1, 2011.

[ryanammons]

1. Please note that the references in this issue to the "/LMS" folder are no longer valid. The "/LMS" folder now contains the Company version of the Cosmos LMS, and the user/content version (to which this issue applies) is now located under "/courses" on the Cosmos site.
2. The primary goal in this issue was to add eCommerce capabilities to the user/content version of the Cosmos LMS. Since that has largely been accomplished, I am closing this issue.