Zen cart is a very easy and useful script online for e-commerce websites. Zen cart is actually seems to be made from OScommerce. Well zen cart looks to be far better than OScommerce as it have many modules in it.

For installing the script, you must download the zip archive of the script from zencart.com website.

After you download, you have two options on installing.

The first option:

Step 1 – First log in to your control panel and create a Database with username and password. Store database name, username, password in a secure place or remember it. It will be required during installation process.

Step 2 – After you download the zip archive, unzip it into a folder. Then upload all the files on your server through FTP or control panel. Here while uploading take care where you have to upload it. If you want to have the main site as zen cart shopping, then upload files to the root folder i.e., public_html or whatever in your control panel. Check that index.php of zen cart script uploads into the root folder of your server if you are installing on main website. If you are installing in a sub folder say, www.sitename.com/shop/ then check that files uploading will upload index.php file in shop folder of your website.

Step 3 – Now visit your website or the type the destination address like http://www.sitename.com/shop/ in the address bar and enter. The page displays the instructions for installing the script. Just follow the instructions, it will ask you to change folder permissions for some servers then database name, user name, password, etc. Just follow it and you are done. You are ready with the shopping website.

Step 4 – After you visit first time on your website you may see that some folder permissions have to be changed. Check it and change it for security reasons. The warning messages will automatically go off after the changes. Log in to admin and upload the products.

The second option:

Step 1 – Same as first option step1

Step 2 – After you download the Zip archive, upload directly on to your server where you want the shopping website, I mean in the root folder or another folder with sub address. After upload unzip it on the server itself. Check if the files are extracted as per your required folder. If not just copy and paste all the files to the location you need. Refer step 2 of option1 for the location folder.

Step 3 – Same as first option step3

Step 4 – Same as first option step4

For any help you can contact me, refer forums on zen cart or use comment of this post.

Today I got an email from Zen cart Team with subject “Zen Cart Security Vulnerability Alert + Patch” I feel this is very important for the stores running on zen cart should patch the securities and follow it.

Changing the admin folder name is the basic security we have to follow as it is very easy to locate admin URL when you install new zen cart. The security Patch can be downloaded on the

URL -> http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130161

Follow all the instructions and make your zen cart shopping store secure. If you want this security update on your zen cart store you can contact me through email.

For more security you can also make your website secure by having SSL certificates which will encrypt the data, and you can assure your customers about the secure transactions and informations provided. This can also be done by me. If you would like to have SSL on your website you can contact me by email on soberz.net@gmail.com