> Read more about the features added in the new version 2.0 of PHP Mall
Features added in version 1.2
Some of the new key features added in the new version 1.2 are:
• possibility for the merchants to use their own domain names for their
stores
• special functionality for selling digital products - the download links are sent by email to the customer on successfull payment
• much improved shipping functionality - the store administrator can define different shipping zones and shipping costs associated with them
• new premade templates and powerful stores templates manager
for the administrator
• improved products management, more fields added for the products
• a lot of general imrpovements, please visit our demos to see the multiple features available
PHP Mall features overview
1. Description of PHP Mall
2. Running modes
3. PHP Mall admin panel
3. Functionality inherited from iBoutique
4. Functionality inherited from WebSiteAdmin
1. Description of PHP Mall
PHP Mall is software written in php for running multi merchants online malls.
Based on iBoutique 4.0, PHP Mall is a powerful
multi user mall software solution. It makes possible
for the new vendors to signup and create their own
customized online stores with ease. The product features
all the powerful product and categories management functionality
of iBoutique 4.0 .
It is empowered also by WebSiteAdmin,
a content management system providing the users
a rich functionality to manage their online stores structure and content.
It includes facilities like the unique WebSiteAdmin concept
of website structure (like adding new pages, modifying the website
hierarchy and many others) and content management with simple
drag and drop mouse movements.
PHP Mall is easy customizable and flexible, it can be combined
with all the modules
(like Intranet, News, Links Manager, Document Manager, FAQ Manager, Photo Albums, Newsletter and others)
and products of the WebSiteAdmin family
(Blog System,
Jobs Portal,
Real Estate Portal,
Cars Portal and others)
2. Running modes
Based on user feedback, we added different running modes in PHP Mall (currently they are 2 and we have plans to implement shortly more scenarios).
The administrator can switch between the different running modes by changing the RUNNING_MODE
setting in the config file.
Running mode #1 (Classic Mall)
When this mode is selected, the merchants accept directly their payments and are responsible for the shipping of the goods.
The stores are charged based on the package they have selected (in the current version the packages may differ
by the number of allowed products and functionality - the access to selected admin pages can be limited
for a given package). The products are uploaded by the merchants and the invoice and payment settings (accepted payment options)
are managed by the merchants.
Running mode #2 (Affiliate Stores)
When mode #2 is selected, the products are added by the administrator.
The merchants can't upload new products, they can just choose the products they would like
to resell on their stores. The payments are processed centrally and the merchants
earn a commission from the sales. The payment and invoice settings are set by the administrator.
| Comparison |
Mode #1 (Classic Mall) |
Mode #2 (Affiliate Stores) |
| Products uploaded by |
Merchant (for his store) |
Administrator |
| Payment processing |
Per store (set by the merchant for his store) |
One central |
| Stores are charged |
Based on the selected package (package may differ by number of allowed products and functionality, recurring payments) |
The administrator can set sales commission in percentages + flat fee per sale |
| Payment and invoice settings |
Set by the merchant |
Set by the administrator |
| Stores customization |
For both modes the merchants can freely customize the templates
for their stores and modify the content of the pages (WYSIWYG editors included)
|
| Responsible for shipping |
Merchant |
Administrator |
3. PHP Mall admin panel
|
The PHP Mall admin panel provides the administrator full control over the whole system.
The admin panel functionality is divided in several main categories grouping multiple
pages and tools in them, some of the main functionality categories are: Categories and products management, Orders and accountancy,
Templates management, Structure and content management, Tools
and custom server side forms, Security and access rights, Extensions
and custom modules, user visits and search engine statistics.
The administrator can create different vendor groups and assign different
access permissions for the system resources for each of them. That means that the
vendors access the same admin panel but with different access rights, they have
their own store url (it could be www.domain.com/user or user.domain.com) and
full control over their products and categories, orders and website structure, content,
template and styles. The central online mall grouping all the user stores and products
makes easier for the customers to search and find the products and vendors they are looking
for. All the user stores including the central mall are template based, this gives
the unlimited freedom for the administrator and the vendors to customize the look and
feel of their online stores, upload and put their logos and colors as well as custom graphic
designs.
|
4. Functionalities inherited from iBoutique
iBoutique is a single store e-commerce solution developed by NetArt Media. A lot of the functionalities
in iBoutique and PHP Mall related to the products and categories management are similar.
User friendly interface for product categories
for the administrator and
products browsing for the buyers
iBoutique provides user friendly interface for product categories
management - you see the product categories as a map
and you can freely add new categories, change their hierarchy and
changing their positions.
|
All the website and product navigation menus
are generated automatically - multiple levels
are supported without any limits. The back office
provides detailed control over the menu styles.
|
Easy to use product details editing functionality
iBoutique strives to provide intuitive interface for product
management. You are able to create complex
product categories hierarchies and put multiple products in them.
The product pages layout on the layout is fully
template based and easy customizable.
|
An excellent example of the user friendliness of the iBoutique
interface is the "featured products" functionality. In order
to make a product "featured" (featured products show up on the home
page) you just need to click his name in the products site map, it will
be immediately colored in red, so no complex select forms, menus etc.
|
Shopping cart, orders and profile management for the users
The iBoutique shopping cart is designed to be as easy
as possible to work with it.
|
The users placing an order through the iBoutique powered
front shop get immediately an user account which allows them
to login to their personal administration space - to edit
their profile and see details for their orders.
|
Orders management and accountancy
iBoutique provides rich functionalities for orders monitoring
and for approving/rejecting orders.
You are able to generate invoices for your orders with just
one click.
|
When you login to the iBoutique back office you are able
to manage the user accounts and see statistics for the orders and
the users.
|
Templates management, payment settings and supported gateways
All the parts of the iBoutique powered front shop are template
based - the layout of the pages, the shopping cart etc.
This gives you the freedom to customize with ease your
website in order that it suits the best your specific needs.
|
iBoutique is designed to be used with the most used
payment systems today such as PayPal, 2Checkout and Moneybookers.
New payment providers can be integrated upon request.
|
Website structure and content management
The iBoutique front site is powered by WebSiteAdmin - the world's leading website
management system providing you full control over the website
and its structure.
|
With the integrated CMS you can create complex website structures, edit
the pages with powerful WYSIWYG editor, set custom extensions to be executed
on selected pages and many others.
|
Multi language approach and multiple add-ons available
The iBoutique back office provides the possibility
to run multi language websites with ease - you may add new language
versions with just few clicks with the mouse (and translation of the language file)
|
As it's a part of the WebSiteAdmin all the WebSiteAdmin
modules and extensions are fully compatible with iBoutique. Few of
them come standard with the iBoutique setup - Newsletter, FAQ Manager,
Document Manager, News and Photo Albums.
|
Statistics and reports
The iBoutique back office provides you full statistics
for the front site visits, referrals and other useful information.
|
Another useful functionality of iBoutique is the possibility
to monitor the search engines index status of the website as well
as for example submit the pages of the website to Google.
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5. Functionalities inherited from WebSiteAdmin
WebSiteAdmin is a general CMS developed by NetArt Media. WebSiteAdmin is used as common base
of a lot of the NetArt Media products - this ensures the compatibility of the products and modules.
For example it's very easy to add a blog portal based on Blog System "connected" to your mall
(this makes possible when the new merchants signup to get automatically a blog on the blog portal which
may be installed in a sub folder)
big list with available extensions and custom modules
multilanguage websites support
add new pages to the website (and delete/activate/deactivate them)
edit the content of the pages with a powerful WYSIWYG editor
set custom extensions to be executed for selected pages
unique interactive help functionality, right click on a page or element and get immediately
help information for it
use different templates for the website and a powerful templates functionality
extend the application with ease with new Back office modules and
application extensions written by yourself
use standard, multiple levels and customized predefined menus, which
are automatically generated according to the website structure
set music files to played (for example in .mp3 format) on the pages of the website
manage the URLs of the pages of your website, setup for example search engines friendly URLs to be used
cross browser WYSIWYG editor to edit the website pages content
define custom template tags and set custom extensions to be executed for them
create custom server side forms, like Contact pages or product information
request forms, with and integrated WYSIWYG forms designer
consult the data sent by users through the published forms on the site
see statistics and charts for the visits of the website
optimize the site for search engines, set custom titles, meta keywords and
description for the pages, check the queries that the visitors used in Google to find your website
submit your website to the major crawler based search engines, like Google and Alltheweb for example
check search engines index report
see search engines popularity report for a selected page
consult history for your login/log outs to the Back office application
detailed security reports for the Back office
define multiple groups and users for the Back office and assign them
different access settings for the resources of the application
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