Selling Event Tickets via osCommerce
Wil asks;
A customer would like to offer entry vouchers for events. Each voucher needs to have a unique ID so that they can be checked and redeemed at entry. Ideally a PDF file created automatically with for each on-line voucher and either emailed to the customer after purchase through paypal or a download area for a few days. Customer needs to be able to print off vouchers on their home pc.
I don't see any particular problem with this. What you need is to make a "product" which at the end of the checkout process will create a fancy looking PDF along with the unique ID.
It is certainly do-able with osCommerce, but I think it would invovle a bit of custom coding - but then that would be true for whichever cart system you decided to use.
You'd need to have some sort of process to give each PDF a unique ID - would you have some ID's in a database table maybe, and give the customer the next available ID? Or maybe it would be randomly created?
I think, not a lot of work, but it would need serious thinking about in order to get the process correct. Making a PDF file is quite easy! Getting the ID onto that PDF file is realtively easy! Getting the PDf linked to the checkout process is pretty easy! So it coulds rather easy, but I know in practice, it's going to be a fair amount of work.
Does this help, at all? Or have I confused you further?
I think that for someone new to osCommerce, it'd be a step too far to try to code this up - I'd suggest that you need to get a "pro" on it. Sounds like an interesting project!
Hi Gary
Thanks for your prompt reply. I've pretty good at PHP coding but I'm new to osCommerce. It sounds like you think the system is doable which is great.
Any ideas where to start looking to customise osCommerce? is there a developers API guide?
Thanks again,
Wil.
Comment by Wil — April 16, 2008 @ 11:32 am
Wil - no worries. Glad I didn't confuse you further…
There is no developers API guide. osCommerce was primarily coded about 8 years ago so it's basically a case fo "dig in" and "hack" the code about to suit your needs.
For customising the look of osCommerce, I can recommend a couple of eBooks, I'll put up some links in a bit (have to pop out the office quickly).
Cheers, Gary
Comment by Gary — April 16, 2008 @ 11:45 am
Those 2 eBooks;
osCommerce STS Tutorial
and
Designing osCommerce Tutorial
STS one shows how to use the STS Template system to create a site look. Designing one shows how to use just vanilla osCommerce to create a site look. Still got a 2 for 1 offer, so you could buy one and get the other for nowt.
Comment by Gary — April 16, 2008 @ 11:59 am
Thanks for your help Gary!
Comment by Wil — April 16, 2008 @ 12:26 pm