Zen to Woo basics: logging in

Zen Cart keeps logins in on the admin and storefront side as separate. So you can be logged in to the admin and processing orders, and either not logged in on the storefront or logged in (possibly as another customer) and testing or creating an order.

In WooCommerce, the admin and storefront logins are the same, so if you are logged in as the admin, you are also logged into the storefront using the same account. If you need to view the storefront as a different customer or as someone who is just browsing, you will need to use a different browser.

This is not a huge inconvenience, just something to remember.

When you need to login as a particular customer, either to investigate a problem or help them complete an order, Zen Cart gives you a couple of options: in 1.5.7 and forward, the built-in Place Order capability is provided from Admin > Customers > Customers. If you’re using an older cart, plugins like Master Password can allow you to login as a customer.

In WooCommerce, this capability is provided by plugins such as Use Admin Password. This works well but is subject to the requirement to use two browsers (assuming you are logged in as admin already) as noted above.

Zen Cart to WooCommerce

Enough customers are asking me about WooCommerce that I thought I’d run an experiment and replicate my store in WooCommerce.

The good folks at Cart2Cart are helping me with the migration, so big thanks to them.

You’ll see posts in the coming days and weeks discussing the move as I make progress on the project. Of course my store is different from most: all the products are virtual (with no shipping charges), so I don’t have to worry about product weight or integrating with UPS or USPS.