Overview:

The Zen Cart order confirmation email transmits the most important data about the order to your customers - but misses an important upselling opportunity. You have their attention - why not take advantage of that?

Order Message allows you to easily add a message to your order confirmation emails - HTML and plain text.

Here's an example of how the emails with the Order Message mod installed will look:

Order Message in Zen Cart HTML Email

The HTML message can be styled by modifying email/email_common.css. For example, if you add

.order_message {background-color:#E4E8F3; border:1px solid #9a9a9a; margin-top:3px; padding: 10px;}

Then the message would look like this:

Order Message in Zen Cart Plain Text Email

Installation Instructions:

Note: For Zen Cart 1.5.6 and above, please omit step 3; this logic is already built in.
Before starting, back up everything! Try this in a test environment prior to installing it on a live shop.

1. Unzip the file you have received. Rename any folder named "custom" to your template name.
2. Set the define EMAIL_ORDER_MESSAGE in ./includes/languages/english/YOUR_TEMPLATE/email_extras.php to the desired message. Note that there is only one message for both HTML and plain text messages, so you'll want to repeat the link URL in the anchor text.
   
   // DO NOT DO THIS:

     define('EMAIL_ORDER_MESSAGE','Thank you for your order!  For more fantastic deals, 
     please <a href="http://www.example.com/signup.php">sign up for our newsletter</a>.');
   

   
   // DO THIS INSTEAD:

     define('EMAIL_ORDER_MESSAGE','Thank you for your order!  For more fantastic deals, 
     please sign up for our newsletter at <a href="http://www.example.com/signup.php">
     http://www.example.com/signup.php</a>.');
   

3. (Below Zen Cart 1.5.6 only) In includes/classes/order.php, search for

       // include disclaimer
   

   above this, paste in these lines of code:

       // Add in store specific order message
       if (defined('EMAIL_ORDER_MESSAGE')) { 
         define('EMAIL_ORDER_MESSAGE','');
       }
       $this->email_order_message = EMAIL_ORDER_MESSAGE; 
       $this->notify('NOTIFY_ORDER_SET_ORDER_MESSAGE'); 
       if (!empty($this->email_order_message)) { 
         $email_order .= "\n\n" . $this->email_order_message . "\n\n";
       }
       $html_msg['EMAIL_ORDER_MESSAGE'] = $this->email_order_message;
   

4. Copy the contents of the includes folder to the includes directory of your shop.
5. Place a test order in your store to test these changes.

Major Versions

• 1.0 05/01/2018 - First Release

FAQ

Q: How do I use the Order Message functionality in Zen Cart 1.5.6 and later?
A: Adding an order message to the order confirmation email is built in to Zen Cart 1.5.6 and above. Modify the file includes/languages/english/YOUR_TEMPLATE/email_extras.php and set the defined constant EMAIL_ORDER_MESSAGE with your message.

Q: How can I use Order Message for Admin order update emails?
A: This feature has actually been added to Zen Cart 1.5.7. You can use my Admin Order Message PR if you are running a lower version.

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