shopping cart to appear only when item is added

[akiki]

Hi,

At the top of my right sidebar, I used a text widget to call out the shopping cart.

Title: Your Shopping Cart

[wp_eStore_display_compact_cart show_empty=0 show_sub_total=1 show_title=0 show_cart_image=0]

Although the shopping cart did not appear when it is empty, the title of the widget still displays. I tried to delete the title in the text widget but found that an area space was catered for the whole widget.

How can i code it to make the whole widget disappear when the cart is empty, and to insert the whole widget right at the top of the sidebar when the cart is not empty?

Thanks so much for your help.

[amin007]

The shortcode itself only controls what is displayed where the shortcode is placed. It does not control anything outside the shortcode. In your case the widget title is not part of the shortcode so it is not controlled by the shortcode. When you leave the widget title empty your theme should not be displaying anything where the widget title normally appears.

You can do a simple test to identify if the space is coming from the theme or the shortcode. Just add an empty text widget to your sidebar (do not put any shortcode in it just yet). Now check your page and you will see you can still see that empty space where you added that empty text widget. So when you use the shortcode even though the shortcode is not putting anything there the theme is placing an empty space. Does that make sense?

[akiki]

Hi, thanks so much for your prompt reply. I love your plugin and your support! It’s cool.

Yes, I think the empty space is due to the theme. I am using Thesis. Would you have any idea how to achieve what I want? Or perhaps I should check out the Thesis support forum?

I have a second question on checkout flow. How can I do this:

1. After adding item to cart, user click ‘checkout’ button instead of ‘check out with Paypal’ button.

2. User comes to checkout page that reflects items /cost etc and a form below to collect shipping details and any instructions

3. User click just one button ‘payment’ / ‘Make Purchase’ button and it goes to paypal.

I read the article ‘How Shipping Address is Collected from the Customer’. But the flow is after the user has paid.

I would greatly appreciate any advice. Thanks so much.

[amin007]

The user can enter the shipping address on the PayPal checkout page so what I have done with eStore is instead of 3 steps I combined it to make it 2 steps. Once they click the checkout they go to the PayPal page where they can enter the shipping address (this is before making the purchase) or use one of their pre-configured shipping address from PayPal (less typing for the customers) and click pay after entering the credit card details. So you are still taking the address from the customer before they pay but doing it in one page on PayPal. You can read the “Express Checkout System” from this page which will explain why I like this model:

http://www.tipsandtricks-hq.com/ecommerce/wordpress-ecommerce-knowledgebase-523

[akiki]

Hi, thank you for your advice. My checkout button brought me to the paypal page however the layout is different from yours. Mine had the order summary on the left and payment methods on the right. There’s no form for the user to enter shipping details and specific instructions. Is this because my paypal account is under Individual > Premier ? Do i need to get another account under Business > Website Payments Standard?

[amin007]

Premier account should have this option too (All PayPal checkout have this option). If you are using PayPal to make a payment then you might have to log in first then it will give the shipping address option as it can access your account data after you log in. If a customer use credit card option then after he/she enters the card details and click “Review and continue” it should give the shipping address option.

[akiki]

Hi, thanks so much. I’ll play around with the Custom Payment Page style. Thanks once again!

[Author]

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