CubeCart is now one of a very large range of php / MySQL based E-Commerce products that are available – it is one of the longer established ones having first been released in 2003 and has matured over time into a robust platform used by many tens of thousands of websites from around the world.
While the core functionality of each version (CubeCart is currently on version 6) has steadily increased, due to the varying ways that people want to run their own stores and the fact that the CubeCart developers have always tried to keep the core code slim and not become totally bloated by being “all things to all men”, there has always been a need for third party modifications. Below you will find a list of CubeCart plugins currently available along with a brief description of the functionality – each plugin will also shortly have a link from the plugin title to it’s own page with a full description and screenshots.
CubeCart V5 introduced a system of “code hooks” which allows developers to pull external code into the main application. This has the massive advantage that third party developers can develop plugins where the core code is not changed, leaving even the most non technical user the ability to upgrade their store to the latest version as soon as it is released. Since version 5.2.0, new functionality allows simple code to be added by way of Code Snippets using these Code Hooks without having to resort to writing a full plugin and these can be useful for very small changes of functionality.
This plugin enhances the Admin Order Entry functionality to add a new customer while creating an order, greatly enhances the available search criteria for existing customers, calculates the correct tax and shipping costs based on the customer address entered and therefore is great for use when entering telephone or other orders manually. It also adds templates for 3 printable documents : Proforma Invoice, Packing List and the Invoice so giving the store owner the ability to easy change the layout of these documents.
This greatly enhances the functionality surrounding the concept of manufacturers in CubeCart by displaying manufacturers either in a drop down box or in a list box (or even as both) with complete choice over which manufacturers are displayed in each type of box. Each manufacturer has their own page, which can be edited to show the manufacturer details and displays all products assigned to that manufacturer similar to the way that products are displayed on category pages.
This plugin allows you to designate any one of four different positions to display the document link on the homepage – this can be in a top bar menu, in the footer, in a left side bar or a right side bar allowing for much greater flexibility to display these documents where you want to. Each document can be displayed in any one or more of these locations depending on the layout of the skin you are using.
This plugin allows store owners to have multiple additional site documents displayed on the homepage in addition to the normal designated homepage document. They can be positioned anywhere within the main homepage content area, ie above the main homepage document or below the latest products as is shown with two documents below.
This plugin allows a second image to be associated with each product that is displayed whenever the mouse hovers over the main product image – this is very useful to show two different views of the item for example with clothing where a front and a back view can be shown. It also adds functionality to upload multiple images at the same time against a product, designate which is the main and rollover image and then also set the display order of all additional images
This plugin allows different images to be assigned to product options and when viewing the product page, if a different option such as colour is chosen, the main product image is changed to the one assigned to that option.
This plugin also cannot be seen on the front end as it adds admin only functionality to allow store owners to send newsletters to large numbers of newsletter subscribers by sending a defined number within a set time limit – the number per batch and the time between each batch sent is configurable and so can be tailored to fit any shared hosting restrictions.
This uses an iFrame to make it appear that your customers never leave your website without having all of the PCI requirements of running a “Direct” method where the protection of customer card details taken on your site requires much stronger security. You can sign up to use SagePay with iFrame Integration
This implements a “white label” payment solution where your customers are not taken away from your store. PCI security requirements are much stricter with this method but you can sign up to use SagePay with Direct Integration page.
Klarna also provide payment solutions in Scandinavia but also other Northern European countries like Germany and Netherlands but operate either via an invoice or an account basis.
There are a large number of these available for CubeCart V3 and CubeCart V4 from a range of developers, some great and some unfortunately, not so great. With version 3 and 4 modifications (mods), apart from a small number of payment gateway or affiliate tracking add-ons, these generally all required changes to the core CubeCart files which then made upgrades much more complicated.
Havenswift Hosting know and at one time or another have purchased and installed for our clients most of the CubeCart V3 and V4 mods as well as V5 and V6 plugins available.