In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to install templates in CubeCart and activate them. It only takes a few moments to alter how your site appears to your customers.

Installing CubeCart Templates

Before you make any changes to your website, it’s a good idea to create a backup copy. While it’s not likely that something will happen when adding templates to CubeCart, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

CubeCart skins work much the same way as other modules, like payment gateways. You can either download them for a manual install or use the automated system. The automatic install is much faster and doesn’t require uploading or downloading any files using your computer. Today, I’m going to keep it simple and use the automatic method.

First, you’ll need to find a skin that you like. CubeCart has a long list of premium and free templates to choose from, so we’ll start there.

From the CubeCart Extensions site, go to Extensions and click, “Skins.”

Find a skin you like. You can choose to purchase a premium layout or find one that is free. For this tutorial, I am looking for something quick that doesn’t cost money.

Click the name of a skin you want to install.

Click the lightning bolt icon next to the most recent version. This is is the auto installer token you’ll need for CubeCart. If you want to manually install the skin, you can click the download link instead.

Copy the line of text for the install token. You will need to paste this into CubeCart and the system will do the rest. These tokens are valid for 48 hours, so you have plenty of time to put it into your website.

From your CubeCart dashboard, scroll down and click the “Manage Extensions” link.

Paste the token into the space provided and click, “Go.”

CubeCart will automatically detect the skin and place it in the correct area of the site.

Click “Store Settings” from the left admin panel.

Click the “Layout” tab from the top options.

Use the drop down under “Skin Settings” to choose your new template.

Some skins will have color variations available. If they do, you can select which type to use next to your skin.

Click the “Save” button on the bottom. Your new skin will then be live on your website.

Customizing Your Site

CubeCart templates are only part of building a custom experience for your visitors. You should also consider configuring settings and offering various features to engage your shoppers. Make the site something memorable, and give people a reason to come back for additional purchases.

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Search friendly URLs in CubeCart are now automatic. This means you don’t have to configure CubeCart settings as the system will do the work itself. This is probably because of how important these types of addresses are to success. In fact, I cannot find a section in CubeCart 6 to disable search engine friendly URLs.

If you’re using an older version, it may be time to upgrade your CubeCart. And to be honest, I don’t understand why anyone would not use these types of URLs and still expect a level of success in online sales.

Using Search Friendly URLs in CubeCart

CubeCart will automatically assign the URL to be friendly to search engine queries. Let me show you what I mean by automatic. Let’s say we want to create a new test product called, “Testing with Garden Solar Panels.”

Click the “Products” link in the CubeCart dashboard.

Click the “Add Product” tab from the top options.

Input your Product Name and fill out the item’s info. For this tutorial, I am just going to use the name for now. It’s only a test to show you how search friendly URLs are processed by CubeCart.

Click the “Save & Reload” button on the bottom. Save and Reload will keep you in the current product so you can continue to make edits in the other tabs. Once you save your product, CubeCart will automatically create the search engine friendly URL.

Click the “Search Engines” tab from the top.

As you can see, CubeCart already made the URL search friendly. From this screen, you can change the custom SEO URL path. However, I advise you leave the system to do the work as it will be easier on you as well as tracking information from sites like Google Analytics.

You can also edit the meta title, keywords and description of the particular item. This is important if you want your website to score well on the results page of a search.

Customize Your Site for Success

Search friendly URLs are only the start of developing a popular website. From setting up specific payment gateways to offering superior shipping practices, there is a lot you can do to customize the experience. Make your site stand out from the competition. It all starts with good SEO practices.

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In this tutorial, I’m going to cover how to upgrade CubeCart to the newest version. It’s worth the effort to keep your online store safe while discovering new features.

Backup Your Site Files

Anytime you’re about to make changes to any website file structure, it’s always a good idea to create a backup. Although we all hope for the best when performing these kinds of operations, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Besides, a backup gives you the capacity to quickly restore the eCommerce site in any situation whether it’s a corrupted upload file or an attack from a bot or hacker.

You can also use the “Backup” options from the “Maintenance” screen in CubeCart. This is often the easiest and fastest method for keeping a copy of your website.

Updating CubeCart

You have a couple options when upgrading CubeCart. You can download the latest version and upload the files using FTP programs like FileZilla, or use the automated process. For this tutorial, I’m going to show you where the Upgrade automation is located. It’s easier and faster than direct FTP.

In the CubeCart dashboard, scroll down to the Advanced section and click, “Maintenance.”

This is where you would go to perform all kinds of maintenance on your website. Cache, logs and even rebuilding the sitemap can all be done from this first section. As I mentioned above, you can also perform site backups quickly from the Maintenance screen.

Click the “Upgrade” tab along the top.

If you had an upgrade available, there would be a button located in this screen. You would click the button and follow the instructions from CubeCart. It’s an automated process and doesn’t take long to perform.

Below the button, you’ll see an upgrade history of your website.

Keep It Current

Regardless if you use automatic or manual upgrading, it’s prudent to keep your files current. Not only will it protect the site from coding exploits, but sometimes a new version of software can include a new tool or feature that may be useful. This is especially true after installing payment gateways. Keep it all updated and your site will perform brilliantly.

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It also works to improve your search engine optimization as sites like Google prefer secured domains on the results page.

In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to set up SSL in CubeCart. It’s a real quick process and goes a long way to developing a successful online store.

Getting Your SSL

The SSL certificate is purchased from your domain hosting account or through your registrar. Sometimes this may be the same company. For example, GreenGeeks gives you a free domain name registration when creating a web hosting account.

An SSL is a premium service that requires a nominal monthly fee. However, these costs are offset by the improvement in SEO as well as trust from online shoppers.

In reality, many people don’t put much faith in an unprotected online store. As a result, they don’t make a purchase. If your site doesn’t start with “https://”, there’s a good chance shoppers will move on to one that does.

As of October 2017, those who use Google Chrome are now presented with a status message when using a website that has fields for customers to enter data. If the site isn’t secure, the web browser will give them a message stating the fact. This can easily hurt sales.

Consider Google Chrome users make up more than 54% of all web traffic around the world. More than half of your guests may be seeing an “Unsecured” message when shopping if you don’t have an SSL certificate.

Once you purchase the SSL and verify the account, you can make changes to CubeCart to use it.

Using SSL for CubeCart

From the admin dashboard of CubeCart, scroll down and click, “Store Settings.”

Click the “SSL” tab from along the top options.

Change the drop down for Enable SSL to “Yes.”

Change the Store URL to match your secured changes. For example, you will need to use “https://” as the prefix when using SSL. If you don’t, it may throw errors when someone tries to access the store depending on how you have the site set up.

Click the “Save” button to finish setting up the store.

Keep It Secure

Adding the SSL is just one method to secure your website. It protects visitors while boosting your online store’s reputation among shoppers. Do what you can to keep your site efficient and safe for yourself as well as your patrons. It will help you be successful in the realm of eCommerce.

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In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to backup CubeCart and its database. It’s a good idea to have a routine of doing this as often as you think is necessary. Many people will have systems to perform daily backups.

Creating a CubeCart Backup

There are two major components to backing up any website: files and database. If you want to have a good copy of the site, you’ll need both. Otherwise, you’ll miss out on changes to the site’s layout and functionality or be without customer and product data.

Backing Up Site Files

A common method of backing up a website is by using File Transfer Protocol, or FTP. You can use free FTP applications like FileZilla to connect to your server and copy all your site files directly to your computer. The only real downside to this method is the time it takes to download all of your site’s files. Of course this is also adjusted depending on the speed of your Internet connection.

However, having an FTP program on hand gives you direct access to the site in the event of a problem connecting to the admin panel. It’s a very useful tool to have on hand if you’re developing a website of any kind.

Another method you can use to download your site’s content is through cPanel‘s File Manager. From here, you can archive your entire site into a ZIP file to download as a backup. This is often the quickest method for downloading, but it doesn’t give you the flexibility of the FTP program.

You do this by going into File Manager, select all of your files and click, “Compress” from either right-clicking the files or the tool from the top tool bar. Mac users will hold the command button when clicking to bring up the file menu.

This will give you an option to save the contents as a ZIP file which you can then download.

Downloading the Database

The database is accessible from your cPanel dashboard. It’s a quick and easy download and you’ll want to do this the same day you grab your site’s files. This will keep everything uniform.

From cPanel, click the “phpMyAdmin” tool.

Locate and click your database from the left panel. If you only have the one website, it will be the only one listed.

Click the “Export” tool from the top navigation bar.

Keep the format as “SQL” and click, “Go.”

Your computer may load up your download screen or simply save the file into your downloads folder. This will depend on how you have your browser set up for saving online files.

Keeping it Secure

When maintaining a website, especially eCommerce, you have a lot of options for implementing website security. There is no such thing as being “too secure” when dealing with private information and protecting your online investment.

While payment gateways offer their own security, keep in mind that you store private addresses as well as sales orders. This is vital information for the success of your website. Keep a regular CubeCart backup and rest easy knowing you can recover quickly in the event of an emergency.

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The payment method you choose is just about as important as practicing online security. You need a platform that is trustworthy and capable of keeping the information of your customers private. The 2Checkout platform is one gateway that can do just that.

In this tutorial, I am going to show you how to set up 2Checkout in CubeCart. It’s a relatively quick process that can have you accepting payments in no time.

Setting Up 2Checkout in CubeCart

You will need a 2Checkout account before you will be able to continue. You can do this by going to the 2Checkout website and click “Sign Up.”

After following the instructions from 2Checkout, you’ll be ready to add it to your CubeCart website.

Go to the CubeCart Extensions website. Go to Extensions and click the “Payment Gateways” link.

Search for “2checkout” in the system and click the link in the results.

With CubeCart modules, you can either download them to your computer for manual install or use an automated system. I’m going to keep the install quick and easy, so I am going to choose the automatic method.

Click the lightning image next to the most recent version. In this particular case, it’s the only version for 2Checkout at the moment.

A new window will open displaying a long line of letters and numbers. This is the token key to connect your website to CubeCart’s server to install 2Checkout. Copy this line of text.

Log into your CubeCart admin dashboard. Scroll down and click,”Manage Extensions.”

Input the token in the field provided and click, “Go.”

The system will quickly and automatically install the 2Checkout module. Click the link for 2Checkout from the extension list.

Input the settings from 2Checkout and click, “Save.” This will be your account information and unique settings for the website. Don’t forget to switch “Test Mode” to OFF when you’re ready to start accepting money from customers.

Making the Site Your Own

Choosing the right payment gateway is imperative. It needs to be something that has potential to benefit your online store. It’s one of many things you’ll need to configure for the eCommerce site. Go through all of your options and build something you can be proud of while engaging customers.

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The Internet is full of various payment methods. Authorize.net is one of the most common for accepting credit cards. Adding this element to your eCommerce site gives it a professional appearance as it instills the sense of security.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to set up Authorize.net in CubeCart. After a few moments, you’ll be able to accept payments from you online store.

Setting Up CubeCart with Authorize.net

Before you can set up Authorize.net to work with your website, you’ll need an account. To do this, visit the Authorize.net website and click “Get Started” to begin setting up a profile.

After following the instructions from Authorize.net, you’ll be ready to continue.

Go to CubeCart’s Extensions homepage. Go to the Extensions area and click, “Payment Gateways.”

Search the term, “authorize” and click the Authorize.net module from the results page.

When installing modules for CubeCart, you have two available options. You can either download the module directly to your computer or use the automated system. For this tutorial, I’m going to keep it simple and use the automatic installer.

Click the lightning bolt icon next to the most current version.

A new window will open up displaying a series of letters and numbers. This is an install token from CubeCart. Copy this token as you will need it in your store.

Log into you CubeCart admin dashboard. Scroll down and click the “Manage Extensions” link.

Place the token in the space provided and click, “Go.”

CubeCart will immediately connect to the server and install the Authorize.net module.

Click the link for Authorize.net under “Available Extensions.”

Input your Authorize.net account information and click, “Save.” You will need the Authorize.net API key for your account as well as the transaction key. Both can be set up from Authorize.net’s website.

The information from Authorize.net is going to be unique to your store and what you’re trying to accomplish. Customize this section according to your own strategy.

Configure Your Store

Choosing a payment gateway is only one aspect of configuring your eCommerce site. You have a lot of tools at your disposal to create the perfect layout and functionality of an online store. Take time to learn all you can and create an online presence that drives the consumers.

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In this tutorial, I’ll show you who to setup PayPal in CubeCart. It’s a quick and easy process that can start immediately working for you.

Setting Up PayPal in CubeCart

Before you can use PayPal, you’ll need an activated account. Go to PayPal’s website to sign up for a free account.

I would suggest setting up a PayPal under a business account and applying for the Mastercard Debit card. This gives you immediate access to your funds when someone makes a purchase.

After you established an account at PayPal, you need to visit CubeCart’s extension webpage. Click on the “PayPal Standard” extension on the front page. If it’s not displayed, you can search for PayPal using the “Extensions” tool at the top.

PayPal has several different types of accounts when it comes to eCommerce. I am using Standard today because it’s one of the easiest and most common types. You can choose any you like that fits your online store.

CubeCart has two primary methods when it comes to installing new modules for your store. You can either download the module and upload it manually or use the automatic install property. In this tutorial, I am going to use the automatic system because it’s faster and requires no downloads or uploads.

Click the lightning bolt icon next to the most recent version of PayPal.

CubeCart will then give you a token consisting of numbers and letters. Copy this token as you will need it in your store. Once you copy the digits, you can close the window. It’s not a bad idea to paste the token into something like Notepad so you don’t lose it for now. This token lasts for 48 hours and will no longer be valid afterward.

Log into your CubeCart admin screen. Scroll down and click the link, “Manage Extensions.”

Paste the token you copied into the provided box and click, “Go.”

The install will be very rapid. You will see PayPal appear under the Available Extensions section. Click the link for PayPal to open its settings.

Fill in the information for your PayPal account and how you want it to work on your site. This includes the check box for “Status” as well as making it your “Default” payment system. Leave the Default box unchecked if you plan on using another system as the default for buyers to use.

Shoppers can still select PayPal if they want as long as the Status box is checked.

Your PayPal Primary Email address will be the one you used to sign up with PayPal. It’s your account address and how money is transferred from the buyer to your account.

In the “Mode” option, use the drop down to change it from Sandbox to Live. Sandbox is the testing mode for the PayPal module. Only change this when you’re ready to start accepting payments and you’re positive the money goes to your account.

Click the “Save” button and your payment gateway will become live.

Some will market the ability to use PayPal in social media to entice shoppers to visit. In reality, any online digital payment system can offer interest when you advertising in various social media marketing tools.

Get More From Your Site

PayPal is just one of many payment gateways supported by CubeCart. This lets you give several options to buyers regarding which system the prefer. Explore your possibilities while configuring your CubeCart website. There is a lot to learn and a variety of useful features.

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For this tutorial, we’re going to setup WorldPay in CubeCart. In just a few moments, you can start collecting money from your sales with this popular method.

Installing WorldPay for CubeCart

First, you’ll need your own WorldPay login. Go to the WorldPay website and create your account. The type of account you will set up will depend on what kind of a store you’re trying to build.

Once you have an account ready to go, you’ll need to install the module for CubeCart. You can find the module at the CubeCart Extensions website.

Go to the Extensions section and click, “Payment Gateways.”

CubeCart has a lot of supported gateways, so you’ll need to search for WorldPay. You can do this by browsing each page or use the “Search Extensions” option.

Click the WorldPay link when you find it either though search or on the extension page.

You can either download the module and manually upload it to your website. However, I am going to use the automated direct install CubeCart offers. It’s much faster and doesn’t require any additional effort.

Click the lightning bolt icon next to the most recent version.

CubeCart will supply you with a token for the install. Copy this string of text as you will need it in your store. You can click to “Close Window” when you’ve copied these numbers and letters. I find it easier to paste the token into something like Notepad. This way, you don’t have to worry about losing it.

Log into your store’s CubeCart admin screen. Scroll down and click, “Manage Extensions.”

Paste the copied token into the field and click, “Go.”

Your store will connect to the CubeCart server and automatically install the module. Click the WorldPay link to open its settings.

Input your WorldPay account information into the fields provided. This includes adding Allowed Zones and Disabled Zone for different parts of the world. For example, you would only add “United States” as an allowed zone if your based in the US and you don’t want to offer products worldwide.

You’ll also want to check the “Status” box to enable the gateway and select the “Default” box if you want WorldPay to be the default payment gateway on your site. For instance, you can have PayPal Standard and WorldPay available, but the Default box will make WorldPay the first choice.

Users can then select the other methods if they like.

You’ll also want to use the drop down to disable the “Test Mode” when you’re ready to go live.

When your settings are done, click the “Save” button and your store is ready to sell some items.

Customize Your Store

The payment gateway is only one piece of customizing your store. Configuration options are quite extensive for CubeCart. Make sure you go through each section of your store as it will optimize its performance as well as being more effective for buyers. Create something amazing and build the site up to become a powerhouse of online sales.

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In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to configure currencies and more in the CubeCart system. The more detailed the online store is, the better it will perform.

Accessing Settings

From the CubeCart dashboard, scroll down and click the tool on the left for “Store Settings.”

There is quite a bit of information in this screen. Make sure you fill out the sections as complete as possible. Let’s take a look at each tab that is available.

General

This is the general information for your store. Things like the store name, address, country and more can be changed here. Using the drop down windows, you can select language, currencies and how customers are taxed. Having the correct currencies and location assist the payment gateway by charging the right amount.

CubeCart also comes with social linking for the most popular websites. You can enter the username or URL of your store’s profile page allowing visitors to follow the business.

When you’re done in General, click the “Save” button.

Features

The next tab is the Features section. This is where you can add your Google Analytics ID number, enable reviews, how sales are conducted, bot protection and other miscellaneous adjustments. CubeCart also includes the framework to support reCAPTCHA using your accounts site and secret keys.

Many of these settings are optional, but most are very helpful. This is especially true of the Google Analytics integration and reCAPTCHA. Enter your featured adjustments and then click, “Save.”

Layout

Clicking the “Layout” tab will open your settings for the appearance of the site. You have control over how many products are displayed per page, how categories are viewed, changing the skin of your site and more. This will be completely up to you regarding how you want the store to appear to users.

Once you click the “Save” button, your changes become live.

Stock

The “Stock” tab is where you control how your inventory behaves. This also includes digital download adjustments such as download attempts and expirations. You can choose to show stock levels, change how the weight of products is displayed and hide items that are out-of-stock.

Make changes according to your needs and click, “Save.”

Search Engine Settings

In the “Search Engines” tab, you’ll find the general meta information for your store. This includes the description, keywords and how URLs on your site connect to product categories. Make sure you use relevant descriptions and keywords to your site in this section. Otherwise, you might be penalized by sites like Google.

For example, putting in the keyword, “Xbox Games” when you clearly don’t sell Xbox Games will hurt your scoring in Google Search.

Keep your meta description under 155 characters including spaces. This is a universal best practice and keeps the site optimized for SEO.

Once your meta information is placed, click the “Save” button.

SSL

Install a Secure Sockets Layer encrypts your site for visitors. This means hackers are far less likely to steal information when someone is making a purchase. You can always add an SSL to your account if you don’t have one right now. Otherwise, this area is where you would make adjustments for how your site appears.

For instance, you would use “https://” for a site with an SSL.

The SSL is one of the first lines of defense for any eCommerce site. Aside from protecting your visitors, it also contributes to how your site ranks in engines like Google. This is because Google holds secure websites in higher regards.

Click the “Save” button and continue to the next tab.

Offline

The “Offline” tab is simply a message that displays to your visitors should you take the site down. You would use this during maintenance or while making adjustments that may interfere with shopping. The Offline editor is similar to that of a standard word processor application. Bold, HTML, images and much more are available to give it a unique and engaging appearance.

Keep in mind you want people who read this message to come back as soon as your site is live again.

Once your offline message is complete, click the “Save” button.

Logos

In the “Logos” tab, you’ll find a simple file upload button. All you need to do is add your online store’s logo and CubeCart will do the rest. The logo will be used on the home page as well as many other locations around the site.

If you don’t have a logo yet, don’t worry. You can always add it later.

Once the logo is uploaded, click “Save” and CubeCart will place it.

Copyright

The “Copyright” tab has the same editor as the Offline section. Here, you can add your copyright message or alter it any way you see fit. This is the text that will appear at the bottom of your homepage, so you might not want it to be too long or flashy.

Once your edits are done, click “Save.”

Advanced

The “Advanced” tab has quite a few more settings in it to change compared to the other sections. This houses your email properties, performance settings, time and date displays and how logs are displayed. If you’re not sure about any of these properties, it’s safe to leave them be for now.

However, I would suggest learning the elements in this section. It may be quite useful later on. For example, setting up an email account specifically for the store is often better than using your administrative email address when people buy something from you. It helps reduce spam.

Click the “Save” button when you’re finished.

Extra

You’ll find a collection of various settings in the “Extra” tab. These are all optional and only affect product cloning in this version of CubeCart. If you don’t plan on using the feature, then you can skip this tab.

However, click the “Save” button if you make any adjustments.

Customizing Your Store

Configuring your CubeCart store is only the beginning of customizing the experience. The system still has a variety of tools to learn such as catalog adjustments, product data and setting up email templates. However, the above step is absolutely necessary to the functionality of your online store. Spend time making it your own.

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