By esend7881 on

Hey Everyone,

I need to make a decision on what membership software to use in our Drupal system. Right now, even if the solution costs $200 or $2000, we still want it on the table to make our decisions. Ubercart is free and a big part of the Drupal Comunity, so if we can use it, then we will.

As a little background, here is how our site will be structured (with Drupal 6.10):

www.mainsite.com (this is our main drupal set up.)

Then

www.mainsite.com/site2 (this will be another drupal set up, with its own database)

And then

www.mainsite.com/site3 (...same...)

All the separate drupal sites will of course share the same Users, Session, Roles database tables. But all the node information and such will be in separate databases. Don't worry, I know how to connect those databases all together.

I need a membership software that can pretty much do the following:

  1. Allow an anonymous or authenticaed user to buy 1 or more memberships which will give them access to /site1, or /site2, etc (by access we really mean "roles" of course.
  2. Has a separate order page per each type of member ship a person wishes to buy.
  3. And also can have a big order page where a users can check off all the separate memberships he/she wishes to add
  4. Basically having access to site1 is just a "role" we give them
  5. A way to handle expired accounts. So if their site1 subscription ends, only their site1 "role" ends. Not for site2 or whatever
  6. If they lose all subscriptions, they go back to either anonymous, or they default to "free" role or something
  7. Handles banning and blocking (I think drupal can do that internally)
  8. Handles refunds
  9. Works with Paypal (that is a given right?) but it can work with more than just Paypal too
  10. Works with the Google Analytics Module (I don't see why not, but need to mention it anyway)

I think that covers almost all the bases. I notice there is Ubercart v1 and v2. Which one is most stable to accomplish those tasks?

I was looking into Amember's drupal "plugin", but their integration with drupal is a little clunky. Also, it seems like a user must first sign up as a free member before they can buy anything, or it seems like only 1 member can sign up for 1 type of account. The same member can't be part of more than 1 role? It doesn't seem like a lot of deep thought went into it or its UI for drupal. I'd rather this tool be internal to Drupal as a module than a 3rd part database. Also, all user activity must be done through the Amember users database first, not the Drupal database, since Drupal doesn't talk to Amember. Amember only talks to Drupal.

Thus, I suspect Ubercart and Drupal can work with each other with the users table.

Again, if what I am asking does require a premium module made by a retailer, that is okay. It will be factored into our decision.

I hope to create a really amazing Case Study for Drupal's front page since I want to use Drupal to its fullest. Using Ubercart would be extra cool in that regard!

⋅ Categories: Drupal 6.x

Comments

Andy_Lowe’s picture

Andy_Lowe commented

The following answers assume the database is working as you described:

1. Allow an anonymous or authenticaed user to buy 1 or more memberships which will give them access to /site1, or /site2, etc (by access we really mean "roles" of course.
Yes

2. Has a separate order page per each type of member ship a person wishes to buy.
Yes

3. And also can have a big order page where a users can check off all the separate memberships he/she wishes to add
Yes, may require a little work.

4. Basically having access to site1 is just a "role" we give them
Yes

5. A way to handle expired accounts. So if their site1 subscription ends, only their site1 "role" ends. Not for site2 or whatever
Yes

6. If they lose all subscriptions, they go back to either anonymous, or they default to "free" role or something
Yes

7. Handles banning and blocking (I think drupal can do that internally)
Yes (This is a Drupal feature and has nothing to do with Ubercart)

8. Handles refunds
Maybe. It depends on which payment gateway you use, and how much automation you expect. Definite yes with a few dollars spend on a good developer.

9. Works with Paypal (that is a given right?) but it can work with more than just Paypal too
Yes
10. Works with the Google Analytics Module (I don't see why not, but need to mention it anyway)
Yes
-Andy

z33k3r’s picture

z33k3r commented

As I am trying to accomplish this type of setup my self, how would one accomplish a single page to which the user would select from a list of memberships (products) and are limited to a single membership. Basically buying a membership to a site that specifies one-or-the-other type memberships..?

esend7881’s picture

esend7881 commented

I think you could create a list of different membership types, and each type links to a Cart Link which will automatically send them to a checkout page associated with the thing they want to buy.

But ultimately, I imagine you'd need to write a module to have all that on one single checkout page... You'd need to cause a page refresh at least, so the cart will fill in with the new item (which could be a slow process?)

esend7881’s picture

esend7881 commented

Great thanks!

By the way, is there a way to get 1 single order page? I.e., the way it looks now, customers must review their oder even after inputting their billing information. Is there a way to have a "1 click checkout" sort of thing, instead of reviewing their order?

Thanks

Andy_Lowe’s picture

Andy_Lowe commented

Here you go:
Optional Checkout Review

johnk_lpl’s picture

johnk_lpl commented

I used lm_paypal to have access control set by signing up for a subscription. Only problem i found is that it was out of support and only worked for Drupal 5. I ran it on usbstickfinder.com and found more problem getting the Paypal sandbox running more than anything else.

Looks like its now being picked up for further development, if you can get your head around the paypal system it may just be what you want. Now I know someone has picked it up again I will probably be using it in my next project. Was going to try Ubercart but ran out of paper printing the installation guide ;-(

jk

AlanT’s picture

AlanT commented

This is an interesting thread, mostly because I just set up a membership site using aMember & Drupal. It seems I may want to look into the Ubercart alternative.

However, there are a couple of minor errors here I feel should be corrected for future readers.

The aMember integration module for Drupal is not limited to 1-way communication. There is a Drupal module included that will update the aMember database when a user changes their email address or password in the Drupal system.

Using aMember, a member may purchase multiple roles, and may even purchase them simultaneously. Initial signup may be for a paid membership just as easily as a free one.

However, there ARE limitations to the integration, and if Ubercart serves the same functions, then it seems a better alternative. The main issue I've seen in doing ecommerce in Drupal is the weak (broken, as far as I'm concerned) support of affiliates.

- Alan Tutt

Exceptional Personal Development for Exceptional People
http://www.PowerKeysPub.com

esend7881’s picture

esend7881 commented

What, specifically, do you find wrong with the affiliate modules?

johnk_lpl’s picture

johnk_lpl commented

I share your comment, I was simply going to integrate Clickbank to offer affiliate services.
Low startup cost etc. and $50 set up fee were the main attraction as they say, many of the other options were so much more expensive that if you are starting out small they are not viable in my opinion, particularly in the situations i was looking at.