Easier Order Forms

[Evaske]

I know this has been mentioned in the support forum but I genuinely think it is the biggest needed feature request. The current order form system is so un user-friendly it is unbelieveable.

 

Currently if you want to order a domain and hosting:

 

Check Domain

Add To Cart

Add other item to get to the hosting

Re-Add that domain name to the hosting account you want to buy

Checkout

 

So in other words I have to tell Joe public that after adding a domain to their cart they then have to click add more items to get to the shared hosting?! This is the most ridiculous way of doing it and it could be simplified greatly.

 

How it should be:

 

Select domain
Add to cart
Select hosting package required (Or not hosting package required option)
If a hosting package is selected, auto populate the domain field
Checkout.

 

Anyone else with me on this?

[electric]

It's difficult, because the developers surely want to create an order system that works with lots of different scenarios.

However, for us, that vast majority of our customers have very very basic needs and so something that is extremely simple is necessary (critical).

 

1. Customer searches for domain name. 

 

2. If new domain name, then choose the big "BUY NOW" button.  If domain exists, then ask if they own it and want to transfer it.  Otherwise, redisplay the search box, and also maybe show suggested names.    Repeat as necessary until eventually they have selected a domain name, and we continue. 

 

3. Show all the hosting plans and ask the customer to pick the one they want.  Customer chooses the plan, and we continue.

 

4. Ask the customer what billing cycle they want for the hosting plan.  (Monthly, bi-annual, yearly, etc)

 

5. Done. Press "Pay Now", and complete payment process.

NOTES

 

A. All of this should be on ONE page that uses basic AJAX to refresh, and has tally in the top-right area.  Each "section" of the order process (domain selection, hosting selection, billing term selection) is displayed as a new area below the previous section. 

 

B. If you want to allow addons to be ordered during initial order process, then they can be displayed as part of step 3, depending on the plan they select.  Again, keep it all on the same page. Simple is better.  (We actually don't even allow customers to pick addons during their intial order, because it was way too confusing for them to see so much stuff they had no idea if they needed or not.  It often prevented them from completing the order, which is against basic good business, right?  So now, we simply let them pick their domain and hosting plan and that is it. AFTER they complete their order, they can then add addons from within their customer account client area.  By then, they already paid, and are "invested" into things, as opposed to being overwhelmed and not completing the order.

 

I hope that helps.  If you are looking for some good examples, check out Hostbill's order pages.  They have some amazing order screens and processes that we found to be very nice. 

[Evaske]

This is exactly the scenario I am after and I imagine the majority of people in the hosting industry use.

[electric]

This is exactly the scenario I am after and I imagine the majority of people in the hosting industry use.

 

Yes, exactly. The vast majority of customers are the ones who signup for places like bluehost, 1and1, hostgator, etc. 

 

To understand exactly what we want, just go have a look at the bluehost.com order system.  Click their "signup now" link, and then see how simple it is.  You can tweak a little bit about their layout, but essentially... that is the perfect order process.

 

[Paul]

Thanks for the feedback, we are definitely going to be making some changes to, and adding additional order types and order forms as we go forward.

[Evaske]

Any idea when we can expect this as currently I'm not sure Blesta is fully useable with its current order form layout.

[morfargekko]

Any idea when we can expect this as currently I'm not sure Blesta is fully useable with its current order form layout.

 

I second this and as long as Blesta doesn't have the same payment gateways as WHMCS I cant use it.

[Evaske]

I second this and as long as Blesta doesn't have the same payment gateways as WHMCS I cant use it.

 

This is nothing to do with payment gateways just the way in which the order form is set out to anyone ordering.

[morfargekko]

I know that, I just wanted to point out that it is more things that makes Blesta not fully usable.

[FRH Dave]

This is definitely an area of needed improvement.  Let's face it:  domains are always a critical part of shared hosting.  Although it's possible to use shared hosting without a domain, chances are that's not the customer we want (as they're probably using us as a file drop or remote backup site -- something we'd rather have them on a VPS or FTP plan for).  Domain association should be an integral part of the shared hosting ordering process.

 

The way it's currently structured is somewhat awkward.  It's definitely going to be confusing for an average customer.

[Evaske]

So it seems everyone is thinking the same way. Do the developers have an ETA for this to be rectified?

[Ken]

So it seems everyone is thinking the same way. Do the developers have an ETA for this to be rectified?

 

I would agree that intuitive order processes are required without question.  I do not agree that Blesta's order system should resolve around just the hosting industry as I think it appeals to many.  Perhaps multiple order system modules?  Unless that's going to be too cumbersome to manage.  Just a suggestion.

[Paul]

I second this and as long as Blesta doesn't have the same payment gateways as WHMCS I cant use it.

 

What payment gateways do you need that aren't currently included? Having all the same payment gateways doesn't mean much, if you don't actually need them. We are building more, and prioritizing by demand.

 

We do have plans to create new and unique order forms, ones that work well with a particular product like shared hosting, or virtual hosting, etc. One page AJAX forms, multi-step, and more. It's not as simple as making something work just like a particular hosting company when the order form needs to support a diverse range of products and services. We try to build things that are versatile, but we also see the need to build things that are targeted to a particular offer.

 

Aside from any tweaks to the existing order templates, our plans for more templates will follow a conversion of the client area to bootstrap. It will be significantly easier to create new and unique and awesome looking order forms once this has taken place. This will be after 3.1, which adds configurable options (among other things), which we see as a critical first step.

[Evaske]

So you're saying we have to wait until 3.1 for the product to become effectively user friendly for a hosting environment or does the selecting a hosting package following the domain selection count as a tweak.

[Paul]

So you're saying we have to wait until 3.1 for the product to become effectively user friendly for a hosting environment or does the selecting a hosting package following the domain selection count as a tweak.

 

I could consider that a tweak, but it's not a bug fix.

 

major.minor.bug, we are currently at 3.0.4 so 3.1.0 would be the next feature release. Any prior releases are for bug fixes. It's very possible we will make some tweaks to the order form  for 3.1, however I haven't had adequate time to evaluate it yet. 3.2 is my target for a bootstrap conversion, and a likely release for new order forms.

[morfargekko]

What payment gateways do you need that aren't currently included? Having all the same payment gateways doesn't mean much, if you don't actually need them. We are building more, and prioritizing by demand.

 

As a Blesta user i Scandinavia I would like to have a gateway for Payson.

[Paul]

As a Blesta user i Scandinavia I would like to have a gateway for Payson.

 

Is that a popular gateway there? Please post a new feature request thread http://www.blesta.com/forums/index.php?/forum/11-feature-requests/ and include a link to their website, documentation, etc.. anything that will help.

[iAlex]

I could consider that a tweak, but it's not a bug fix.

 

major.minor.bug, we are currently at 3.0.4 so 3.1.0 would be the next feature release. Any prior releases are for bug fixes. It's very possible we will make some tweaks to the order form  for 3.1, however I haven't had adequate time to evaluate it yet. 3.2 is my target for a bootstrap conversion, and a likely release for new order forms.

 

Is there any possible way to modify the current ones that easily, so could just do this;

 

1. User chooses the domain name they want
2. Domain is available, so it's added to the cart
3. Transferred to hosting packages
4. User picks the package, and either fills in the domain or it's filled in already
5. Check out for both products

As for me this is the logical way of an order form for at least Web hosting. Is this easily possible to modify currently, or is it looking easier to wait?

[Evaske]

Is there any possible way to modify the current ones that easily, so could just do this;

 

1. User chooses the domain name they want
2. Domain is available, so it's added to the cart
3. Transferred to hosting packages
4. User picks the package, and either fills in the domain or it's filled in already
5. Check out for both products

As for me this is the logical way of an order form for at least Web hosting. Is this easily possible to modify currently, or is it looking easier to wait?

 

Exactly what I am also after.

[Paul]

Is there any possible way to modify the current ones that easily, so could just do this;

 

1. User chooses the domain name they want
2. Domain is available, so it's added to the cart
3. Transferred to hosting packages
4. User picks the package, and either fills in the domain or it's filled in already
5. Check out for both products

As for me this is the logical way of an order form for at least Web hosting. Is this easily possible to modify currently, or is it looking easier to wait?

 

I agree, I will be taking a close look at this prior to releasing 3.1. To be honest, it should be working that way and I think that was the intention, not sure what happened to be honest.

 

EDIT: CORE-831, so it's not forgotten 

[Evaske]

I agree, I will be taking a close look at this prior to releasing 3.1. To be honest, it should be working that way and I think that was the intention, not sure what happened to be honest.

 

EDIT: CORE-831, so it's not forgotten 

 

That's the news I wanted to hear!

[MemoryX2]

I agree, I will be taking a close look at this prior to releasing 3.1. To be honest, it should be working that way and I think that was the intention, not sure what happened to be honest.

EDIT: CORE-831, so it's not forgotten

We are planning on implementing as much of the order form as possible on our website and then just use blesta for the billing etc until the order forms get better.

[iAlex]

I agree, I will be taking a close look at this prior to releasing 3.1. To be honest, it should be working that way and I think that was the intention, not sure what happened to be honest.

 

EDIT: CORE-831, so it's not forgotten 

 

Thank you, I'm very glad to hear!

[FRH Dave]

This is why I like Blesta.  Someone comes up with an idea, and the response from the dev team is "that's a great idea - added to the list" instead of "lol".

[Michael]

Can't wait for 3.1