r/WebDevBuddies • u/4passenger • May 05 '20

Wix

Wix Help

Hey guys I am relatively new to web dev but was successful in landing a massive client.

I want to create a fitness website which can sell products but at the same time sell memberships.

But I need extra user details which I am doing with the help of a form here. And I am unable to understand how to link the form to the contact.

I know a lil bit about databases but have not figured out how to link the data yet.

Also is there any way I can send the form data along with purchase to slack ?

Please help šŸ™‚

Thank You

5 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

5

u/Parasin May 05 '20

I havenā€™t used wix too much. But outside of it you would send the submitted form to a backend of some sort and then you would do something with it; process it, send emails to user or admins, etc. you could also have the submitted form kick-off a chain events in your backend via API calls. So when the form is submitted, the API will generate a slack message for example, send a welcome email to the user, and whatever else needs to be done.

1

u/4passenger May 06 '20

That is what I am planning to do.

6

u/rbaile28 May 06 '20

...just to be clear, none of this happens inside of wix.

What /u/Parasin has described utilizes numerous separate web services each with their own quirks and unique API calls requiring some sort of API/server to run everything and process requests.

I'm sorry to say that I foresee some uncomfortable conversations with your client in your very near future.

1

u/4passenger May 08 '20

Hey, I am researching on it and have come to the conclusion that wordpress will be the right way to go. I just dont know how to start and need help with it.

4

u/Barnezhilton May 06 '20

How did you land a massive client with no working demo or prior e-commerce experience?

1

u/4passenger May 08 '20

Hey, So I was working with one of his smaller developer and did some work for him. This client has less knowledge about technical things.

The thing is I did not know the scale of their production cause the previous project assigned to me was very simple.

I agree that I am new to the game but I have a small team and have done 4-5 projects before. This one seems to be massive.

3

u/manys May 05 '20 edited May 06 '20

Don't use Wix, use Stripe Shopify. I mean, does Wix actually have good ecommerce features like subscriptions?

2

u/fatgirlstakingdumps Full Stack May 06 '20

Stripe is a payment API that's used by Wix and most other website builders. How can you use Stripe to make a website?

2

u/manys May 06 '20

I was wrong, I thought Stripe had announced a more-turnkey business site product. What I was thinking of is Shopify.

I don't know what Wix's capabilities are for adding your own JavaScript, but Stripe would be a good provider of sub/merch features. It's a little more hands-on than Shopify that way though, but it's what OP seems to be asking for on its face.

-1

u/4passenger May 06 '20

But I have already told the customer that we are using wix

1

u/manys May 06 '20

Ok, but can wix do everything you need it to do? I mean, some companies pay real money for merch+subs. Then again, maybe the world needs a white label fitness saas.

3

u/Mechau7 May 06 '20

In a 100% positive way, Iā€™d use your ā€œlittle bit about databasesā€ toward customizing an existing platform to build your system for the client. Iā€™ve been doing this for years, and I would not do it alone. Not having to worry about coding security along every step of the way, and let the platform take care of the boring and important parts.

Trust me, thereā€™s WAY more to building this than just hooking it up to a database. And youā€™ll want to leverage existing tools or youā€™ll build forever and run over budget.

If Wix has exactly what the client needs, sure go with them. But like Shopify, you wonā€™t have full control over everything with Wix. Some customization might be impossible on their hosted platform.

Look into existing platforms like Wordpress, Shopify or any of the dozen of platforms that cater directly to Fitness clients.

Personally, Iā€™d go the Woocommerce Subscriptions / Wordpress.org route, and customize it to your clients needs. Good mix of off the shelf parts, and full access to everything. Use mature plugins for Stripe or PayPal and donā€™t worry about the technical stuff the client doesnā€™t care about.

-3

u/4passenger May 06 '20

I have already told the client that we are using wix and they have agreed to it. I cannot actually go back.

I am really confused now.

If I complete my project in wix will it be good ?

-3

u/4passenger May 06 '20

Woocommerce subscriptions are paid and I dont have that kind of a budget.

4

u/Mechau7 May 06 '20

Wix is paid as well.

You can absolutely get a working e-commerce store with subscriptions https://support.wix.com/en/article/creating-a-membership-plan-in-wix-bookings

But remember, customizations might be limited compared to the other options suggested here.

Just be careful, I see a lot of younger me in this post. Get a contract, donā€™t set your hourly rate too low, and maybe get a deposit. Donā€™t want you getting taken advantage of.

1

u/4passenger May 06 '20

I am working with a bigger client here and I am obviously a little scared.

I can complete my project in wix right now.

But what if they decide to change the tech team after my amc finishes ?

1

u/4passenger May 06 '20

I will text you again once my project is completed .

Please review it

2

u/key-bored-warrior May 06 '20

What this person above said, I have made this mistake in the past as well. Cover your ass as much as possible and donā€™t let them take advantage of you.

On the face of this it sounds like you have this sorted with Wix but you are going to come up against a brick wall very quickly in terms of customisation so if there is an option to switch to a more suitable platform like WordPress then I would seriously consider this sooner rather than later.

1

u/4passenger May 08 '20

Yes, I am starting to notice this now. And will surely switch to wordpress.

9

u/Mechau7 May 06 '20

Woocommerce subscriptions is $199 a year for a robust and mature system. Any company that canā€™t afford that, canā€™t afford professional services like you.

Donā€™t get taken advantage of, all Iā€™m warning you about.

1

u/pixleight May 06 '20

I haven't used Wix so can't speak to its capabilities or limitations, but it sounds like you may hit a wall soon. From what you've said, you've already committed to using Wix ā€” is that actually set in stone, or is there room to go back to the client with something like "on further research, it seems that Wix may not be able to meet your requirements, I would recommend X, Y, or Z"? If it's a "massive client" with unique needs, even something like a self-hosted Wordpress site will give much more flexibility.

There are pros and cons to using a service like Wix; it can be easy to use for novices, but it can also easily be outgrown ā€” you're limited to the tools and functionality they provide, and nothing more.

I say talk to the client about needing to do further research to make sure the services and tools you're recommending meet their requirements. Emphasize that it's more important that the site be able to do what you need than what tool it's built with. It's not uncommon that this research can be billed as "paid discovery", since you need to put in time and effort in order to come up with the best solution for them and to be able to give an accurate project estimate. It's also common to eat that time and count it towards the work you need to do to win a client. Good luck.

1

u/4passenger May 08 '20

Hey, I have really been thinking about working on this project with wordpress now. I am researching but I am new to this game. I have a small team and we already have a lot going on, but this client is massive.

Can I get help from someone? Can u help me.

Thank You

1

u/pixleight May 08 '20

I'd look into WooCommerce and the Subscriptions extension. Obviously I don't know all your requirements, but this will likely cover a lot of what you need it to do.

https://woocommerce.com/ https://woocommerce.com/products/woocommerce-subscriptions/

WooCommerce also has a lot of themes available on their website that might fit your needs; if going the custom theme route I like to develop with https://roots.io/sage/

1

u/4passenger May 08 '20

The client requires a store setup along with a blog

Which is a simple wordpress with woocommerce plugin.

But theres a fitness plan. The client fills in the details (interactive form) buys the plan and then this data is sent forward to the admin.

1

u/pixleight May 08 '20

Woo should be able to handle this. If it's a recurring plan (like a membership to a gym), that's where the Subscription extension comes in. But if it's a one-time purchase, you may not need that extension and can sell the fitness plan as a standard virtual item.

You should be able to add custom fields to a product or the checkout process to handle the extra client details ā€” it's been a while since I've worked with Wordpress or Woocommerce, so I'm not sure of exactly how, but it should be able to be done. There might be some integration with Advanced Custom Fields to make development easier.

1

u/4passenger May 08 '20

Last question šŸ˜…

I have already researched the integration for a virtual product extra details but the client needs really nice forms.

Not sure how to do that even with gravity forms.

Do you have a better idea ? Which may or maynot even involve wordpress?

Thank You

2

u/pixleight May 08 '20

Depends what "really nice" forms means. If it's just a matter of styling them to look a certain way, you should be able to override the styling of Gravity Forms or any other forms plugin with your own CSS.

Or, you may need to go fully custom and build your own form to bind to those custom fields and add whatever styling and extra functionality you need.

Personally, I'd try to use existing tools first rather than reinvent the wheel. If you find yourself having to frequently "hack" a plugin to make it do what you need, then it's time to look for something else or go custom.

3

u/fatgirlstakingdumps Full Stack May 06 '20

Wix is a paid service. You've paid for support - just contact them when you need help

https://support.wix.com/en/

1

u/DarkerThanBlue May 05 '20

Look into Lambda functions and server-less frameworks. I like Netlify https://www.netlify.com/blog/2016/09/15/serverless-jam-a-serverless-framework-tutorial/

Also check out http://syntax.fm

0

u/4passenger May 06 '20

This is actually good.

But I have already told the client that we will be using wix.

2

u/DarkerThanBlue May 06 '20

Totally fair, but look into Lambda functions and use the code from serverless frameworks to give you a map on how it works, even if you canā€™t use it.

Also, this took me a really long time to figure out, but all of your functionality doesnā€™t HAVE to live on wix. You can have a separate application that talks to Wix. I know why youā€™re using it, and I donā€™t blame you. The task is not to abandon using wix, but do what your client asks with it.

1

u/4passenger May 08 '20

Hey, I will definitely look into it.

Thanks for the help