X-Cart:X-MailChimp

What MailChimp module does

MailChimp module allows you to use a powerful MailChimp mailing system. For the module to operate correctly, you need a MailChimp account. The module also supports Analytics360. This functionality includes Google Analytics support and allows to see statistics results for every email campaign you send.

MailChimp is available as a built-in module:

• in X-Cart GOLD PLUS and PLATINUM editions v4.5.3 and later;
• in X-Cart GOLD edition v4.7.3 and later.

In the said editions, the module does not require installation and can be enabled via the Modules section of X-Cart Admin area. For X-Cart versions outside the ranges listed above the module MailChimp can be installed separately.

When the module is installed and configured, store clients can subscribe to one of the store's news lists. The subscription information is sent to MailChimp and used to send campaigns created in MailChimp. News lists are created and managed in MailChimp, and can be imported into X-Cart using the module.

Visitors can subscribe by clicking the 'Subscribe' link in the 'News' section:

After that the visitor has to enter an email address in the provided subscription form.

Note: The 'Subscribe to newslists' form can be protected by image verification. See X-Cart:Image Verification page for details.

After a customer has subscribed, he/she needs to select the newsletters he/she wishes to receive, by selecting the check boxes next to the required newsletter titles:

Registered customers can change the set of news lists included into their newsletter subscription (add more news lists or to unsubscribe from any news lists) on the Account details page.

As soon as a client subscribes to a news list, his or her email address is automatically added to the mailing list for that news list so the client can begin getting the newsletter.

If you wish, you can enable notification emails to subscribers. Notification emails not only notify your new subscribers of the fact that their email address has been entered into a mailing list, but also provide a link allowing these subscribers to unsubscribe from newsletter emails.

An 'Unsubscribe' link is provided with each newsletter, so if any of your customers wish to discontinue their newsletter subscription, they will be able to do so at any time.

Roles in MailChimp module management

If you are an X-Cart GOLD or GOLD PLUS administrator/provider or an X-Cart PLATINUM or PRO administrator:

• You can enable/disable and configure the module X-MailChimp (See Enabling and Configuring MailChimp).
• You can create lists in MailChimp and import them into X-Cart.
• You can manage lists imported from MailChimp in X-Cart (enable/disable, edit news list details).

System requirements and installation

X-Cart's MailChimp module comes as a built-in module with many X-Cart versions. This section is intended only to those X-Cart users who do not have this module in their X-Cart store and need to install it separately.

System requirements

To be able to successfully install and use the MailChimp module, you need a working copy of X-Cart v4.3.2 or later. Make sure that the version of the module is the same as the version of the installed copy of X-Cart.

Note: If you do not remember the version of the installed copy of X-Cart, find it in the Environment info section of the Summary page in X-Cart Admin area.

Installation

To install the module:

1. Obtain a distribution package for the MailChimp add-on module by downloading it from the File Area section of your X-Cart Account. The filename of the MailChimp add-on module distribution package for X-Cart 4.5.3 and later is x-mailchimp-adv-X.Y.Z.tgz, for earlier X-Cart versions - x-mailchimp-X.Y.Zgold.tgz or x-mailchimp-X.Y.Zpro.tgz (X, Y and Z are the module version numbers). Make sure the version of the module is the same as the version of the installed copy of X-Cart.

2. Put the distribution package to the X-Cart root directory on your server or hosting account.

• If you use a Windows-based server, or a UNIX-based server without terminal access:

a) Decompress the archive with the MailChimp distribution package to a directory on your system using your favorite compression program (WinZIP or any other archiver with support for TAR files).

b) Use an FTP client to upload all the files contained in the archive (retaining the directory structure) to the X-Cart root directory on your server or your hosting account.

• If you use a UNIX-based server with terminal access:

a) Use an FTP client to upload the archive with the distribution package to the X-Cart root directory on your server or your hosting account.

b) Decompress the package using the command tar -xzvf <distribution_package_filename>, for example:

tar -xzvf x-mailchimp-adv-4.5.4.tgz

Important: Make sure you keep the directory structure while unpacking and uploading the distribution package, otherwise some necessary files can be overwritten!

3. In a web browser, run the installation script:

X-Cart 4.5.3 and later: httр://<YOUR_XCART_DOMAIN>/install-mailchimp.php;

Earlier X-Cart versions: httр://<YOUR_XCART_DOMAIN>/install-xmailchimp.php

(Be sure to replace <YOUR_XCART_DOMAIN> with the actual domain name of your X-Cart store)

4. Enter the Auth code, accept the License Agreement and click the Next button.

5. The installation script copies the files and activates the module. Click the Next button to continue the installation.

6. The installation script generates a new system fingerprint. Click the Next button to complete the installation.

7. Use the ADMINISTRATOR AREA link to log in to the Admin area.

Removal

To uninstall the MailChimp add-on module:

1. In a web browser, run the installation script:

X-Cart 4.5.3 and later: httр://<YOUR_XCART_DOMAIN>/install-mailchimp.php;

Earlier X-Cart versions: httр://<YOUR_XCART_DOMAIN>/install-xmailchimp.php

(Be sure to replace <YOUR_XCART_DOMAIN> with the actual domain name of your X-Cart store)

2. Choose the Uninstall the module option, enter the Auth code, accept the License Agreement and click the Next button.

3. After the installation script removes the module files and deactivates the module, click the Next button to complete the uninstallation.

4. At the Uninstallation complete screen, click Next to leave the Wizard.

Important: After you have uninstalled MailChimp, be sure to remove the module distribution package from your web directory.

Enabling and Configuring MailChimp

To begin using the module:

1. Enable the MailChimp module (Settings menu->Modules).

2. Adjust the module settings via General settings/Modules->MailChimp.

• API Key: Enter your API key you received by clicking here.
• Enable Analytics 360 for MailChimp: This setting enables sending information about purchases made by customers who received a newsletter, read it and came to the store.

Note: 'Client is subscribed' and 'Client is unsubscribed' email notifications are available only for cases when clients subscribe to or unsubscribe from a newsletter by themselves. No notification is sent when a client's email address is added to or removed from a mailing list by the store administrator.

3. Click the Save button.

News Lists

Creating news lists

Before you can create any news messages, you need to create one or more news lists to which your customers will subscribe. News lists are categories in which specific news messages are created. The lists are created in the MailChimp control panel.

Examples:
'New Arrivals' could be a good name for a news list intended for messages like 'Newest & hottest products for your Mac' or 'Over 50 new items in Books category'.

'Coupons and Special Offers' could be a good name for a news list intended for messages like '20% off of any order Dec 20 - Jan 1' or 'Buy 2 books - get a 3rd one FREE!'.

For instructions on how to create a news list, consult MailChimp's Knowledge Base:

• How do I create a new list?
• How do I create and import my list?

Importing news lists into X-Cart

After you have configured your MailChimp module and created some news lists in MailChimp, you need to import them to X-Cart. To do that open the Content->MailChimp management page and click the Import button.

After all the news lists have been successfully imported into X-Cart, you will see a confirmation message in the upper right corner of the screen:

Managing news lists

Once news lists are imported from MailChimp you should specify a description for each list.

You can view/modify the details of any news list (rename, edit the description or change the status), as well as delete any news list if you are not going to use it any more.

All the operations on existing news lists can be performed using the controls of the 'News lists' dialog box in the 'MailChimp management' section of the store's back end (Content menu->MailChimp management).

To view/modify the details of a news list

(rename, edit the description or change the news list's 'Available for subscription' status):

1. Open the 'News lists' dialog box.
2. Use the language selector at the top of the 'News lists' dialog box to select the language of the news list which you wish to view/modify. This should produce a list of all the available news lists for the selected language. News lists in other languages will not be displayed.
3. Find the news list whose details you wish to view/modify and click on its name. The details of the news list should be opened in the 'News list details' form.
   
   Note: The language selector in this 'News list details' form should be inactive, as it is not possible to change the language of news lists. Also you cannot change the language of the page, while you are editing a news list.
4. If necessary, edit any of the news list details.
5. Click the Save button to save the changes.

The updated details should be saved. An information box with a confirmation message should appear.

To enable/disable a news list

If you need just to enable/disable a news list, you can do it directly in the 'News lists' dialog box:

1. Open the 'News lists' dialog box.
2. Use the language selector at the top of the 'News lists' dialog box to select the language of the news list(s) whose status(es) you wish to change. This should produce a list of all the available news lists for the selected language.
3. Find the news list(s) whose statuses you wish to change.
4. Select the check boxes in the ACTIVE column for all the news lists that need to be enabled (unselect to disable).
5. Click the Save button to save the changes.

The statuses should be updated. An information box with a confirmation message should appear.

MailChimp vs. News Management

X-Cart's MailChimp and News Management modules are similar in that they are both intended to help you deliver your store's news to subscribers. However, these two modules were not originally designed to be used together. The news campaigns and lists created using MailChimp are not synchronized with those created using X-Cart's News Management module in any way, which may cause confusion for you and your news subscribers. In general, we do not recommend simultaneous use of these two modules. If you expect a large number of subscribers, opt for MailChimp. However, if you still prefer to use both the modules at the same time (for example, to publish news with News Management and to manage subscriptions via MailChimp), please be aware that users who will sign up for your store's news via the "Subscribe" section will be subscribed to MailChimp lists (not News Management lists).