When a user is ready to purchase the items they have added to their shopping cart, they enter the checkout section of the online store. The checkout section is located in the /checkout/ folder. The checkout section is accessed by clicking on the ‘Checkout Now’ button on the shopping cart display page. If the user is not currently logged into the store when they click on the Checkout Now button, they are sent to the checkout start page located at /checkout/checkout_start.php. There are 4 distinct steps (sections) of the checkout process: STEP ONE > Order Checkout Login / Start : During the 1^st step of the checkout process, the user is given option to either login to the store or register for a new account on the checkout start page. [/checkout/checkout_start.php]. An email address is required to continue the ordering (checkout) process. If the customer chooses to register for a new account, they are redirected to Step 2. If the customer enter their login information and successfully authenticates using their email address and password from a previous registration, they are redirected to step. The checkout start page content is managed through the web-based admin. STEP TWO > Customer Registration: If the customer is a new user, they must complete the registration form. [/myaccount/customer_manager.php]. The registration form content is managed through the web-based admin. STEP THREE > Order Options : After the user has registered or logged-in, they are redirected to the order options page. [/checkout/order_options.php] . Alternate delivery address (shipping orders), real-time shipping rates, order gift wrapping and order comments are selected/entered on the order options page. The order options content is managed through the web-based admin. STEP FOUR > Order Review : This is the final step of the checkout process before the order is submitted for processing (i.e. credit card authorization) or the user is redirected to an external payment system (i.e. PayPal). At this stage, the user can review all information about the order including the shipping information, billing information, order items, discounts and order total. If any element of the order is incorrect, the user may click on the incorrect information to edit/modify before submitting the order for processing. Order review page content is controlled through web-based admin. Order Confirmation Page After the customer has submitted their order for processing, they are redirected to the order confirmation page for successful transactions or back to the order options page for unsuccessful transactions. (Note: For PayPal Standard, (and other 3rd party form based checkout providers such as Stripe or 2checkout) the user is directed to the external billing website before the order is actually submitted. With these remote checkout providers, the user will be redirected back to the order confirmation page if the transaction is successful. An automatic order confirmation email will be sent to the customer for a successful order.