Checkout is another major VirtueMart module other than the shop module. Though the major data processing is done in the checkout.index.php
file, it comprises quite a number of steps. Each of the steps will have one or more template associated with it. All of these templates are grouped together into the checkout
template group. There are five possible steps in a checkout including the following:
Login/registration
Get shipping address
Get shipping method
Get payment method
Final confirmation
Since each web store may have a different checkout format, not all of these steps are needed in each VirtueMart site. VirtueMart allows you to customize the checkout format but not without restrictions. First of all you need to understand VirtueMart is a Joomla! component. So creating a login in VirtueMart is the same as creating a login in Joomla!. Using VirtueMart 1.0, only shoppers that have a registration in Joomla! can go to checkout. However, this is changed as from Version 1.1 onwards...