Ecommerce...Getting Started

cormcg01 · Feb 10th, 2008, 15:07

I have many clients that currently use PayPal...for a couple reasons. First, it was easy for me as a new designer to just enter the information into PayPal and have them generate the code that I would copy and paste into Dreamweaver. Second...the cost. My clients wanted to avoid having to spend a bunch of money in order to sell their products online.

But now, some of my clients are requesting more advanced options that PayPal doesn't offer. For example...More shipping options and inventory control. And most of the products that my clients sell need to have multiple options (color, size, scent, etc.). PayPal allows these options but the limit is 2 different options. I have done so much research and read about tons of different carts. Zen Cart, Volusion, King Cart, Oscommerce...and the list could go on and on. I thought Oscommerce was a great option but I want more freedom when it comes to the look of the site. I know it's possible to change the look but that is WAY over my head.

Ideally this is what I would like....the freedom to design the site how I want and then add the code (add to cart button) directly to my existing site. Is there such a cart that has a control panel that will manage all the products but will allow me to just plug in the code on my site where it's needed?

I really want to offer my clients a great ecommerce solution but I am CLUELESS on what cart to use. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Corrie

Ed · Feb 10th, 2008, 18:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by cormcg01

I have many clients that currently use PayPal...for a couple reasons. First, it was easy for me as a new designer to just enter the information into PayPal and have them generate the code that I would copy and paste into Dreamweaver. Second...the cost. My clients wanted to avoid having to spend a bunch of money in order to sell their products online.

But now, some of my clients are requesting more advanced options that PayPal doesn't offer. For example...More shipping options and inventory control. And most of the products that my clients sell need to have multiple options (color, size, scent, etc.). PayPal allows these options but the limit is 2 different options. I have done so much research and read about tons of different carts. Zen Cart, Volusion, King Cart, Oscommerce...and the list could go on and on. I thought Oscommerce was a great option but I want more freedom when it comes to the look of the site. I know it's possible to change the look but that is WAY over my head.

Ideally this is what I would like....the freedom to design the site how I want and then add the code (add to cart button) directly to my existing site. Is there such a cart that has a control panel that will manage all the products but will allow me to just plug in the code on my site where it's needed?

I really want to offer my clients a great ecommerce solution but I am CLUELESS on what cart to use. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Corrie

Unfortunately, you've mentioned some of the easiest solutions above. What you are looking for is some miracle piece of kit!

However, I have heard great things about a piece of software that's free, and not mentioned above. Apparently, it's the easiest to customize.

If this doesn't suit your needs, then I don't think anything will.

Cube Cart

Thanks,
Ed.

Corey Bryant · Feb 10th, 2008, 19:11

Shopping carts should control the inventory / shipping charges. Depending on your level of knowledge, most carts can be skinned to almost any layout - some easier than others.

As far as Paypal, there are a few options depending on where the merchant is located. They offer the IPSP (Internet Payment Service Provider) or 3PP (third party processor). And they offer an electronic payment gateway (Payflow) which would require a merchant account as well.

How Does a Credit Card Transaction Get Processed might help explain a bit more.

Some more electronic payment gateways that you probably have heard of are LinkPoint / YourPay, Authorize.net / Cybersource, and Protx. 2CO is another example of an IPSP (but their business model is a bit different to help circumvent the card associations regulations).

If the merchant is in the United States, there are hundreds of possibilities for them and thousands of ways to get those possibilities.

CandyPress and Comersus are ASP / .NET versions if you are familiar with that code. Comersus was fairly easy to skin a couple of years ago. There is also an ASP cart from Metalinks.com that is really easy to skin and comes with some basic options.

Lchad · Feb 10th, 2008, 19:54

When I need to use more options than what Paypal allows I go directly to http://www.mals-e.com/home.phpThey have the no cost cart which I have found is enough for most of my clients. They also have a fee based cart that offers more.

Mal's offers checkout via many credit card companies as well as paypal. You can customize your html buttons as you need. They have a support forum where people are helpful, but this page has so many html button solutions that you can usually adapt one of those to work for any cart. The html buttons are a little tricky to get working at first, (when you are customizing them instead of having paypal make them for you automatically) but you seem like someone that can figure it out.

I think this is what you are looking for.

cormcg01 · Feb 10th, 2008, 20:35

Thank you to those that have responsed!

I'm not sure if my first email came across well enough stating that I am CLUELESS. When someone starts talking in letters (ASP, PHP)

I get completely lost. I'm praying for a time when those letters make sense to me. Ha!

The carts that I mentioned looking at seem great but since I don't have the knowledge base I wasn't sure which place to start. I know I'm going to have to dig in...do some research and lots of learning no matter which route I go. That's why I was looking for some advice before I got started. Just didn't know if there were certain carts that you found were better. I would hate to waste my time learning how to use Cart XYZ and learn later that most found it horrible. Ya know?

I've heard good things about Volusion. Does anyone have experience with them? If so, would I have complete control of the web site design or would I have to use one of their designs / templates?

cormcg01 · Feb 10th, 2008, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vivara

Unfortunately, you've mentioned some of the easiest solutions above. What you are looking for is some miracle piece of kit!

However, I have heard great things about a piece of software that's free, and not mentioned above. Apparently, it's the easiest to customize.

If this doesn't suit your needs, then I don't think anything will.

Cube Cart

Thanks,
Ed.

Hi Ed, Thanks for the response. Do you mean that I am basically asking for the moon if I want a cart to do all those things? Sorry...just wanted to clarify. Or do you mean that the carts I mentioned in my post do all those things so I should go with one of them?

Ed · Feb 10th, 2008, 20:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by cormcg01

...Ideally this is what I would like....the freedom to design the site how I want and then add the code (add to cart button) directly to my existing site. Is there such a cart that has a control panel that will manage all the products but will allow me to just plug in the code on my site where it's needed?

...I really want to offer my clients a great ecommerce solution...

I think what I meant was that if you find something as described above, it would be a miracle!

The easiest (as far as I've heard) is Cube Cart. The easiest to install, and to customize. It apparently doesn't get any easier than this.

I haven't heard of Volusion, so I can't comment.

Ed.

Lchad · Feb 10th, 2008, 21:56

Geesh did you NOT read my post?

What am I invisible.

If you don't have the ASP or PHP knowledge just use the cart that's already built. You don't need any of those carts you mentioned.

I have a client that used Volusion and did not like it at all. As far as I know, Volusion allows you customize the the header, footer and a few other aspects but not the entire thing.

That's why I suggest making a website, and using the mals cart for checkout.

Ed · Feb 10th, 2008, 22:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lchad

Geesh did you NOT read my post?

What am I invisible.

If you don't have the ASP or PHP knowledge just use the cart that's already built. You don't need any of those carts you mentioned.

I have a client that used Volusion and did not like it at all. As far as I know, Volusion allows you customize the the header, footer and a few other aspects but not the entire thing.

That's why I suggest making a website, and using the mals cart for checkout.

Are you talking to me Linda? I hope not.

cormcg01 · Feb 10th, 2008, 22:07

Thanks for the post Lchad.

I greatly appreciate the advice.

cormcg01 · Feb 10th, 2008, 22:13

I think that post was for me. I think.

Lchad · Feb 10th, 2008, 23:54

Yes that post was for cormcg01. I feel better now that I've been heard!

Volusion · Feb 11th, 2008, 15:33

Our shopping cart allows you to import products via CSV and manage from an admin area. You get full html and ftp access to change the look and feel of the site.

We do not give access to the full source code, but considering you did not want to go knee deep with OSCommerce, this might not be a bad thing.

Corey's article on merchant accounts should be able to help you. We have our own merchant account services, but our cart integrates with many other payment gateways.

I hope this was helpful to you. If you have any further questions, please visit our website and give one of our ecommerce consultants a call.

CandyMan · Feb 26th, 2008, 11:55

If you wanna cart that you can integrate into an existing site, then take a look at Avactis shopping cart. (You can download the free limited demo and play with it) It's made right that way. It consists of modules. So when I needed some part of the storefront to display on another page I just added the corresponding PHP tag into the right place, and it worked. I could also change the look of separate categories. It's also possible to change a single product's template, but I just didn't need it. So I guess it may fit your needs

Here's another helpful link: http://www.shopping-cart-reviews.com/

danny322 · Feb 29th, 2008, 11:50

hey candyman i had a look at avactis, it looks preety good, a lot less complicated than oscommerce! I like the way u can just move the php tags around to display certain content etc. VPASP works in the same way.