shopping cart software - please recommend

Gerry · Mar 18th, 2008, 18:36

shopping cart software - please recommend.

Hey gang,
Can anyone recommend any good shopping cart software, please?

I need something that
- I can buy, one off, that will do it all
- I can easily add to a site (and easily understand)
- Does not need a monthly fee or any costs to continue

I need something that will cope with probably only tens of products to begin with, but something that can grow as the product range increases, but at most possibly into the hundreds.

Does the software take care of dynamic pages of search returns, or product ranges? Or do they need to be built some other way?

Essentially is shopping cart software all that’s needed?

(Payment methods are being looked into separately)

I am not necessarily looking for the cheapest, so any recommendations would be useful please.

Thanks very much for any suggestions, gang.

welshstew · Mar 19th, 2008, 08:06

http://www.oscommerce.com/
http://www.clickcartpro.co.uk/
http://www.cubecart.com/site/home/
http://www.bazaarbuilder.com/
http://www.lynxinternet.com/ecommerce_software.html
https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/we...-intro-outside

dangergeek · Mar 19th, 2008, 08:27

I have used cubecart before. Not sure if its a multiple licence from one purchase but they do do a free version. Very easy to install, it's not amazing but it works OK.

Gerry · Mar 19th, 2008, 20:15

thanks folks,

Apart from a payment method, are they all I would need to make and online shop work?

thanks

dangergeek · Mar 20th, 2008, 08:52

Pretty much.

Install the shopping cart, configure to whatever payment methods you are accepting. Add some products.

And your done

crackafaza · Mar 20th, 2008, 14:34

Hi Gerry!

Can I ask which shopping cart you have chosen, just out of curiosity?

Because I am a big fan of oscommerce, I have used it on a number of jobs, and have never looked back once, and I absolutely dispise cube cart, so I was just wondering which one you are going to use

Cracka

dangergeek · Mar 20th, 2008, 14:53

I've heard loads of bad reports about oscommerce. You saying it's alright cracka? Easy to integrate paymeny methods in to? I could be persuaded to use oscommerce if its actually any good.

crackafaza · Mar 20th, 2008, 15:02

Why what bad reports have you heard?

I have used it on a number of e-commerce websites, and I really don't have anything bad to say about it!

And in my past experiences I would definately suggest it as a e-commerce website!

Cracka

welshstew · Mar 20th, 2008, 15:14

we use oscommerce for one of our sites and can't complain, although we haven't really tried to see what it can do yet. integration into our paypal account was super easy.

we also use lynx internet for our arger site, which lathoguh a great tool is restricited as it still uses tables for some of the layout. we could upgrade this ourselves, but will take us off the upgrade path. a tough choice. again this links into our paypal account very easily.

for our smaller site we use paypal's own shopping cart, it's great for small / easy to manage site with hardly any products.

click cart pro looks like it might be something we investigate more as our smaller site gets bigger, or we diverse into more products.

Gerry · Mar 20th, 2008, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by crackafaza

Hi Gerry!

Can I ask which shopping cart you have chosen, just out of curiosity?

Thanks Cracka,
I havent chose any yet, I'm still looking and comparing.
It would seem that on the face of it, I like the look and features of clickcartpro, however cube cart, lynxinternet, and actinic seem worth some further reading.

I havent had the time yet to compare or read all of their features, so I have probably narrowed it down so far and will look more in depth at those.

What makes it slightly more perplexing (at least on speed reading) is that some look like they are the software you are buying, and thats all you need, but others are single licenses etc, and I need to ensure that what I buy is a one off that I can use, modify etc etc as and when I like in perpetuity and not be tied to any of them (okay, even though I mentioned actinic).

what i now need to figure out is whether someting separate is needed for the client to download details from the database and to update it.

Thanks for all your input so far guys. useful.
cheers

crackafaza · Mar 21st, 2008, 11:48

I no it's your decision at the end of the day, but I would definately decide against CubeCart, I used that once, and was not happy one bit with it, I haven't tried the others you suggested, and may well do in the future, and review them

But, as i suggested above, don't dismiss oscommerce, I suggest that one personally

Cracka

Gerry · Mar 21st, 2008, 13:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by crackafaza

... I would definately decide against CubeCart....

Thanks Cracka. You said in message 6 you despised it. I know its labouring the point but would you mind elaborating a little please. Was it difficult to grasp for example? or difficult to get to work properly?
(remembering that I have never used any of these before so need something I can work easily with and rely on, and need something that can be transferred to the client)

Only I dont want to spend money and find out too late (stating the obvious), so if I could narrow it down through others experiences that would help.

cheers again.

Rob · Mar 21st, 2008, 13:08

I swear by Cactushop....

I have used it on every e-commerce site I've built. It's so easy to configure, and amend and it's strikingly easy to dive into the code if you need to make heavy modification.

The support is first class, and it's admin area a snap. You can do just about everything you want with it, will integrate into just about any payment gateway... will support coupons, 'trade accounts' and you can set up affiliate systems so others can earn money from selling your stuff.

All in all, a cracking cart.

amritrr · Mar 21st, 2008, 13:54

You know it does not really cost that much to get a custom cart designed.

Rob · Mar 21st, 2008, 14:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by amritrr

You know it does not really cost that much to get a custom cart designed.

very true, but usually a lot more than an off the shelf configurable solution.

Gerry · Mar 21st, 2008, 14:08

I think at the moment I feel I would rather have something off the shelf with a proven track record, that I can be confident will do what it needs to.

Thanks for chipping in Rob. I will have a look at that one.
Will it be self explanatory when it comes to relating to the database? or is it self contained? (I need to tell the client whether they need to get something else as well, to download or upload their info - or will that come with the hosting?)
cheers

Corey Bryant · Mar 21st, 2008, 18:51

A few past clients have used MetaLinks and CandyPress. Now Metalinks was very easy to work with. Not many pages at all and could be skinned into any website layout.

With the database, chances are it will be mysql, MSSQL, or MS Access. The two above will work with MSSQL and MS Access. The clients liked the fact that they could easily download the MS Access database at any point. With mysql, you might only be able to access it via myphpadmin.