WHAT IS A SHOPPING CART ?

Firstly, what is a shopping cart? In a basic definition, it's a series of scripts that keep track of items a visitor picks to buy from your site until they proceed to the "checkout". A popular misconception is that shopping carts handle the whole financial transaction, but they only really act as a front end which passes information via a secure connection (another service) to a payment gateway - a separate service altogether

The payment gateway service then channels the requests and transfers throughout relevant financial networks, including the Internet merchant account with your bank. It then sends back confirmation or denial back to the shopping cart application.

Free or fee?

It's very important before you begin reviewing packages to be to be very specific in what you actually want the cart to be able to do. It may be that you really don't require all the bells and buzzers offered by high end packages - if this is the case, then a good package will cost around the $US150 mark. Some companies offer free shopping carts, but bear in mind that nothing in this world is truly free - read the fine print. 

Free ecommerce solutions

One of the best free ecommerce solutions around is Paypal, which integrates basic shopping cart functions with a payment gateway and merchant account - funds are paid to you via check or through direct deposit. 

The only drawback with using Paypal as an ecommerce solution is that your customers must be Paypal account holders - but they become account holders by purchasing from you - the sign-up process is integrated into the checkout process. Paypal is an excellent way to begin in ecommerce and is very widely accepted around the world. 

You only pay a small percentage of each sale and there are no monthly fees or setup costs, plus you receive free fraud protection - no chargeback fees to worry about. Paypal also offers web developers a wide variety of easy to use tools to assist with rapid implementation.

What other features do shopping carts have?

Shopping cart software has come a long way in recent years, and many packages are so advanced that they are in effect entire store fronts. Some integrated elements of benefit to your online business you may wish to consider include:

Suggest sell/cross selling functions

Just as in the physical world, impulse buying via the Internet is quite common. Some shopping carts will suggest another product to complement a customers current selection. If offered at a discount rate, this strategy proves quite successful.

Quantity discounts/coupons

Many shopping carts now allow for the calculation of discount rates based on the number of units a customer wishes to purchase. Coupon functions allow you to issue special offers as part of your marketing campaigns. Usually, prospective clients are given special codes that are matched against a particular item or overall discount rate.

Autoresponders 

If you follow up all your clients with regular email offers, you may want to consider a shopping cart application that has integrated autoresponder capabilities - this will streamline your operations and can be used for maintaining other contact lists as well. Why buy two pieces of software when you can get them rolled into one?

Affiliate modules 

One of the most effective, low cost ways to advertise your product is through an affiliate program. Your outlay is minimal if you only pay on performance; i.e. sales generated. An affiliate module can handle the signup process, provide statistics, streamline communications and keep track of payments to be made to affiliates.

Other features commonly incorporated into carts include inventory tracking, sales tax calculation and stationery creation/management.


There's a number of questions you'll want to ask yourself when compiling a shopping cart wish list:

- What kind of cart does my hosting service support?

Shopping cart scripts are written in many different coding formats - PERL, PHP, ASP just to name a few. Be sure to check with your host before purchasing a program.

- What is my budget?

It's easy to blow your budget on a turbo-charged shopping cart only to find that there were a number of other critical items you didn't factor in - like a payment gateway, or the fact that the cart software may be so complex that you need to hire somebody else to assist in implementation!

- What kind of delivery mechanisms will I require?

If you are selling hard goods that need shipping, choice of cart is a little easier as this is a standard function. Many carts also offer customers the ability to calculate different shipping options. If you are trading in soft goods such as software and want to make delivery available online immediately, you'll need to carefully compare carts. 

As an example, some shopping carts that are capable of delivering goods online redirect customers to a static download page after a successful transaction. This isn't a good idea as the customer (and his/her friends) are able to return to the page to download again and again. A better equipped shopping cart will only provide customers with a temporary URL, that will be unique to that customer and may only be available for a few hours after purchase before it is deleted. 

Another strategy employed by some carts for soft goods online delivery is to use a static URL for downloading, but scripting is implemented to ensure the visitor to the page has come via the shopping cart after a successful transaction has occurred.

Yet another soft goods delivery means used by carts is that the software is attached to an email sent to the customer after a successful transaction. This may be suitable for very small files, but I don't think many ISP's would appreciate you sending 20 megabyte attachments to a customers inbox - in fact, it would not be possible in many instances.

- Where will my business be in 6 months time?

Does the package allow for scalability? While you may not require bells and buzzers now, as your business grows you may find that your needs change. The better shopping carts are in a modular format which allow for scalability with minimum downtime. Be sure to check the prices of modules you may need in the future. It isn't uncommon for companies is to offer the base model for next to nothing and then to charge like wounded bulls for any upgrades.

- Is the package compatible with my payment gateway?

There are dozens of different payment gateways which plug into various shopping cart packages - but perhaps not yours! Before purchasing your cart, also review gateway services supported by the software (and also make sure that the payment gateway is compatible with the Internet merchant account you have with your bank). It can be a bit of a challenge getting the cart you want to talk to the gateway service you want and also to your bank! 

- What kind of payments are supported by the cart?

Credit card transactions are now a normal part of our online world. If your shopping cart does not support credit card transactions or if you have not enabled credit card processing, you're in trouble - you may as well just close up shop! 

But believe it or not, there are still some customers who will refuse to use a credit card over the Internet, so you will need to be able to offer other forms of payment - e.g. money orders, cheques etc.

- What about disaster planning?

A good shopping cart application will have excellent support for backing up files and allowing for export into a variety of formats. Flexible exporting functions will also be of value in the future should you need to change carts and wish to import existing data into a new application.

- What level of support will I need and receive?

All shopping cart companies will tell you that their software is simple to install and configure. Few will be actually correct in making that statement. If you don't have the technical expertise to configure your shopping cart, get quotes from the company or a third party contractor to undertake this work for you.

Test out the support system by sending a query to the sales department - if they don't respond quickly this is usually a good indicator that after sales support will be even worse! 

Also, read the fine print before parting with your hard earned cash - you may find that technical support will be charged out per incident.

Some shopping cart software companies also offer user forums as part of their service. This is an excellent bonus. If you are having problems with setting up your scripts, no doubt someone else has experienced the same issues and may be willing to help you out.

Be sure to review the company's "bug" policy; i.e. if a error in the software is fixed and an updated version is released, will you be entitled to recieve that upgrade or patch at no cost. 

While I am all for supporting the solo programmers, a shopping cart is so crucial that it may not be wise to purchase a product from a one-man operation as customer support may not be efficient.

- Remotely or locally hosted?

Some shopping cart programs can be purchased as stand alone programs or as pay per month services hosted on another companies' server. Remotely hosted options usually allow for extensive customisation of pages to fit in with your sites look and feel. 

Remotely hosted versus locally hosted Shopping Carts

Remote hosting advantages - Fast implementation, secure connection supplied, monitoring of service and usually many other features are offered as part of the service. Because the cart is actually hosted on another server, you can also save on bandwidth charges - especially if your products are soft goods and delivered online.

Some remotely hosted shopping carts are in effect total marketing solutions, containing options to run affiliate programs and the ability to send sequential pre-defined messages to clients and leads. Some of these services are excellent for people 'testing the water' as they also include gateway services and even an Internet merchant account! If you are looking for features without needing to spending thousands of dollars up front, remotely hosted may be the way to go. Plan on spending at least US$60 per month for these kinds of services. Compare prices carefully - I have seen one company charge US$200 a month for the same service provided by another for $US59 per month. Remember, this added recurring expense will need to be taken into account when establishing a price level for your products and services.

Remote hosting disadvantages - What happens if the company goes belly up overnight? Remote hosting also tends to give you less control over how cart pages display. If you are going to use a remotely hosted service, check the company history carefully. Some operators have also been known to 'harvest' your client databases for spamming purposes.

Local hosting advantages - Total control over the software, no ongoing fees.

Local hosting disadvantages - Time spent in installation, configuration and maintenance, greater initial outlay, requires SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to be enabled on your site which usually incurs an extra charge per month.

As you can see, there is a lot to consider before purchasing a shopping cart. It is very important to remember that the shopping cart is only one part of your ecommerce arsenal. Without an effective payment gateway and Internet merchant account (sometimes these are combined), the cart is useless.

Don't rush your decision to purchase based on marketing hype - the future of your business is at stake!

If you would like to view some of our ecommerce/shopping cart solutions recommendations based on many hours of research, please view the following - our review contains, free, entry level and enterprise strength solutions:

This shopping cart solution that we can personally recommend having utilized it on a web site project that required many features. Our client needed a total shopping cart and marketing solution, complete with affiliate program features. To have an application built from the ground up would have cost over 100 thousand dollars, but the Marketers Choice cart package from 1shoppingcart rates start from as little as $19 a month. Similar shopping cart solutions that we came across cost triple the amount and had less features.

Marketers Choice from 1shoppingcart is extremely easy to configure and use and the team at 1shoppingcart are constantly adding new features, at no extra cost to their clients. It was definitely the service that stood out from all of the other shopping carts we carried out reviews on. Our client is extremely happy with the service and the customer support provided by the company has been nothing short of excellent.  

This is truly a tightly integrated ecommerce and web marketing package, without the huge price tag that often accompanies software solutions and services of comparable quality! 

VP-ASP

VP-ASP would have to be one of the best value solutions around if you wish to take full control of your shopping cart software by hosting it entirely on your site (but they also offer remote hosting options). This full ecommerce and marketing solution offers amongst its features:
 

• Unlimited products, categories and subcategories 

• Digital delivery of soft goods

• Generates sales, stock, affiliate and many other reports

• Extensive credit card processing gateway support, checks etc.

• Browser based administration of your store

• Automatic notification of sales and other activities

• Order tracking- customer and merchant order tracking (great time saver)

• Affiliate program module - registration, commission reports, status review 

• Discounts, coupons and gift certificates supported

• Stock control- temporarily remove stock from display or display out of stock message. Decrement on purchase 

• Full documentation - Merchant only document plus a developer guide, install guide and Option Package guide 

• Tax issues - full international taxing capabilities

• US, Canada and UK shipping modules included

• Full customization to suit any existing web site

• Hyperlinks allow you to add to cart, search, login, display categories of product or a specific product and more 

• VP-ASP can create your entire site - no other software necessary.

• Security at all levels

• Databases - Access, SQL Server, MYSQL 

• Total control over product formatting

• Beautiful graphics - for buttons and navigation supplied. 

• Image upload - for products and categories 

• Excellent exporting functions

• Multiple currency support 

And all this for around US$175, the lite version of the software is only US$135 but contains many of these features. VP-ASP offers a trial version download to allow you to get a real feel for the product. Customer support is amazing (my queries were answered within an hour, and by staff who knew not only the product, but ecommerce generally) and the team is open to product suggestions for further improving the software.

Click here to view VP-ASP's comprehensive shopping carts  and get your free trial copy today!

2checkout.com - 3rd party credit card processor

Shopping cart and merchant account combined -click here to learn more

• No Application Fees
• No Monthly, Statement or Gateway fees
• No Leases or term contracts to tie you down learn more
• Low Account Setup Fee 
• Low Transaction Fees
• 30 Day Money Back Guarantee
• No maximum or minimum sale levels
• Secure Server online payments learn more
• FREE Direct Deposit of Funds into ANY US Bank Account
• FREE Check Payment or Low Cost Wire to Non US Bank Accounts
• FREE Shopping Cart included! learn more
• FREE Technical Support and Client Care!
• No Equipment or Software Needed!!
• Accept All 4 Major Credit Cards Instantly!
• Accept Credit Cards 24 - 7
• Accept online credit card payments from anywhere in the world.
• Shopping Cart can be hosted locally or remotely at no extra cost.
• Sell Products or Services, hardgoods and softgoods.
• Recurring billing supported for memberships!
• Works with Existing Shopping Carts
• Instant Sales Notification!
• Great for Simple or Complex Sites learn more
• Comprehensive Account Management Tools

Over US$ 26 million dollars in online sales processed so far in 2002! Start accepting credit card payments online today at the best prices! Click here to learn more

ClickBank

Only US$49.95 account setup fee, and no further monthly fees. An excellent choice for those who are selling 1-50 software products (ebooks, subscriptions, programs, etc.) No merchant account or third party gateway processor required and all transactions are insured. Simple to set up and a well established company - Click here to review ClickBanks offering

Ask Questions

Q: How does the shopping cart software provide order details?

There should be a way to ensure that confirmation is sent to customers once they make an order and that you are provided with a message that indicates when an order is made.

Q: How long has the provider been around and have they developed a solid customer base?

Be sure to go with a provider that has been around for a number of years and has developed a solid customer base. If it is at risk of shutting down, support and upgrades will not be available in future, and you may need to switch to a different shopping cart solution in the future, which means you will incur additional costs.

Q: Does the solution have a method by which to calculate taxes and shipping?

An important component of shopping cart solutions is their ability to calculate shipping, handling and tax costs automatically. Ensure you obtain a solution that can specify shipping charges for international shipments and also collect taxes from all regions, not just one.

Q: Does the solution offer more than one payment option?

Although the credit card is the most popular way to purchase online, there are many consumers who prefer to pay using alternative methods. In order to maximize your sales your site should be capable of accepting orders through various payments methods such as digital cash.

Q: What kind of security features does the solution provide?

Important to online success is security. Not only should the credit card information be encrypted as it passes from the customer site to the merchant site, but it should also be stored in a secure environment so unauthorized parties can not access it.

Q: Does the solution enable connection to legacy systems i.e. inventory system?

Although not absolutely necessary starting off, it is beneficial to consider connecting your shopping cart solution to your inventory system so you can keep track of the number of items in stock and prevent overselling your inventory.

Q: What administration functions does the solution provide?

An important administrative tool is being able to make changes to your site as needed, including adding new products or making changes to existing products online. The method used for accessing and administering the store is essential to consider. For instance, some packages require that changes be made offline and then uploaded to the server. Try to avoid this option. Alternatively, find a package that will allow your store to be updated online from any Internet connected PC.

Q: What kind of reporting tools does the solution provide?

To determine if you are meeting your site objectives and to help you make decisions about the effectiveness of your store's design and product offerings, it is important to ensure your solution includes reporting capabilities.

Q: Do you offer a trial period for your software?

Many storefront solutions offer merchants the ability to download software for a trial period. This is highly recommended before you purchase.

Q: What kind of support do you provide?

Evaluate the support given by the provider. Regardless of your technical skills, you should ensure there is a high level of customer service.

Q: Do you provide more than one shopping cart solution?

Be sure to go with a provider that offers more than one shopping cart solution to ensure you get the best one for your business.

Q: Does the shopping cart work well with all browsers?

Not all shopping carts work well with every type of browser, so it is important to consider this when selecting a solution.

Some other shopping cart systems you may want to investigate include:

PerlShop
Cart-It
QuickStore
ShopSite
PDG Cart
The Exchange Project

Several of the shopping carts listed above are free, others cost several hundred dollars. It's just a matter of matching your needs and technical abilities with the software. CGI Resources is the home of a number of Perl-written shopping cart scripts that you can implement on your site.

(c) Michael Bloch
Taming the Beast
http://www.tamingthebeast.net  
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