| Choosing the best shopping cart solutions for | | | | Yet another soft goods delivery means used by |
| your launch into ecommerce is critical to the | | | | carts is that the software is attached to an |
| success of your online business. If you're | | | | email sent to the customer after a successful |
| wanting to learn more about this sometimes | | | | transaction. This may be suitable for very |
| confusing world, this guide will explain the | | | | small files, but I don't think many ISP's |
| points you should consider before purchasing | | | | would appreciate you sending 20 megabyte |
| a cart. | | | | attachments to a customers inbox - in fact, |
| | | | it would not be possible in many instances. |
| If you're currently in the market for | | | | |
| software or services and would like our | | | | Where will my business be in 6 months time? |
| recommendations, Please check our NextAge | | | | |
| Shopping Cart software at . They have a | | | | Does the package allow for scalability? While |
| Powerful SEO Shopping Cart Script | | | | you may not require bells and buzzers now, as |
| | | | your business grows you may find that your |
| What is a shopping cart? | | | | needs change. The better shopping carts are |
| | | | in a modular format which allow for |
| In a basic definition, it's a series of | | | | scalability with minimum downtime. Be sure to |
| scripts that keep track of items a visitor | | | | check the prices of modules you may need in |
| picks to buy from your site until they | | | | the future. It isn't uncommon for companies |
| proceed to the "checkout". A popular | | | | is to offer the base model for next to |
| misconception is that shopping carts handle | | | | nothing and then to charge like wounded bulls |
| the whole financial transaction, but they | | | | for any upgrades. |
| only really act as a front end which passes | | | | |
| information via a secure connection (another | | | | Is the cart software compatible with my |
| service) to a payment gateway - a separate | | | | payment gateway? |
| service altogether. | | | | |
| | | | There are dozens of different payment |
| The payment gateway service then channels the | | | | gateways which plug into various shopping |
| requests and transfers throughout relevant | | | | cart packages - but perhaps not yours! Before |
| financial networks, including the Internet | | | | purchasing your cart, also review gateway |
| merchant account with your bank. It then | | | | services supported by the software (and also |
| sends back confirmation or denial back to the | | | | make sure that the payment gateway is |
| shopping cart software. For further | | | | compatible with the Internet merchant account |
| information on the "back-end" aspects of | | | | you have with your bank). It can be a bit of |
| ecommerce; The good news is that there are | | | | a challenge getting the cart you want to talk |
| literally hundreds of shopping cart packages | | | | to the gateway service you want and also to |
| available. The bad news is the same as the | | | | your bank! Read our guide to |
| good. Sometimes, too many choices make it | | | | |
| very difficult to make a decision - | | | | What kind of payments are supported by the |
| especially when all companies claim to have | | | | cart? |
| the superior product. I recently experienced | | | | |
| this challenge by reviewing over 130 shopping | | | | Credit card transactions are now a normal |
| cart programs. I hope this article may make | | | | part of our online world. If your shopping |
| your life just a little bit easier! | | | | cart software does not support credit card |
| | | | transactions or if you have not enabled |
| Free or premium shopping carts? | | | | credit card processing, you're in trouble - |
| | | | you may as well just close up shop! |
| It's very important before you begin | | | | |
| reviewing software and services to be to be | | | | There are still some customers who will |
| very specific in what you actually want the | | | | refuse to use a credit card over the |
| cart to be able to do. It may be that you | | | | Internet, so you will need to be able to |
| really don't require all the bells and | | | | offer other forms of payment - e.g. money |
| buzzers offered by high end packages - if | | | | orders, echecks etc. |
| this is the case, then a good package will | | | | |
| cost around the $US150 mark. Some companies | | | | What about disaster planning? |
| offer free shopping carts, but bear in mind | | | | |
| that nothing in this world is truly free - | | | | A good shopping cart application will have |
| read the fine print. | | | | excellent support for backing up files and |
| | | | allowing for export into a variety of |
| Free ecommerce solutions | | | | formats. Flexible exporting functions will |
| | | | also be of value in the future should you |
| One of the best free ecommerce solutions | | | | need to change carts and wish to import |
| around is Paypal, which integrates basic | | | | existing data into a new application. If |
| shopping cart functions with a payment | | | | you're currently in the market for software |
| gateway and merchant account - funds are paid | | | | or services and would like our |
| to you via check or through direct deposit. | | | | recommendations, Please check our NextAge |
| Paypal is an excellent way to begin in | | | | Shopping Cart software at . They have a |
| ecommerce and is very widely accepted around | | | | Powerful SEO Shopping Cart Script |
| the world. | | | | |
| | | | What level of support will I need and |
| You only pay a small percentage of each sale | | | | receive? |
| and there are no monthly fees or setup costs, | | | | |
| plus you receive free fraud protection - no | | | | All shopping cart providers will tell you |
| chargeback fees to worry about. Paypal also | | | | that their software is simple to install and |
| offers web developers a wide variety of easy | | | | configure. Few will be actually correct in |
| to use tools to assist with rapid | | | | making that statement. If you don't have the |
| implementation. | | | | technical expertise to configure your |
| | | | shopping cart, get quotes from the company or |
| What other features do shopping carts have? | | | | a third party contractor to undertake this |
| | | | work for you. |
| Shopping cart software has come a long way in | | | | |
| recent years, and many packages are so | | | | Test out the support system by sending a |
| advanced that they are in effect entire store | | | | query to the sales department - if they don't |
| fronts. Some integrated elements of benefit | | | | respond quickly this is usually a good |
| to your online business you may wish to | | | | indicator that after sales support will be |
| consider include: | | | | even worse! |
| | | | |
| Suggest sell/cross selling functions | | | | Also, read the fine print before parting with |
| | | | your hard earned cash - you may find that |
| Just as in the physical world, impulse buying | | | | technical support will be charged out per |
| via the Internet is quite common. Some | | | | incident. |
| shopping carts will suggest another product | | | | |
| to complement a customers current selection. | | | | Some shopping cart software companies also |
| If offered at a discount rate, this strategy | | | | offer user forums as part of their service. |
| proves quite successful. | | | | This is an excellent bonus. If you are having |
| | | | problems with setting up your scripts, no |
| Quantity discounts/coupons | | | | doubt someone else has experienced the same |
| | | | issues and may be willing to help you out. |
| Many shopping carts now allow for the | | | | |
| calculation of discount rates based on the | | | | Be sure to review the company's "bug" policy; |
| number of units a customer wishes to | | | | i.e. if a error in the software is fixed and |
| purchase. Coupon functions allow you to issue | | | | an updated version is released, will you be |
| special offers as part of your marketing | | | | entitled to recieve that upgrade or patch at |
| campaigns. Usually, prospective clients are | | | | no cost. |
| given special codes that are matched against | | | | |
| a particular item or overall discount rate. | | | | While I am all for supporting the solo |
| | | | programmers, a shopping cart is so crucial |
| Autoresponders | | | | that it may not be wise to purchase a product |
| | | | from a one-man operation as customer support |
| If you follow up all your clients with | | | | may not be efficient. If you're currently in |
| regular email offers, you may want to | | | | the market for software or services and would |
| consider shopping cart software that has | | | | like our recommendations, Please check our |
| integrated autoresponder capabilities - this | | | | NextAge Shopping Cart software at . They |
| will streamline your operations and can be | | | | have a Powerful SEO Shopping Cart Script |
| used for maintaining other contact lists as | | | | |
| well. Why buy two pieces of software when you | | | | Remotely or locally hosted shopping cart? |
| can get them rolled into one? | | | | |
| | | | Some shopping cart programs can be purchased |
| Affiliate modules | | | | as stand alone programs or as pay per month |
| | | | services hosted on another companies' server. |
| One of the most effective, low cost ways to | | | | Remotely hosted options usually allow for |
| advertise your product is through an | | | | extensive customization of pages to fit in |
| affiliate program. Your outlay is minimal if | | | | with your sites look and feel. |
| you only pay on performance; i.e. sales | | | | |
| generated. An affiliate module can handle the | | | | Remote hosting advantages |
| signup process, provide statistics, | | | | |
| streamline communications and keep track of | | | | Fast implementation, secure connection |
| payments to be made to affiliates. | | | | supplied, monitoring of service and usually |
| | | | many other features are offered as part of |
| Other features commonly incorporated into | | | | the service. Because the cart is actually |
| carts include inventory tracking, sales tax | | | | hosted on another server, you can also save |
| calculation and stationery creation | | | | on bandwidth charges - especially if your |
| management. | | | | products are soft goods and delivered online. |
| | | | |
| There's a number of questions you'll want to | | | | Some remotely hosted shopping carts are in |
| ask yourself when compiling a shopping cart | | | | effect total marketing solutions, containing |
| wish list: | | | | options to run affiliate programs and the |
| | | | ability to send sequential pre-defined |
| What kind of shopping cart does my hosting | | | | messages to clients and leads. Some of these |
| service support? | | | | services are excellent for people 'testing |
| | | | the water' as they also include gateway |
| Shopping cart scripts are written in many | | | | services and even an Internet merchant |
| different coding formats - PERL, PHP, ASP | | | | account! |
| just to name a few. Be sure to check with | | | | |
| your host before purchasing a program. If | | | | If you are looking for features without |
| you're currently in the market for software | | | | needing to spending thousands of dollars up |
| or services and would like our | | | | front, remotely hosted may be the way to go. |
| recommendations, Please check our NextAge | | | | Plan on spending at least US$60 per month for |
| Shopping Cart software at . They have a | | | | these kinds of services. Compare prices |
| Powerful SEO Shopping Cart Script | | | | carefully - I have seen one company charge |
| | | | US$200 a month for the same service provided |
| What is my budget? | | | | by another for $US59 per month. Remember, |
| | | | this added recurring expense will need to be |
| It's easy to blow your budget on a | | | | taken into account when establishing a price |
| turbo-charged shopping cart only to find that | | | | level for your products and services. |
| there were a number of other critical items | | | | |
| you didn't factor in - like a payment | | | | Remote hosting disadvantages |
| gateway, or the fact that the cart software | | | | |
| may be so complex that you need to hire | | | | What happens if the company goes belly up |
| somebody else to assist in implementation! | | | | overnight? Remote hosting also tends to give |
| | | | you less control over how cart pages display. |
| What kind of delivery mechanisms will I | | | | If you are going to use a remotely hosted |
| require? | | | | service, check the company history carefully. |
| | | | Some operators have also been known to |
| If you are selling hard goods that need | | | | 'harvest' your client databases for spamming |
| shipping, choice of cart is a little easier | | | | purposes. |
| as this is a standard function. Many carts | | | | |
| also offer customers the ability to calculate | | | | Local hosting advantages |
| different shipping options. If you are | | | | |
| trading in soft goods such as software and | | | | Total control over the software, no ongoing |
| want to make delivery available online | | | | fees. |
| immediately, you'll need to carefully compare | | | | |
| carts. | | | | Local hosting disadvantages |
| | | | |
| As an example, some shopping carts that are | | | | Time spent in installation, configuration and |
| capable of delivering goods online redirect | | | | maintenance, greater initial outlay, requires |
| customers to a static download page after a | | | | SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to be enabled on |
| successful transaction. This isn't a good | | | | your site which usually incurs an extra |
| idea as the customer (and his/her friends) | | | | charge per month. |
| are able to return to the page to download | | | | |
| again and again. A better equipped shopping | | | | As you can see, there is a lot to consider |
| cart will only provide customers with a | | | | before purchasing shopping cart software or |
| temporary URL, that will be unique to that | | | | services. It is very important to remember |
| customer and may only be available for a few | | | | that the shopping cart is only one part of |
| hours after purchase before it is deleted. | | | | your ecommerce arsenal. Without an effective |
| | | | payment gateway and Internet merchant account |
| Another strategy employed by some carts for | | | | (sometimes these are combined), the cart is |
| soft goods online delivery is to use a static | | | | useless. |
| URL for downloading, but scripting is | | | | |
| implemented to ensure the visitor to the page | | | | Don't rush your decision to purchase based on |
| has come via the shopping cart after a | | | | marketing hype - the future of your business |
| successful transaction has occurred. | | | | is at stake! |
| | | | |