Searching for a good hosted shopping cart solution

[estoreseeker]

Hi,
I am newbies here entering into e-world. I am a small businessman, dealing in gifts, jewelry, and watches. I have a catalog of around 700-800 products. I am looking for a good hosted shopping cart solution. It must facilitate,
catalog management, online shopping cart, support for all online payment methods, customer management, sales notification information system, , product inventory, easy to maintain administrative panel, professional look of website.
I heard about hosted shopping cart solution particularly monster commerce and b2bparadise, but i am confused, i think such type of solution provides little flexibility.
Anyone out there?
Cheers.
estoreseeker

[Connie]

Hi estoreseeker and welome. :hi:

Whether you can find a hosted cart that meets your needs will depend on what you need. Based on your product line, I think you will probably need more features than a lot of e-commerece sites. Since your just starting out you may or may not know all the features you need.

Personally I would hate to invest the time in setting up a store that large on a hosted server, and then have to move it later for whatever reason. You discover you need features that you had not thought of. Poor customer service ect.

Shopping carts are not that expensive and you only pay once rather than monthly. The advantage to your own cart is you can modify most of them to meet your needs even if they don't have everthing you need out of the box.

[iTISTIC]

What Connie says is very true, however if you are not a developer then modifying a shopping cart system you may purchase may end up costing you quite a bit in the long run. The shopping cart software I sell to my clients is $500 just for the license. This software is developed by a 3rd party, but the company is great, and I saw no reason to re-invent the wheel for my clients. And plus, it is completely customizable and comes with the entire source code which is great for me as a developer.

My whole point of this is to just show that with the cost of the shopping cart software, labor setting it up and instructing my client on how to operate it, and designing the site that wraps around it, you're easily looking at $2000, and that's at the low end. However, with 700+ products, you don't want to have to set a site up twice, so this may be a smart move for you.

There are a few different hosted shopping cart solutions that I am aware of, but have never used, such as eBay stores, Yahoo's store service, etc. These charge a minute monthly fee depending on the # of products and features you desire, and are generally a LOT cheaper. The con is that they are virtually un-customizable.

It all depends on what is important to you. If it were my store, I'd set up a subset of my products on one of the hosted solutions (such as Yahoo, eBay stores, or others) and see how it works. You can always cancel. If after trying a few of these you are not happy, then go for software you can customize. I'd be glad to help you.

[Dave Hawley]

Many hosts have free shopping cart software that you can use in a WYSIWYG fashion. Might be a good way to get you feet wet?

[Connie]

I have seen this question asked on 4 other forums today. Doesn't make me want to help him to much now.

[Dave Hawley]

Thanks for the heads up Connie. Cross posters are always inconsiderate. Bit like ringing 10 free taxis companies (if there were such a thing) and jumping in the first to arrive nad not bothering to let the other 9 know.

[Connie]

Dave,

My feelings exactly.

If someone ask a question, and in a couple of days don't get the answer there looking for, then IMO they should re-ask in another forum.

But just to start posting the same question within an hour on several different forums is bad manners in IMO. Not exactly Spam but close to it IMO.

They don't realize that a lot of us frequent various leading forums.

What bothers me the most is very seldom do I see them making any comments in regard to any responses to their request for help.

I saw 4 post. I wander how many he/she actually made today?

[estoreseeker]

Halo again,
I got the point when it was highlighted with the example of taxis….! And I do apologize to my dear friends if I’ve done the right thing in wrong manner.
My friends must be well aware about the confusions when it comes to the business decisions. & also they are to be made in a limited time span. And besides that; when I had mentioned about my being a newbies, it was well intentioned. Anyways….thanks Connie for your suggestions and I’ll remind you here when u had said it yourself that as I’m a beginner I may not know all the features and things I need.
And yes I have also heard about the problems with the ebay & yahoo store mentioned above. And it did nothing but confused me more. Although I’ve just got the demo from the b2bparadise and am looking if can give me the options I need. For now I can say that I seems nice enough to me to start with. Can u people suggest me the other options as well. And I do want to know what should be the criteria I should apply and also pros and cons of the available-shopping carts solutions if anyone has used them already. Thanks in advance,
Waiting for the suggestions
Estoreseeker

[Connie]

estoreseeker,

Glad Dave gave an example, that helped you understand my response. I understand someone new to all this may not know the best way to get the help he needs.

I have read the few responses that you got in a couple of the other forums. Seems to me everyone suggested pretty much the same thing that I did. Only some of them expressed it a little better. I think the majority who actually understood your question suggested getting your own cart.

I and many others can point out the pros and cons of havening your own cart verses a hosted cart. But can't really give you recommendations because we don't use them.

I'm sure if you do a Google search for hosted shopping carts you can find a lot to look at. When looking at a cart I would also see if they had a forum. Another thing is to e-mail their support with specific questions and see what kind of response you get. That could be an indication of what kind of customer service they have.

Also you might PM Doug (user name ihelpyou ) I know at one time he was havening a cart developed that would be very robust. And I think it was going to be a hosted solution. Haven't heard anything about it in for awhile so can't tell you anymore.

By the way, you might need to be a little more specific in your questions as you continue to look for answers. I think there are 2 different kinds of hosted carts. One you have your own web site and link to the hosted cart with buy now buttons. With the other the cart would actually be your web site as well.

Which type of service are you looking for.

Do a lot of reading in these forums. Ask specific questions in regard to improveing your site once you get it up and you will get a lot more help in that area than you probably will about a hosted cart.

Good luck in your search and your new business.

[ihelpyou]

Oh yeah, We can build something up. It's not completely done but we have come along ways so far. :)

Of course, I ain't cheap though. :D

[Connie]

Of course, I ain't cheap though.

I don't think anyone would ever accuse you of being cheap. :D

[shoppers]

there are so many options available . many shopping carts are there with wide range.but as you have asked about the opinion for either monster commerce or b2b paradise. I think I’ll recommend b2bparadise. Very reliable and user friendly it is, for kind of people like you -new in internet marketing.
Good luk!!!

[giftsncards]

estoreseeker,
i agree completely with opinion of shoppers. there are many options to choose from. i think you should know the basic needs and pros & cons first.

osCommerce.
Pro: Better than some options.

Con: You have to understand the coding to set it up, and customizing the look and feel is a real pain.

Authorize.net -Integration Method

Pro: Does a lot of work for you on the backend

Con: You still need to set up a shopping cart. Plus there have been many security issues associated with Authorize.net recently.

Custom, hand-built solution

Pro: too simple

Con: Can be ridiculously time consuming and requires a great deal of knowledge. Or a great deal of money if you have someone else do it.

b2bparadise

Pro: provides variety of options, flexible and cost effective

Con: haven't found one yet. will tell ya if its there in future.

and i'm saying all this with my own experiences. i've a gifts shop myself.and i've tried the first and last option myself. now i'm going well with b2bparadise.pretty much satisfied.
i think i can suggest b2bparadise.
but then you have all the options with you. now.....its upto to you dear.

[Connie]

Welcome to the forums giftsncards :hi:

[ihelpyou]

Welcome giftsncards and shoppers! :hi:

Two new members praising one shopping cart? hmm. That's strange stuff for one little thread. :)

One other one:

ihelpyou.com

custom built shopping cart to serve ALL needs. SE friendly and user friendly. I can't find one single fault. :) Beats the others above hands down.

There ya go; just so there is a balance in this thread. LOL

[Dave Hawley]

A cynic would probably say that giftsncards & shoppers were one and the same.

[ihelpyou]

LOL. Checked IPs for both.

Yeppers: Giftsncards and shoppers are EXACTLY the same person.

Nice try buddy. Well actually, not a good try at all. Actually, quite feeble minded.

I suggest to everyone reading to NEVER use b2bparadise shopping cart. It's obvious the owner is desparate and needs the business for some reason, and will resort to all forms of spamming to get it.

Please get out of here bud.

[Dave Hawley]

LOL! Well that blew up in his/her face!

[iTISTIC]

I've seen a lot of spammers on here lately :( Really a shame.

[Connie]

I think he/she was a misguided affiliate who has probably read some marketing guru on how to promote your affilate business.