When operating an online store with a diverse range of products, it's crucial to incorporate a shopping cart feature. This tool allows customers to select their desired items and store them until they're ready to finalize their purchase. The shopping cart then calculates the total cost, including any applicable taxes and shipping fees. There are several ways to add a shopping cart to your website, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
There are three primary methods to add a shopping cart to your website:
Let's delve into each option and evaluate their respective pros and cons.
Third-party shopping cart services are user-friendly and can be operational within hours. They don't require any software purchases or installations but typically charge a monthly fee. Most offer a secured server and a merchant account option, making them a cost-effective solution for small businesses.
Here are some popular third-party shopping cart services:
VCart.com: Offers a 30-day free trial, after which you pay $90 for three months, $150 for six months, or $249 for a year. Supports 1 to 10,000 products with no CGI configuration required.
FreeMerchant: Prices range from $19.99 to $40 per month, with a 30-day free trial. Allows you to build your store using their web-based interface.
Yahoo Store: Known for its reputable service, Yahoo Store offers an easy-to-use interface for building your store. The cost for up to 100 items is $100 per month.
Marketers Choice: This free service calculates totals, taxes, shipping charges, and notifies you of new orders automatically. The catch? They display business-related ads on all of your cart pages.
If you're proficient in CGI programming, there are countless scripts available for free or at a low cost. If you're not tech-savvy, you can hire a professional to configure the script for you. Here are some resources for shopping cart scripts:
CGI EXTREMES: Offers a variety of CGI shopping scripts, ranging from free to $300.
CGI Resource Index: To find shopping cart scripts, navigate to programs and scripts, then Perl, then shopping carts.
PERLSHOP: This free CGI script is for sites hosted on a Unix system.
PAY PAL SHOPPING CART: This free CGI Shopping cart script integrates with PayPal for easy credit card sales processing.
SALES CART: Specifically designed for FrontPage users, this software costs $179 and offers an easy setup process.
PDG SHOPPING CART: This customizable software integrates with FrontPage or Dreamweaver and costs $750.
Your E-Ware: This software is fast, easy to use, and affordable. It can hold up to 2,500 products in up to 20 product categories.
Before diving into e-commerce, it's essential to evaluate your options and select the one that best suits your needs and budget.
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