Help With Shopping Cart Selection

[mstumpf]

Hi everybody!

 

I know this question has been asked before and I've gone through each of the other message boards here, but I figured I'd throw this out there to see if anyone could be of any assistance. Any insight, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated!

 

I need to install a shopping cart, whether I use a freebie or purchase one, I just need it to be the right one for me - I've been going through several websites starting with the ones TCH has to offer and so far have found myself more confused - and I'm a pretty technical person to begin with!

 

Also, I haven't seen anything on Interchange - does anyone have any feedback on this one? Good or bad??

 

Here are some details on what I need:

-I need to be able to assign a minimum quantity per item.

-I need to be able to have items which have pricing discounts depending on the quantity, for example 25-49 $1.00; 50 - 99 $0.95; 100+ $0.75

-I need to be able to have different add-ons for the same items which would add $$ to the original purchase price.

-The gateway my bank uses is yourpay - however, if I find a cart which works on something else, I will explore those options as well.

 

In an ideal world, since I already have a site set up with pages for each item, I would like to be able to just add buttons/script/etc to the existing pages - if anyone knows of a shopping cart system that could work this way, please let me know.

 

I am not interested in Paypal or anything they have to offer. I have several personal contacts having trouble getting their money - and that's not a road I wish to go down at this time. I don't want to start a debate, I know alot of people use it successfully, but I don't want the doom hanging over my head that the same thing could happen to me at any time.

 

Ok, that's enough for now - I hope someone out there can help!

 

Thanks in advance,

Michelle

[Samrc]

Want to try out the interface of several shopping carts before you install one on your own space?

http://www.opensourcecms.com/

On the left border, there are several options under e-commerce. When you click one of the choices, you get a rating page and are told a user name and password. This DEMO will allow you to make all sorts of changes and test the program in a safe environment.

 

Consider Zen Cart. It is free, but has alot of flexibility for setting prices, etc. A version of it can be installed through Fantastico (in your cpanel interface).

 

There is an extensive forum for Zen Cart here. http://www.zen-cart.com/modules/frontpage/

There's a thread that compares several shopping carts here:

http://www.zen-cart.com/modules/ipb/index.php?showtopic=27653

 

You can use it to build a catalog with no purchasing online too.

 

In an ideal world, since I already have a site set up with pages for each item, I would like to be able to just add buttons/script/etc to the existing pages - if anyone knows of a shopping cart system that could work this way, please let me know.

 

If that's your preference, consider using pay pal shopping instead. Allows you to assign individual products a button. You load the button html code into your page and that links to a paypal shopping cart. This solutions allows you to use your own pages, but would not give you as many price options.

[mstumpf]

Samantha,

 

Thanks very much for the response! I am going to look into everything you suggested - I was in the midst of reading about zencart when I saw your reply come through. I currently use paypal and it's been working well. But with what I've seen first hand happen to friends and colleagues' accounts and businesses that completely depended on paypal, I don't want to go down the same route that they have.

 

Thanks again, I really appreciate the response!

Michelle

[TCH-JimE]

Thats a good link Sam, I use it many a time to look at new improvements in some CMSs

 

Also as Sam points out, a few are available to install from Fantastico in your CPANEL. That way you can try them out before committing to one or another.

 

Paypal is a good way to go

 

JimE