Which eCommerce Option Should I Go With

BLK306 · #1 12-26-2007, 07:23 AM

Ok so I have been thinking about adding a store to my website to sell the occational T-shirt or sticker, nothing to exstravagant. My question to you all is which shopping cart/store option should I go with?

I started building a page with all of the Paypal stuff but have run into a few bumps along the way so that got me looking in to other options and that's when I found the Soholaunch and osCommerce. Both of those seem to cater to people trying to sell a lot of product or do a lot of business. They may work for me but I'm not sure.

I all seriousness I would probably just go with the Paypal if I could figuer out how to make it so that buyers could add comments. I have tried clicking the box as stated in the tutorial. However, every time I give it a shot I do not see anywhere for me to add comments to my purchase. I just want buys to be able to annotate which size shirt they want when they make a purchase.

Thanks for the help. Oh and sorry if this is the wrong forum but it seemed closest to what I was looking for.

Vasili · #2 12-26-2007, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLK306

I all seriousness I would probably just go with the Paypal if I could figuer out how to make it so that buyers could add comments. I have tried clicking the box as stated in the tutorial. However, every time I give it a shot I do not see anywhere for me to add comments to my purchase. .

Stepping up to any true cart is not always the easiest undertaking, for the obvious tradeoff is complexity for functionality, right?

If I read you right, you are either looking for customers to "add comments" to products, which is more commonly called "rating a product" (similar to polls). Neither OSC or Soho can do this without a large MOD being installed, and I personally have not come across one yet, although there may indeed be one out there. This adding of a plug-in is not an easy task, so weigh that into your "desire" level prior to committing.
>> For the easiest means to have a fully robust eCommerce platform integrated into a website builder that you can do yourself that has pre-configured MOD's available for "reviews by clients" then I would steer you to Joomla (the open-source website builder/utility available for you to load via Fantastico! in your Control Panel). But, take again, take a long hard look before you leap!

Now....if you are looking for mere "selection" variables for products, such as sizes, colors, etc. then you need to know that OSC will accommodate more categories and sub-categories than Soho (and sub-categories is how you would establish the functional heirarchy).

So....it really comes down to what specific function you are focusing on, and which exact words/teminology you use to describe your desire, right?

Bethers · #3 12-26-2007, 03:37 PM

If I read you right - you don't want them to add comments like you stated - and as Vasili answered - but you want them to be able to choose VARIATIONS?

This is 2 different things - very different. If Paypal will work except that you want the variations - an easy way around that is to add something like Mal's Ecommerce or CM (there is a free version of Ma'ls) which allows for the variations.

If you truly are looking for the comments to be added, that's a whole nother ballgame as already answered to you.

BLK306 · #4 12-26-2007, 04:03 PM

I guess what I'm looking for is a variation. For example when I sell T-shirts, sizes S-XXL are $15. The way I have it set up with the PayPal icons they can add a $15 shirt to their cart. However, I have not found where during checkout they can specify what size $15 shirt they want weather it be a Medium or XXL. Since S-XXL are all the same price I really don't want to have to add a "add to cart" button for each size.

Hope that clears things up. Let me know what you all think.

Bethers · #5 12-26-2007, 07:42 PM

That's why I suggested Mal's Ecommerce - where you can do the variations, etc and still use Paypal. I do believe you can do variations with Paypal in some versions - but it might take a paid version.

Or you could use a cart like CartManager - but that one you'd have to pay for. Mal's has a free version - that I believe you could do all you want with.

LadyEye · #6 12-26-2007, 08:08 PM

Just wanted to say that these options are available with paypal and no charge to you - you can change variables with colors, sizes, and you can also have an option where the purchaser can leave a comment, maybe they want to say, ship two weeks from now or something ... - but yes, these variables can be done with paypal. The only variable that cannot be done directly with paypal is price variables, but Naval has previously posted a script that can be added to your paypal add to cart or buy it now buttons that allows for a price variable as well ...

I had looked at the free version of mals one time, but found it was just another step that eventually took the purchaser to paypal anyway, so why not just use paypal to begin with - as well - you mentioned you were only having a few items .. it's not a huge store .. paypal works well for this.

Just something more for you to consider, lol ... decisions, decisions ...

Bethers · #7 12-26-2007, 09:32 PM

The only reason I would suggest going beyond simply paypal then - would be if in the future you would be considering adding a merchant account. Otherwise, make sure you are reading what paypal willl do - LadyEye would know here - she uses them :) I thought it might require the paid version to do the variations - she knows and informed.

Yep - lots of choices :)

BLK306 · #8 12-27-2007, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyEye

Just wanted to say that these options are available with paypal and no charge to you - you can change variables with colors, sizes, and you can also have an option where the purchaser can leave a comment, maybe they want to say, ship two weeks from now or something ... - but yes, these variables can be done with paypal. The only variable that cannot be done directly with paypal is price variables, but Naval has previously posted a script that can be added to your paypal add to cart or buy it now buttons that allows for a price variable as well ...

I had looked at the free version of mals one time, but found it was just another step that eventually took the purchaser to paypal anyway, so why not just use paypal to begin with - as well - you mentioned you were only having a few items .. it's not a huge store .. paypal works well for this.

Just something more for you to consider, lol ... decisions, decisions ...

Where can I find all of these options?

LadyEye · #9 12-27-2007, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLK306

Where can I find all of these options?

Hi ... if you log in directly with paypal and your account, merchant services, you will find when you go and create your ADD TO CART buttons for your shirts, there are other options that you can choose for this - a page 2 so to speak of options that are available .. it is on this second page that you can choose the drop down style menu for sizes or colors, your unique page urls for thank yous, cancellation, return to shopping, etc.,

bali · #10 01-04-2008, 07:49 AM

I would go with osCommerce, its widely developed for, has a huge contributions selection both from oscommerce.com and others like conceptlaboratory.com all perfect to tweak up your cart the way you need it to flow.
cheers

Bethers · #11 01-04-2008, 06:32 PM

Bali - it also has one of the highest learning curves - am interested if you have a site with us? I would go with many other options before OsCommerce - but that's just me - and why there are so many options out there.

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