Question
Greetings,
I just thought it would be a good to start a thread to list online shopping carts/e-commerce programs, for those that are tinkering with starting or perhaps redesigning an online store.
Here's what I had bookmarked, feel free to add more!
Just Add Commerce (JAC) - http://www.richmediatech.com/
StoreBot - http://www.addsoft.net/
PayPal Purchase Button Wizard - http://www.auctionmessenger.net/paypal/
Cart32 - http://www.cart32.com/
NetStores - http://frontpage.netstores.com/
SalesCart - http://www.salescart.com/
OSCommerce - http://www.oscommerce.com/
Zen Cart - http://www.zencart.com/
There's lots and lots more out there...
Cheers
Answer
Here's some more for the collection. Many of these were gleaned from Auction Bytes and eBay's list of developers. I haven't tried any of them (except for Homestead), so can't vouch for them.
Sitesell
Irun
Easystorecreator
emartcart
MonsterCommerce
myebiz
ipowerweb
Homestead
Shoppal
Smartwin
ecartreviews
elance
Answer
This is the list today at Paypal Merchant Solutions:
1 A Cart
1ShoppingCart.com
3dCart
4Checkout
4D Business Kit
AACart
Abarcar
AceFlex Cart
AceFlex Mall
Active Data Online eShop
Addsoft StoreBot
Advanced Marketing System
AIT Mcart
Alding Webshop Maker
Amazia Marketplace
Americart
ANYR&D PayPal Cart Components for Flash
ASecureCart
ASPVendor
Astrosell
BurnWave Emporium
Cart32
CF Ezcart
Cartweaver
CatalogIntegrator Cart
CF ShopKart
Charon Cart
CityMax Easy Shopping Cart
ClickCartPro
ClicShop
Client Connection Pro
Clover Shop
cmsMerchant
Code9 Software Fast eCart
Comersus Cart
Commerce.cgi
Commission Cart
ComputerSavvyCart
CoolCart
Cube Stores
CyberStrong eShop
Cybertron NetCashier
Dansie Shopping Cart
DataPipe SureShopping
Demontools
Desert Star E-Store
digiSHOP 3.0
DMXReady PayPal Store Manager
DomainMidway.com
drCatalog
DreamCommerce
DXcart
DXshop
Early Impact ProductCart
EasyCATALOG
EasyStoreCreator
eCartsoft
E-commerce Solutions
Ecommerce Templates
EffortlessWeb Merchant
Egoods Text-Based Catalog
eBay Stores
ekmPowerShop
eMartCart
Emporium Plus Payment Module for Miva Merchant
Emporium Plus Subscription Module for Miva Merchant
ezstores.net
ez-shoppingcart
FlashCart
Flashecom elink
Formulations Pro PayPal eCommerce for FileMaker
FPcartPal
FrontPage Cart Companion
Funtigo Biz
GalleryHosting
Genesis Internet Solutions
GlobalWebCart
GoDaddy
GreatShop
HarvesterDX
Hassan Shopping Cart
Homestead
IBuySpy PortalStore
iCart
iControl WebStudio
InstanteStore
IntelliCART
Interland
Interspeed (for OsCommerce)
IQ Services Xtreme Shop
iSoft QuikStore
JavaScript Shop
Kickasp Shopping Cart
King Cart
LaGarde StoreFront
LexiConn PayPal Module for Shopsite
Line9 Tek Pro Shopping Cart
LizardCart
Macromedia Contribute
Make-a-Store Heavy Metal E-Business
Mal's e-commerce
Mercantec
MetaGeneral for Miva Merchant
MetaLinks MetaCart2 for PayPal
Microsoft bCentral Commerce Manager
Microsoft FrontPage
MightyMerchant
Miva Merchant 4
MonsterCommerce
MyCart
myEZshop
NetObjects Fusion
NetPlugin Store
NetStores E-commerce
NetSyncro
Network Solutions
Nexternal Solutions
Oasis Web Design
OnlineStorebuilders
osCommerce
PayPalPartner
PerfectStore
Plexum
PPCal PayPal Calculator
Pricegrabber
ProStores
PDG Shopping Cart
QuickCart
QuickEStore
RealCart
RightSpark E-Commerce
RomanCart
SalesCart
SecureNetShop
ShopCart
ShopPal Storefronts
Shopping.com
Shopping Cart Software
ShoppingQ
ShopSite
Shopweezle
Side Street Shop
SiteCarts
Siteowners Ecommerce
SiteSell BuildIt
SmartCart
SmartWin Cybershop
Solenity SC
SpinSite
Superfreaker UStore
SupraCart 4.0
Sure Solutions - Actinic
SurfShop
Tripod Free Hosting
TurnKey Web Tools
UltraCart
U-Update
VikingCoders for Miva Merchant
Volusion
vShoppingCart
Virtual Cart
Waverider Systems Perlshop 4
WebAssist eCart
WebmasterCart
WebShopz
Website Pros
WebStores 2000
Web-stores.net
Wired-2-Shop
X-Cart
VP-ASP Shopping Cart
XMart eCommerce
Yahoo! Merchant Solutions
Zen-Cart
ZonaCart
Zoovy Developer
Zoovy Merchant
ZyWeb Business
Answer
This is the best list I've ever seen.
How do we make it available and most useful on a continuing bases for the largest number of users?
If Jim was willing, one format might be a chart. Place the chart in a sub forum under Fixed Priced Marketplaces.
Left column would be the name. Six or eight columns for overview information like price, ongoing fees, hosted or unhosted, URL configuration and other standard characteristic.
Last two columns on the right might include a link to the service's Home Page and a link to the here thread discussing the service.
Commercial sites would have a representative from the company invited to comment within the site's discussion thread.
Sub Forum might have some sticky threads like General Overview (including some explanation of the different options like free packaged sites - IOffer, For Fee packages - YAHOO, free or for fee packages in osC, build your own and whatever other broad categories exist), Guidelines for Picking a Service, Importance of SEO, Accepting Credit Cards and Advertising options.
The ongoing frustration of eBay sellers is causing more and more individuals to explore and/or open independent sites.
Endless threads are appearing on eBay chat boards as well as elsewhere asking for information. (I think there are presently three on the eBay Store Board.)
People answer with excellent information but the threads are soon lost in the maze of old topics.
Much good information already exists on here in Forums and I would be willing to work with others in designing a structure and then contacting service representative (maybe a standard invite letter with an explanation of registration procedures) and getting the Home Page URL's, setting up site specific threads, etc.
The interest and need exists. It will only grow larger. The information exists and experiences are being shared but are often lost in disposal threads.
I really believe this would be a huge help for sellers, both in starting and developing their sites, and a plus for here.
As much of a help as it might be for people just starting sites, it's greatest benefit may well be providing ongoing assistance and discussions for site owners in improving the performance of their Stores. A thread listing the SEO testing tools, how to understand the results and how to improve site performance would help every site owner.
The above is just a suggested outline. Any format that retains the information and makes it easily available will be great.
An interesting aspect of this issue is the more we help others the more we will help ourselves.
If Jim is willing and a few others will help, what do we need to do to get it started.
Answer
I think a spreadsheet that is regularly updated and the latest version posted here at here for users to download, edit and resubmit their finds would be good.
Of course someone on the "inside" (*ahem*, yah, that's you moderators!) would have to review, edit and republish the latest version.
'Tis a grand idea, IMO, and with several users volunteering their time, the mods would have to just add and republish the spreadsheet.
I think another thing that would help immensely is if we had a presence from some of these software providers here in the forums. What could be a better place to market their product?
Cheers
(BTW - Thanks, Elaine for the compassionate edit of my original post! I've got to stop relying on the "edit" feature to proof read!)
Answer
A viewable chart might seem better than a downloaded spreadsheet but it might not be practicable.
What steps and in what order do we need to take?
Jim should be contacted to see if this is something he is willing and ready to have on the site. His guidelines for structure would be a needed framework.
I'll be glad to send a form letter to the service providers requesting their participation and collecting site URLs for the chart.
Answer
The spreadsheet should be entered into a viewable chart online... that's really the only way that ALL users would benefit.
Bear in mind... keeping up with this sort of thing will be as challenging as keeping up with free web site providers... they come and go as fast as the weather.
Answer
Maybe a focus on the most popular 25 or 50 services would be a better place to start.
That could meet the needs of 95% of sellers and be more manageable.
There could be a secondary list of other choices that could be updated as time allows with only the name and site URL included on the spreadsheet.
This approach would also allow for fewer site specific threads and provide for the initial time investment to be used to highlight sites with an established user base while still providing a reference source for other known choices.
If a site representative wanted their service included in the top choices list they could request inclusion and provide some information like the number of users, a contact and details for the spreadsheet.
Answer
I'd be willing to compile a chart for the services, however, there's simply no way I can even begin until mid-July after I get back in town. I can even offer hosting the chart on one of my sites if that's necessary. If Mike wants to take this project on, and time is of the essence, by all means!!!
I'm only familiar with the "workings" of PayPal & Mal's e-commerce, but the information gathering on the various services I'd be more than willing to search out and compile.
Answer
I really hate to say this but I am in no condition mentally to do very much. I have had 4 family deaths since late Feb and I just can't do much right now. I'm sure I'll snap out of this soon.
Mike