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The Organizer Place
Administrator
Posts: 595
Registered: Jun 2009 |
 Posted August 30th, 2009 12:22 AM IP   
I have spent the last 2 days downloading shopping carts and trying them out. I have decided that I am going to try everything that is out there until I find something I am comfortable with.
Right now I am working with Presta Cart - I haven't got very far - but I find it a lot more friendly than Zen at this point.
Tried Cube Cart - loved it - but in order to remove the copyright from the title bar and footer and to have the ability for coupons you have to get the paid version for a one time fee of $180 - but really I think it may be worth it. It is very easy to work with and has everything I've been looking for. You also have a support #.
One thing I have been thinking about - With Zen, OSC, and all of the open source carts the only support you have are the forums. If something goes really wacky there is not a paid person/people who you can contact to get it fixed. While free is nice, I'm just wondering with the speed that things are changing on the net, how many problems am I going to encounter down the road with a free service? When will the project be abandoned and everyone move to the next new thing?
I feel like I have wasted so much time trying to set up a store that this time I want it to be right and I want it to last. I don't want there to be a bug and there is no one to contact to demand that it be fixed.
I'll keep posting what I find. I know a lot of you are using Zen and your stores are really shaping up - I just really don't like it at all (had me on the verge of tears out of frustration yesterday) - but may end up using it in the end 
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stormchaser
Member
Posts: 609
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 12:59 AM IP
You might want to check this one out. It has a 10 day free trial and is 49.00 to buy. They do have forums and a number you can call for support.
http://www.coffeecup.com/shopping-cart/
"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die,
life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly."
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CoveredBridgeStore
Administrator
Posts: 1530
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 10:01 AM IP
Scotty: what do you use?
or is it the CoffeeCup.com cart?
~ Gail ~
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stormchaser
Member
Posts: 609
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 04:24 PM IP
I use X-Cart Gold and Shopsite Pro. I have the CoffeeCup.com cart and like it. But that is like telling people to buy a Chevy when they like Fords, it is really what you use and like.
"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die,
life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly."
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CoveredBridgeStore
Administrator
Posts: 1530
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 04:30 PM IP
what do YOU like / dislike about all three?
~ Gail ~
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The Organizer Place
Administrator
Posts: 595
Registered: Jun 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 05:17 PM IP
Just looked at the Coffee Cup one - It looks like they don't have integrated shipping. That is something I must have.
Scotty - do you know if this is true?
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stormchaser
Member
Posts: 609
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 05:20 PM IP
I don't really dislike anything about any of them other then the price of Shopsite Pro's price.
My favorite is X-Cart Gold, it is easy to use and has a lot of features.
Coffee Cup is is cheap and has support.
"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die,
life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly."
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The Organizer Place
Administrator
Posts: 595
Registered: Jun 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 05:41 PM IP
All three of them look like nice carts -
X-cart looks like $230
Shop site pro looks like $1295 (ouch)
Coffee Cup - $49 with optional mods at more $$
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stormchaser
Member
Posts: 609
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 05:48 PM IP
X-Cart is reallybecoming user friendly. I just wish there was a trial before you buy it.
"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die,
life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly."
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stormchaser
Member
Posts: 609
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 05:53 PM IP
Here is a store built with X-Cart Gold.
http://www.magicsingstore.com
And a friend of mines site here in Tulsa.
http://www.chopworx.com/
Built with X-Cart
"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die,
life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly."
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jubilee
Member
Posts: 47
Registered: Jul 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 06:00 PM IP
I was looking at Magento the other day. Has anyone had experience with it?
The thing that I found attractive was that it seemed you could manage several different stores and share customer information and other data between the stores.
I'm not positive that I want to delve into the world of shopping carts yet but it is an intriguing idea that I just can't seem to shake.
~ Gayla
www.RivertreeTemplates.com
www.JubileeRhinestones.com
www.JubileeFabric.com
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The Organizer Place
Administrator
Posts: 595
Registered: Jun 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 06:48 PM IP
The X-Cart looks very nice, easy for a beginner and straight forward.
I have been reading about Magneto too Gayla - I think I am going to run through many of the open source ones this week before I play around with the paid ones.
What is everyone's must haves?
Here is what I will be looking at - at minimum:
USPS real time shipping integration/calculations
Paypal payments
ease of installation
admin user interface (easy navigation)
coupon codes
ease of customization
Can anyone think of anything else?
I know Zen will do most/all of this - I just really want to see what is out there before I settle on it.
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CoveredBridgeStore
Administrator
Posts: 1530
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 08:56 PM IP
great info, guyz! (rolling up sleeves, grabbin another cup o'jo, and diggin in)
~ Gail ~
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vintagepeacock
Administrator
Posts: 603
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 08:57 PM IP
Take a look at THIS ONE
Comes fully loaded with lots of features and its FREE
not a lot of templates to choose from BUT customizing is much easier than most other carts
I've been playing with this and like it so far.
This may be the "standard" cart offerred at Redbud Mall
Susan
"My opinions may have changed, but not the fact
that I'm right"
the Vintage Peacock
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CoveredBridgeStore
Administrator
Posts: 1530
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 09:06 PM IP
Gayla - question:
Re: Magento...you could manage several different stores and share customer information and other data between the stores.
~~~
At first glance this is impressive - then I got to thinking - how much crossover (customer) is one going to have? And if you have that much crossover, why not just have one store?
Unless, like me, you want to sell not only vintage items, AND calligraphy items (pens, papers, etc), AND archival stuff (acid-free bags/matting and such), AND ...
Ok, ... LOL I think I answered my own kveschun... :D
~ Gail ~
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CoveredBridgeStore
Administrator
Posts: 1530
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 09:43 PM IP
Gayla - great link for the comparison -
they've broken it down (for ease of viewing, I suppose) in a number of charts , so you have to scroll down the list of charts to find what you need / at the cart of choice.
i'm in the process of redoing them in an excel sheet so I can more easily make an informed decision - then I'll put it up online for y'all to see (at my zanmgt site)
(Edited by CoveredBridgeStore)
~ Gail ~
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The Organizer Place
Administrator
Posts: 595
Registered: Jun 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 09:50 PM IP
Gail - I think some of the info there is not accurate. For Example I think it says that Zen doesn't have USPS integration - but I'm pretty sure I saw it when I was playing around with it.
So make sure you check a place out first. Keep in mind it is Wikipedia...lol
(Edited by The Organizer Place)
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CoveredBridgeStore
Administrator
Posts: 1530
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 10:04 PM IP
oh yeah - you're right ... :D
...
well, everyone - so far - I like Zen the best - jury's still out ... (humming to meself and a looking...)
~ Gail ~
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The Organizer Place
Administrator
Posts: 595
Registered: Jun 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 10:20 PM IP
Zen has a very large learning curve unless you already have a good understanding of PHP - which I don't 
...and the admin layout is horrible.......well IMO anyway
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vintagepeacock
Administrator
Posts: 603
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 10:30 PM IP
Zen cart does have a big learning curve..... both in setting it up/customizing and in the general Admin of your store.
Susan
"My opinions may have changed, but not the fact
that I'm right"
the Vintage Peacock
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CoveredBridgeStore
Administrator
Posts: 1530
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 11:17 PM IP
I have the advantage of a cracker-jack guru geekinazation of a son :D
And me taking some coding language classes years ago, helps ...
ok - wuz on the phone to family for about an hour - back to researching and a looking ...
Sure wish we had a real timechat in here - I'd like to not have to scroll around chasing everyone while doing this ...
hey - maybe we should go with something like Yahoo messenger?
~ Gail ~
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The Organizer Place
Administrator
Posts: 595
Registered: Jun 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 11:38 PM IP
I actually have yahoo messenger and use it all the time - makes it nice when you actually are trying to talk to someone.
Maybe you should put the real time chat suggestion in the forum announcements for when we move to our new forum
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CoveredBridgeStore
Administrator
Posts: 1530
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted August 30th, 2009 11:45 PM IP
what new forum?
you mean redbudmall?
~ Gail ~
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jubilee
Member
Posts: 47
Registered: Jul 2009 |
Posted August 31st, 2009 03:13 PM IP
I just learned that host gator will install the magento cart for me for $35. I'm going to consider giving it a run. I manage three busy online stores (with another one in the works) and I'm hoping that with magento I might could work from the same admin without having to login/logout continually all day long.
But maybe Zen is that way too?
~ Gayla
www.RivertreeTemplates.com
www.JubileeRhinestones.com
www.JubileeFabric.com
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The Organizer Place
Administrator
Posts: 595
Registered: Jun 2009 |
Posted August 31st, 2009 03:51 PM IP
Gayla I would read a lot about whatever cart you decide to go with before you pay someone to install it. I have seen posts/articles where people say it is difficult to modify . Don't know myself. Really it is not difficult to install things on Hostgator yourself. It took me about 15 minutes.
I just got Hostgator last week and have never worked with hosting before or cpanel but I have successfully installed 2 carts on my own. There are plenty of people to help you here.
and keep in mind all hostgator will do in install it - they will not tell you what to do after that - it is not the scope of their business.
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jubilee
Member
Posts: 47
Registered: Jul 2009 |
Posted August 31st, 2009 05:01 PM IP
Thanks! I was reading about Magento's customizing and thinking.... "this sounds reasonable...I think I could do this." THen I read about installing and it went right over my head! I guess I should give it a try first. I'm just not as techy as I'd like to be. :-)
~ Gayla
www.RivertreeTemplates.com
www.JubileeRhinestones.com
www.JubileeFabric.com
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stormchaser
Member
Posts: 609
Registered: May 2009 |
Posted September 1st, 2009 02:20 AM IP
Quote:
The Organizer Place wrote:
Just looked at the Coffee Cup one - It looks like they don't have integrated shipping. That is something I must have.
Scotty - do you know if this is true?
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Sorry I missed this Angie.
Check out this video and the others for CoffeeCup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSHn...r_embedded#t=31
"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die,
life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly."
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