Recommendations on ecommerce packages

[busybee1]

Hi

I am setting up an ecommerce site, I have hardly any budget and am a complete novice so have been looking for a package and have rounded it down to EKM or daily.co.uk. I think I'm probably going to go with daily - anyone had any experiences with them or recommend them? I already have a domain name purchased through easily.co.uk about 18mths ago.

My father already has an outdoor clothing shop and also does shows all over the country so I already have a reliable supplier base and some form of traffic for the site as he will be advertising it through flyers, etc at shows and the shop (although I will still be doing online marketing obviously).

Would be grateful for any advice / info on packages.

Thanks - Busybee1

[dataferret]

I assume you are talking about hosting packages. If so then have a look at www.ryanhost.com/

They are not a huge company but they know their stuff and are very reliable

[busybee1]

Thanks Dataferret but I am looking for the whole solution - so they have templates with payment gateways, shopping cart, etc. as well as hosting

[dataferret]

I think you need to be a bit clearer in your own mind what you are looking for and what is available before you make a decision.

You can choose from:
1) a hosted (turnkey) solution (which seems to be your current thinking)
2) just hosting and you use an open source cart and buy templates
3) a commercial solution such as actinic and you buy hosting

There are a few providers of hosted solutions on these forums who seem to be quite popular. I prefer to have control of the site, engine and products so I usually recommend people look at zencart, magento and similar open source offerings, buy hosting and pay for it to be customised.

Each method has its benefits depending on your level of experience, products, how much control you need etc etc.

Here is my list of platforms to help you get started:

Hosting |Companies:
==============================================
Ryanhost http://www.ryanhost.com

List of Open Source ecommerce systems
==============================================
BossCart http://www.bosscart.com
Comersus (asp) http://www.comersus.com
CRELoaded http://www.creloaded.com
Cube Cart http://www.cubecart.com
Dashcommerce (asp) http://dashcommerce.org
DigiStore http://www.digistore.co.nz
FatFreeCart http://www.FatFreeCart.com
Freeway http://www.openfreeway.org
Fishcart http://www.fishcart.org
Instinct (wordpress) http://www.instinct.co.nz/e-commerce
Magento http://www.magentocommerce.com
Opencart http://www.opencart.com
OsCommerce http://www.oscommerce.com
Prestashop http://www.prestashop.com
Satchmoproject http://www.satchmoproject.com
Shop-Script http://www.shop-script.com
Shopify http://www.shopify.com
StoreSprite http://www.storesprite.com
Ubercart (drupal) http://www.ubercart.org
Virtuemart (joomla) http://virtuemart.net
VStore http://www.vstore.ca
XT-Commerce http://www.xt-commerce.com
Zen Cart http://www.zen-cart.com

List of Commercial ecommerce systems
==============================================
Actinic http://www.actinic.co.uk
Amazacart http://amazacart.com
Amember http://www.amember.com
Basket2Go http://basket2go.net/
BazaarBuilder http://www.bazaarbuilder.com
BossCart http://www.bosscart.com
Cactushop http://www.cactushop.com
CSartweaver http://www.Cartweaver.com
CatalooK http://www.catalook.net
ClickCart Pro http://www.clickcartpro.co.uk
CRELoaded http://www.creloaded.com
CS-Cart http://www.cs-cart.com
Cube Cart http://www.cubecart.com
E-commerce Templates http://www.ecommercetemplates.com
Erol http://www.erol.co.uk
FoxyCart http://www.foxycart.com
Get Trolleyed http://www.get-trolleyed.co.uk
JShop Pro http://www.jshop.co.uk
Karova Store http://www.karova.com
Lite Commerce http://www.litecommerce.com
Mal's E Commerce http://www.mals-e.com
Open Mind http://www.openmindcommerce.co.uk
PHPBasket http://www.phpbasket.com
PHPCart http://www.phpcart.net
PHPSuperCart http://www.phpsupercart.com
Pinnaclecart http://www.pinnaclecart.com
Roman Cart http://www.romancart.com
Rentacart http://www.rentacart.co.uk
SEO Ecommerce (asp) http://www.seositebuilder.com
ShopFactory http://www.shopfactory.com
ShopSite http://www.shopsite.com
Squirrelcart http://www.squirrelcart.com
TradingEye http://www.tradingeye.com/
Top Shopper http://www.topshopper.net
Trading Eye http://www.tradingeye.com
Viart Shop http://www.viart.com/
Vp Asp http://www.vpasp.com
XCart http://www.x-cart.com/

Managed/hosted online ecommerce systems
==============================================
awebapart http://www.awebapart.com
Basket to Go http://www.basket2go.net
Clicart Pro http://www.clickcartpro.co.uk
Cog Ecommerce http://cogshop.co.uk/
doyourownsite http://www.doyourownsite.co.uk
Easy Web Store http://www.easywebstore.co.uk
EKM Powershop http://www.ekmpowershop.com
E-Junkie http://www.E-Junkie.com
epages http://www.epages.com
FastCommerce http://www.fastcommerce.com/
Get Trolleyed http://www.get-trolleyed.co.uk
Gocommerced http://www.gocommerced.com
Internet Retailer http://www.internetretailer.biz
Karova Store http://www.karova.com
Kynet http://www.kynet.co.uk
Mal's E Commerce http://www.mals-e.com
Mr Site http://www.mrsite.com
Paceretail http://www.paceretail.co.uk
Pageville http://www.pageville.com
PepperCart http://www.peppercart.net
PearlCart http://www.thisispearl.com
Shopify http://www.shopify.com
Shop Maker http://www.shopmaker.co.uk
Shopcreator http://www.shopcreator.com
Shopify http://www.shopify.com
store2go http://www.store2go.net
Top Shopper http://www.topshopper.net

Fully Managed Turnkey Ecommerce Providers
==============================================
Firepages http://www.firepages.co.uk
Kynet http://www.kynet.co.uk
Mr Site http://www.mrsite.com

[NuBlue]

That's a good list dataferret. Thanks for sharing

[DesignsOnline]

And if you would like an ecommerce website and system built to fit you and your requirements. Then we can offer that:
here: Bespoke Ecommerce websites (http://www.DesignsOnline.co.uk)
or here: Details on our Freelance Ecommerce solutions (http://www.freelance-website-designers.co.uk/Shopping-websites.html)

Warm Regards,
Joe

[dataferret]

That's a good list dataferret. Thanks for sharing

You are very welcome and if anyone needs ecommerce hosting, design, database work or any kind of support related to ecommerce and websites in general please feel free to drop me a line or PM me

[Comspec]

Hi

I am setting up an ecommerce site, I have hardly any budget and am a complete novice so have been looking for a package and have rounded it down to EKM or daily.co.uk. I think I'm probably going to go with daily - anyone had any experiences with them or recommend them? I already have a domain name purchased through easily.co.uk about 18mths ago.

My father already has an outdoor clothing shop and also does shows all over the country so I already have a reliable supplier base and some form of traffic for the site as he will be advertising it through flyers, etc at shows and the shop (although I will still be doing online marketing obviously).

Would be grateful for any advice / info on packages.

Thanks - Busybee1

I am not sure from your post that you are totally clear on what is available out there, though I think you may well want to look at one of the hosted solutions available.

Talk to Paul from Awebapart (http://www.awebapart.com/) (a member on here) who will provide you with a very straightforward solution for very reasonable money, and he will make it all very painless for you.