The difference between Hosted eCommerce, Cart Software?

Hi Marlene,

From your point of view the only difference is the level of control you have over how the cart program is integrated into your final site.

EKM for example offer both, they have a range of customisable templates and their own cart solution already threaded in. This is the quickest and easiest way to get up and running with a website that has all the functionality people expect - althou with EKM most people find they need to do a lot of clever tweaking to stop it looking like an EKM site!

The problem is that you are then paying on a monthly basis for both aspects. The shopping cart keeps track of all orders and products and is the only part that benefits from dynamic updates and new features. The store front itself only needs designing once and is therfore a bit of a pointless overhead to take on. - But only if you have the time and skills available to design your own.

I would say download and install to a server a few different carts on a trial basis (you will need some webspace to play with them or some have open demo sites) and work out which one offers all the functions you will need.

If like most startups you're considering using Paypal to get going don't overlook their shop builder software. Although the websites it builds are basic they can be improved with a little work and the product management system is very good.

Features you need to look out for include drag and drop product catagiry managment, an easy to use related products function, fully tunable delivery/special offer functions and the ability to support more than one payment gateway at once.

Lastly remember that the only way to avoid going to far down the line with the wrong cart/shop combo is to try several first before adding hundreds of products then not wanting to switch!

Marlene said:

I'm thinking about openning new shop, and need to decide which route to take - I know how hosted 'out-of-the-box' solution works (EKM, Paceretail etc), but how about cart software (ie Cubecart), I know you get some templates to build a shop, but what about updates and upgrades, do you need to keep buying new versions of the software from them?

How to start building a site, do you need to find hosting site first, and then buy a software?

Click to expand...

The important thing is not to buy hosting first before you decide upon your ecommerce solution. Decide upon your ecommerce solution, then look at its hosting requirements, then choose a hosting plan that supports those hosting requirements.

Different ecommerce solutions have different hosting requirements, cubecart 3 requires at least php v4.3, mysql v3.2.3, gd image 1.6, cubecart 4 requires at least php v5.1, mysql v4.1, gd image 2.0, vpasp requires asp, openmindcommerce requires coldfusion, actinic requires perl 5, etc. If you eventually decide on a hosted solution then you don't need separate hosting at all.

Each different ecommerce system will have different upgrade, update, modules, templates and support pricing policies, and you will have to check on each supplier's website for this. For instance VPASP have free upgrades for the first year, then you have to start paying for other upgrades. Normally you don't have to upgrade if you don't need the new features, but if you don't upgrade, at some point you might end up with a version that is no longer supported, and sometimes it is a good idea to keep your ecommerce system up to date, e.g. improved security, improved SEO, other new features.

Sometimes you might have to upgrade your hosting before you can upgrade your ecommerce software, as in the case with the different hosting requirements for cubecart v3 and v4.

Thats a very valid point. Most decent hosting companies will be able to update the php installation or at least allow you to install it yourself. That said several of the cheaper ones won't.

Good quality hosting is always worth it. I'm with one.com and have always been happy.

If you are non-techie, then I would probably go for hosted solution as you wil have the support and it should be easier to setup.

I have used cubecart and currently zencart both are great but you need your own hosting account. To get it to look and work the way that you want will take a lot of customization and work which will definitely help if you have some programming knowledge.

Just my own personal experiences.

wezza said:

If you are non-techie, then I would probably go for hosted solution as you wil have the support and it should be easier to setup.

Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more, hosted solutions are perfect for those with no webskills and those that don't want to pay extra for technial assistance.

There is more accountability with hosted solutions, as the supplier installs,manages and hosts the website, so if there is problem there will be no passing the buck and blaming it on the way that you have set up the site, or the server etc.

sorry to be a naysayer, but i don't recommend hosted options as they are more expensive in the long run.

edmondscommerce said:

sorry to be a naysayer, but i don't recommend hosted options as they are more expensive in the long run.

Click to expand...

This was discussed in another thread's post: Are hosted ecommerce solutions more expensive in the long run?

edmondscommerce said:

sorry to be a naysayer, but i don't recommend hosted options as they are more expensive in the long run.

Click to expand...

Monthly fee that includes 100% guaranteed up time hosting and free upgrades for the life of the website from 19.99 a month… do the maths

some vested interests here - me included...

if you are reading this thread because you need to decide - do take this fact into account!!

edmondscommerce said:

some vested interests here - me included...

if you are reading this thread because you need to decide - do take this fact into account!!

Click to expand...

I'll second that. A site that goes down is a nightmare. Most t&c's will also state the host is not liable for what could be considerable losses.

The worse are the companies who don't even commit to inform you of downtime. Although sometimes it's not planned of course.