Ecommerce Software

[sabus]

As part of a new venture I'm currently in the process of lauching a New online shop as well as selling via the Ebay and Amazon route.

We have a limited budget and the inital thoughts are to go with a product such as Actinic Online and then if the project is sucessfull look for a bespoke build. I quite like the idea of being able to control stock from one location and have collective sales data.

I've checked other threads and Actinic doesnt seem to have bad reviews but is there anything I should be aware of or indeed is there a better product for the money.

Thanks

 

[jacobc]

Have you looked a something like Zen Cart / OS Commerce - they would be cheaper and should what you want.

 

[sabus]

Have you looked a something like Zen Cart / OS Commerce - they would be cheaper and should what you want.

I looked at them but due to this being my first Ecommerce site thought its best to go with someone who can host and provide assistance if theres a problem.

 

[jacobc]

If you find a local web designer - it will probably only cost £500 - £1000 for them to setup the site with a custom design - that may be a good route as will reduce your ongoing costs.

 

[evocart]

Whatever you decide I would advise not to go for a hosted solution where you are tied to a company as if support starts to fail then you have the option to move.

 

[webhostuk]

You can even try magento, cubecart, zencart tomatocart etc.

 

[CS-Cart]

You can also test out CS-Cart Shopping Cart Software. Purchasing a CS-Cart license is a one-time payment which gives you the right to run the software on your server for an unlimited amount of time.

 

[quikshop]

Whatever you decide I would advise not to go for a hosted solution where you are tied to a company as if support starts to fail then you have the option to move.

I think you're pretty safe with Actinic, they are the UK's leading Ecommerce software provider to small businesses

 

[jamie1183]

Hi, why not check out our site www.2jdesign.co.uk we use magento as a platform which is user friendly and we avoid contracts! We are base in South Yorkshire and have a very helpful team to answer any queries.

Nicola

 

[sabus]

Thanks for the info.

Situation currently is I need some thing I can use quickly to test market if there is promise then looking at the other solutions mentioned looks like the way to go but at £19 a month seems a cost effective gamble at this stage. Whilst I'm not totally happy with the design of site and would like something more fancy I do think it would be foolish to waste money at this stage.

Whilst the other solutions may be opensource there are other factors to consider: Hosting Design etc etc.

 

[Davef]

Hi,

I think if you are testing the waters and not very technical using a hosted solution can be a great way of getting your website up and running very quickly.

Actinic online is certainly a very good low cost solution but if I remember rightly their servers are located in France. However, I don't think server location is a major issue anymore when it comes to seo rankings?

Everyone on here will have their own opinion on what the best ecommerce software is and although they can give advice you have to go with what you feel comfortable with and what best suits your budget.

Before going ahead check out the features to ensure it fits your requirement. See if they have a forum and look through a selection of the threads as this will give you a good indication of how good the software is and how happy customers are. Also where is support located and can you contact them during your normal working day.

If you are looking for a hosted UK based solution without a doubt the best on the market for price and features is Bluepark.co.uk Fantastic support, great forum and a rock solid product.

If you decide for whatever reason not to go down the hosted route speak to Nicola (2jdesign.co.uk) or Joseph (edmondscommerce.co.uk) re Magento.

Best of luck.

 

[sabus]

I've signed up for a trial with Bluepark to compare the features and useability.

 

[mdjo]

I use bluepark. Am not a tech person at all. Never done a website before nevermind ecommerce. Have managed to design and create website in no time at all. Without question the service level is phenomenal. I sent a non urgent support request on a sunday expecting someone would look at it on the monday. It needed some html changes apparantly. Got a response 2 hrs later with the html code done. On a sunday! Best features also. You wont be disappointed with bluepark.

 

[sabus]

I'm sold on Bluepark. Whilst Actinic is a great product blueparks templates are much better to work with. I've pretty much built my shop within a day. It started off looking very daunting but once you get the hang of it its straight forward.

 

[KayM]

My experience of Actinic is very good. I have used their desktop system for 18 months and am now converting to Online. Getting used to the new terminology is a pain and there is lots of head scratching but that said I cannot fault the support. There are lots of new features on the way and certainly my experience from the desktop system was that it was always being upgraded with new features. I am changing to the online system because most of my business is now trade and I need the account application facility.

Hope this helps.
Kay

 

[KayM]

By the way, I run a chocolate business that is both retail and trade.

 

[sabus]

Thanks.
I've gone with Bluepark.... you may loose the amazon/ebay intergration but you can gain a better looking shop so for now will do. Eventually if the project is sucessful I plan on having a bespoke solution created.

 

[j600com]

Thanks.
I've gone with Bluepark.... you may loose the amazon/ebay intergration but you can gain a better looking shop so for now will do. Eventually if the project is sucessful I plan on having a bespoke solution created.

If/when you outgrow Bluepark please feel free to contact me

 

[Scrampeg]

The main downside (from our perspective) I have discovered with Actinic Online is that if you work with Sage you will use unique Account codes for each of your accounts. Actinic Online has no provision for this.

If you want to use only one account code for your customer across any application that you use (Sage/Transporters etc), Actinic Online will only allow you to use the customers e-mail as an identifier.

Sounds a small issue, but not when you are already using Sage etc.

Took me a short while to realise this when considering a move to Actinic Online...but a complete blocker for us, as the field just does not exist in Actinic Online. We have 5 sites and need to co-ordinate them in Sage.

 

[Brightpearl]

I understand that you have decided to go with Bluepark but as you're business grows it might be worth looking at our solution. It already integrates with eBay and Magento, and we will be adding other sales channels to the mix in the future. Our main USP is that these then integrate with your backend systems, so you can control stock, orders, accounting, CRM and more from one single system which will automatically update and manage your multiple sales channels. We operate on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) basis meaning eveything is hosted fo you, accessible online and you only pay a monthly fee. There's a 30 day free trial available so you can test it out for yourself www.brightpearl.co.uk