Shopping Cart Apps

[RufusCobb]

I'm a novice creating my first e-commerce site, and I'd like some suggestions for some shopping cart applications that are easy-to-integrate, flexible, customizable, and reasonably-priced. I'm building an .html site in DreamWeaver MX, and I'd like to be able to customize and plug in a shopping cart and checkout system. At first, I want to process my credit card purchases manually. E.g., the buyer checks out, enters his credit card info, and receives a "Thanks for making your purchase" message and a confirmation email. At that point, I'd like to receive an email that a purchase has been made, then login to a secure area to retrieve the order and credit card info, then manually process it as I normally do. The system must be flexible enough to change the setup to real-time credit card processing thru a gateway, etc. in the future. Your advice is appreciated!!!!

 

[lebisol]

"an .html site "
u want/know how to do CGIs?
or ur looking into ASP?

 

[RufusCobb]

Yes, just a basic site built with html in DreamWeaver. Have plugged in some small CGI scripts to my code before but nothing fancy. Don't know ASP but not ruling it out. Seems like a lot of people using PHP nowadays. Not sure I want to write my own shopping cart becuause of time and learning curve considerations. Was hoping to buy something and plug it in unless you smart guys convince me that I can learn a new technology/language pretty easily and build my own. Thanks in advance to all who help.

 

[lebisol]

hi Rufus!
well....this is one of those starting points...and it really depends on:
-how much time u have?
-how much u wnat to learn
-what server -access to- do have now?
-the future development?
-what platforms (win,L,Mac)?
-what database?
- how much traffic u exptect to hit the site?
there are extentions - Shopping Carts for ASP,PHP,JSP ....that implement relatively easy...but..u need to write more about your project.

this post is just the begining and as if u would say:
"I want to transport things and people"

-wel, , do u want to be a pilot,truck driver, sailor, buss driver...u get my point.
All the best!

 

[RufusCobb]

Thanks for your help so far lebisol. I've only got about 2 weeks to implement the system, so having said that, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to go with an out-of-the-box solution like Miva Merchant or Skipjack StoreSense - any other suggestions? Those are just 2 that I've heard of. Yes, in the future I'd like to explore ASP, PHP, etc. but don't think I have the time now. The site doesn't currently have any database interactivity and I'm not using an app server. Platform doesn't matter cause I can buy any hosting (unless of course it's limited by the shopping cart app). I can't see traffic to the site being more than a few hundred hits/day. I'm selling one type of item in a few hundred different styles. Basically, I want to build the entire front end in html using DreamWeaver, and then "plug-in" a shopping cart application where I can customize the look and feel of the item description page and the checkout page to match the rest of my site. Is there any other info I can provide you that would help you help me?

 

[lebisol]

Hi Rufus!
well in that case I can just recomend good old google and u match the $$$ tag :|

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=free+CGI+shopping+cart

or make a paypal account..although it makes your site "not quite professional"
anyhow, if u ever decide to use ASP
>> u can make the front end and then attach a small DB (mySQL or MSAccess or postgree...) and the use &quot;out of the box&quot; free shopping carts <<

let me know, perhaps I can help!

p.s. take a look at

http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mx/dreamweaver/ecommerce.html

for some more info

all the best!