It’s no surprise that Google is the key to eCommerce success.  Since Google is by far the more popular search engine a large percentage of your traffic should be coming from it.  When purchasing a shopping cart software an eCommerce merchant needs to follow what we at WebCart call “the criteria for shopping cart software.”  However, there are a few items that are not directly involved with shopping cart software that can help your online business run smooth.  Ok I am going to get to the point. I am talking about spreadsheets and word processors.  As of this post the average retail price for MS Excel and MS Word (if purchased separately) is $440.00. Which may not seem like a whole lot, but if a new company is paying that per license I would image the price would get pretty high.  The good news is that Google is now offering a free spreadsheet and word processor program.

I am not sure if Google is looking to compete with Microsoft, but the new Google Office Tools may replace MS Excel for many day to day functions.  Perhaps the most useful part of Google Docs and Spreadsheets is its ability to share your work online. This can become an extremely valuable feature when it comes to eCommerce merchants because Internet Company’s work on the internet and no matter where an employee may be located documents can be shared securely. In fact uploading .xml spreadsheets is very easy, and once they are online sharing them with employees becomes a breeze.  Based on my experience with Google Docs I have found that they support these file extensions DOC, XLS, RTF and CSV.

However you feel about Google Docs I believe it’s worth it to take some time and play with them. After all what do you have to lose?  I believe that e-Commerce can become an organizational nightmare, and any took which helps online merchants is ok in my book.

Thanksgiving is finally over, and the next month is perhaps one of the most profitable times for merchants. Most people have heard the term "black Friday" which refers to busiest shopping day of the year which happens to be the day after thanksgiving. This year the hot term for online shopping is cyber Monday.  Similar to black Friday the term refers to the Monday after thanksgiving in which all the experts are predicting record sales.

If you're a small business owner who has not yet migrated to the web, then the next few weeks could prove to be devastating to your bottom line.  Shoppers are going to the web because of many factors. In big cities people just don't feel like waiting in line for hours to make purchases. For others it's the fact that comparison shopping has never been easier then it's on the web. Whatever the reason maybe one thing remains true, that eCommerce is the wave of the future, and those who are not doing it are loosing money. 

When it comes to selecting shopping cart software, many people tend to choose osCommerce because it's free. However, what many newbies don't realize that although osCommerce may be free it offers virtually no technical phone or email support. In addition to make osCommerce look professional requires a designer who is skilled in HTML., CSS and PHP.  Many merchants who customize an osCommerce cart end up spending thousands of dollars on customization. The bad news is that if the eCommerce store proves not to be profitable all the customization and custom programming was done in vain, and that is not even mentioning the investment which is lost.  With WebCart 11 there are not high upfront customization fees in fact integrating a static site in to WebCart is almost effortless.  More importantly if your eCommerce business fails you will not be stuck with an expensive customization job on your hands because WebCart has a monthly fee option that can be cancelled at anytime.  To see our new detailed comparison of WebCart VS osCommerce click here.

In this modern technological age, buyers probably look to websites that include shopping cart technology because it is so much easier to maneuver. It also prevents the potential for losing what you have ordered and having to start over again. In cases where the computer shuts down, one can go back into the website and the items in the shopping cart are still there. Of course, this assumes that the buyer logged into their account before they began to put things into the shopping cart because that's the only way that the software will know what you chose to purchase.

It's possible that the first shopping cart software was used because of websites such as Amazon.com that distribute products for many different merchants. From there, many different eCommerce sites have developed, and of course, Amazon.com has expanded their offerings from books, CDs and videos to include toys, clothing, adult entertainment, and much more. The Internet is full of numerous bookstores, clothing merchants, office supply stores, and even party stores that make use of shopping cart software in order to make it easier for their customers to order. With the addition of express CheckOut, customers are able to store their information on the merchant's website, and when they return to order something else, they do not have to enter their address or credit card information. Not only does this method save time, it also makes it safer for the buyer to shop online since the information is stored and not something that he has to enter at the risk of a hacker seeing the information. Of course, that is not an issue if the site is secure, and the customer has a firewall, but it's always better to add another area of safety.

Continuing from the last eCommerce post

If you were to get the wrong size, or sometimes the wrong order, you have to go through a number of steps just to get the right order.  You'll have to wait for the company to receive your returned order, and then wait even longer for them to re-ship your order.  This can become extremely stressful; especially when the item in your ecommerce shopping cart is not the item you are sent.

Lastly, if you are looking to get a specific item quickly, then ecommerce shopping is probably not for you.  There is overnight shipping offered through a majority of online companies, but you will have to spend an arm and a leg to get it the next day.  Even then, there is no guarantee that nothing will go wrong with the delivery.  Because of this, it is safe to avoid ecommerce shopping when you're in need of an item quickly.

This is not to scare you away from ecommerce shopping, because as mentioned there are several benefits.  If you are planning on having a large ecommerce shopping cart order, it is extremely convenient to order online.  However, it is crucial that you are aware of the things that can go wrong with ecommerce shopping so you don't wind up in a bind.

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Ecommerce shopping has a number of benefits over shopping in person.  It's convenient, allows you to price-compare quick and easy, and provides you with a wide selection of products and brands to choose from.  However, not everything with ecommerce shopping is positive.

From the shopper's standpoint, there is always the fear of credit card fraud, spam and identity theft from your ecommerce shopping cart.  Because of these very reasons, a number of people still avoid purchasing items online.  Is it really worth the risk of losing everything just so you can "conveniently" purchase a jacket or CD?

Another downside to ecommerce shopping is shipping prices.  Some websites do provide free shipping, but many times it is after you have purchased a certain amount.  Many times, when you add up the price of the item plus shipping and tax, your ecommerce shopping cart is more expensive than purchasing it in person.

When you purchase an item in the store, you have the ability to feel the texture of the item, measure it to make sure it accommodates your needs, or try on the clothing to assure yourself it fits.  With ecommerce shopping, you have no guarantee that the item you are purchasing will work.

Shopping cart software is obviously not the end all of eCommerce success. If fact if you have been reading some of my previous posts you will find a wealth of information about different strategies and tips to achieve success. As I understand it the criteria for shopping cart software is more then just a shopping cart, but rather a collection of marketing, software and risk taking which if done correctly will yield unimaginable success.  In this post I will discuss the importance of choosing a strong business name. Often overlooked, a business name is the first thing customers associate a business with, therefore, it’s important to take special consideration when choosing one.

It’s kind of comedic when new business owners believe they found the perfect name only to discover that the .com and / or the .net have been taken. I can’t stress this enough before you finalize a business name make sure the .com or .net is available because customers  will most likely associate a business name with a  domain name.  It’s unreasonable to expect online customers to remember two sets of names 1) your business name and 2) your domain name. Therefore, if the name you want is unavailable move on to the next step.

Determine if your name is a band or a business name. The way to decide what type of business you have is simple. Ask yourself am I selling a product made by someone else or is my product unique to me? Often times an online business provides a service like computer repair, web design, internet marketing just to mention a few. In these cases it’s ok to use a personal touch like J&F Design Solutions or Sean’s Computer Service. It’s a high probability that names like J and F design will be available in .com and .net.

Continued from the previous post

This program is the ecommerce solution for everyone because it comes fully loaded with all of the major ecommerce features necessary.  The Premium edition will give you options such as link exchange tools, affiliate program marketing tools, and export products to Google Base. With these kinds of tools and programs you will have the ability to reach your target market and have success with your business.One of the biggest advantages to PHP shopping cart software is the ability to test it out prior to purchasing it.  You can download a 14-day free trial to test out the features and play around with the software to see if this is exactly what you are looking for.  If you decide to purchase it and then change your mind, there is a 30 day money back guarantee.  However, with the amount of benefits and the type of business you can conduct with this software, there will be no reason to return it.

From complete design flexibility to user friendly software, this program will quickly turn into your ecommerce solution.  With the PHP shopping cart software, you have the ability to control inventory, manage reports and deal with customer info in one program.  There are different styles ranging in different price ranges giving everyone the ability to enjoy the benefits of the PHP shopping cart software.

If you are someone looking to sell stuff online, then the PHP shopping cart software is for you.  With the ability to build a search engine friendly online store, there is no wonder why people are using this as their ecommerce solution.  There are a number of benefits you will get out of PHP shopping cart making the offer too good to turn down.

If you are considering purchasing the PHP shopping cart software, you will find benefits right from the beginning.  Unlike some software that only accepts credit cards online the PHP software accepts credit cards and PayPal payments, making it much more convenient for you.

When purchasing with your choice of payment, you will also notice how cheap the software is for what you will get out of it.  There are multiple styles of software, each having their own benefits.  The most expensive PHP shopping cart software is the premium edition, which runs at $299.  The premium edition is the ecommerce solution as it provides all of the Shop-Script Pro features plus other exclusive advantages.

The PHP shopping cart itself comes completely ready to run.  There is no programming required to set it up, allowing you to save time in the beginning stages.  The program is user friendly and extremely easy to work with.  You will find that it is easy to design integration in any HTML editor, giving you options to build it around your business.

Unless someone has been living in a cave for the past few years, the name eBay and amzon.com should at the very least sound familiar.  It’s almost expected that anyone who works with eCommerce has at one time crossed paths with eBay or Amazon. Unfortunately, many newbie’s who purchase shopping cart software don’t realize that both eBay and/ or Amazon can be a vital launching pad for new businesses.

Anyone who has been in business knows that starting a new company whether it be a local shoe shop or a super market requires taking some risk. Usually the less risk associated with a particular business the more competition you will have since everyone wants to get a part of the pie. Switching gears to an online business gives an entrepreneur specific advantages.  I suppose one could look at it as the criteria for shopping cart software which basically means meeting a criteria with regards to research and development.

eCommerce research can be a tricky process, and if not done properly can result in the loss of time and money. Therefore, in keeping up with the holiday spirit I will go over some “secret” marketing techniques involving eBay and Amazon. Before a person purchases an eCommerce shopping cart solution I recommend opening up a 15.00 eBay store,  and selling some of your products via there system for couple of months.  During this process keep detailed records of what is selling most, and at what prices. Though this $15.00 investment you are able to really know what to feature, and what might not sell. Besides for the valuable research information you will start your business with a few customers who will hopefully be your fans.

The next step, and I stress this is optional would be to open up a merchant account with Amazon and start listing the best selling eBay  products. Depending on how the conversion works out an eCommerce store owner would be better prepared to launch a successful and most importantly profitable eCommerce business. 

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When most folks imagine Christmas it's hard not to think about the wonderful gifts associated with the holiday. For brick and mortar retail merchants, the thought of Christmas usually brings dollar signs to their eyes. The latest retail industry to profit from Christmas is online merchants who use shopping cart software to advance their online business.  If you’re an offline business owner Christmas is the best time to get started selling online. Unlike many other business’s selling online requires very little start-up and basic marketing to be profitable. I will continue to outline several methods a new business would use to increase sales though out the next few posts.

Reliable eCommerce Hosting – Take a moment and think about the following scenario: You have just spent bunch of money on purchasing a shopping cart solution, you paid developers to customize it, and on top of it all spent a few thousand dollars on a creative eCommerce friendly website design. The site you have poured your heart and soul into is finally live and ready to make you money. One problem, your hosting company is experiencing technical difficulties, and not only are visitors getting error messages, but search engine spiders can run though your site. In a period of twenty four hours you have potentially lost hundreds if not thousands of dollars in business not to mention the damage done with regards to search engine ranking. This is why I strongly recommend researching a potential hosting provider to make sure they committed to a 99.9999% uptime.

In the next eCommerce post I will dive in to some of the great off page marketing techniques I use to promote an online business so please stay tuned.

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