Shopping Cart Software - Is WebCart A Poignant osCommerce Alternative?
If you are looking for a shopping cart software platform, is it wise with the popularity of ecommerce shopping to use an open source based online shop? osCommerce along with ZenCart are two open source providers that have been offering php based ecommerce systems online, and they are certainly robust offerings. However, as time passes more open source shops develop new features that osCommerce for example can’t keep up with.
Here are 5 reasons why you may want to consider an osCommerce alternative.
1. Not so simple customization
Customizing files and pages almost requires having a developer on staff. With oscommerce, if you are not so experienced with html, then making changes is extremely time consuming. It pays to spend more money on shopping cart solution that makes it easy for even a neophyte to make changes because time is money.
2. Password management
One of the most frustrating issues in the past with osCommerce is password management in the administration area. It can be improved with a bit of searching but by default it is a big pain in the butt.
3. Template torture
Unlike WebCart, osCommerce is not necessarily template driven. This means that mass changes don’t happen so easily. You lose flexibility and though it does have style sheets that allow you to quickly change the header, footer, and left and right column files it is just not the same as having real control.
4. Smart Tags and Options
If your online catalog has its own specific permutations of product options then osCommerce is probably not the ecommerce cart system for you. It is really important to have multiple product options and they just don’t make it so easy. Inventory management can be a real hectic affair. Some of the limitations can be modified and upgraded, but it is recommended that you select a different cart system if you depend on a quality reliable attribute system.
5. Large product catalogs
Another item worth mentioning of osCommerce is its limitations with large product catalogs. When dealing with large product catalogs of over a hundred, extra modules for the input/management of data must be added. If the product catalog is even larger than a couple hundred, there are several other modifications that must be taken care of that will require an even greater technical developer investment. With a product like WebCart you can have tens of thousands of products with no delay.
osCommerce and ZenCart are decent open source based online shops, but there are several downfalls that should be considered prior to getting into this type of environment. Ecommerce shopping requires a very reliable shopping cart system and open source based system. While osCommerce has some great things to offer, there are many things that it lacks that other ecommerce systems make up for.
