adding commerce to a site built with pages.HTM files

mktplace · #1 (**permalink**) 02-09-2005, 05:01 PM

I have a working site which is built using .htm file extensions. Now the client wants to add commerce/cart.

The ISP uses/supports Linux/Apache/mySQL/PHP/perl, and offers CubeCart, OS-Commerce, Agora and Zen Cart software. Are any of these better/worse than the others and can they support a site built in .HTM files?

We will most likely use Paypal to clear the payments until the volume gets high enough to automate through a merchant company. They have about 30 products to start with, mostly CD's and tapes and services you pay over the web and then get the results snail mailed to you. Some products will be for immediate download if the credit card/check clears.

I don't partcularly want to rebuild the entire site with .PHP file extensions, but the newly added product pages can be in whatever I guess. . . do any of these support mechanisms where I can "Add the products and cart to the site", and leave the rest of the site in .HTM file formats?

I would want them to be able to go between the product_cart.PHP pages and the site.HTM pages, and when they go back, the cart is still there.

Also, does the PayPal cart support products and shipping? I thought they were primarily a place to go after the local site cart is filled, for payment and collection options only.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

DVDsPlusMore · #2 (**permalink**) 02-09-2005, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mktplace

I have a working site which is built using .htm file extensions. Now the client wants to add commerce/cart.

The ISP uses/supports Linux/Apache/mySQL/PHP/perl, and offers CubeCart, OS-Commerce, Agora and Zen Cart software. Are any of these better/worse than the others and can they support a site built in .HTM files?

We will most likely use Paypal to clear the payments until the volume gets high enough to automate through a merchant company. They have about 30 products to start with, mostly CD's and tapes and services you pay over the web and then get the results snail mailed to you. Some products will be for immediate download if the credit card/check clears.

I don't partcularly want to rebuild the entire site with .PHP file extensions, but the newly added product pages can be in whatever I guess. . . do any of these support mechanisms where I can "Add the products and cart to the site", and leave the rest of the site in .HTM file formats?

I would want them to be able to go between the product_cart.PHP pages and the site.HTM pages, and when they go back, the cart is still there.

Also, does the PayPal cart support products and shipping? I thought they were primarily a place to go after the local site cart is filled, for payment and collection options only.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Hi --

I think your client might be a perfect candidate for Mal's commerce solution. Says the site:

"FREE Shopping Cart Service

Add simple Buy Now buttons to your product pages and your customers can fill out an order while they browse your website. Configure the cart to collect card data and save it for processing later or, with a Premium account, link directly to a number of big name payment processors."

I believe it does everything you describe and has a price that's right ... free. For small stores, it would seem extremely compelling. Before you laugh, know that it's used by multiple thousands of active stores and that there's a fair/balanced business model under all of this.

Links here:

Mal's home page

Active stores

Demo store

Best,

- James @ DVDsPlusMore

cyanide · #3 (**permalink**) 02-09-2005, 10:17 PM

ZenCart and Cubecart would be your 2 best options.
Bear in mind that when you use a cart such as the ones you mentioned, they are a site in itself.
Most carts, aside from the product pages and categories already have built-in pages, such as Contact Us, About Us, etc.
So, it could be just a matter of dropping the content into those pages.

Being able to carry the shopping cart contents from the cart to your existing pages and back without losing it, will be a bit tricky and require some code in those pages in order to keep the session.

You can modify htaccess (if your host supports it), so that your html pages can be read as php.

Easy Web 4 U · #4 (**permalink**) 02-10-2005, 03:48 AM

Paypal does support products and shipping. If your customer is only selling around 30 products, you could easily use Paypal shopping cart buttons. The html can be added right onto the website. They have buy now buttons and they also have shopping cart buttons that can be used.

Teresa

mktplace · #5 (**permalink**) 02-10-2005, 09:46 AM

EZ,

Thanks, I spent last night reading the 168 page manual on e-commerce from PayPal.

Now that PayPal doesn't make the buyer sign up for an account, is there any reason not to use them vs. a CCBill or IBill, etc. as the merchant clearing house?

PayPal can support my .html pages (without turning them into PHP, even via .htaccess - thanks for the suggestion cyanide).

I looked at the malCart per DVDs suggestion, but it works/acts a lot like the Paypal cart, and since I also need a payment processor, I don't know why I just wouldn't use PayPal for both.

So the bottom line is: Is there any reason NOT to go with PayPal? I see lots of comments in other posts about using PayPal, but not to the exclusion of others. Is there something wrong/perceived bad about PayPal I need/should know about?

cyanide · #6 (**permalink**) 02-10-2005, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mktplace

So the bottom line is: Is there any reason NOT to go with PayPal? I see lots of comments in other posts about using PayPal, but not to the exclusion of others. Is there something wrong/perceived bad about PayPal I need/should know about?

Paypal is not considered a professional solution. Paypal is okay for a startup or even as a secondary payment option(some people swear by paypal)
But, if you're planning on being a serious contender in the ecommerce marketplace, then you should be considering alternatives as well.

I've heard of plenty of cases where merchants bit the bullet, swayed away from Paypal and saw their sales climb.
People, like average joe-schmoe, don't have a clue who or what Paypal is and might be sceptical

jestep · #7 (**permalink**) 02-10-2005, 10:29 AM

I agree with cyanide about paypal. While paypal is an OK startup solution, it lacks professionalism.

As far as the server goes, you can tell the server to parse html as php. This will allow you to use any php shopping cart out there, without changing any file extension.

Corey Bryant · #8 (**permalink**) 02-11-2005, 09:57 AM

Stay far, far away from iBill. Ever since First Data gave them notice to locate another processor iBill could not locate one. They have had numerous problems.

CCBill (as well as iBill) are mainly for adult products. If you do not have adult products,you do not really need them. Plus they normally charge $2,000 for the registration fee (if it is adult processing). This registration is not needed by some aquiring banks, even though the application fee (one time) is about $750.

But since you are speaking about Paypal, I have to assume that it is not adult, but mainstream.

com1usa · #9 (**permalink**) 02-23-2005, 05:35 PM

Have you looked at PHPSTORE shopping cart? Its much more powerful than any of the other free software, but is included free with hosting thru 1st Choice Hosting.net . They also will set up a free merchant account for you with Authorize.net

roban · #10 (**permalink**) 02-26-2005, 12:03 PM

With Cube Cart as with other e commerce software you can incorporate an html area. That's exactly what I did with mine. I also have an html site that I use as a gateway to the store. You can view it here:/http://www.vitaminlink.info

As for pay Pal I use it but only because I don't want to be paying monthly fees until I see the site has a chance of paying. I have a gateway all lined up and when I feel safe, I'll throw the switch. Pay Pal is a viable gateway to keep in any case. I have had people use it.