Shopping Cart or PayPal

ajpaulus65 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-27-2007, 12:55 PM

Hi All

I need some advice. What is best to use a shopping cart or Paypal if I have a website for summer campers to sign up online. I need to have them fill out this application and then pay securely online. They would have an option to purchase multiple weeks and if they do, then there is a discount. They also have an option of purchasing a transportation package where we pick up and drop off the kids to the airport. I originally was going to use PayPal, but then I think the page would get confusing with all these Buy Now buttons with the different options to purchase. Would a shopping cart be more feasible? That way we can add products in the future? But does a shopping cart software allow to have them fill out a form with the campers' info like their t-shirt size, who do they prefer to room with, what level gymnastics are they in, and so forth?

Thanks
AJ

Dubbya · #2 (**permalink**) 11-27-2007, 01:45 PM

Because it's a seasonal offer, you'd be saving a ton of money and hassle by using PayPal. You wouldn't require a merchant account and it's a lot faster and easier to implement PayPal's buynow buttons. Merchant accounts cost money as there are monthly minimums for accepting credit cards.

You really don't have a lot of "items" that would require you to institute a shopping cart. This could all be custom scripted on a few pages. You'll need a few informational pages, (the who-what-where-when) one signup form for "tombstone" and contact info and a couple of pull down menus. They enter in their info, make their selections and submit it to PayPal for payment processing. PayPal then bounces them back to a confirmation page at your end and you're done. Easy-peezie.

That being said you can still use a shopping cart. Just get a free one that's easy to set up, comes with PayPal gateway support and you're off to the races. There are plenty of great free carts around.

**mjtaylor** · #3 (**permalink**) 11-27-2007, 01:53 PM

I totally agree ... and while I know that "agreement" posts are discouraged, it is sometimes helpful to know that the advice you got from one member fits the opinion of others.

Paypal is very easy to set up and administer (which is a lot more than I can say for most shopping carts or interfaces with merchant accounts), it is relatively inexpensive and doesn't require setting up a merchant account at all.

For clients with only a few items it is perfect ... even for more. I have a client who sells jewelry and uses Paypal for quite a few items and it works very well for her. She is able to add new items herself (I taught her to use Dreamweaver and to cut, paste and edit previous items when adding a new one) and she can manage all her online sales easily.

I am a Paypal fan for applications such as yours.

Cheers, MJ

ajpaulus65 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-04-2007, 01:32 PM

Thanks for your comment. If I use the Buy Now buttons, how do I make it where they can select the quantities.

For example, what if they selected Two Session or More on this page ...

Thank You

How do I make it where they can insert the quantity themselves. Is it some sort of Javascript?

thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubbya

Because it's a seasonal offer, you'd be saving a ton of money and hassle by using PayPal. You wouldn't require a merchant account and it's a lot faster and easier to implement PayPal's buynow buttons. Merchant accounts cost money as there are monthly minimums for accepting credit cards.

You really don't have a lot of "items" that would require you to institute a shopping cart. This could all be custom scripted on a few pages. You'll need a few informational pages, (the who-what-where-when) one signup form for "tombstone" and contact info and a couple of pull down menus. They enter in their info, make their selections and submit it to PayPal for payment processing. PayPal then bounces them back to a confirmation page at your end and you're done. Easy-peezie.

That being said you can still use a shopping cart. Just get a free one that's easy to set up, comes with PayPal gateway support and you're off to the races. There are plenty of great free carts around.

Dubbya · #5 (**permalink**) 12-04-2007, 03:29 PM

There are just a few things PayPal will let you do and specifying quantities is one of them. Since you've broken down each session into its' own form, here's the perfect solution.

Add this within the form for each button (right before the image) and they'll be able to specify their desired quantities.

Code:

Qty: <input type="text" name="quantity" value="1" size="2" maxlength="2">

PayPal will calculate the price based on quantity when it gets the rest of the information in the form.

ajpaulus65 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-04-2007, 04:31 PM

Thanks, you're the best. If they choose the Two Sessions or More with the one-time transportation fee of 445.00, how do I include the 45.00 without doubling or tripling the fee. Can I have a separate line with the transportation fee, but under one Buy Now Button?

Dubbya · #7 (**permalink**) 12-04-2007, 05:05 PM

You can set up the $45 Transportation fee as "Shipping & Handling" charges in your PayPal profile so that it adds the base amount to each order regardless of how many sessions they sign up for.

It's not perfect but It'll work just fine.