Conversion tracking with 3rd party hosted cart systems?

[high_road]

We're trying to set up Adwords conversion tracking and unfortunately don't have access to the conversion pages' code to insert the tracking snippet. (The BS system we're using now doesn't even let us specify our own conversion destination page.)

Anyone have recommendations on a third party hosted cart system that will let us have access to the conversion destination page code? I've burned up a lot of time in searching for such, but no luck so far. (Yes, a self-hosted cart system would be nice, but the boss doesn't want to pay for the merchant account and gateway fees at this point. Which I think limits our choices considerably.)

Any recommendations appreciated...

thanx,

steve

PS: Considered Google Checkout, but it requires the shopper to open up a Google account. I'm a bit leery of setting up that hurdle for them...

[amnesia]

does the system you have now allow you to customize any aspect of the receipt page at all? surely they would at least let you put your own logo or something. you could embed your code in the src for the img tag.... something like this:

<img src="http://example.com/some_script_that_handles_tracking_and_returns_logo_image.cgi">

you get the idea

[RichAtVNS]

yep and if its a windows platform you could call an object on another server the same way....

[SnerdeyWebs]

Maybe they offer a thank you page? If not and your making sales I'm sure they will assist you in a small custom setup. I know our suppliers do

Google Checkout is our # 1 merchant account out of 8 options we currently offer. I'd for sure work with them At least let it be an offer and Google is amazing as working with you directly. Sure they may be the big dog but they also know the value of each website that uses their product.

Just can't go wrong and tracking sales from A - Z is a must these days!

[jordanmcclements]

I have even had difficulty getting the conversion code to work correctly on a hosted (oscommerce) system...

It just doesn't seem to account for every sale, which makes conversions look worse than they are...

[amnesia]

Originally Posted by jordanmcclements

I have even had difficulty getting the conversion code to work correctly on a hosted (oscommerce) system...

It just doesn't seem to account for every sale, which makes conversions look worse than they are...

if you're talking about google analytics, i've had the same problem. i tried to get support from them but eventually just had to drop it and roll my own.

[high_road]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments and suggestions. Took me a while to get to replying back...

The cart system I was trying to use only provides an image upload function, so the first suggestion is a no-go. Being that I'm new in this job, and still getting oriented to the multiple web sites, etc., just discovered yesterday that there is another hosted cart system that we're using for another site that does allow us to customize a Thank You / conversion page. So I'm using that system instead. Still one limitation though -- it only provides one version of a sales conversion page, so there would be no way to track conversions for multiple campaigns.

Getting a self-hosted, real cart system in place is what I'm advocating. Lots of other reasons to go that route, too... I've used Zen Cart and OS Commerce in the past, but found it's clunky to customize pages and presentation, etc. Currently considering Shopsite Pro (they got a top review at Top Ten reviews... dang it! can't post the link since I'm a newbie here), and Interspire, which looks like a very impressive cart system, and apparently easy to customize, etc. Even has some pretty neat Google Adwords integration features...

Question re: SnerdeyWebs' comment re: Google Checkout: Our concern is creating a hurdle for our shoppers, in terms of the requirement for the shopper to set up a Google account. Curious to know your opinion as to why they are your #1 merchant account. The account setup requirement is not a significant factor with your shoppers? (I can see requiring them to set up an internal account with your own site, but a Google account seems like maybe a step too far for many shoppers... particularly those not savvy enough to recognize the coolness factor / usability / utility of a Google account.)

Thanks, and... still listening...

Steve

[nipplecharms1]

My concern with amnesia's idea or any that shoots you off to another code or pulls from another site is that the end user is going to see a dialog box about secure and unsecure info being passed. I tried that on my external site and when that box came up, sales cut in half. I personally would NEVER put my card info into a site that even suggested possible breech of integrity.

I am interested in others opinions also.

As for Google cart as at least an option, how different is it from say offering paypal as a checkout option?

thanks

Michael