catalogues and shopping carts...help!

[osiris7719]

I have a simple e-commerce website online (see url in signature) which currently uses paypal buttons. I'm working on a professional looking version of the website and everything is going ok, until I reached the catalogue and cart pages. At first I designed the pages myself using html only, but then I realised it will take much more than html to have a working catalogue/cart.

I looked at the forums and a lot of people recommend oscommerce as a complete solution, but it uses PHP which I have no knowledge of, so it would be difficult to customize.

So my question is: where can I find a simple solution to use in my website, bearing in mind that the webhost I use has support for asp, php, mysql and a miva engine (not free), and frontpage extensions. It should be free too because budget is limited.

Thanks.

[mhalloran]

osirus,

Off the top of my head, there's also agora cart: http://www.agoracart.com/ which is a non-database perl implementation. I know there are quite a few others, but I'm having a brain fart.

Cheers,

Mark

[osiris7719]

Mark, you must know some php to able to use oscommerce don't you. I wanted to ask you that question, but my head hurts from all this thinking.

[wen_laat]

maybe you should try Mals (mals-e.com). You can customize just about anything, and you don't have to know php to use it. I love it!

[mhalloran]

osirus,

I'm actually a programmer by trade (C++), so I picked up php when I decided on the catalog. For me, it was a no-brainer because I'm _not_ an artsy person. I needed all the help I could get with layout, etc. I can code a good tight algo - but I couldn't draw a stick figure to save my life. So, having a template set-up relieved me of the creative battle.

Cheers,

Mark

[osiris7719]

I am a programmer too, but only up to visual basic. I learned the creative side quite quickly because I find it fun to do.

[sadcox66]

I looked at the forums and a lot of people recommend oscommerce as a complete solution, but it uses PHP which I have no knowledge of, so it would be difficult to customize.


The big question is 'how much' do you want to customize. You can get away with a completely customized shopping cart without touching a line of php.

If you want to add new contributions then you will need to use PHP. From a VB background it will be quite easy.

If you are using a template contribution installed in osCommerce the instructions to integrate a template (http://www.oscommerce.snappyserver.com/?Using_SSL_Shopping_Cart_Software:How_to_Skin_%2F_ add_Templates_to_your_osCommerce_Shopping) involve mostly working with your /catalog/stylesheet.css and matching html table tags so the dynamic generated code from osCommerce and your template match.

From the php side. In a typical demo all the features are switched on. You may just want to comment the php code.

[osiris7719]

I'm considering it now. (didn't know shopping carts required so much thinking).

[Corey Bryant]

I have a pretty basic ASP cart that I can send over to you if you want it.

Or if you think you might like PHP, check out: http://oscommerce.snappyserver.com/ - they can help you out with everything.

[osiris7719]

I've considered using ASP, but guess what the webspace provider doesn't allow ASP uploads.

I have even tried my hand at ASP and written a shopping cart from a book that I have, it's not completely finished but it can be done.

[Corey Bryant]

Well the way this cart is designed - you enter the path to the images. So you can upload them via FP or FTP, and then enter the path to the images.

[osiris7719]

Corey > I'm not quite sure what you mean.

[bythevineyard]

It is actually quite easy to deviate from the standard oscommerce layout and give it your own look.

I did some with my shop. Is still a work in progress.

I recommend oscommerce to everybody. It is the best software out there. Regardless of price.... (free is just a bonus).

Dave

http://bythevineyard.com shows a simple customization away from the generic template system[/url]

[lisabendon]

Osiris

Just wanted to tell you that OSCommerce is a great piece of software and best of all it is completely free to download and use. I know nothing about PHP and even managed to change a bit of code myself but I did have to have a bit of help with the templates and a couple of other bits because I am fussy. The program is easy to use, maintain and I think has all the contributions you could ever need.

I found a host that supported oscommerce and he has done my little jobs for me and at a very modest price. Infact its cost me peanuts considering if I had to go out there and purchase a program of that quality from someone else it would probably cost £1000's, I did an awful lot of research on this when I set up my shop, I must have downloaded the trials to well I don't know how many ecommerce packages and I even tried the hosted ones as well, spending from about £10 - £799 trying to find a program that would work. I would get the program and spend a bit of time exploring to get a feel about it. I would think yes this one is perfect, I would spend hours getting all my info in only to get running and then look at the finished article and think NO!!, alot of the cart programs out there have severe problems with template themes and design, my son aged 3 could probably do a better job, it wasn't content but the look and the feel of it. Customer ease of use is an important factor and could be the difference between a cart getting completed and you making a sale or getting dumped at the checkout.

Sorry to babble on so much if you want to take a look at my website which is done in oscommerce the address is www.SimplyFertility.com (which, by the way may go down at some stage tonight due to a domain transfer!)

Good luck with everything you do!

Lisa

PS I believe there is a new version due out in a couple of weeks which has an awful lot of new features included into it and also I am told is also having an easy to use interchangable templates to get that individual feel to it.

[osiris7719]

Lisa

Thank you very much for your advice. I am now seriously thinking of using oscommerce for my website shop. I am working on the professional revamp for the website that's live right now (see link below) and leaving the catalogue and cart right until the end.

Once again thank you for posting here and your advice is much appreciated.

[sadcox66]

...
PS I believe there is a new version due out in a couple of weeks which has an awful lot of new features included into it and also I am told is also having an easy to use interchangable templates to get that individual feel to it.
Actually this is not true. There are no official release dates for Milestone 3 given. (http://forums.oscommerce.com/index.php?showtopic=65411&st=20) however we do know that last week activity picked up again. For now a loaded version of osCommerce will save you much time and grief. One such version is posted in my signature but remember there are other loaded versions and you should pick the one most appriopiate for your business needs.

[osiris7719]

sadcox >

whoa I took a look at the oscommerce thread you gave a link to (I'm a member there too), and sheesh those guys are going to be throwing punches soon.

[sadcox66]

sadcox >

whoa I took a look at the oscommerce thread you gave a link to (I'm a member there too), and sheesh those guys are going to be throwing punches soon.

Yes., The funny thing is the latest version will not have anything new feature wise. Just standerdization. More important compatibility with PHP5 and better mySql queries. It's interesting how some people will come to blows just to have the phrase 'latest' stamped on their software.

[alexsh]

for IIS servers I'd suggest:
http://www.storefront.net
for apache:
http://www.x-cart.com
Regards,
Alex
www.A1NutritionProducts.com