Complete e-commerce packages?

[kgun]

This is not my profession, but I know something about programming and database applications. So my simple questions are:

1. Isn't this a two step solution?
2. A database driven web site that most php / SQL developers can design and program? This part of the solution need not be on a secure server. The programming need to be good and secure though.
3. A payment gateway via a professional provider that must be on a secure server. I will assume that you plug that software into your application, ready to use.
4. So unless you need an advanced online store it should not be so difficult to make this yourself.
5. Example, let us assume that a hotel with 100 rooms wants an online booking solution. Isn't that a simple relational database driven site with an integrated professional payment platform?
6. It is not difficult to add new tables to a database and update tables with additional fields.
7. So the solution is simple and easy to expand to meet future requirements.
8. A reliable hoster is also important.
9. May be the most difficult element in the solution is the online marketing part.
10. In other words get the store known.

Make it simple, as simple as possible, but no simpler.

Since Volusion is mentioned below, I draw your attention to this http://www.webproworld.com/web-serve...tml#post499920 thread.

[juto]

Morn kgun!

You are "right on spot"...

I do know though, that it is a lot of work to do it from scratch. My site, ji-fashion, which is still under development, have around 22 Mb of code as of this writing.

Regarding security, there are some legal requirements (PCI) both for the payment gateway and the e-commerce site offering any kind of online payment.

Marketing using SEO is not enough, although a big help. I totally agree with you.

So, all in all it's not as easy as 1,2,3 ... go!

Hilsen fra Sverige (Greetings from Sweden)

Sara

[kgun]

But your site seems to be powered by Webshop för lyckad e-handel, starta webbutik eller e-butik idag! (that is new to me) or am I wrong?

Good to see another Scandinavian here.

[drose]

I have spent a considerable amount of time looking into ecommerce solutions. I should write a white paper. Some findings:

I found only a handful of solutions that could fit my needs. Most of that handful were well over $xxx, and into high $xxxx per month. Magento falls in the higher range. Nexternal is the only one I have found so far that fits my needs while staying in the low $xxx range per month.

open source does not fit my needs, I need robust tech support, and all the features below.

Here is my NEEDS list:

1. Integrate with GreatPlains/Dynamics
2. Able to calculate accurate UPS shipping rates (dimensional weight). We find that sending a basket that is light in weight but large in size can be expensive unless the dimensions are taken into consideration in the shipping cost.
3. Able to restrict shipping methods or dates for certain products. We have chocolate products that CANNOT be shipped ground between May and October. Currently we can select a shipping selection that takes these products from default (all shipping choices) to restricted (all shipping choices EXCEPT ground: ALL chocolates - no ground - 2 day only shipping June through September)
4. Multiple shipping addresses for one order (various products to various locations- single order checkout). We would like to set up multiple shipping so that a client can select 5 gift baskets, and ship each of the five baskets to a DIFFERENT address in one order, with a separate message for each.
5. Customer ability to add gift messages (single and multiple orders)
6. Export/Import for tracking numbers
7. Reports; sales by product/category, sales comparisons by year. Ability to see what products are leading in sales, by store, or category, by month or year for example.
8. Multiple product editing. can I update several random products at once; example- select add at one time all chocolate covered almond products to a sale page, then easily remove after sale has expired, without doing it manually one product at a time. Is there a control panel that would do this, or an easily updated upload system?
9. Multiple coupons and coupon tracking. Can we have multiple coupons going at the same time, and view via reports separate sales results for the coupons?
10. FTP access?
11. Free tech support, phone and email, 24/7

Bonuses:
multiple images, wishlist

I would like to hear about other solutions.

Best, DR

[juto]

For all but one of your requirements oscommerce is the no 1.

Regarding integration with MS Dynamics GP, I'm not sure, but I think it can be done.

Regards

OSCmasters
Sara

[juto]

Hi Kgun, no my solution is based on oscommerce and further devloped by me, reaching a vision that's hasn't been done before. I have spent hundreds of hours to get it where oscommerce should have been ages ago.

Within 2 months I expect to launch, and I'm looking for partners... Interested?

Sara