Are you a website owner or a web designer/developer? If either applies, I
would venture to say that eventually you'll need an online shopping
cart for one of your websites. In fact, almost all new websites today
need some sort of ecommerce built-in, for the purpose of selling goods
and services in the online marketplace.
The greatest challenge
is to find the perfect ecommerce shopping cart solution for yourself
and/or your client. This task can be very overwhelming, considering, if
you type 'shopping cart' into Google.com, this search alone returns over
14.4 million hits! Most of us don't have the time to sift through more
than a few pages of a search engine to find what we're looking for.
For
the last 3 months, much of my time has been devoted to researching as
much shopping cart technology as I could get my hands on. In general,
shopping cart software ranges in price from free to over $2000 for a
single license and web hosted carts range from $5 to hundreds of dollars
per month. The studied carts cover the spectrum of all web programming
languages (ASP, ASP.NET, Cold Fusion, Flash, Java, JavaScript & Perl
shopping carts) and provide limitless features as a whole. The problem
is that locating YOUR perfect cart with YOUR specific features can be a
big task.
But no fear, just follow this guaranteed step-by-step guide to locate it:
The Top 10 Steps to Finding the Best Online Shopping Cart
Cost
How
much money do you have to spend on an internet shopping cart? The nice
advantage is that there are shopping carts with hundreds of features and
they don't cost you a dime. They are generally open source products.
The only problem is that these same "free shopping carts" can take hours
of installation time and be fairly difficult to configure. For a
monthly fee, web hosting shopping carts are made for users with little
programming experience and allows them to have an online storefront
presence in no time.
Hosting vs. Software
There are
two options in selecting your overall shopping cart solution. Either you
get shopping cart software, download it, install it on your web server,
then configure the shopping cart OR you get an online storefront (aka a
hosted shopping cart) where the configuration is very basic and the
required setup time is minimal. If you have some programming skills, I
recommend buying a script and installing it on your own. The nice thing
is that you pay a one-time fee for shopping cart software and the
license is good for a lifetime. It's approximately the same price to
have a hosted solution for a year compared to most one time shopping
cart license fees.
Supported Gateways
What do I mean
by gateways? Gateways give shopping carts the ability to connect and
securely process credit card orders in real-time. Not all shopping carts
are created equal. Make sure that your client's merchant account is
supported by the cart you select. I have found that almost all carts
support the larger online payment processing companies, such as
Authorize.net, PayPal and Overusing.
Shipping Options
Will
you be shipping physical products? If so, there are shopping carts that
have built-in real-time shipping options through DHL, UPS And USPS.
Often times, the cart gives the user the ability to view tracking orders
and order status all from within your secure shopping cart web
interface. Also, there are shopping carts with options to ship digital
goods as well (files, programs, pictures, music and others).
Technical Support
What
kind of technical support does your shopping cart offer? If you choose
to purchase a script, be sure to also subscribe to the shopping cart
creator's newsletter, so that you can stay on top of future updates to
the software. Be aware that technical support is generally available on a
pay-per-incident basis, as a yearly fee or in the rare case, free. Be
sure to know what kind of customer support guarantee the shopping cart
comes with.
Security
Please, only buy a shopping cart
if it supports SSL (secure socket layer), with 128-bit encryption. As an
online storefront, remember that you are responsible for the safe
transfer of sensitive information (credit card and bank account
information) that is processed through your store. If any of the
sensitive information is accessible (stolen) from your website, you
could be liable. Be sure that you're purchasing a secure shopping cart
solution. Ask the creator's of the shopping cart what they do
specifically to protect the secure transfer of sensitive information.
Style Compatibility
Can
you customize your shopping cart to look like your website? There needs
to be a seamless transition between your website and your shopping
storefront or your customers might get hesitant in purchasing your
products. There should be similar colors and style layout to look
professional and believable.
Extra Features
I just
wanted to mention some of the other features that I have discovered,
which might be a critical point in determining the shopping cart you
want.
Affiliate Program - Offer your own customized affiliate
program through your shopping cart software. QuickBooks Integration -
Many carts allow direct integration with QuickBooks.
Newsletter
& Mailing Letter Managers - The ability to stay in touch with your
current customers and keep them returning to your online store.
Custom Taxing Options - Create taxable or tax-free products and have the ability to add various global tax options at checkout.
World
Languages & Currencies - Shopping cart language translation and
support for world currency might be a necessary feature for your cart.
Error Free
You
mean shopping carts can have errors? Of course. A private UK-based web
testing firm found the following, after studying a large group of UK
online shopping carts for a period of one month (24/7):"The majority of
UK web sites are guilty of leaving e-consumers stranded at the checkout
empty handed, once they have already spent valuable time browsing and
selecting goods to purchase. This is due to erratic functionality within
shopping carts, at a critical step in the online purchasing process."
"E-consumers
are prevented from making purchases on UK web sites for 9 hours and 30
minutes a month on average, (115 hours a year)." "80 per cent of web
sites perform inconsistently with widely varying response times, time
outs and errors - leaving consumers at best wondering what to do next
and at worst unable to complete their purchase successfully. This is
potentially costing e-retailers millions in lost sales from consumer
frustrations." ([http://www.scivisum.co.uk/report/ecommerce/])
Be
sure to see what other users are saying about a shopping cart that you
might be interested in purchasing. Any shopping cart errors could cost
you thousands of dollars in sales. Get a stable and secure cart.
Shopping Cart Directory
The
following is a link containing a directory of shopping carts that are
categorized according to each of the above-stated steps. Make shopping
for shopping carts a breeze!
Shopping Cart Directory
If you have any questions or comments about this article, please contact the author.
Evan
Stevens ([http://www.evanstevens.com]) is a professional web developer.
This article reviews ecommerce online shopping carts.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Friday, October 25, 2013
Entertainment Shopping Strategies
An Entertainment Shopping auction is an auction which charges it's users
per bid they make. Since people are paying for each bid, the item
usually sells for a very low percentage of its actual value. The problem
is that often times bidders will spend almost as much, if not more
money trying to win auctions with no luck. This is why I have provided
four quick ways detailing how you can increase your odds at winning a
given auction:
#1 Track past auctions for the same item
In a spreadsheet, keep track of each item and what end price, and time of day it ended. You can then calculate the average price the auction usually gets for a particular product and if the bidding surpasses the average you can enter the bidding war on that product. I would recommend possibly only entering the bidding war once the item is at least 10% over it's average sell price. Be patient and don't be to fast to get involved in an auction.
#2 Get as many free bids as you can
Do this by referring friends. Most Entertainment shopping sites have lucrative referral programs. It's a lot easier to bid with a clear head knowing you did not have to pay for the bids, then if you are stressing over how much money you are possibly throwing away bidding on each item.
#3 Have a set number of bids you are willing to use for each particular auction.
If you surpass this number, then move on to the next auction. This will prevent you from getting too caught up in the moment, and possibly spending way too much trying to win an individual number.
#4 Wait till the bidding is between only 2 people
If there are 3 or more people consistently bidding on one auction then wait until it's down to just 2 bidders fighting it out. This way there is not too much competition, and it will often stress the other 2 bidders out so much when you enter that they will just stop bidding altogether, allowing you to win the auction.
You are never guaranteed a sure strategy to win at these Entertainment shopping auctions, however you can increase your odds greatly if you follow those four tips strictly.
#1 Track past auctions for the same item
In a spreadsheet, keep track of each item and what end price, and time of day it ended. You can then calculate the average price the auction usually gets for a particular product and if the bidding surpasses the average you can enter the bidding war on that product. I would recommend possibly only entering the bidding war once the item is at least 10% over it's average sell price. Be patient and don't be to fast to get involved in an auction.
#2 Get as many free bids as you can
Do this by referring friends. Most Entertainment shopping sites have lucrative referral programs. It's a lot easier to bid with a clear head knowing you did not have to pay for the bids, then if you are stressing over how much money you are possibly throwing away bidding on each item.
#3 Have a set number of bids you are willing to use for each particular auction.
If you surpass this number, then move on to the next auction. This will prevent you from getting too caught up in the moment, and possibly spending way too much trying to win an individual number.
#4 Wait till the bidding is between only 2 people
If there are 3 or more people consistently bidding on one auction then wait until it's down to just 2 bidders fighting it out. This way there is not too much competition, and it will often stress the other 2 bidders out so much when you enter that they will just stop bidding altogether, allowing you to win the auction.
You are never guaranteed a sure strategy to win at these Entertainment shopping auctions, however you can increase your odds greatly if you follow those four tips strictly.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Women Casual Wear Fashion Tips
Comfort may be the first concern for just about any one whether a sports
lady, housewife, college girl, or working lady. Women casual put on may
be the just one way of getting such conveniences. However aside from
the comfort, every lady desires to look fashionable and take care of the
current fashion styles without searching sloppy and from fashion.
Women Casual Clothes
Women individuals are fortunate enough wearing women's casual clothes everyday could face multiple challenges.
First challenge for that fashion seeker is building the main wardrobe.
Such wardrobe must have enough types to select from.
Choosing the right one without searching just like a slob may be the fundamental objective.
Getting Assist With a couple of Tips
For individuals ambitious for the greatest women's casual or women fashion dresses can perform well having a couple of ideas to get the job done. Such tips is needed them develop their casual attire. Below are great tips for they.
Casual put on ought to be bought exactly the same way because the regular put on for that women.
Because the challenge could be accumulating the very best women dresses wardrobe with casual put on and sportswear, the steps ought to be taken for the reason that direction only.
Ultimate way for casual clothes are purchasing trio colored and making the very best mix.
Matching the wardrobe using the best color assortment of fashion suits for ladies will be the proper way for building up.
Wardrobe also needs to contain add-cons like handbags and handbags besides footwear, tights, goggles, and caps to complement the very best women dresses available.
Multiple colors are appropriate for casual put on such as the jeans, tan, whitened, black, and khaki.
Matching Footwear
As the women skirts, miniskirts, Ritz coats and the like other women dresses are ideal for improving the look and personality of the lady, one cannot undermine the need for matching footwear. Supplying completeness towards the apparel they provide the very best solutions for transforming the regular into something remarkable. Along the way additionally they boost the beauty and magnificence of the individual substantially. Matching footwear go well with lots of different casual put on such as the sportswear.
Casual add-ones like handbags and purses match the sporadic put on for ladies. Casual attire and classic looks are a couple of various things but could be combined to create great combination in the realm of fashion.
Women Casual Clothes
Women individuals are fortunate enough wearing women's casual clothes everyday could face multiple challenges.
First challenge for that fashion seeker is building the main wardrobe.
Such wardrobe must have enough types to select from.
Choosing the right one without searching just like a slob may be the fundamental objective.
Getting Assist With a couple of Tips
For individuals ambitious for the greatest women's casual or women fashion dresses can perform well having a couple of ideas to get the job done. Such tips is needed them develop their casual attire. Below are great tips for they.
Casual put on ought to be bought exactly the same way because the regular put on for that women.
Because the challenge could be accumulating the very best women dresses wardrobe with casual put on and sportswear, the steps ought to be taken for the reason that direction only.
Ultimate way for casual clothes are purchasing trio colored and making the very best mix.
Matching the wardrobe using the best color assortment of fashion suits for ladies will be the proper way for building up.
Wardrobe also needs to contain add-cons like handbags and handbags besides footwear, tights, goggles, and caps to complement the very best women dresses available.
Multiple colors are appropriate for casual put on such as the jeans, tan, whitened, black, and khaki.
Matching Footwear
As the women skirts, miniskirts, Ritz coats and the like other women dresses are ideal for improving the look and personality of the lady, one cannot undermine the need for matching footwear. Supplying completeness towards the apparel they provide the very best solutions for transforming the regular into something remarkable. Along the way additionally they boost the beauty and magnificence of the individual substantially. Matching footwear go well with lots of different casual put on such as the sportswear.
Casual add-ones like handbags and purses match the sporadic put on for ladies. Casual attire and classic looks are a couple of various things but could be combined to create great combination in the realm of fashion.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
How To Stay Safe When Shopping During Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday is just a few weeks away. Thousands of bargains of the
holiday season will be made available online during that day, which
makes it the most important online shopping day of the whole year.
Though shopping on the internet definitely beats putting up with long
lines and congested aisles during Black Friday, Cyber Monday is not free
of threats, for instance, cyber criminals and malware developers may
take advantage of you if you're not careful.
To be safe this e-holiday, listed below are several reminders.
Do not use debit card - Debit cards is linked to your bank account. Credit cards, in contrast, let you use borrowed money from the card provider. If your credit card is used for a purchase without your approval or if you're overcharged, you can contest this and you will likely get all of the money back. This is, sadly, difficult to do with debit cards.
Update your computer security - Prior to shopping on the web, be sure that your spam filters, anti-virus, and anti-spyware software are all current. You ought to run a full anti-virus scan before Cyber Monday to make sure your computer is clean and is not already affected with malware that may grab credit card information as it is entered. Make sure you check your firewall to see if it is secure.
Buy only from reputable web-based stores - Visiting sites that are unheard of or those you could not find plenty of information about is an invitation for trouble. Yes, you can find less familiar sites that offer great deals, but you have to be extra careful when buying from them. If you're uncertain about an online seller's reputation, there are also browser extensions or tools you can use that let you ascertain how reliable or safe a site is. Sites which have the best Cyber Monday sales this 2013 are encrypted. Websites that start with "https" rather than just "http" are encrypted, and this means the site allows for secure transactions.
Don't click unknown links in your email - Most phishing attacks will try to scam buyers using an email that presents an excellent bargain. If you're suspicious of an offer or email, don't click the link, but rather go right to the retailer's website to confirm the offer.
Don't use public computers and unsecured wireless connections - Shop at home. Public LAN and WI-Fib networks might be infected with malware. When hackers get access to those networks, they could also get your details if you're connected. Always conduct your internet shopping from a network that is secured with a EP or PA code.
To be safe this e-holiday, listed below are several reminders.
Do not use debit card - Debit cards is linked to your bank account. Credit cards, in contrast, let you use borrowed money from the card provider. If your credit card is used for a purchase without your approval or if you're overcharged, you can contest this and you will likely get all of the money back. This is, sadly, difficult to do with debit cards.
Update your computer security - Prior to shopping on the web, be sure that your spam filters, anti-virus, and anti-spyware software are all current. You ought to run a full anti-virus scan before Cyber Monday to make sure your computer is clean and is not already affected with malware that may grab credit card information as it is entered. Make sure you check your firewall to see if it is secure.
Buy only from reputable web-based stores - Visiting sites that are unheard of or those you could not find plenty of information about is an invitation for trouble. Yes, you can find less familiar sites that offer great deals, but you have to be extra careful when buying from them. If you're uncertain about an online seller's reputation, there are also browser extensions or tools you can use that let you ascertain how reliable or safe a site is. Sites which have the best Cyber Monday sales this 2013 are encrypted. Websites that start with "https" rather than just "http" are encrypted, and this means the site allows for secure transactions.
Don't click unknown links in your email - Most phishing attacks will try to scam buyers using an email that presents an excellent bargain. If you're suspicious of an offer or email, don't click the link, but rather go right to the retailer's website to confirm the offer.
Don't use public computers and unsecured wireless connections - Shop at home. Public LAN and WI-Fib networks might be infected with malware. When hackers get access to those networks, they could also get your details if you're connected. Always conduct your internet shopping from a network that is secured with a EP or PA code.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Disclaimer Policy
This blog is a personal blog written and edited by us. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. The owner(s) of this blog is not compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)