Latest Articles by hughspringer

Pros and Cons of E-Commerce Plug-ins

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:35:28 -0500

If you start reading up on the different features available for e-commerce websites, you might find that there are a lot more things you could be doing to draw customers to your website. Most e-commerce software packages are able to integrate with third-party plug-ins. These plug-ins can help you to optimize your website and interact more with your customers. At the same time, the more systems you are running on your website, the more admin there is to keep everything working properly. Let’s take some time to look at a few of the leading e-commerce plug-ins as well as the pros and cons of using them.

What Is an E-Commerce Plug-in?

A plug-in is essentially a set of software components that add specific functionalities to an existing and often larger software package. In other words, plug-ins can enhance your e=commerce website without you having to spend a fortune on customized design work. Plug-ins interface with the primary software and allow you to customize sections of your e-commerce site easily. Sometime people confuse plug-ins with extensions. Plug-ins are a simpler software format than extensions and have more limited capabilities. They remain, however, a firm favorite in terms of e-commerce website design.

Most Popular E-Commerce Plug-ins

If you do an online search, you will find that the two most popular plug-ins used on e-commerce websites today are designed using Joomla or Wordpress. Interestingly enough, both of these software systems are open source and therefore free to download and use. For both Joomla and Wordpress, there are a number of different applications that have been created using these platforms. The different applications offer customized plug-ins that you can use to enhance your e-commerce website. These vary from billing and invoicing programs to shopping carts, auction forums, e-commerce bridges, payment gateways, subscriptions and payment gateways.

Pros of Using an E-Commerce Plug-in

There are many advantages to using an e-commerce plug-in. As an example, Wordpress has a reputation for being a very stable product. It has been around for a number of years and widely used by customers and shop owners worldwide. Constant improvements on the various programs have resulted in plug-ins that offer extensive customization without being overly complicated. Plug-ins are also relatively inexpensive, and many at an entry level are free. The plug-ins can interface with a wide variety of other software programs which makes the website and design process much easier. If you take a look at the Joomla e-commerce plug-ins which are available, chances are you will find one specific to your industry or the type of product you are selling.
The plug-ins use the expertise of those companies that have gone before you and provide you with a software package that can make your e-commerce site look both professional and user-friendly. Many of the e-commerce plug-ins have support forums where you can easily access expertise to help you solve a particular query or problem. A great advantage of plug-ins is that as more advanced features are created, the updates are made available as well. This can ensure that your e-commerce site is up-to-date with latest the technology.

Cons of E-Commerce Plug-ins

For those in the know, they will tell you that there are not many cons to e-commerce plug-ins. The fact that there are so many around is testimony of the usefulness and success of e-commerce plug-ins. However, for someone who is new to the e-commerce industry, the onslaught of technical terms and the wide number of different products can be overwhelming. Trying to sift through the different e-commerce options to find a product that is best suited to your needs can be become a bit of a challenge. The reason for this is not because there aren’t any good plug-ins out there; it is because there are so many. Finding the right one requires a certain level of expertise, and researching the reviews on the different products can be time-consuming. In the end, it's likely that you will simply go with the product recommended by your web designer.
Another con of plug-ins is that they require a level of technical expertise in order to set them up and maintain them. In addition, the more different plug-ins you have on your e-commerce site, the wider the level of your expertise will need to be. Once you have plug-ins on your e-commerce site, you will also need to make sure they are properly maintained on a regular basis.

What’s the Best Commercial Shopping Cart Software

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:00:27 -0500

Shopping cart software is largely what has made e-commerce websites so successful. Customers can browse for products online and have them shipped to their door after they have purchased them. If you are starting up an e-commerce site, you need to take some time to consider which shopping cart software will work best for your site. When going through the exercise, there are a few things that you should consider.

What Are the Main Features of a Good Shopping Cart?

When looking around for shopping carts, there are a few features that are important. Make sure that the shopping cart allows for unlimited products. As your business grows, you may add lots more products than you initially thought you might have. You do not want to have to change your software just because you have reached your limit. The software should also have an unlimited number of categories which makes it easy for customers to search your site. It’s also important that you can allocate products to more than one category so you can arrange search features by price, product type or brand. An inventory control feature is valuable as you can reflect when certain items are out of stock. If you want to feature certain products, make sure your software has this capability.
A feature that shows related products in the search results can help you make additional sales. If your product comes in different sizes, it’s essential that your software has a feature that allows for unlimited product options and different prices for each option. A customization feature will allow you to add information for specific products and is very handy. It’s most likely you will use various companies for shipping. Some software offers shipping calculators so customers can calculate the overall costs. From all of these features, perhaps the two most important things to consider are how well the system integrates with your checkout options and how the software is optimized for online search engines.

Finding the Best Commercial Shopping Cart Software

Many people think that if it is free, it is not very worthwhile. However, when it comes to commercial shopping cart software, you may be surprised to find that some of the top-ranked products are in fact free open source software. Granted, some of them require you to have their copyright notice in the footer of your website but often, for a small fee, you can have this removed. This means that as a paid software package, most shopping carts are relatively affordable. Many of these software packages have been built by online communities and have strong support forums so users can easily find answers to any questions they might have.
When looking at the different shopping cart options, you need to evaluate your business and e-commerce website. Where are you now and where would you like to be in a few years? Ensure that the shopping cart software package you choose can grow with your business. Some new features of shopping carts can actually help you grow your business by asking customers to sign up for newsletters or making suggestions on complementary products or upgrade options. These are important things to consider when selecting your shopping cart.

Who Ranks Top in Terms of Commercial Shopping Cart Software?

Magento is a software package that offers a vast amount of design flexibility and control. It integrates easily with third-party software programs and allows easy customization. Perhaps one of the bonuses of Magento is that the SEO is very good. OSCommerce is a shopping cart software package that has a strong support and customer base. It is a system that is easy to use and can help you set up your online store in no time. Cubecart V3 is a free software program; if you want license removal, you'll need to pay a minimal fee. It has good design features and integrates well with popular shipping and payment gateways. There is also a strong support forum to help you with any queries that you might have. Zencart is an easy application to install. It has multiple features which include uploading discount coupons and having different shipping and payment options. Agoracart is a software program that has strong design features. There are multiple templates you can use or you can customize your own. The system also interfaces well with the most commonly used payment and shipping gateways.

Why Your Retail Business Should Be Able to Accept Card Payments

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:41:28 -0500

Many new businesses tend to only accept cash as a form of payment. This could be for several reasons. Perhaps you do not feel the cost of a merchant account is warranted. Alternatively, you may think that transacting in cash is a better alternative; however, it is not without its risks. If it becomes known that your business transacts only in cash then you could become an easy target for thieves. Many banks also levy relatively high cash deposit fees which can add up over time. While there are both pros and cons to transacting with cash or credit cards, perhaps the most important thing to consider is what your customers want.

The Convenience of Transacting with Credit Cards

Studies show that credit cards have become the most popular form of payment when making retail purchases. Data reveals that as much as 75 percent of all transactions are paid for using credit cards. One of the primary reasons for this is convenience. Put yourselves into your customers' shoes for a moment and think about transacting with cash or credit cards. A credit card fits easily into your wallet so it is easier to carry around. Most times if the correct security procedures are followed, it is also one of the safer ways to transact. Think about when you are making a large purchase of a few thousand dollars. How comfortable would you feel walking around with that amount of money on you in cash? Yet you can easily make a payment for that same amount on your credit card.
The other convenience about paying with a credit card is that your budget is less limited. Perhaps you are out shopping for a clothing item and in your mind you have a budget of $200. In your purse, you have $200 in cash to purchase the item. After shopping for several hours you finally find the perfect item. The only problem is that it costs $250. Now if you have a credit card, you can easily pay for the item right away. If you can only pay with cash, you will first have to go and find an ATM and make a withdrawal which is inconvenient.

Growing Your Sales by Accepting Card Payments

What many business owners don’t understand is that the more convenient it is to shop at your store, the more likely customers are to purchase from you. The most difficult part of making a sale is getting customers to decide to make the purchase. Once they have made that decision, the last thing that you want to do is to put a hurdle in the buying process. If a customer is ready to make payment with their credit card and you tell them you do not accept cards, the chances are pretty good that you will lose the sale. Accepting card payments should not just be because of a negative motivation. There are many ways in which you can boost your sales by simply accepting credit card payments. Think of the example in the previous paragraph. Even though the budget was $200 the customer still bought an item for $250. That is a 25 percent increase in revenue, all because payment could be made on a credit card.
Often customers will be less sensitive about the purchase price when paying on credit card. Many times they will also buy more than one item because they are paying by card. In this way, you can run promotions and specials in your store to attract customers. Often when there is a sale, people will end up spending much more just because there is a perception of getting a bargain. If you can also offer your customers the convenience of paying on credit card, the chances are you’ll see your revenue increase substantially.

Improve Your Administration by Accepting Credit Card Payments

Most card processing machines are integrated into all-in-one point-of-sale systems. This means that when you ring up a purchase and process the payment on a credit card, the transaction is automatically added to your bookkeeping files. This makes reconciling sales and stock purchases much easier. When you start to process most of your transactions by credit card, you will see that tallying up your cash register and balancing your books is a much simpler task. It will then simply be a case of balancing the card receipts with your bank balance.

What is the Best Free Shopping Cart Software

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:57:23 -0500

To someone who is relatively new to e-commerce, you may be surprised to discover that there are a number of e-commerce solutions that are offered for free at an entry level. For someone who is just starting out and may be unsure of how fast their business will grow, these free solutions are great options. But before you start to look at the various software packages available, it is helpful to first establish your e-commerce needs. You can do this by evaluating your business.

Making Sure the Shopping Cart You Choose Is Right for Your Business

Take a look at the products you plan to sell. Are they items that are already widely available on the Web or are they things that are truly unique? If you are entering an already competitive market, take some time to browse the websites of your perceived competitors. Many of the free shopping carts require that the website displays their copyright notice on the footer of the page. In this way, you can gain some insight on what shopping carts they are using. At the same time, you can browse those sites to get an idea of the different set-up options available and the functionalities of the systems. This will give you ideas regarding the features you can have on your site. Things like discount coupons, signing clients up for newsletters, comparison features, and product recommendations can help you create a successful e-commerce website. It is also a good idea to do an online search and see what shopping carts are recommended by IT forums.

How Does a Shopping Cart Integrate into Your E-commerce Website?

A shopping cart on its own is not a comprehensive e-commerce tool. It is simply a virtual shop front, a place where customers can browse through the various products that you have on offer and select what they want to purchase. The shopping cart provides a place where the customer can collect and store items until they are ready to proceed to the checkout counter and pay for the items. Your shopping cart generally does not include your checkout, shipping or payment gateway. It also does not include your merchant account which is needed when accepting credit card payments. It is therefore important when selecting your shopping cart to choose one that integrates with your payment gateway and merchant account. If you are already a merchant account holder, speak to your card processing firm and find out what their recommendations are.

Essential Features of a Good Shopping Cart

You want a shopping cart that not only showcases your products but also helps you to grow your business. You also want a program that can accommodate your business as you grow and does not set limits on the number of products that you can have in your store. Look for shopping carts that has customizable product fields and options to include different sizes and pricing options. The shopping carts that make recommendations of additional products or allow customers to compare different brands are in a way virtual salespeople for you. These are the carts that you want to choose for your business. Make sure that the cart has an easy user interface and is easy to navigate. Otherwise customers may get frustrated and leave your store. Integration with your design and payment software is also a must.

Some Top-Ranked Free Shopping Carts

Opencart is a software package is a user-friendly open source program that is designed using PHP. It is known for its search engine optimization and simple user interface. A nice feature is that customers can post their reviews of products. This means that your customers can see other customers' feedback on your product and this can help boost sales.

Prestashop is a professional e-commerce solution that can be obtained via a free download. A strong feature of the program is that it allows you to track and update your inventory and process orders in real time. The enhanced security features allow for payment to be made directly into your commercial bank account.

Storesprite is another software package that is free but carries a copyright notice. You can pay a small fee so you don’t have to feature the notice on your site. The system has helpful calculations features, and it is easy to install and use.

Wordpress is one of the most widely used open source shopping carts available. It is easy to install and use, and integrates well with other plug-ins and software applications.