Important Questions Regarding Your Shopping Cart Software
 Since you are considering a shopping cart software package for your website, you'll need to consider some important questions before you proceed.
By answering these questions and you'll have more insights about shopping carts as well as making a better decision as to what software package is best for you!
We recommend that you go through these seven questions and then compare your answers to the features desired.
1. What is my budget?
Web hosting, SSL certification, Web site development, and the cost of procuring and implementing a shopping cart can add up quickly. Make sure you consider all the costs involved, and buy the shopping cart that fits your needs and budget.
2. What delivery methods will I be using?
All shopping carts are designed for products that need to be packaged and mailed by a carrier. However, if you want to offer electronic software downloads, you need to make sure that your cart has that capability.
The better the shopping cart, the better results your company will have. If you are considering softgoods for a delivery method, you should only consider carts that limit downloads or provide a temporary download URL (to prevent fraud, abuse, and distributing your product for free).
Another softgoods delivery method may be to send the customer an e-mail confirmation with a hyperlink to download the product. This should also limit the user to a specific number of downloads.
3. Where will my business be in a year?
You need to ensure that the shopping cart has the features you may "eventually" implement so that you don't quickly outgrow your cart as your business grows and expands to offer more comprehensive options. Make sure you check the fine print as many shopping carts are modular in design and many advanced features are not included in the basic package.
4. Is the cart software compatible with my credit card/merchant payment gateway?
Know which payment gateway you will use and ensure that it is 100 percent compatible with your shopping cart before you select your shopping cart application.
5. What kind of payments are allowed by the shopping cart?
All shopping carts allow you to accept credit card transactions. You may consider other options for payment, such as purchase order, COD, e-checks, etc. Another payment option that is increasingly popular is PayPal. Most quality shopping carts integrate with the PayPal system to allow customers to pay via their PayPal accounts.
6. Can I easily back up and restore my data?
All quality shopping carts provide support for backing up files and allow for export into a variety of formats. Equally important is the ability to quickly restore data in the case of a catastrophic Web server failure.
7. How is the product support?
Most shopping carts are difficult to install and configure. Many companies do include free installation and setup, and we highly recommend this option. Make sure that you are prepared to invest in technical support as most offer limited or per-fee support only.
Many shopping cart software companies also offer free user forums as part of their service. This is unequivocally the best free support system available as technical experts and other users post similar problems or challenges, with actionable solutions for others in similar situations.
You need to carefully analyze your company's needs and weigh the costs and features of shopping cart applications. Be cautious in your decision to purchase based on promotional features, exaggerated claims, and features you will never utilize.
Most reputable shopping cart companies feature trial versions of their software. Don't hesitate to try out several to see which works best for your business.
Action Steps For Choose the Right Shopping Cart
1. To ensure compatibility, be sure to check with your host before purchasing a program.
2. Make sure you consider all the costs involved, and buy the shopping cart that fits your needs and budget.
3. Know which payment gateway you will use and ensure that it is 100 percent compatible with your shopping cart before you select your shopping cart application.
Important Points to Choose the Right Shopping Cart
- All shopping carts are designed for products that need to be packaged and mailed by a carrier.
- All shopping carts allow you to accept credit card transactions.
- All quality shopping carts provide support for backing up files and allow for export into a variety of formats.
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