benos Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 Hello all, Because of several reasons, I need to update the shopping cart software for my online store soon. Within this community I'm sure I can get some good advice, so: Basically I have three options. 1) Update to a new software that would retain the similar and basic qualities of my current store. Meaning, I build it "online" within a limited, pre-established paramiter. Advantage: Can't really think of any. (I'm being forced to update because my Merchant Account is outdating the way my store handshakes with the credit card approval page (for my merchant account). Disadvantage: The buyer still has to go into a separate "Store" to buy something they already read about in my actual site. To me that's annoying. And it's super redundent as far as graphics and product descriptions go. 2) Purchase a software that would "help" or allow me to build the entire store myself by using my current web building program. Advantage: costs - $300 to $500 - one time fee. And I can make it look and feel like my actual website, instead of the buyer having to go into a separate "Store." Disadvantage: It will take me forever to "convert" what I already have in my store. 3) Pay $50 a month for a service that will allow me to place a "Buy it now" type button next to any product in my actual website, eliminating the "Store concept" altogether. When a customer clicks on the "buy" button, they're taken to the a secure site (shopping cart) that I can configure to look like they are still in my actual website. And then when the click "return to shopping" they are taken back into my actual website. To me that is a beautiful thing. Advantage: Everything about it. Disadvantage: 50 bucks a month. All input is greatly appreciated! thanks, be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 brian, i hate to say it, but, your online store really sucks! sorry. there are several free shopping carts out there that might fix your needs. chuck bradley at shooters connection just upgraded his website, might want to check with him. i will look around to see if i can find something that meets your needs. (cheap and easy to convert) good luck. lynn jones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffro Posted March 24, 2003 Share Posted March 24, 2003 Brian, I would not go so far as to say that your "store" sucks, however, it is not set up in a format that is convenient for the user. I am NOT a slick computer person, so I will just have to use terminology I know and hope to relay my thoughts. Your store does not lend itself to "shopping". If I want "Slide-Glide", I will find it in your "store", and ultimately be able to order it, however, if I don't know what it is, your store doesn't really "put it in front of me" to say, "hmmmm, wonder what this is..... let's take a look." Same with other items. If I specifically WANT to look for them, I will find them to order. I think you would sell more of your items if the store were to "flow" instead of having to "find" each item. I hope this makes sense. I don't know if this is possible, but also could you set up the forum so that ANYTIME anyone (in a posting) types in reference to your book, Slide-Glide, or other items that you carry, a link appears AUTOMATICALLY next to it that the reader can click onto to take them DIRECTLY to that item in the store? I would speculate that other than the "regulars" on the site, some just "stop in", and really don't know about "The Book" or Slide-Glide, and just read past them, too lazy to investigate what they are or where to get them. If there was a link IN the posting, they would just click to it and be able to order. I don't believe anyone would be offended by that marketing, as it IS your site and you certainly are entitled to utilize it to your maximum advantage. Just my thoughts. Good luck. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted March 24, 2003 Author Share Posted March 24, 2003 Thanks lynn. I know, I've always hated the thing. I only used it in the beginning because Burkett set me up with it. I've done quite a bit of research, and option #3 is feeling better the more I think about it. How cool would it be to not even have a "store," but just have a "add to cart" button next to every product as you first find it. And then, for the experienced shopper who knew exactly what he was going to order, and didn't need to be "sold," I could have a few pages laid out in a super-simple table format, with just part #'s, descriptions, prices, and and a quantity window next to it to add to cart. I've got a database of 300 + dillon part numbers that I could easily categorize to make shopping for the experienced Dillon buyer a sheer pleasure. I checked chuck's site; I still don't like the way you're "forced" to cycle through the items one by one. When you click on a category, you then see a list of products with no descriptions and no option to buy (right then), then you click on a single product and are taken to another page where you can now buy ONLY that product. Then you have to keep cycling through to buy additional products. To me that's annoying. I rather have it so as soon as you first saw the product on the site you could buy it if you wanted to. And, you could buy as many products in whatever quantities as were visible on the page you were viewing. That would be the shit. Funny coincidence, I checked the source and he's using a software I just learned about from the Invisionboard folks - osCommerce. Apparently it's an open-scripted freeware that just needs to run on a server with php. An interesting thing happened after I left the page and tried to return using the "Go" menu (in IE). The most recent link, which was a product with an "add to cart" button, showed up in the Go menu as just "osCommerce." Of course when I selected it the browser just hung on it. And then when I selected a link that read "Shooter's Connection - Home" it took me to a page that was a totally screwed up version of his home page. Just a bug that will be worked out I'm sure. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted March 25, 2003 Author Share Posted March 25, 2003 Thanks for the good input on the forum links to the store, Jeff. I'll look into that. I've resisted using the store as "shameless self-promotion" thus far, but I suppose a little marketing wouldn't be too bad. As far as my current Store goes, you can be sure I've done about the best that can be done with it. There's just nothing about the software that's user friendly, either to me (the builder) or the buyer. Hopefully it'll be gone soon. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Brian, Check out: Gun Dog Supply They have a fairly nice store layout and it seems very easy to use. I think they have it set up via Yahoo. ...just another option to think about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffro Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 I've resisted using the store as "shameless self-promotion" thus far, but I suppose a little marketing wouldn't be too bad. Brian, I don't think anyone would/could fault you for promoting your merchandise on your own forum! You put a substantial amount of time and other resources into the site, and that is your decision. No one here would fault you for it, I am sure. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimel Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Brian, Talk to Chuck at shootersconnection.com. I had a long chat with him on the phone the other day. I believe he said the cost for his new cart was rather affordable...free, if memory serves. I really like his new cart. There are a number of "open source" carts out there which come at little to no cost and are not hard to set up. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 jeffro, brian, i didn't mean the store it's self sucks, products are great... just the process of checking out. i'd like to see a "remember me" type login. the system is secure and has my credit card info, billing address and shipping address. have you seen the commercial with the bald guy, giving hair, blood and "other" samples to get logged in? i buy a lot of things on line, pay pal is the best way i've used. although some in an other forum a guy, said pay pal was anti-gun.. what are you going to do? anyway brian don't get in a hurry, there is tons of programs out there to choose from lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 If you look at magazine advertising...which is probably pretty similar to an internet page...you will often see a graphic, a short catch phrase (a sentance or two)...then, for those that are interested and want more info...there is a paragraph or two of text that further describs the product. And, of course, there is contact information to make it easy to get in touch with the seller. I like the "add it to the cart" feature. Couple that to a graphic and a short catch phrase (and alink to a page dedicated to the product, with more in depth info) and you have a winner. Might try looking outside the gun world. Check out the big-dog interent sellers (Amazon and such). See what they are doing. (If they are still around as an internet company, then their sites must work.) Amazon also has Z-shops. Yahoo has Yahoo-Shopping. Worth checking out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 BE, I wonder if the bad word filter could be tweaked to use hyperlinks? (my test didn't work...nor did the hyperlink button.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Run n Gun Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Brian, I can understand you desire or more correctly you need to upgrade your store. I’m a really busy guy so I try to do all I can “online”. Bank, news, weather, shop… I buy A LOT of stuff online, both personally and professionally. The one thing that I’ve found so appealing about your site is that it’s kinda funky, not Madison Avenue slick. I can go to the “main” site and read your thoughts on a product, decide what I want, and THEN go jump through the shopping cart hoops. When reading your “propaganda” (God, I LOVE that) in a way it’s like talking to someone down at the Gun Club about what to buy and why to buy it. Please try to retain that “feel” if you can. Could a slicker, broader site make you more money… absolutely? They’re MILLIONS of gun owners / re-loaders out there that are sending their money to Midway or Natchez when they could be sending it to you. Maybe they’re out there, but I haven’t seen ANYONE who discounts Dillon products or gives the buying advice that you do. Sometimes I think I should get business cards that say brianenos.com and start talking to you about commissions. (LOL) I bet I write that out for someone 6-8 times a week! I’m sure what ever you decide will be the right thing. You’ve got good instincts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted March 25, 2003 Author Share Posted March 25, 2003 Thanks for the reply's thus far. Run and gun, I appreciate your input on the "feel" the site projects. I have no intention of losing that, no matter how I change the store end. Kyle, The reason the hyperlink/bad words filter didn't work is because I have html off for all forums, except it is allowed in your signature. I'll turn it on as soon as I get some solid advice saying it's safe. kimel, Chucks new store is a freeware called "eCommerce." I still don't like the "can only buy one product at a time" aspect, which is how it is on Kyle's dog training site as well. I've seen stores where the shopper can enter the quantity of every item visible on the page, and then click to add to cart. I think that's big-time user friendly. lynn, I like the "remember me" feature as well, and will be looking into that. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 be, i've been google searching shopping carts. man, is there a lot of them. what language are you interested in? PHP, PERL, ETC.? not having a "store" is not a bad idea, click and dump into the shopping cart. you're correct with idea that people buying your products are expierenced and know what they want. but can you have a shopping cart feature without a store? back to the search.. i found a good link for comparisons.. check it out http://execonn.com/cgi-bin/compare.pl and http://www.cyberfirms.com/shopping_cart_chart.html lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiserb Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Akopia is nice, easy to install, FREE, and has a lot of features. It may look complex but the backend to it is very user friendly example store: http://www.think-crate.com/cgi-bin/Vickaut...2002/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Yeah your store sucks and you need a better one if you're doing a significant amount of business. All I can do is tell you the best web-stores I've come across: Brownells and Dennis Kirk. I just made a purchase on Chuck Bradley's new store and it was pretty good for the most part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted March 27, 2003 Author Share Posted March 27, 2003 Lynn, Thanks for those great links; I'll be spending some time there later! be At this point, considering the way my actual site is built with products, graphics, and descriptions, I'm leaning toward the "service cart," like they offer at http://www.netstores.com/ ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistral404 Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Like some others, I do a lot of work on-line personally and professionally. There are web-sites I love and others I dread. Yours does not fall into the dread category. I like the new Brownells site significantly better than their old site. The search routines are very sophisticated and a pain. But their inventory management is a nightmare. They have such a huge inventory and it requires a sophisticated search system. The check out procedures are quite good. I would say, that it is the best I have seen. I hate to be a D#$%^ Head, but I would suggest a mental Mission/Vision/Strategy exercise for you. That will formulate your strategic initiatives which will drive your website and its software. Your forum software is the best!!! Bare none. Nobody even comes close. Not just in the gun industry but all over. This shows some real thought. I say this because your store should be the same. Sorry BE, I rambled on too much. I have been know to build system requirements for large enterprises for a living. I got carried away with my enthusiasm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted April 4, 2003 Share Posted April 4, 2003 brian, i went to chuck bradley's website. you can buy multiple items at a time. i found it very easy to use and it does rememeber me feature. i would take another look at oscommerce, if the conversion would be a real head ache. good luck, lynn jones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now