Cart of the Week: KonaKart

There are extra than 350 on-line buying carts. And every week we function one, interviewing each the cart’s developer and a buyer. “Cart of the Week” just isn’t a evaluate or an analysis, however reasonably a chance to find out about a buying cart from the individuals who constructed it and use it.

This week, we’ll hear from Paolo Sidoli, chief know-how officer of KonaKart, a licensed buying cart based mostly in Milton Keynes, U.Ok. The cart’s founders spent three years growing KonaKart to go well with medium to massive dimension corporations that favor to make use of Java-based know-how. The primary version of the KonaKart software program was launched in 2007, and its group version has many tons of of customers, in line with Sidoli.

We’ll additionally hear the views of Lee Burton, chief data officer of Sounds True Inc., a KonaKart buyer.

PeC: Please present some common background on the cart.

Paolo Sidoli

Sidoli: “In 2004, the KonaKart founders started to create an inexpensive Java-based ecommerce software program resolution. Our objective was to supply the entire obligatory traits for our goal clients, and to make use of the Web for advertising and gross sales with the intention to minimize prices and maximize our improvement finances. The enterprise mannequin we use is to enroll and help implementation companions who’ve direct contact with the service provider corporations utilizing our cart.”

PeC: How a lot does KonaKart price?

Sidoli: “The group version is free and it may be downloaded with out registering. We additionally supply Enterprise Extensions (with options akin to multi-store and quick listed looking for massive catalogs) for a one-time charge of £3,000 [$4,958 U.S.] plus £1,000 [$1,652 U.S.] for every extra manufacturing server. Assist packages are additionally accessible.”

PeC: Does your organization present internet hosting companies?

Sidoli: “No, however the KonaKart software program may be hosted by [hosting companies] that may help Java.”

PeC: What are the cart’s largest strengths?

Sidoli: “Its sturdy Java know-how performs and scales very properly, making it a good selection for enterprise programs. KonaKart additionally helps many database [types], so corporations aren’t pressured to discover ways to handle and preserve yet one more [type] of database.

“One other energy is that each one storefront and administration performance is out there by a set of APIs [application programming interfaces] which may be Java or SOAP [simple object access protocol]. This enables clients to make main customizations to the storefront software whereas retaining the flexibility to simply improve to the most recent model of KonaKart. It additionally permits us to simply combine KonaKart with content material administration programs, portals, and back-end programs.”

PeC: What are a few of its weaknesses?

Sidoli: “It isn’t one hundred pc open supply, though we revisit this determination at the least annually and should change sooner or later. For now, we do promote the total supply [code] or make it accessible below an escrow settlement.”

PeC: What plans do you might have for future cart improvement?

Sidoli: “Our street map consists of many new front-end options akin to reward registries and dynamic multi-currency. We may even shortly be introducing an built-in batch scheduler, improved multi-store performance, and tighter integration with Liferay [an open source enterprise portal].”

PeC: How would your cart assist an ecommerce service provider, versus the cart she or he is utilizing now?

Sidoli: “This depends upon numerous elements, and might solely be answered after interviewing the service provider to know his or her necessities. We’ve a bit on our web site to assist folks resolve whether or not they need to take into account KonaKart.

PeC: Some other ideas for our readers, who’re ecommerce retailers?

Sidoli: We aren’t a really perfect resolution for a small service provider who’s contemplating a pre-configured hosted resolution or a PHP resolution that may be shortly [created] on a really tight finances. Nonetheless, in case you are organising a retailer that might want to deal with a heavy site visitors load and a big product catalog that may require a singular storefront, then it is best to take into account KonaKart.”

A Buyer’s View

Lee Burton is the CIO of Sounds True Inc., situated in Louisville, Colorado, a web-based writer with an approximate annual income of $15 million. Burton’s firm makes use of KonaKart to promote spoken phrase audio, books, music, on-line programs, retreats, and reside webcasting occasions, in addition to numerous miscellaneous objects regarding spirituality. Burton gives his opinions and feedback about KonaKart beneath.

PeC: How lengthy has your organization been utilizing KonaKart?

Lee Burton

Burton: “Seven months.”

PeC: What are the cart’s largest strengths?

Burton: “It will probably deal with non-logged in customers and in addition will preserve a person’s cart even when they abandon it and are available again later. Additionally, since it’s open supply, it may be closely custom-made, which now we have performed. (We rewrote the checkout move to suit all on one web page.)

“And, though our merchandise are offered in each arduous type and in digital, downloadable codecs, the KonaKart software program permits customers to seek for each arduous items and comfortable items concurrently with collated outcomes.”

PeC: How may the cart enhance?

Burton: “Calculating order totals, taxes and transport may be tough at occasions, and a few parts of the code’s Java interface might be re-written to simplify interacting with it.”

PeC: How would this cart enhance one other service provider’s enterprise?

Burton: “For us, the flexibility to customise is important. With KonaKart, you might have a terrific start line, and when you have some Java assets, you’ll be able to drastically leverage the prevailing code and adapt it to your particular enterprise wants.”

PeC: Do you propose on persevering with to make use of the cart?

Burton: “Sure, and we are going to proceed to customise it to suit our wants. We’re presently in a improvement undertaking to combine it with our ERP [enterprise resource planning] system in order that orders from KonaKart get pushed instantly into our ERP system utilizing middleware messaging.

“We’re additionally investigating the opportunity of having KonaKart get tax, transport, and coupon data instantly from our ERP system, since it’s the system of file for that knowledge, reasonably than having to take care of it in two locations.”

PeC: Some other ideas for our readers regarding KonaKart?

Burton: “One among KonaKart’s largest strengths is its stage of help. [The staff is] very well timed in getting again to clients with related solutions, and can work intently with you to resolve an issue, getting senior administration concerned if obligatory. They’re a really customer-focused firm.”

Different KonaKart Clients

• GM Efficiency Components
• Tesco Cell
• Asian Meals Grocer