Cart of the Week: ProductCart

Sensible eCommerce counts over 300 completely different purchasing cart programs. On this ongoing “Cart of the Week” characteristic, we profile a selected cart, asking the cart’s homeowners and customers about its strengths and weaknesses.

Right here we profile ProductCart, by Early Impression, Inc. Primarily based in Mission Viejo, Calif., the corporate gives the licensed cart for a beginning worth of $695 with non-obligatory add-ons. We interviewed co-owner Massimo Arrigoni in regards to the cart. We then requested Kevin Prepare dinner, ProductCart developer and proprietor of Nuclearsiloman.com, for his analysis. Prepare dinner is a ProductCart buyer.

PeC: Please present some basic background on the cart.

Arrigoni: “ProductCart is a licensed purchasing cart. We began in 2001, and we’re presently transport model 3.51. A number of thousand licenses have been offered.”

PeC: What are the cart’s greatest strengths?

Arrigoni: “Eight years of improvement primarily based on a continuing stream of buyer suggestions, which interprets right into a characteristic depth that’s onerous to search out in different purchasing carts. It additionally signifies that we’ve had the chance to implement accepted integrations with FedEx, UPS, eBay, QuickBooks, Google Web site Optimizer, Google Checkout and dozens of different programs.”

“For corporations that promote custom-made or configurable services, our ‘Construct To Order’ model with battle administration can present options to issues which are onerous to unravel. A fast instance: With the ability to present on-line quotes for catered occasions the place a few of the costs change dynamically primarily based on the variety of friends, and a few don’t, corresponding to a hard and fast worth for the jazz band, however variable meals prices.”

PeC: What are a few of its weaknesses?

Arrigoni: “Multi-lingual help. The characteristic set is so broad that to make every thing from {custom} search fields to reward wrapping choices obtainable in a number of languages would require substantial adjustments to the system structure. So it’s an space the place we merely say, ‘Sorry, it doesn’t do it.’”

PeC: What plans do you’ve got for future cart improvement?

Arrigoni: “We requested our customers what they had been lacking. It’s unimaginable the quantity of good options they got here up with. We haven’t made remaining choices on every thing that may make it into the subsequent launch, however we are able to say that ProductCart v4 (coming in September 2009), could have a slick, AJAX-powered one-page checkout, extra gross sales and coupon administration options, stronger content material administration instruments and much extra options.”

PeC: How particularly would switching to ProductCart enhance a service provider’s enterprise?

Arrigoni: “I’d say three areas: It could actually resolve enterprise issues different purchasing carts can’t resolve, such because the Construct To Order system talked about above. It incorporates a whole lot of time-saving administration instruments that may actually make the distinction on a day-to-day foundation, corresponding to computerized synchronization with QuickBooks. And it offers storefront options that may enhance the client expertise, corresponding to AJAX-enhanced search that makes for faster, friendlier searches within the retailer catalog.”

PeC: Another ideas for our readers?

Arrigoni: Your wants might change over time. Go together with an ecommerce system that may change (i.e., be custom-made) as your wants change. Select sturdy, confirmed software program like ProductCart that’s been efficiently put to the take a look at for years.

A Buyer’s View

Kevin Prepare dinner of is a ProductCart developer and reseller. His website, Nuclearsiloman.com, makes use of the cart as effectively. Right here is Prepare dinner’s tackle the cart.

PeC: What are ProductCart’s greatest strengths?

Prepare dinner: “It’s the one purchasing cart expertise I exploit as a result of it’s a good cart. It has extra options for the worth. It’s designed ergonomically, and it’s simple to make use of and perceive. I was a Zen Cart developer, and the primary grievance from clients was that the admin was so difficult that they couldn’t bear in mind the place issues had been. That’s once I began taking a look at different cart applied sciences. I checked out a whole lot of carts in ProductCart’s class, however I made a decision on it as a result of it’s simple to make use of, full-featured, has wonderful help from the corporate and a big consumer base.”

“From a developer’s standpoint, the code may be very clear and simple. For folks like me who do {custom} improvement it’s precision surgical procedure—out and in. The administration of it, every thing from organising preliminary classes and merchandise that go in these classes to having the ability to management format on presentation aspect, is nice for the worth.”

PeC: What are some issues it might enhance?

Prepare dinner: “Like several software program, when you say you’re carried out bettering it you’re out of enterprise. One factor is content material administration, creating non-cart pages. Massimo stated he’s engaged on that for the subsequent launch.”

PeC: How particularly would utilizing ProductCart enhance a service provider’s enterprise?

Prepare dinner: “The primary payback is easy ROI [return on investment]. For $695, to have so many options that help buying new clients and creating repeat enterprise is one in every of Product Cart’s strengths. The cart gives many options itself and integration with all main third social gathering corporations and virtually each fee gateway recognized to man.”

PeC: Do you intend to proceed utilizing ProductCart? Why or why not?

Prepare dinner: “Completely, I plan to retire on it. I informed them in the event that they ever cease publishing it, I’ll hunt them down.”

PeC: Another ideas on purchasing carts for our readers?

Prepare dinner: “Be sure that the cart’s characteristic set helps all of the contact factors you need with potential clients. Numerous carts do sure issues very effectively, however these instruments might not be those it’s good to attain your demographic. ProductCart has instruments to succeed in each demographic you would want. Additionally, it’s crucial that before you purchase a cart, ensure you demo the admin portion of it.”

Different ProductCart Websites

• PMDG Simulations
• Rhino Naturals
• NileStone