Cart of the Week: Store-Script, by WebAsyst

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

Right here we profile Store-Script by WebAsyst, primarily based in Delaware. WebAsyst presents their cart in hosted and licensed variations with various value ranges, described under. We interviewed U.S. Director Lucinda A. Papa, asking her to clarify the advantages of her firm’s cart. We then requested Andrew “Zig” Leipzig, proprietor of Lengthy Island, N.Y.-based Zig Studios for his analysis.

PeC: Please present some normal background on the cart.

Papa: “The Store-Script mission started in 2002. Since that point, Store-Script went by means of many phases of improvement and grew from Store-Script 2.0 to Store-Script Professional and Premium variations. Final 12 months we merged with our mum or dad firm, and the software program is now offered as WebAsyst Store-Script.”

“WebAsyst Store-Script is obtainable to clients in each hosted and licensed options. “This hosted model presents free signup, versatile pricing from $0 to $99.95 per 30 days relying on options, variety of merchandise and variety of orders processed with WebAsyst Store-Script.”

“The licensed model is obtainable as PHP software program with open supply code, it prices $299 per set up on a single area title. The cart is totally customizable, multi-user, with no limitations on performance, and an automatic set up and software program replace wizard.”

PeC: What are the cart’s largest strengths?

Papa: “WebAsyst Store-Script is among the purposes of the WebAsyst household. (WebAsyst is a collection of 9 purposes for on-line collaboration and ecommerce.) Store-Script gives instruments for creating a web based retailer and managing orders, whereas the opposite eight purposes might be simply put in with Store-Script and supply extra performance to handle an ecommerce enterprise, corresponding to managing contacts, managing doc and information, sending bulk electronic mail newsletters and collaborating along with your group and clients.”

“The power to make use of WebAsyst as each hosted and PHP open supply code resolution can also be an incredible profit. We make it very straightforward to attempt WebAsyst by creating your individual free account at Webasyst.internet. The free account can also be an effective way for starting ecommerce entrepreneurs to check or begin their companies.”

PeC: What are a few of its weaknesses?

Papa: “WebAsyst Store-Script gives many options for ecommerce. Nevertheless, the present model that’s accessible, as PHP software program with open supply code isn’t properly documented for customizations. We’re creating an simply customizable procuring cart platform that may enable clients to customise Store-Script procuring cart software program and different WebAsyst purposes extra rapidly and simply.”

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

Papa: “At the moment, we’re engaged on an open platform for creating plug-ins for WebAsyst Store-Script, and detailed documentation of find out how to customise the software program. Our high priorities are: open plug-in construction, API, integration with the WebAsyst Contacts utility and new advertising and marketing options.”

PeC: How particularly would switching to the WebAsyst Store-Script cart enhance a service provider’s enterprise?

Papa: “WebAsyst’s largest energy is that it presents not solely the procuring cart utility Store-Script, however eight extra nice purposes to assist entrepreneurs run their companies. Which means with WebAsyst you may get not solely a procuring cart but in addition a complete intranet collaboration system. Purposes might be simply added to your Store-Script set up: You purchase the applying, and WebAsyst Installer mechanically installs it.”

“WebAsyst Store-Script’s widgets characteristic can also be an incredible profit. It lets you combine procuring cart buttons into any web site (together with blogs and boards), which is a superb advertising and marketing device that permitting customers to promote on virtually any web site.”

PeC: Every other ideas for our readers?

Papa: “We perceive the tough enterprise atmosphere, the necessity for innovation and nice merchandise and we do our greatest to assist small and medium companies function successfully and profitably by way of the Web.”

A Buyer’s View

Andrew “Zig” Leipzig is a designer and artist who owns Planetzig.com. He makes use of Store-Script on Twisted Chrome Pinstripes, his Verio-hosted web site that sells customized pinstripe decals on-line. He has additionally used Store-Script to develop websites for purchasers. Right here is Leipzig’s tackle the cart.

PeC: What are Store-Script’s largest strengths?

Leipzig: “Instantaneous bells and whistles, however it’s a must to be educated about find out how to set it up in your server. For me, it’s one of many higher plug-and-play options. You do should know find out how to script. As a lot as I say it’s plug-and-play, it’s a must to know what you’re doing.”

“I just like the templates. They offer quite a lot of flexibility, however it’s a must to watch out in altering it. Check the adjustments little by little, line by line. I additionally actually like that it exports to Google. It’s a useful characteristic as a result of it actually does work.”

“I simply arrange one retailer with Store-Script, a enterprise I had on eBay. The primary night time I had two orders. By now, I’ve had simply a dozen orders. It really works, and if there’s cash within the financial institution, it’s working. I stripped out all the opposite stuff that comes with the template and customised it myself.”

PeC: What are some issues it might enhance?

Leipzig: “Extra flexibility on templates and product customized choices. It’s very robust, but it surely’s not as robust as I’d like. Additionally, when it integrates with PayPal, for some purpose it overrides the order abstract, and it simply desires to present them the receipt. I don’t know find out how to overcome that.”

PeC: How particularly would utilizing Store-Script enhance a service provider’s enterprise?

Leipzig: “I feel they’d should have quite a lot of issues in place earlier than leaping in, like if they’ve shared SSL or their very own SSL certificates. They must be in search of a options record that already exists on Store-Script.”

PeC: Do you propose to proceed utilizing Store-Script? Why or why not?

Leipzig: “I at all times keep open, however proper now it’s working for me. Its assist is nice, too. When I’ve an issue like scripting points, I discover them actually useful. Don’t depend on them for telephone assist, however undoubtedly with electronic mail. I’ve had main points, however they only saved banging away at them, so I’m actually grateful.”

PeC: Every other ideas on procuring carts for our readers?

Leipzig: “It really works for me, and I discover that it’s straightforward for me to combine graphics into it. I want it have been slightly extra versatile with having a sale or creating particular person merchandise that don’t should fall right into a class. These it’s a must to throw in on a graphic foundation as a substitute of as an merchandise, so that you’re at all times messing with the HTML on these templates. They’ve a variety of templates, however I solely use one and customise it.”

Different Store-Script Websites

• Polyco Restricted
• All Time Books
• ReArt