| As ecommerce continues to boom, the importance | | | | before getting to the steps of the checkout process. |
| of employing the best available online shopping cart | | | | If your site requires the customer to register their |
| software should not be underestimated. In order to | | | | personal information before adding items to their |
| be successful, an ecommerce shopping cart system | | | | cart, many web users will look elsewhere to shop. |
| must maximize usability, functionality and design. This | | | | - Provide customers with live stock availability before |
| is because consumers typically look to online shopping | | | | the user places a product in the cart. This will reduce |
| for the convenience it offers, abandoning sites where | | | | time wasted on adding items that are not currently |
| transactions cannot be completed swiftly and | | | | available. |
| securely. A reliable cart that efficiently manages the | | | | - Make sure the contents of the cart are clearly |
| purchasing process is the key to retaining customers, | | | | pictured on screen once items are added. The design |
| as they are likely to seek an alternative online supplier | | | | should be simple and easy to view with clear |
| if your site causes frustration. | | | | shopping cart icons. |
| The basis of any web shopping cart solution is the | | | | - Allow users to make changes to the items in their |
| scripting language in which it is written, usually either | | | | cart easily. Consumers often decide to change the |
| PHP (Personal Home Page) or ASP (Active Server | | | | size of color of a product once it is already in their |
| Pages). A PHP shopping cart is the most commonly | | | | cart. Being able to make changes in the cart saves |
| used type, because they are built with one of the | | | | time and the confusion of having to navigate back to |
| most versatile and easy to understand scripting | | | | the product. |
| languages. Finding good hosting at affordable prices is | | | | - Simplify the steps it takes for return customers to |
| also easier using a PHP shopping cart, because it is | | | | purchase items by allowing users to save their billing |
| compatible with most servers. Alternatively, the ASP | | | | and shipping information on your site. If a return user |
| shopping cart is designed with Microsoft's | | | | can purchase an item in just a few clicks, they will |
| programming languages, and is designed to run only | | | | prefer your site over competitors. |
| on Microsoft servers. Therefore it can be more | | | | - Use suggestive selling after an item has been added |
| difficult to find affordable hosting with an ASP | | | | to the cart. An advanced cart can process |
| shopping cart. | | | | information about the customer's purchase and offer |
| It is important to consider is whether the online | | | | complementary products. |
| shopping carts software you choose is scalable. | | | | - Allow for the calculation of discounts using coupon |
| Flexibility and customization are important, so that | | | | codes, or provide discounts based on the number of |
| your cart can be modified to support the growth and | | | | units a customer purchases. |
| needs of your online store. For a shopping carts | | | | - Employ a cart that is able to compute taxes, |
| comparison, there are storefront applications that | | | | shipping costs, discount rates and all other necessary |
| offer various shopping cart demo functions. These | | | | calculations. |
| that are great for getting to know which tools, | | | | - Use integrated auto responder and newsletter |
| options and features are vital to providing a user | | | | capabilities to streamline communications and increase |
| friendly shopping experience. Knowing what to look | | | | the return on your investment. |
| for in usability will help your storefront shopping cart | | | | - Use a shopping cart system that can provide sales |
| be successful. Some guidelines for maximizing usability | | | | data and information about traffic to help improve |
| are as follows: | | | | your online business. |
| - Allow users to add and compare items in the cart | | | | |