# What is a good program to set up your online shopping cart...



## tea shert (May 5, 2005)

once you place in line you domain name, server space, and now you want to do your html/xml/java/flash....etc code 

what shopping cart, or 'online store in a box" program has anyone used....

any suggestions


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## Twinge (Apr 26, 2005)

As far as free ones go, you basically have Zencart and OSCommerce to choose from, I believe. I went with Zencart because it is still being developed.

However, don't assume software like this will make your website for you; far from it. You'll still have to be willing to dive into the code (or pay someone who is) and learn a little html and php to really create the site you want.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Twinge said:


> As far as free ones go, you basically have Zencart and OSCommerce to choose from, I believe. I went with Zencart because it is still being developed.


There are lots of other free shopping cart packages, Zencart and OSCommerce are just the two most well known. However, they're the most well known because for the most part they're the best (and most fully featured). I mean even PayPal *technically* have a free shopping cart system.

OSCommerce is also still being developed.



Twinge said:


> However, don't assume software like this will make your website for you; far from it. You'll still have to be willing to dive into the code (or pay someone who is) and learn a little html and php to really create the site you want.


Also, don't make the mistake I did and assume that customisation will be as easy as it looks 

I went with OSCommerce (I was going to use Zencart, but my webhost has an automatic install of OSC available so I figured why not), expecting to have to add several mods. It has taken a *lot* of work to bash it into shape though.

If I was doing this over again I would either pay someone to code a cart from scratch, or buy a cart package that did more of what I want out of the box. Some of the pay carts aren't even as good as the free ones, but there are some really good commercial carts out there.


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