# Easiest foolproof shopping cart?



## Xeon (Aug 11, 2007)

I installed OSCommerce and the interface is pure hell. Highly confusing and really too much overkill for my simple site.

All I need is an Add-to-Cart and Checkout button plus some basic shopping cart software like order forms and shipping calculation etc.

Is there anything that lets you copy and paste the shopping cart link code to your own Add-to-Cart and Checkout button?

Something like PayPal, where you copy and paste their code and link it to your buttons.
Only thing is PayPal's rates are too expensive per transaction.

I've seen RomanCart as well but they're charging hundreds of British pounds per year. Something free, simple and cheap would be nice. 

Another question: if I use a shopping cart like OSCommerce, CubeCart etc., I still need a merchant account to handle the credit card payment and stuff?
Or will these shopping carts also handle the payment and money for me?

Thanks!
Xeon


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Xeon said:


> Only thing is PayPal's rates are too expensive per transaction.



Compared to what? There are no minimums, so unless you expect to do $1,000's of transactions monthly out the gate, you will find paypal is probably your LEAST expensive option.

OSC, Cubecart, etc. will not process cards for you. You will need a 3rd party processor.


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## Comin'OutSwingin (Oct 28, 2005)

You aren't going to find anyone to process your payments much cheaper than paypal.

The shopping carts you mention (OSC, CubeCart) both allow you to use paypal as an option and link it to your cart.


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## Xeon (Aug 11, 2007)

Thanks guys! Yeah, after comparing PayPal with other payment gateways like WorldPay. 2Checkout etc.....PayPal is indeed cheap.

Btw, I heard several horror stories whereby if the buyer claims that he never receives the good or wants a refund etc., PayPal will always side with the buyer? And also stories of how PayPal freezes your account for unknown, ambiguous reasons and there's not much we can do etc (worse thing is if you've US$500+ in your account and PayPal freezes it or shuts it down).


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Xeon said:


> Btw, I heard several horror stories whereby if the buyer claims that he never receives the good or wants a refund etc., PayPal will always side with the buyer? And also stories of how PayPal freezes your account for unknown, ambiguous reasons and there's not much we can do etc (worse thing is if you've US$500+ in your account and PayPal freezes it or shuts it down).


As long as your return/refund policies are clearly spelled out on your site and you ship a trackable package, you'll be fine.


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## Comin'OutSwingin (Oct 28, 2005)

I agree with Joe.

Also, if I had a paypal account attached to a shopping cart, I would make sure that no money ever stayed in it long. I would transfer it out daily. That way, you would never have much in it, if paypal decided to freeze it.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Comin'OutSwingin said:


> Also, if I had a paypal account attached to a shopping cart, I would make sure that no money ever stayed in it long. I would transfer it out daily. That way, you would never have much in it, if paypal decided to freeze it.


I thought about saying that, but unless you are prepared to change up credit card processors, paypal will just nab your next sale. 

Still, it is a good idea not to keep a lot there. 1) They are not a bank-funds are not insured. 2) I have heard of accounts being compromised by hackers and it taking months to get your money credited back.


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## Comin'OutSwingin (Oct 28, 2005)

splathead said:


> I thought about saying that, but unless you are prepared to change up credit card processors, paypal will just nab your next sale.


Good point!

I guess once it's frozen you'd have to change if you wanted to continue to have your shop up, and at least there wouldn't be much to get. You lose the money from a sale or 2, then switch that puppy over to something else!!


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Comin'OutSwingin said:


> I guess once it's frozen you'd have to change if you wanted to continue to have your shop up, and at least there wouldn't be much to get. You lose the money from a sale or 2, then switch that puppy over to something else!!


Remember too, according to their TOS, paypal has ACH access to the same checking account you would transfer these funds to. 

So not only would you have to empty your paypal account, you would have to empty/close your business checking account too.

Not worth it for a $20 shirt order dispute.


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## Comin'OutSwingin (Oct 28, 2005)

splathead said:


> Remember too, according to their TOS, paypal has ACH access to the same checking account you would transfer these funds to.
> 
> So not only would you have to empty your paypal account, you would have to empty/close your business checking account too.
> 
> Not worth it for a $20 shirt order dispute.


Ooohhhhhh. I didn't know that!

So, let's say they froze your paypal account and you were emptying it each day and had nothing in it. They wouldn't be able to get funds from the checking account that's linked to your paypal account, would they?

Because if not, then once your paypal account is frozen, I would be done with them forever anyway, and wouldn't have a problem getting another checking account.

On the other hand, if they've got access to the checking account and can take money from it, it really doesn't do any good to empty the paypal account.


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

Try this ,, real time shipping and cart generated html , choose your button style, paypal driven
Shipping Calculator and Auction Management Solutions by AuctionInc


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Comin'OutSwingin said:


> So, let's say they froze your paypal account and you were emptying it each day and had nothing in it. They wouldn't be able to get funds from the checking account that's linked to your paypal account, would they?


Do you mean emptying the paypal account every day? If it was frozen, there is no way to empty it.



> Because if not, then once your paypal account is frozen, I would be done with them forever anyway, and wouldn't have a problem getting another checking account.


Is it really worth it for a $20 dispute? Think of the time it takes to implement a new cart. The cost to print new checks, ec. 



> On the other hand, if they've got access to the checking account and can take money from it, it really doesn't do any good to empty the paypal account.


Nope.


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## Xeon (Aug 11, 2007)

Thanks for the replies, everyone!

And yeah, it's not worth it to withdraw money everyday, because if I remember correctly, either PayPal or your bank (or both) will charge you a small withdrawl fee (a certain % of your total withdrawn funds). By the time you add everything up, the withdrawal funds will eat up your next few sales, like what SplatHead says.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Xeon said:


> Thanks for the replies, everyone!
> 
> And yeah, it's not worth it to withdraw money everyday, because if I remember correctly, either PayPal or your bank (or both) will charge you a small withdrawl fee (a certain % of your total withdrawn funds). By the time you add everything up, the withdrawal funds will eat up your next few sales, like what SplatHead says.


Paypal doesn't charge a fee. If your bank does, it should be just pennies. The same charge as if you were making a deposit - because that's all you're doing.


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## Xeon (Aug 11, 2007)

Hi all,

Just curious, but I was wondering if there's any way to test my PayPal system.

I've added the PayPal "Buy Now" button to my site with the necessary linked code etc., and I would like to go into my own website and buy my own products so that I can see how my "Buy Now" button works, and the pages that gets displayed when I (in my position as a "customer") check out the item etc.

But PayPal is not letting me buy products from myself, and I've tried using another PayPal account to fool the system, but well, to sign up for another PayPal account, you need to have a 2nd credit card, which I don't have.

Anyone has any ideas?


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## plan b (Feb 21, 2007)

Try paypal sandbox for testing


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