A web-based shopping cart is a way for customers to read a list of products and mark off the selections they want. Then, when they are finished, they can check out and review their tax, shipping, and total order.

Shopping cart software is the programming that allows a website to build a catalog of products and its database and integrate it into its website pages. The shopping cart is one of the most important parts to having a smooth e-commerce transition since it is how your customers will ultimately purchase your products.

If you are looking for a shopping cart solution for your website, there are many choices available. Many hosting companies provide shopping cart applications as a part of their e-commerce hosting packages. If not, or if the shopping cart does not suit your needs, you will have to either purchase shopping cart software or find a hosted solution.

Before you start shopping for a cart solution, make a list of what you need your cart to do:

• Can you install and configure the cart software yourself, or will you need help?
• How many transactions do you think you will have? Some software handles a larger volume than others.
• Will it work with your current online store?
• How much can you afford to pay for a shopping cart?
• What level of security and encryption will you, and your customers, be comfortable with?

These are only a handful of the questions that may arise when you look for a shopping cart solution, but they will help guide you in selecting the right cart application for your needs.

The first question is probably the most significant. If you are tech-savvy and feel comfortable setting up your own shopping cart, you will be able to take advantage of one of the many free, open-source carts out there. But if you need a hosted solution, that will take you in another direction entirely.

Below are some open source Carts:

OSCOMMERCE
osCommerce is the leading Open Source online shop e-commerce solution that is available for free under the GNU General Public License. It features a rich set of out-of-the-box online shopping cart functionality that allows store owners to set up, run, and maintain online stores with minimum effort and with no costs, fees, or limitations involved. osCommerce is FREE.

ZENCART
The developers of ZenCart set out to make it easier to install and use for non-tech-types. ZenCart lets you spotlight specific items in your store, making it very useful for product promotions. The three-step checkout process is easy to understand and use. ZenCart is FREE.

ZENCART

PHPSHOP
This program is full of features and is easy to install and maintain. PhpShop is FREE.

Below are some third-party solutions:
PAYPAL
Offers shopping cart capability as part of their package. The cart is free, but it requires that your buyers pay via PayPal which means you will owe PayPal a transaction fee. However, the fees are reasonable, and the cart is fairly easy to set up and use.

MONSTERCOMMERCE
MonsterCommerce is a complete shopping cart solution. In addition to a full-featured shopping cart, you can also have MonsterCommerce host your website. MonsterCommerce has a $99 activation fee.
X-CART

X-CART
X-Cart is a well-established shopping cart package with a comprehensive range of features (gift certificates, special offers etc.). It comes with its php/CSS code fully editable, so it can be customized however you wish. It’s multilingual and comes in a variety of ‘skins’ (i.e. shopfront designs and themes), with an unlimited catalog size. It also has several add-ons, such as an integrated affiliate scheme. X-Cart costs $229.

Here are some total shopping cart solutions:
MICROSOFT COMMERCE MANAGER
Microsoft Commerce Manager has many features to create an online storefront. You can also list products on the auction block and on shopping sites, as well as list them on your website. You can also provide customers with an order status. It costs $249 per year or $24.95 per month.

YAHOO! MERCHANT SOLUTIONS
Merchant Solutions offers single or multi-page checkout, automatic calculations for shipping and tax, support for downloadable products, custom design options, and even gift-wrapping options. Yahoo! Merchant Solutions costs $39.95 per month with a 1.5% transaction fee and a $50 set-up fee.
YAHOO! MERCHANT SOLUTIONS

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