Free Tools to Edit Product Shots for Your Online Store

http://www.ecommerce-guide.com//article.php/3939786

 — eCommerce-Guide.com

By Vangie Beal

January 25, 2012

If you own an online store, it's a good practice to ensure you offer shoppers clear and professional-lookingproduct images. The images you use in your store will rouse consumer interest in your products. A plain or poor-quality digital photo of the item you sell is just not enough to inspire a purchase.  
Online store owners and eBay sellers working with a limited budget can skip the cost of purchasing commercial image editing software and use free Web-based or open source tools to perk up product shots.

5 Free Image Tools for Online Store Owners

There are a number of basic functions that you will want to use to fix up product shots, so even if the editor is free, save time by making sure the basic options are available. Look for crop, rotate and brushes. And be sure it includes a text editor in case you need to add a copyright tag or caption directly on to the image. Remember that using too many special image effects will make your product shot look fake, so stick with the tools that enhance the natural look of the product in your online store.
Here are five free image editors to get you started.

1. GIMP:  The GNU Image Manipulation Program

GIMP is one of the most well-known an open source image editors. It comes complete with layering, brushes, lighting and more features that let you add a cutting-edge look to your images.  Online store owners will want to work with some of the tools for rotation, cropping and text.
If you need help using GIMP, a simple Google search will yield a number of articles on how to effectively use some of the tools in the program. More advanced users can download additional scripts and brushes.

• Main features:  .gif animation capabilities, brushes, layering with blend modes, filtering and color effects, transformation tools, a text editor and photo creation capabilities.
• Cost: GIMP is open source software (so it's free) and available for Windows, Mac, Linux and UNIX systems.

2. Pixlr:  Web-Based Image Editing with Drop-Down Menus

Pixlr is a Web-based image editing program that can help online store owners make images and product shots look snazzy and appealing to your site viewers and customers.  The image editor features movable (and scalable) windows for editing, drop-down menus to use effects, filters, brushes and other image editing tools. Pixlr offers an easy-to-use text editor, so you can add slogans and catchy phrases to your images and Web advertisements.
Since Pixlr is a Web-based image editing tool, you don't have to download or install anything. You simply load it into your Web browser.

• Main features: easy drop-down menus, filters and effects, brushes, transformations, text editor and no downloading because it's Web-based. 
• Cost: Pixlr is free -- no credit cards, accounts, or trials. It's available on all operating systems with an up-to-date Web browser. It also works with Android and Apple iOS devices.

3. Splashup: Free Web Editing with Social Sharing

Splashup is another Web-based image editor that can be used in conjunction with popular photo sharing services like Facebook and Flickr. This social integration allows Web shop owners to access photos directly and not have to download them to a hard drive, edit, then upload them.
Splashup offers a number of features including layers with blending modes and numerous effects and filters to spice-up your product shots and other business images.

• Main Features: integrated photo sharing, layering with blend modes, filters and effects, text editor, edit photos directly off of a webcam, and it's Web-based.
• Cost: Splashup is completely free, and requires no credit cards or accounts; you just open the Web page and edit your photos. It works on any operating system with an up-to-date Web browser.

4. Picasa: Organize, Store and Edit Images

Picasa is a free program offered by Google that lets you host, organize and edit all images on your computer. It's pretty simple: after you install Picasa, it searches for all images on your hard drives. Once it has indexed them, it stores them in a library for easy access.  Features include basic image fixes, such as color and contrast, and you can crop, rotate and add text. There are several effects and filters you can use to turn plain images in to showcase quality.
Picasa is a basic program, but it's user-friendly and meets the needs of most online store owners who need to liven up a few product images.

• Main Features: create a photo library to index your images, includes all basic editing tools, filters and effects and a text editor.
• Cost:  Picasa is completely free to download and use. It works on Windows, Mac and Linux systems.

5. Fotoflexer: A Web-Based Tool with a Simple Interface

Fotoflexer is another Web-based image editor that offers a decent number of features and a simple interface that makes editing images a painless task.  Fotoflexer integrates with images and photos on a number of popular social sites including Facebook, MySpace, Flickr and Photobucket. The Web tool offers most of the basic image editing tools such as crop, resize, rotate and text editing. Online store owners can also add image effects and filters to give product shots a unique look.

• Main Features: integrated photo sharing, all basic photo editing tools, text editor, effects and filters, and it's Web-based.
• Cost:  Fotoflexer is completely free, and works with any operating system with an up-to-date browser, since it is Web-based.

More Online Store Product Page Tips

Looking to get a better handle on improving your online store? Try these tips and guides for small business ecommerce sites:

• E-commerce Content: Writing Product Descriptions
• Product Shots that Pop: It's Not About the Pixels
• Prepping Product Shots for Web Shops
• Ecommerce Website Design Tips: The Product Page

Based in Nova Scotia, Canada, Vangie Beal has spent the last decade contributing featured articles and reviews to more than 20 technology-focused publications, including Webopedia and Ecommerce-Guide. You can tweet with her online @AuroraGG

Disney Inks Deal with Greenbox, Chinese eCommerce Is Taking Off

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/disney-inks-deal-with-greenbox-chinese-ecommerce-is-taking-off/2011/08/29/gIQAMffpmJ_story.html

 - The Washington Post

By TechCrunch.com, Monday, August 29, 3:37 AM

A lot of Americans desperately want to believe that China is full of poor people who can't innovate, and the only goods they make are cheap, toxic rip-offs our Western brands. They want to believe the only reason the Chinese economy is surging is because the West wants cheap goods and China knows how to make them that way.
These people will hate this post because it's about a company called Greenbox that flies in the face of those preconceived notions.
Greenbox makes high-end, super-styled kids clothes in and for the Chinese market. It caught the eye of Disney, which reached out to the company to ask if it wanted to manufacture some of their lines. "No thanks," the company replied. "We're not interested in just being an OEM."
Wait, isn't this China we're talking about? It's a country of OEMs.
The mouse house came back with a sweeter offer that's being announced at a ceremony in China tonight: It has licensed the rights for the princess collection, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse and Winnie the Pooh to Greenbox. The company will design a high-end online collection to be sold online in China, as part of a broad plan to help build hype for the upcoming themepark in Shanghai.
Greenbox was founded more than ten years ago by a designer named Fangfang Wu who started to make clothes for her kids because she was so unhappy with the cheap, boring ones being sold in the country at the time. She obsessed over fabrics, fashion and design and a hobby quickly turned into a business, as she opened a chain of stores, and later closed those stores to sell on Taobao for better margins.
She was one of the top grossing sellers on Taobao as her designs struck a chord as with other young, working women in China who wanted to flaunt their increasingly hip and unique tastes. (I mean, look at that outfit above. It's like a little Chinese Natalie Wood playing Red Riding Hood. How is that not adorable?) In 2010, DCM's China office sought her out, investing just over $10 million to help scale the business.
Today Greenbox is bringing in about $50 million in annual revenues on decent margins. She charges between $30-$40 for items— not absurd, but certainly on the higher end for kids' clothes. "It's a classic case for venture capital: High gross margins, but takes money to build it to scale," says Hurst Lin of DCM.
Note I didn't describe Greenbox as the fill-in-the-blank of China. In fact, I'm hard-pressed to come up with an ecommerce model she's ripping off from the US. Kids clothes hasn't been a natural vertical for etailers here, save being an offshoot of a site like Amazon.
The reason Greenbox has worked so well for China is cultural. Because there are so many only children, there are at least six people wanting to lavish them with cute things: The parents, and two sets of grandparents. This was the same insight Tencent tapped into to monetize its virtual goods early on.
So, Greenbox: Not a copy cat, and not the invisible cheap assembly partner for the West either. Welcome to the next stage of Chinese entrepreneurship.
Greenbox is part of a crop of booming ecommerce companies in China. For years, the market has been held back due to the typical challenges of shipping, infrastructure and payment platforms. Jack Ma, of Alibaba, has long said ecommerce would be bigger in China than here, and that's not just because there are more people. In the US, he calls ecommerce "dessert," but in China there are so many people underserved by brick-and-mortar retail that ecommerce will be the "main course."
DCM and other firms have been aggressive backing many new ecommerce players, and they aren't as simple as just being the Amazon of China. (Although, to be fair, DCM backed one of those too.) Many of these companies, like Greenbox, show a sophistication in appealing to what the Chinese market wants, not simply what's worked elsewhere.
A surprising vertical Lin seized upon that has never proved lucrative in the US is wine. As incomes soar, many Chinese are developing a taste for Western wine, but have trouble finding interesting vintages and even navigating the language barriers, he says. His bet, YesMyWine, isn't just an ecommerce play, it's a content and media play.
He was delighted the PR contact on the call brought up another hot DCM ecommerce company: La Miu, which makes sexy lingerie. I could hear him squirming as he tried to explain– delicately– why Victoria's Secret failed miserably in China, while more recently La Miu has succeeded.
Victoria's Secret tried to market to women in their 30s who wanted to be comfortable not sexy. It was a bit too early in China's consumer revolution and husbands weren't demanding sexier underwear so ever-practical Chinese women just didn't see the appeal.
Victoria's Secret made another mistake that Lin tries to explain as tactfully as possible: Asian women have… different bodies….than Western women.
But La Miu has taken a totally different tact: Marketing underwear designed for the Asian body type to teens. "Born in the late 1990s they are much more a global consumer, they are open-minded and more rebellious," Lin says. "It's been a huge success."
As I've written before, China's ability to be the assembly line to the world wasn't where its role in the global economy ended; it was where it began. An ability to make products cheaper than anywhere else gave way to an ability to make high end products more nimbly than anywhere else. And increasingly, entrepreneurs like Wu are adding design and brand on top of that to create products the broader world will want.
The first generation of Chinese entrepreneurs was about picking the low-hanging fruit in a massive country just opening up to capitalism. Now the real fun is starting.
(Shameless plug: Join TechCrunch at Disrupt Beijing in October to learn more.)

PayPal Handles PCI Compliance for SMB Ecommerce Merchants

http://www.ecommerce-guide.com//article.php/3937816
— eCommerce-Guide.com

By Vangie Beal

July 27, 2011

While the phrase PCI compliance is enough to make a small business ecommerce merchant groan, the reality for merchants is that compliance is required in this day and age of online shopping -- regardless of the size of your online business.

PCI Compliance Explained

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is designed to be a baseline minimum standard for credit card security. In a nutshell, PCI DSS is a security process to help you identify all parts of your business that are vulnerable to theft, ranging from how you dispose of paper records to how you transmit and store personally identifiable information online -- including your customers' credit card information.

To achieve PCI compliance, an online retailer must meet all PCI DSS requirements. Lee Castro, a senior marketing manager at PayPal said that when it comes to being in compliance with PCI regulations, a lot of responsibility falls to the merchant.
"Some of the responsibilities for merchants include building and maintaining a secure network, protecting cardholder data, maintaining a vulnerability-management program, implementing strong access control measures, regularly monitoring and testing networks,and maintaining an information security policy," he explained.

The problem most small business ecommerce site owners will face is putting the infrastructure into place to meet those requirements. The approach that merchants use in meeting these requirements is an important business consideration.

"Merchants can decide to build and maintain the infrastructure to meet these requirements themselves, or they can outsource that infrastructure by using a third party, like PayPal, that stores, transmits, and processes the data on their behalf.  The decision is certainly a key decision for the merchant, as it has implications in terms of overall cost and time investment," Castro said.

Outsourcing PCI Security and Compliance to PayPal

Working to assist small business site owners and online merchants tackle PCI compliance, PayPal recently announced a significant update to PayPal Payflow Link that provides merchants with "PCI peace of mind" and buyers with a streamlined purchasing experience.

"Our recent PayPal Payflow update allows merchants peace of mind when it comes to PCI compliance management.  PayPal achieves this by offering hosted templates that ensure that sensitive cardholder data is stored, transmitted, and processed by PayPal, not the merchant," said Castro. "As a result, merchants can stay focused on future business growth instead of website security."

In this way, PayPal acts as a trusted third-party that stores, transmits, and processes credit card data on behalf of the merchant and also assumes the responsibility of keeping customers' information safe and the transaction secure to meet PCI requirements.  As part of your ongoing PCI Compliance management you will need to periodically certify your compliance to PCI regulations, but by outsourcing the infrastructure, that certification workload is greatly reduced. 

Embedded Checkout Templates

One issue that merchants may face when outsourcing PCI Compliance is being able to offload the security and still provide a seamless transaction process for the customer. In most cases merchants want to provide customers with the level of PCI security, but also don't want to let customers know that another player has entered the transaction process.

PayPal solves this problem with Payflow Link's embedded checkout template so your customers do not have to leave your site during the checkout process to buy securely. This, according to PayPal, creates an efficient and secure transaction that meets key expectations of the shopping experience. 

"The element that stands out in terms of consumer preference is those sites that offer the most efficiency.  A key part of delivering that efficiency is having a streamlined shopping experience that doesn't redirect the customer," said Castro. "The seamless process means that the customer will be less likely to abandon the sale as a result of additional websites and windows to navigate."

PayPal's Payflow Link tool is available to merchants who want to conduct sales and transactions from their own website or online Web store.

Related PCI Compliance Articles

From beginner guides to expert tips, our selection of PCI compliance articles can help you to better manage your ecommerce business.

• Will PCI Outsourcing Kill Conversion Rates?
• 4 Ecommerce Regulations to Need to Know
• PCI Security: Small E-tailers Face Large Fines if Hacked
• The Tangled Web of PCI Compliance, Are You Ready?

Vangie Beal is a veteran online seller and frequent contributor to ECommerce-Guide.com. She is also managing editor of Webopedia.com. You can tweet with her online @AuroraGG.

5 Tips to Make Your Website Mobile Friendly

http://www.ecommerce-guide.com//article.php/3933791

— eCommerce-Guide.com

By Pam Baker

May 17, 2011

It's no secret that mobile commerce is booming and expected to grow rapidly for the foreseeable future. But that means a small business will miss out on sales it needs to prosper unless it has a presence on smartphones of every brand and on every carrier. That's a tall order for the little guy on a tiny budget. Building a phone app, for example, can cost thousands of dollars -- and that's for just one brand of phone. Not to worry, there are ways to "go mobile" on a shoestring.

"Small businesses don't need to build an app or create a whole new mobile website," said Pamela Springer, president and CEO of Manta, an online community for promoting and connecting small business. "They just need to be sure their website is easily viewable on a mobile device. That means modifying your site for optimal display on a mobile device."

Knowing what and how much to modify is every bit as important as knowing how to do it.

"Don't try and boil the ocean initially," advised Nicole Carrier, program director at IBM Web Experience. "Focus on those services or pages that customers will most likely want to access from their mobile device." For example, she said a small retail store might want to have the first iteration of its mobile website contain directions to the store, contact information and the store's hours.

Map out your intended modifications before you start tinkering with your website. Begin by identifying which pages of your website are likely to be of most interest to mobile users, but also make sure they can access your full website too. "Add a link on your mobile site to get to the full version of the site, for those smartphone users that want access to all of your content -- even those pages that might not be optimized for their device," said Carrier.

When you're ready to get started, follow the tips outlined below.

5 Mobile-friendly Website Tips

1. Use mobile plugins

If your website contains a Content Management System (CMS), such as Drupal or WordPress, you'll want to take a look at the plugins that are available for mobile editions. Plugins optimize your website for mobile viewing and are often the easiest options to use. Many are free, but some charge a premium.

"We have two go-to plugins for optimizing a WordPress website for mobile. Mobile from PluginBuddy, a premium plugin that starts at $45, is one. The support you receive for your $45 investment is stellar to say the least," said Jarrod "Jay" Skeggs, partner at StudioD.tv. "WPtouch, a free plugin, is another. We have had good experience with it in the past."

Other plugins include WordPress Mobile Pack and Wordpress Mobile Edition. But look around and weigh them all against your actual modification plans to determine which is right for your business.

2. Consider DIY mobile website builders

"There are a number of sites that offer mobile website building services -- often at no cost," said Drew Barton, president and founder of Southern Web Group, a web design firm. "For example, Mobify has a free option. The service is widely used by some of the world's leading publications."

Indeed, there are several options in this category including MoFuse, Wapple,Wirenode, Mobeezo and MobiSiteGalore.

The dotMobi mobile website tool, Instant Mobilizer, is arguably the best known and is even incorporated on several leading website hosting services such as GoDaddy.com. However, dotmobi websites do not actually need third-party hosting.

"GoMobi websites are hosted 'in the cloud' by DotMobi, so SMBs don't pay extra for hosting or have to worry about other technology aspects," said Trey Harvin, CEO of DotMobi. "Since a GoMobi website works on all mobile handsets, it ensures a business is available on the complete range of mobiles available, not just iPhones and Androids."

3. Avoid using Flash

"Get rid of Flash. Period, end of story," said Kate McGinley, vice president of operations at McGinley Media Limited, a mobil app and website development firm. "It's often not supported, and when it does, it takes too long to load, and you lose viewer interest." Unfortunately, many regular websites do include Flash. Be extra careful to find it and eliminate it on the pages you want to be mobile friendly.

4. Keep the 'Fat Finger' in mind

Nothing detracts from a mobile experience more than a frustrated consumer unable to navigate a mobile site and click on hyperlinked text, warned Diane Buzzeo, CEO of Ability Commerce. Given the small size of a mobile screen, make text links larger for a mobile website. Similarly, make it easy for people browsing a phone to call you. "Phone numbers normally displayed in text can be enhanced with code to call upon touch," she said. "Using TapToCall for customer service lines and other numbers is easy to integrate and a good alternative to advanced coding."

5. Find good website models

Look at sites that have well-built mobile versions and how they contrast with their traditional desktop site. Amazon, Newegg and CNN are a few examples where you can draw inspiration and best practices. "You'll find that they have removed animation and hover text, Web features that don't transfer over to mobile devices well," explained Buzzeo. "Take a cue from the leader in the industry and then test based on your own customer demographics."

Testing is important in order to see your mobile website as your customers do. Testing on actual devices can be difficult, especially if you don't already own all the devices you need to test. However, online testing sites are typically not as good as testing on the real device.

Try asking friends and customers to try your site on their device and offer feedback. This will dramatically reduce your testing cost, but it will also provide you with valuable insight into what your actual customers prefer to see on your new mobile-friendly website.

Pam Baker has written for numerous leading publications including, Institutional Investor magazine, CIO.com, NetworkWorld, ComputerWorld, IT World, Linux World, Internet News, E-Commerce Times, LinuxInsider, CIO Today Magazine, NPTech News (nonprofits), MedTech Journal, I Six Sigma magazine, Computer Sweden, the NY Times, and Knight-Ridder/McClatchy newspapers.

Small Business Computing is on Facebook. Join us on Facebook and interact with the site's editors, post messages, share your small business challenges and successes, discuss technology and suggest topics you'd like covered on Small Business Computing.

How to Write an About Us for a Website

http://www.ehow.com/how_4507053_write-us-website.html

| eHow.com

First impressions really do matter. Visitors to your website who want to learn more about you and the services or products you provide can be positively influenced by a well written, sincere biographical page. Just as easily, however, potential clients and peers can be turned off by an "About Us" page that's poorly written.

1. Start with a brief recap of where and how you began. Did your business start out in your garage and expand from there? Were you always fascinated by electronics and couldn't wait to create a gadget of your own? Were you a pint-size chef before you could even reach the counter?
2. Tell how your years of experience and your skills have combined to bring you to the point where you are today. Mention staff members or key employees by name but keep it brief. You can add approximate revenue figures if you like.
3. Keep the tone light and factual. Don't include poetry, "words of wisdom" or other personal reflections on this page. A few well chosen pictures are appropriate, but choose those that accentuate a point you're making.
4. Focus on the product or service provided. Omit addiction history, marriage or family turmoil, or other dramatic references. If these facts seem appropriate to share with a client or visitor to the site, you can do so at another time.
5. Finish by thanking the visitor for coming to the site and include information on how best to reach you.

电子商务二次营销

http://dianshang.lu/2011/05/12/ecommerce-remarketing/

| 电商路

时间：2011年05月14日 作者：Rain 分类：网络营销 标签: 二次营销, 网络营销

网上店铺商家有很多不同的方法来转化一个潜在的消费者，其中最流行而且最有效的一种方法就是通过电子商务二次营销——使用不同的策略和全自动邮件系统来跟踪放弃购物车的网站访客。

什么是电子商务二次营销？

电子商务二次营销是一种用来减少购物车废弃率的营销技术，Experian曾经做过一项研究，研究报告是"二次营销报告：连接Web行为和电子邮件营销的基准和数据分析"，报告中指出网上店铺的购物车废弃率达到56.2%，报告同时指出对放弃购物车的网站访客进行有效的二次营销可以增加访客的转化率。

二次营销听起来好像很复杂，然而二次营销系统背后的理论和它有效实用的原因其实并不难理解，我们可以把电子商务二次营销简单地认为是这样一个过程：我们使用传统的营销手段把访客吸引到我们的网站，如果他最终没有购买，我们就使用二次营销的战略把访客重新带回到我们网站并且把他转化成付费的消费者。

当一个访客放弃购物车时会留下一些信息，至少会留下注册时填写的的e-mail地址，我们就可以利用这些资料来跟踪访客，主要是为我们的二次营销做准备。这种类型的交互就叫做转化营销或者是电子商务二次营销。

很多电子商务平台都提供全自动和事件触发式的方法在电子邮件中跟踪购物车废弃者。

电子商务二次营销中的软销售

在二次营销的电子邮件中，应当包含有利于提高访客转化率的相关信息，包括购物车废弃者放弃的交易细节信息，比如废弃者放弃的产品和一个可以返回网站购物车的链接以帮助他们继续完成结算付款。所有我们所掌握的关于消费者的有价值数据都可以用到二次营销的电子邮件中，从而使这一交互过程对消费者来说更加个性化和友好。

你可以用一种非常友好和温和的语气来个性化定制你的电子邮件，在营销学中，这通常叫做软销售，意思是说当你在二次营销中第一次和消费者接触时，邮件要使用一种温和的为顾客服务的语气。

顾客放弃最终结算购物车的原因可能有很多，除非你知道为什么顾客放弃购物车，否则你最好能够很温和而且能够提供帮助。不是要去"硬销售"，你需要在电子邮件中用一种温和的语气询问是不是有什么技术问题你可以帮助，这样非侵入性的沟通方式将有利于进一步二次营销。

关于二次营销电子邮件内容的五点建议

下面的一些建议可以帮助你构建一封成功的电子商务二次营销邮件。

1、在顾客购物结算的过程中要尽早收集顾客的注册信息，这样如果最终顾客放弃结算，这些注册信息将有助于你更好地开展二次营销。

2、使用尽可能详细的收集到的注册信息来使电子邮件更加个性化，更具有针对性。

3、在邮件中使用一些相关（relevant）性比较强的信息，比如在邮件中放上顾客浏览过的产品的图片，然后放上一个链接帮助顾客返回到购物车结算中心从而完成结算。

4、使用一种非侵入式的软销售沟通方式，记得要使邮件中的信息对顾客来说是有用的，问问顾客网站还可以在哪些方面改进用户的购物体验，这样要的效果要比"硬销售"好得多。

5、提供所有你的联系方式，而且他们可能遇到了什么技术问题，所以应该在邮件中放上技术支持的链接从而帮助他们更容易的完成购物。

>>如无特殊注明，皆为原创文章，欢迎转载。转载请注明：转载自电商路，谢谢！
>>原文链接地址：电子商务二次营销

6 Free Open Source Shopping Cart Software Options

http://www.ecommerce-guide.com//article.php/3668061

— eCommerce-Guide.com

By Matt Jackson

May 4, 2011

Updated on 05/04/2011

Open source shopping cart software is a big deal for a new merchant (or online retailer). One of the most alarming factors when starting your online retail business is the cost associated with commercial and proprietary shopping cart software.

While you can pay a few extra dollars for shopping cart software when signing up for a hosting Web server account, these subscription-based plans don't always offer the shopping cart functionality or design options that meet business needs. For the budget-strained new start-up, this is where open source software comes in to play.

Why Choose Open Source Shopping Cart Software?

Open source software refers to a program in which the source code is available to the general public for use and/or modification from its original design free of charge. Basically, many like-minded programmers create software that costs nothing for you to use and it can also be edited just as freely. The result of this collaboration of professional programmers is called open source software and it can be as feature-rich as its commercial competitors. Best of all, of course, it's free.

Generically, open source refers to a program in which the source code is available to the general public for use and/or modification from its original design free of charge, i.e., open. Open source code is typically created as a collaborative effort in which programmers improve upon the code and share the changes within the community. Open source sprouted in the technological community as a response to proprietary software owned by corporations.

Open source software is not a new concept, but it was once considered to be lacking in features and incredibly difficult to install without the help of a trained professional. However, now many open source shopping carts are as intuitive as commercial solutions. And, with such a vibrant and active open source community backing the software, there are many options available and lots of support should you need it. To help you decide what's a good fit for you, we've highlighted the features from six of the best open source shopping carts we would recommend.

Open Source Shopping Cart #1: osCommerce

osCommerce is one of the most widely used and highly respected open source shopping cart tools available. The software itself has been developed and improved over the years and new additions and add-ons are submitted on a daily basis. The result is a user-friendly, secure and stable ecommerce shopping cart. osCommerce is one of the beste-commerce solutions available. If it doesn't have a feature you want, and that's unlikely because we've only scratched the surface in this article, then check out the online community because you are virtually guaranteed that somebody somewhere has instructions on how to achieve it.

Easy Shopping Cart Installation: Installation is a breeze; completed entirely through your Internet browser. All features and functions are enabled automatically giving you complete use of the software within minutes of downloading it.

Category and Product Management: There are no limitations in terms of the number of categories or products that you can add. Whether you want to sell just a handful of items or open up the next giant online shopping center, it's your choice. You are also free to sell physical products or digital products according to your own business needs. Search features make it easy for your visitors to quickly and intuitively find products they desire.

Design Implementation and Modification: The design of the front-end software can be easily altered. By using a template structure, osCommerce enables you to change certain aspects of your entire site without having to alter every individual page. You can even link products to display in "similar items" sections and you can automatically display "special offer" items and any other promotions.

Payment Integration: Payment integration is easy. As well as integrating credit/debit cards, checks, and other offline payment methods, osCommerce can be integrated with PayPal, 2CheckOut and many more online payment processors.

Shopping Cart Add-ons: To date there are over 6,500 add-ons available for free to customize osCommerce online stores to help increase sales.

• Recommended osCommerce Reading: osCommerce Version 3, OS Commerce: The True Cost of Free Carts, Starting Your Own E-Business: Choosing a Platform

Open Source Shopping Cart #2: Zen Shopping Cart

The Zen shopping cart is another feature-packed, simple-to-use solution backed by a very strong community. As well as offering the same template design structure as osCommerce, Zen Cart offers an excellent range of advanced features that go beyond the general realms of shopping cart functionality. An e-mail and newsletter manager is a very beneficial tool and the flexibility in product and price options is also excellent.

Shopping Cart Installation: Setting up is simple. The installer queries the main Zen Cart database and server to discover the specific requirements for your installation. You don't need to be technically savvy or have any knowledge of programming. As long as you know how to install software and use a browser, you can use Zen Cart.

Inventory and Catalog Management: Unlimited categories, sub categories and products are supported and product option boxes can be added in the shape of radio buttons, drop-down menus and more. Flexibility is the key to successful e-commerce and Zen Cart doesn't just recognize this, it openly encourages it. You can offer discounts according to the number of items a customer buys, you can set a minimum or maximum order level and the price can be determined according to the options that your shoppers choose. You can even implement sale prices according to category, region or individual products.

Customer Retention Tools and Features: Customer retention is important. Zen Cart offers a number of beneficial tools to help improve or maximize your retention levels. Gift certificates, order tracking, referral tracking, newsletter management and customer registration options are just some of the features you can implement on your site.

Payment Processing and Gateway Options: Offline and online payment processing can be fully and easily integrated into a Zen Cart e-store. Again, popular online processors like PayPal and 2CheckOut can be offered to your customers. All in all, Zen Cart is a powerful e- commerce tool with a lot of beneficial features and easy installation.

• Recommended Zen Cart Reading: Starting Your Own E-Business: Choosing a Platform, A New Breed of Open Source Shopping Carts, Open Source: Noteworthy Newcomers

Open Source Shopping Cart #3: Agora Shopping Cart

AgoraCart is an open source shopping cart offered by Agora, and it is a good one. The shopping cart and catalog can be completely customized to exactly match your requirements thanks to the use of CSS files. This also enables you to change the look and feel of your entire site in just a few minutes and with just one or two changes.

Managing Your Inventory: Categories and products are again unlimited and the flexibility is astounding. As well as being able to add as many categories and as much merchandise as you like, you can manage virtually every aspect of each category. Products can also be handled individually or in batches. You can change the display of products according to their categories, enabling longer descriptions, more images or many other variables. You can even change the design according to the "department" that your customers are viewing.

Merchant Storefront Features: AgoraCart offers a number of order processing and order management features that will help merchants in running their online store. This includes support for multiple payment types, automatic sale stax calculation, order tracking, printable packing slips and more.

Payment Options and Summary: All major offline and online gateways are supported. This includes AgoraPay, set up and maintained by the same company. PayPal integration is also supported. Agora Cart is a very good shopping cart system that can hold its own against Open Source and commercial packages. The community regularly holds competitions to find the best add-ons for the cart, proving that a vibrant and helpful support network exists.

• Recommended Agora Shopping Cart Reading: Starting Your Own E-Business: Choosing a Platform

Open Source Shopping Cart #4: NoPCart

NopCart, created by NopDesign, is an extremely simple shopping cart application with the main difference when compared to others being that it is written entirely in JavaScript. This means you can use it on your Web site without having to have CGI access. One potential drawback is that NopCart is lacking in some of the more advanced features. It is only really possible to update basic product information, tax information and a minimum order level.

Simplicity Is Key: However, what NopCart lacks in functionality it more than makes up for in simplicity. Installation is a breeze, with only two files actually required for a standard English language installation. Other language packs are included with the download.

Client-Side JavaScript Application: NopCart is a client side application and this means less load on your server. You should seriously consider using NopCart as your shopping cart software if you have a small site or you already have it packed with files and pages.

Summary: Support is fairly limited for this mostly open-source program. However, its simplicity means that you are unlikely to suffer anything that hasn't already been identified and conquered by the forum users. Overall, it is an excellent and extremely quick way to add shopping cart functions to your Web site.

• Recommended NoPCart Reading: Starting Your Own E-Business: Choosing a Platform, Tips When Considering Open Source Software

Open Source Shopping Cart #5: Commerce.Cgi

Commerce.Cgi is one of the oldest and best established of all e-commerce applications. Nearly 10 years have passed since it became the first Perl shopping basket, and being open source, that means a huge amount of development has ensued. As well as a mass of features, Commerce.Cgi provides a backend system that is simple to install and even simpler to manage.

General Cart Features: Included among the quite staggering list of features is the option to offer unlimited products in any amount of categories. You also have the capability to manage a newsletter, offer loyalty promotions and gift certificates, include product reviews and pictures, and much more.

Shopping Cart Options: Full shipping options can be added and amended. This gives you the freedom to charge different shipping amounts depending on location and set a number of other invaluable options. It is compatible with all major online payment processors including PayPal and Authorize.net.

Support: The level of support is also extremely impressive considering this is an open source project. In the support forum you can have questions answered by the community as well as by Commerce.Cgi professionals.

Summary: Commerce.Cgi is one of the oldest and most highly revered e-commerce solutions, and is open source software. Despite being free, it offers an incredible range of features combined with simple installation and a surprising level of support from the support forums.

• Recommended Commerce.Cgi Reading: Starting Your Own E-Business: Choosing a Platform

Open Source Shopping Cart #6: CRE Loaded

CRE Loaded offers several paid/supported shopping cart solutions but the PCI CE Shopping Cart is an open source shopping cart that is open source, community supported and free to use. Store owners who are strong do-it-yourselfers will benefit from less programming and more control.

Shopping Cart Options: The CRE Loaded Community Edition (CE) is a PCI Compliant shopping cart. It includes the CRE Secure PCI Compliant Payment System and many shopping cart options such as account creation, order editing and management, cross-selling, shipping modules, templates and more.

Support: More than 50 community contributions make CRE Loaded (CE) a complete starter application for small business. Support is community-based and available via the CRE forums. If you like the cart you can switch to a fully supported CRE Loaded cart.

Summary: This cart is recommended for ecommerce sites that were developed for the SOHO (small office, home office) store owner who wants to add transactional capabilities to an existing website.

• Recommended CRE Loaded Reading: Open Source: CRE Loaded 6.31 Released...for A Price, Can Iozzia Get the CRE Loaded Love Back?, Social Shopping Gaining, CRE Loaded Half Off

Why Open Source Software Spells Success

Establishing an ecommerce website doesn't have to be an expensive job. In addition to saving you money, using open source shopping cart software can prove more effective and beneficial than commercial software because skilled programmers release new source code and additions to the software on a regular basis. You are free to pick this code up and use it on your own site at no charge. This means that open source shopping cart software always has the functions that e-store owners want.

More Open Source Shopping Cart Software Resources

We've only covered five of the most well known Open Source carts. If you want more, then visit the SourceForge.netWeb site, which not only contains Open Source shopping carts, but a vast range of other applications that may be of use to you. You can also learn more about open source shopping cart software in the following articles from Ecommerce-Guide, Small Business Computing and other internet.com sites.

• Open Source E-Commerce: Twelve Promising Programs
• Open Source's Commercial Future
• E-Commerce Cart News Round Up
• Shopping cart software defined
• What is open source software?
• 58 Open Source Software Apps for Small Business
• 10 Tips When Considering Open Source Software
• Starting Your Own E-Business: Choosing a Platform