Buying or renting shopping carts is one business decision you will make that is not just about dollars and cents. There are a few things you need to be aware of before considering which way you will go.

Evaluate the following before you even look into shopping carts:

• How much money do I want to spend for this – what is the business budget?
• How technically involved do I want to be? Can I provide my own tech support?
• How tailored do I want the shopping cart to be so that it is exactly right for my business?
• Will a generic or free shopping cart work for my business?
• What will my needs be as my business grows?

There are pros and cons to each side of this argument. Just like most things in business, you have to do the research, crunch your numbers, decide what your time is worth and then make your move. This is no different.

Buying a shopping cart software program can be costly. Keep in mind that you can tailor it to meet the needs of your business and you have a lot of control it how it runs. However, this can be a disadvantage if you, personally, don’t know how to make the program work for you. You need to consider who you can get to help you should you not be able to figure this all out. You will also want to keep in mind that as your business grows or your needs change, you will want to upgrade your shopping cart or customize it. Upgrades often cost money on top of the original purchase and customizing it takes know how.

Renting a shopping cart program can be very cost effective. However, your options are limited and so is the customization for your business. While you will have tech support you simply won’t have as many options. Perhaps this is not the focus of your business now but you need to remember that until that customer is satisfied in the very end, each step of the transaction matters. Renting can be care free for business owners but some don’t like having to pay a monthly fee.

We recommend: Yahoo! Shopping Carts