The basis of every good ecommerce site is a great shopping cart program. However, it can be difficult to choose the right shopping cart for your needs when there are so many options available. Every type of program exists from the expensive catalog software to the open source or free template based systems. One option for building your own ecommerce site includes a hosted shopping cart. A hosted shopping cart is one that is on the host’s server.
Hosted shopping cart programs are a little different than independent programs. They come with some advantages, including the ability to save money on an SSL certificate. When you have a hosted shopping cart, you can automatically share the SSL certificate that exists with your host. Also, with a hosted cart you’re free to host your site wherever you want and the host manages the cart software on their own, saving you the trouble.
On the other hand, when you are using a hosted shopping cart, it’s not on your normal domain, so it can spook users when they end up on a different site. In addition, since it’s not your own software, you aren’t always able to customize your hosted shopping cart to your needs as much as you may be able to if it were independent.
Regardless of how you choose to operate your shopping cart, be sure to do your research and find one that has the features that are best suited for your business. A good shopping cart program should be customizable, aesthetically pleasing, and have the ability to easily integrate with your merchant account and check out system. In addition, many shopping carts even come with useful marketing features to help you develop and grow your eCommerce Website. Be sure to choose one that meets your individual needs.
