| Comparison of four e-commerce/shopping cart solutions. |
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| Cart: | PayPal Cart |
Mals-E Cart |
CKGold |
Zen Cart |
| Site: | www.paypal.com | www.mals-e.com | www.cartkeeper.com | www.zen-cart.com |
| In my portfolio: | examples | coming... | examples | examples |
| Cost: | free | free/$6 upgrade | $79.95 | free |
| System requirements | none | none | Unix, Apache, OpenSSL, mod_ssl, MySQL, PHP | Apache, MySQL, PHP |
| Catalog Features | PayPal Cart | Mals-e Cart | CKGold | Zen Cart |
| Database: | No information is stored in a database; site must be created by hand. | No information is stored in a database; site must be created by hand. | All shop information is stored in a MySQL database and the site's content is pulled from that database. | All shop information is stored in a MySQL database and the site's content is pulled from that database. |
| Inventory | Does not create catalog - all this can be done by hand | Does not create catalog - all this can be done by hand | You can specify inventory of items and item options (i.e. 2 small shirts, six medium shirts) and items will be removed from the database as they're purchased, so you will never sell more items than you have. We also have a feature called "conditional options" where you can say you have 6 blue shirts, 2 large, 4 small, and 2 red shirts, 1 large, 1 medium. | You can specify inventory of items, but not item options. Items will be removed from the database as they're purchased, so you will never sell more items than you have. |
| Categories: | You can have unlimited shopping categories and subcategories. Items can be placed in multiple categories. | You can have unlimited shopping categories and subcategories. Items can be placed in multiple categories. | ||
| Search: | Customers can search your catalog by keywords, category, manufacturer, and price, using an extensive Advanced Search page. | Customers can search your catalog by keywords, category, manufacturer, price, and date, using an extensive Advanced Search page. | ||
| Manufacturer: | Manufacturer can be set in the admin while creating/editing products. Manufacturers pulldown list can be displayed on the main page. CKGold has more options for showing manufacturer/designer info (logo, description, link to website, etc.). | Manufacturer can be set in the admin while creating/editing products. Manufacturers pulldown list can be displayed on the main page. | ||
| Item photos | Photo options are almost limitless with CKGold and some customization work, including inline galleries, thumbnail galleries, pop up galleries, and descriptions for each photo. | Each item may have one main photo and unlimited alternate photos, but display options are limited. | ||
| Photo resizing | You can either create your own item page and thumbnail images, or you can give CKGold a large image and it will resize it for your item page and thumbnail. | With Zen Cart's Image Handler add-on, you upload a large image and it resizes it to your specifications for your small, medium and large images. Image Handler can also watermark your images with a custom graphic. You can change the sizes of all of the images on your site at once with a few clicks in the admin | ||
| Item options | You can add choices for your customer when purchasing an item - the options can be in a pulldown list, radio buttons, checkboxes, text fields, memos, or a price (useful for donations, as customer can enter their own price). You can also use this to let customers send you short messages about their purchase. Prices and shipping can be based on what option is chosen. Global options can be used across multiple items. Also: "conditional options" - see above under Inventory. | You can add choices for your customer when purchasing an item - the options can be in a pulldown list, radio buttons, checkboxes, or a text field. Prices can be based on what option is chosen. Options from one item can be copied to other products or categories. | ||
| Item notifications | Email item to a friend link, choose to receive notifications about changes to any items on site, request more information about a product link, re-stock request, backorders. | Email item to a friend, choose to receive notifications about changes to any items on site or purchased items. | ||
| Thumbnails/Categories | You have four choices for thumbnail pages: All Item Details, Thumbnails Only, Tabular, and Two-Column Detail. You can control the number of columns and rows and other info displayed through the admin. | Thumbnails are laid out in rows, with info and buy now buttons. This can be modified to be a grid layout instead. | ||
| Sold items | Sold items can be removed from the catalog, remain up with a "sold" notice on them, remain up with a "re-stock request" notice, or remain up and allow customers to back order them. | Sold items can be removed from the catalog, or remain up with a "sold" notice on them. | ||
| Item cross-sells | Each item can have related items, related categories, and/or related manufacturers. | Zen Cart can be set up to automatically add an optional "Customers who have bought this have also bought..." row of thumbnails to each item page. There is also a cross-sell add-on that we could install. | ||
| Maximum/Minimum qty | For each item, you can specify a maximum quantity the customer may order, or a minimum quantity they must order. Retail and wholesale customers can have this set separately. | For each item, you can specify a maximum quantity the customer may order, or a minimum quantity they must order. | ||
| Showcase | This system can be used as a catalog without the cart. You can disable the order buttons. This feature also works on a per-category basis, easily making custom photo galleries as well as shop categories. | If you want to display your items, but not sell them on your own site, Zen Cart can be set up as a showcase rather than a shop. | ||
| Configuration | PayPal Cart | Mals-e Cart | CKGold | Zen Cart |
| Content | n/a | n/a | You will be able to update your header and footer (as well as "snippets" on any page) from the admin. You will be able to create and edit non-shop page content from admin (about us, links, faq, etc.), as well as sections on the home page. You will also be able to adjust certain bits of wording such as what shows on the "view cart" page and in order emails. | You will be able to create and edit non-shop page content from admin (about us, links, faq, etc.). We can also set up "banners" throughout the site wherever you want to have an editable bit of content. |
| Navigation | Navigation can be laid out any way we'd like, and unlimited themes can be created and switched between in the admin. The admin allows for images to be uploaded for link buttons. | Navigation is done using boxes on the left and/or right, though I can customize it to another layout if desired. Unlimited themes can be created and switched between in the admin. Links can be images instead of text, but this involves some programming work. | ||
| Down for Maintenance | There is no special feature for this, but you can easily hide categories or hide order buttons from item pages. | If you need to work on your shop and take it offline for a while, Zen Cart will show a "down for maintenance" page for you, in place of all site content, but within your design template. | ||
| HTML Editors | You'll have to know the HTML basics to update your site. | You'll have to know the HTML basics to update your site. | Every place where you can enter text has a pop-up link to a WYSIWYG HTML editor, much like the kind used when posting in blogs and forums. There will be a "b" button to bold text, etc. | Every place where you can enter text has a pop-up link to a WYSIWYG HTML editor, much like the kind used when posting in blogs and forums. There will be a "b" button to bold text, etc. |
| Purchasing | PayPal Cart | Mals-e Cart | CKGold | Zen Cart |
| Shopping cart | The PayPal cart is very simple. A "view cart" link can be added to your site. PayPal allows a header image and color settings for their cart page (once off your site). | The Mals-E cart page can be customized to fit the look of your site. A "view cart" link can be added to your site. | CKGold's cart is a part of your site and uses the template the rest of your site uses, including all the site navigation. The shopping cart contents may be displayed on the site at all times, once items are added to it, or not at all. | Zen Cart's cart is a part of your site and uses the template the rest of your site uses, including all the site navigation. The shopping cart contents may be displayed on the site at all times, once items are added to it, or not at all. |
| Sales | You can put things on sale by hand by changing the site's HTML code. | You can put things on sale by hand by changing the site's HTML code. | You can put individual items on sale, entire categories on sale, or all the items of certain manufacturers on sale. The usual price can be crossed out, with the sale price beside it. Sales can be added and removed easily in the admin. | You can offer single item specials, category-specific sales, and storewide discounts. The usual price can be crossed out, with the sale price next to it. Sales can be added and removed easily in the admin. |
| Coupons | n/a | You can offer coupon/voucher numbers for percentages off, dollar amounts off, or free shipping. You can set an expiration date for these. | Discount promotional codes can be set up for dollar amounts off, percentage off, or free shipping, and can be set for one time or multi use. You can define thresholds for redeeming codes. | You can offer coupon codes for percentages or dollar amounts off. In the coupon admin, you can specify the minimum order needed to use the coupon, add free shipping, restrict the number of uses per coupon and per customer. You can specify a start and end date for coupon use. |
| Discounts | n/a | You can offer discounts for purchases over a certain dollar amount through the Mals-e admin. | You can add quantity discounts through the admin. | You can add quantity discounts through the admin. |
| Wholesale | n/a | You could create a coupon/voucher code to give to wholesalers. | CKGold allows you to set up wholesale logins from the admin. You can specify the percentage discount wholesale accounts get on a per-item basis. Then you will set the customer as a wholesaler, and they will see wholesale prices when they log in. | Zen Cart allows group discounts. Create as many groups as you'd like, then add customers to them. You could also create a wholesaler voucher code to give to potential wholesalers that offers them the wholesale discount. We can also install the Dual Pricing add-on that allows you to set wholesale prices per item at different pricing levels. |
| Shipping | Can be specified in your PayPal account. | You can configure how shipping is calculated through the Mals-E admin. Many options. | Real-time USPS and UPS shipping calculation from one location. Unlimited number of custom-defined delivery methods based on flat rate, weight, order total and per-item based shipping. Different weight limits for different delivery methods. Add USPS or UPS insurance fees. Add handling/freight charges. | Many options for shipping, including flat rate, per item, free shipping, by weight, by zone, UPS calculation, USPS calculation. Many other options can be set up using add-ons. |
| Tax | Specify tax in your PayPal account. | Specify tax in the Mals-E admin. | Specify tax in the CKGold admin. | Specify tax in the Zen Cart admin. |
| Additional Features | PayPal Cart | Mals-e Cart | CKGold | Zen Cart |
| Customer login | n/a | n/a | You can set checkout behavior to require log in, optional log in, or no log in. Repeat customers can checkout with optional saved data. Customers with accounts can view their order history, create a wish list, and save their cart for future checkout. | Customers must create an account to purchase. Once an account is created, customers can view their order history, create and maintain an address book (for shipping orders to friends and family), and update their notification and newsletter subscriptions. |
| Newsletter | n/a | n/a | n/a | Cart comes with a newsletter. Members must create an account to join. You can maintain the list and send emails from the admin. Optional. |
| Reviews | n/a | n/a | n/a | Customers can write and read reviews of your products. Reviews can be maintained from your admin, and you can require your approval before posting them. Optional. |
| Gift certificates | n/a | n/a | Electronic gift certificates can be listed as a shop item. Once purchased, gift certificates are emailed to the recipient, and then used as a credit on your site. Optional. | Gift certificates can be listed as a shop item. Once purchased, gift certificates can be emailed to the recipient by the purchaser, and then used as a credit on your site. Optional. |
| Multiple languages | n/a | n/a | n/a | Support for translating your shop into multiple languages. You can download language packs from the Zen Cart site to translate the basic cart text, but you must translate all your added text into other languages, then your customer can choose their language from a pull down menu. Optional. |
| Multiple currencies | n/a | n/a | Accept payments in any currency. | Configurable through the admin. Customer can choose their currency from a list. You will be able to update the exchange rate at any time by clicking a button in the admin. Optional. |
| Email settings | Standard PayPal email | Receipt emails can be turned on and off and customized. | Multiple order status emails can be created and customized from the admin. | You can customize the look of emails sent from the site (order confirmation, etc.). |
| Advertising | n/a | n/a | You could add ads by hand to the header or footer, but the admin is not set up to do this. | Zen Cart allows you to add ad banners to the side boxes or the footer, and you can track the ad clicks and views from the admin. |
| Who's Online | n/a | n/a | n/a | Displays the number of customers viewing the site at any given time. Optional. |
| System | PayPal Cart | Mals-e Cart | CKGold | Zen Cart |
| CSS | n/a | n/a | Almost every aspect of the look of your site is controlled through CSS. | Almost every aspect of the look of your site is controlled through CSS. |
| XHTML | CKGold is XHTML compliant. | Zen Cart is XHTML compliant. | ||
| Search engines | Define custom META tags for every category, item, page and set site defaults. "Search Engine Friendly URLS" are possible to set up. | Define custom META tags for every category, item, page and set site defaults. Zen Cart automatically puts your item name, price, and description in the meta tags on each page, as well as text from your page. Meta tags can be customized. | ||
| Reports | Sales analysis & tracking of referrers. Searchable order data. Export order data for use in a spreadsheet | Zen Cart reports include stats on product views, product purchases, customer orders, low stock, and customer referrals. | ||
| Stats | CKGold shows you referrer reports as well as your order, sales, and inventory reports. | Aside from your order history reports, Zen Cart includes a hit counter that you can view and reset from the admin. You can also see products viewed, products purchased, and who's online. | ||
| Froogle | CKGold has a quick way to export all your items for sale directly to Google's Froogle listing. | n/a | ||
| Wish List/Gift Registry | CKGold has a wish list that functions as a gift registry, saving desired options and quantities. Registry can be emailed to friends, and when items are purchased, they're deducted from the registry. | n/a | ||
| Batch Editing | Easily add and edit items and categories using the batch editor, duplicate mode, or by cloning existing items. You can also create a default item to base your new items off of. | n/a | ||
| Google Site Map | Google Site Map XML support | n/a | ||
| Invoicing | When viewing orders in the admin, you can click a link for a printable invoice, with or without credit card emails. | When viewing orders in the admin, you can click a link for a printable invoice and packing slip. | ||
| Help | PayPal has a large support section. | Mals-E has online help and downloadable/printable documentation. | Complete documentation integrated in to administrative area. Most fields have additional help icons. The Cartkeeper site has a support forum. | Most settings have an explanation next to them, but not always a clear explanation. There is online help on the site as well as a downloadable manual. The site has a support forum. |
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Last update: 10/31/07 
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