whats the best to to keep track of customers,profits.

[zeus]

Im going to start a new business, with sales of products, so total newbie in that area. There must be a software where one could list all customers, what they have bought or what they have been asking for some kind of database of customers so you have everything at one place, even if one have birthday i would know it ;)

Maybe even some open source software.

Is there anything els that would be helpful please let me know.

[Planet13]

There are many different software packages out there that can do this. I don't think there is a good one that is free though (would love to know if there is though).

If you will be selling online then you will want to have something that interfaces with your shopping cart.

Some ecommerce solutions have some of the features that you want, but it won't be as effective as if you had more of a full-featured program like quick books, or mail order manager, or stone edge order manager, or...

One more thing: I have heard of people doing something like that with Access (or you could use the Open Office version of their database), but you would really have to know your way around Access and, for me, it would take a long time to set up a database.

[Marshall]

zeus,

If this is for an e-commerce site, just keep in mind that a lot of people do not want to be forced to register to make a purchase. I know when I am forced to, I shop some place else.

Also, IMHO, asking for a birth date is problematic. Again, I would not give that information to an online store.

Marshall

[Planet13]

Also, IMHO, asking for a birth date is problematic. Again, I would not give that information to an online store.

Agreed. Even when they only want only month and date (and not year) I ALWAYS give them a made up birthdate.

Maybe it would be better to send them an anniversary card one year after they made their first purchase with your store?

[toplisek]

I kindly ask you to send us some more information:
1. Country goals
2. What type of products
3. Population

[zeus]

Marshall - Privacy will be written BIG on my site, so no registration, I just need address to sent product if ordering, birth date was just a joke.

[lorax]

Sounds like you're looking for some form of CRM software that has order management?

[toplisek]

birth date is not a joke. It has meaning inside CRM.