Forum Moderators: buckworks
A few requirements (of course :-)
all ordering pages MUST be generated from static HTML pages
allow up to 11 options for an individual item (i.e. color, size, fabric choice etc.)
When an "add to basket" button is clicked, the shopper must NOT be transported to another page! (I REALLY like how the paypal shopping cart opens the "basket" in a new window).
I MUST have all the necessary shopping cart programming "in hand" and running on my own server (no way I'll risk a company going out of business and my shopping cart vanishing forever :-)
Anyone have any ideas of something that might "fit the bill"?
thank you so much, in advance
>> shopping cart suggestions?
I hate to be a sour-puss but we've answered this question many times. :) Take a few moments and read through these [google.com] and if you still can't find something of use post again.
But (there had to be a "but" didn't there?), I would urge you to dump the hidden links to the keyword-keyword-keyword.com domain, and the internal pages. You've already got the _sitemap_ strip (know what I mean?), and a site map. That should be more than adequate to ensure full spidering. I suspect the games you are playing are costing you PR and ranking. The quantity and quality of your content is outstanding, and I think you should have the courage of your convictions, and let it stand in a totally clean site. I checked a 4 word phrase that you SHOULD have an unassailable #1 for. You actually come in at #7 / #8, and theres a CGI page and a Miva Merchant (3 parameter/value pairs!) page ahead of you.
OK, now I've </rant>, back to your actual question ;)
>> I need to abandon and replace the one I"m currently using.
Silly question maybe, but why? Its not beautiful, but it works, and it seems to trap all the info you require. Is there a specific issue, or do you just want a more "professional" feel to that bit of the site?
>> all ordering pages MUST be generated from static HTML pages
Hmmm, world on a stick with that? Ordering from a GENUINELY static HTML page implies passing order info to something in the background. Would APPARENTLY static HTML order pages do?
>> allow up to 11 options for an individual item (i.e. color, size, fabric choice etc.)
Moon on a stick too, eh? Again, from a static page this implies passing info to something in the background
>> When an "add to basket" button is clicked, the shopper must NOT be transported to another page!
Just about any worthwhile cart should have the option to keep you on the "product" page after an "add to basket" action
>> I MUST have all the necessary shopping cart programming "in hand" and running on my own server
Rules out a few things like Mals-e, but given the rest of the list, this shouldn't present a problem
It sounds to me like you are looking for a JavaScript cart, populated by <form post> actions out of flat HTML pages. Fair assessment so far?
never sure what kind of responce I might get on a "new" message board.
To begin with... :-) are the hidden links your speaking of the ones in the copyright table? the links to the internal pages I have no problem getting rid of, but the keyword-keyword-keyword.com is a site I"m having major google problems with and am trying to give a boost to, ANY boost.
The the _sitemap_ strip (took me about 5 minutes to figure out what you were talking about heh heh heh) has been there for over 4 years, I've always wondered if it does any good, OR bad. the site map was added LONG after the strip, and was more for internal use.....send a customer to it and tell them what line # to click on to get to the right palce.
perhaps simply adding the keyword.com site to the "strip" would be enough, but I wanted to get keywords into the link, and keep the link on the home page.
I"d be interested in the 4 word phrase you tired. In terms of PR, the site has as high a PR as any of my competitors, I'd be suprised if it were to go any higher.
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moving on to the original question....... (this might be long, wish i paid attention in high school typing)
the shopping cart I'm using is a very small unknown cart. when i starterd using it over 5 years ago it was the only cart i could find that did and acted the way i wanted. also, the author was still developing it and I was able to have him do 17 different upgrades to suit my needs.
as to WHY i want to replace it....... it currently DOESN'T work for many people. The cart is completely IP based and doesn't use cookies. I finally got the sourse code and am having a programmer look at to see if it can be modified, but right now a lot of web surfers when the click on the "check out" get a new IP number when the transfer to the secure server and their basket is LOST! If I told you the number of orders we've determined we're losing on a daily basis you'd FAINT (or worse)!
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>> all ordering pages MUST be generated from static HTML >>pages
>>Hmmm, world on a stick with that? Ordering from a >>GENUINELY static HTML page implies passing order info to >>something in the background. Would APPARENTLY static HTML >>order pages do?
perhaps i was misunderstood. the cart is generating dynamic pages FROM static html pages. you can enter into the site onto ANY page in the store and it is a static HTML page. and you can order from that page. HOWEVER, once you order something, or click a link on the page, the cart then generates all subsequint pages, from their respective static pages. basically it means that all the store pages are indexable (there was a time that dynamic pages, pages with a "?" in them, weren't spydered).
as an example;
[rhtubs.com...]
click on ANY link or add to basket button and see what the URL does.
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>> allow up to 11 options for an individual item (i.e. >>color, size, fabric choice etc.)
>>Moon on a stick too, eh? Again, from a static page this >>implies passing info to something in the background
the best explanation would be this "live" exapmle page;
[rhtubs.com...]
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>> When an "add to basket" button is clicked, the shopper >>must NOT be transported to another page!
>>Just about any worthwhile cart should have the option to >>keep you on the "product" page after an "add to basket" >>action
my current cart actually regenerated the page and places the cart at the bottom of the page. some people hate it, some love it..... What i though was VERY cool, is paypals cart where the basket comes up in a new window and is minimize to "continue shopping". I HATE BEING TRANSPORTED to a "basket page" with ever item I order. most of our customers order 5 to 10 items per order and i see NO REASON to require them to click additional links and more from page to page, in order to return to shopping.
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my reasoning for wanting to host the SC programming on MY server is that if the SC company goes out of business I DO NOT want to all of a sudden have no on line ordering..... it's happened to others :-)
"It sounds to me like you are looking for a JavaScript cart, populated by <form post> actions out of flat HTML pages. Fair assessment so far?"
Well? I'm sorry but I haven't a clue what you mean by "javascript cart".....
Again thank you SO much for your response, opinions and help on this.
It's also got a great backend so that you can add products, run specials and do customer service stuff through your web browser.
It's free but it may take a few $$ to get it how you want it.
