I need a shopping cart I can use with my excel inventory: Help!

bangkok_daniel · #1 (**permalink**) 09-10-2004, 03:14 AM

The next step in the process of one of my websites is setting up a shopping cart. I have an inventory of several hundred items in an excel spreadsheet I'd like to put online.

Is there a way I could somehow upload this information onto a shopping cart on my website?

I checked out the paypal shopping cart and it appears I will have to enter each item in one at a time which is a big hassle not only in terms of the setup but also in terms of managing inventory that comes and goes.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Daniel

bvwh · #2 (**permalink**) 09-10-2004, 07:31 AM

Hi,

There is a contribution (called Easy Populate) for osCommerce that allows you to populate your inventory from a CSV file from a s/sheet http://www.oscommerce.com/community/...ch,spreadsheet

Sounds like something that might work for you......

Simon

bangkok_daniel · #3 (**permalink**) 09-10-2004, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bvwh

Hi,

There is a contribution (called Easy Populate) for osCommerce that allows you to populate your inventory from a CSV file from a s/sheet http://www.oscommerce.com/community/...ch,spreadsheet

Sounds like something that might work for you......

Simon

Wow, oscommerce and that tool sound excellent. I am looking into it and so far it looks great (and free!).

One thing, when trying out the oscommerce demo it requires the customer to sign in before checking out. This could be annoying to the customer. Is it required?

ultipet · #4 (**permalink**) 09-10-2004, 10:43 AM

The cart I use does this. You just have to save the excel file as a tab delimited (.txt) and you can import it all at once. It's not free but only you can determine what features are "must haves" for your business.

http://www.securenetshop.com/

HTH!

jdonoso · #5 (**permalink**) 09-10-2004, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangkok_daniel

One thing, when trying out the oscommerce demo it requires the customer to sign in before checking out. This could be annoying to the customer. Is it required?

Hi,
Well, think of it as Amazon, when you buy, you must first register/sign in before checking out. This is in order for the system to know who you are.

HTH,

bvwh · #6 (**permalink**) 09-10-2004, 04:02 PM

Yep I agree with jdonoso - pretty much every order you place on the internet you need to give info. We have found re-wording the process has sometimes helped.....
Simon

bangkok_daniel · #7 (**permalink**) 09-10-2004, 10:04 PM

Well, there's signing in to as "member" and there's giving info to make the payment. These are separate items and I suspect that some customers will not complete the sale if they have to first become a member. Perhaps just 1% of customers, but it would still hurt sales. I can show you scores of sights that don't require the annoying step of having to become a "member" first.

Paypal itself has recently given the option of not having to become a paypal member first before the customer sends money. Now, the customer can just enter all their information as they would normally to send a credit card payment, whereas in the past they'd have to create the username/password, etc. to become a paypal member. Paypal isn't happy having people not sign up with them, but they recognize the hassle of doing it any other way.

Is there any way to turn that feature of oscommerce off?

bvwh · #8 (**permalink**) 09-11-2004, 09:32 AM

Ah I understand what you are saying....

Yes there is an osCommerce contribution "Purchase Without Account" which gives the customer a few options:-
1)Proceed Directly to Checkout (no account creation)
2)Create a New Account
3)Login to Existing Account

Simon
PS If you need a webhost who would install this for you give me a shout!

jdonoso · #9 (**permalink**) 09-11-2004, 11:29 AM

Indeed, Simon is correct. Just search in the osCommerce options and you should find it yourself.

Now Simon, don't be so shameless on putting spam about your business there

EDIT: Thinking of it, I don't see any harm done to your client in asking for a sign up, after all, it's a way for you:

1.- Keep track of your returning customers
2.- Registration is 1 time only, and they can only login and the process is speeded up, since osCommerce then learns who you are.
3.- Amazon (sorry, if I bring that up again, but to me it's an example on e-commerce that everyone should use as a guideline), have the same process, and after you sign up, you can then use features like 1-Click which lets you go directly to the Checkout process when you buy 1 item. The sign up process isn't eliminated, the shopping method for current customers is just made faster.

HTH,

wholesalewhere · #10 (**permalink**) 11-22-2004, 07:46 PM

People are too lazy to fill out alot of question before purchase something. I re-design my checkout page from 4 pages down to 2 pages. The first page ask customer's shipping, billing address and credit card info. Second page, it's confirm the purchase. You may think the second page is not necessary. But i don't want customer any reason to ask for charge back or return.

Why need registration? You just need the shipping,billing and credit card info to process the order. If customer want further information(newsletter, catalog), you can have separte page to do this.

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