Is ZenCart for us?

[jhkaplan]

Sorry if this has been asked a million times, but I'm a bit under the gun to decide on a new cart and I'm having to evaluate a bunch of new carts. We're switching off of XCart (our integration broke a while ago and the only person on our staff that knew how to fix the integration has left.) It has been decided that fixing xcart is too much for us to support and we'd be better off moving to a new cart.

Right now, my evaluation options are between 3DCart and ZenCart.
These both seem to be very different as one is a self hosted solution and much more robust, yet also seemingly much more complex.

The other (3DCart) is drop dead simple to set up and use, but there is a monthly fee and the feature set, while impressive, seems to still be a bit immature. Also, since 3Dcart hasn't been around too long, I'm nervous about making a big switch to them and keeping my eggs w/ a solution that might not be around in a few years.

With that being said, here are a few of my top features I need for the cart:

1. Product & order management via spreadsheet (custom field export too). We have a centralized system where we can export SKUs, product names, source image URLs, descriptions and such into a csv. We'd like to import this into our cart software to list. Also, we have a central order management system that we'd like to import all order data in via CSV. Also, if the order export can be automated to export all "approved" or paid orders every 2 hrs into an FTP location, that'd be amazing.
2. API for future integration (3DCart has an XML based API which I've been told is easy for us to integrate with. Something Xcart didn't have. I haven't found much on an easy API/integration solution w/ ZenCart though)
3. Automated Google Base/Shopping engine feed
4. SEF URLs
5. Mutli image, lightbox functionality
6. e-marketing integration (mailchimp, etc where we can market to repeat customers, etc)
7. A good one page checkout
8. Calculated shipping in cart
9. Coupons based on cart contents, order total, etc
10. cross selling
11. Integration w/ a WMS and/or an OMS for easier growth in future


3DCart has a lot of these, but it just seems a bit immature and basic. I'm ok if this is the best solution, but I've heard good things about ZenCart and I like the idea that it's free, open source and hosted on our servers. If we can (somewhat) easily get ZenCart to do the above, I think we'll give it a go. I know there are a bunch of add on modules and functionality for ZC, but I don't see anywhere where users can review and rate the add ons (like the Joomla Extension Manager).

Any input is very much appreciated!!

Thank you,

Josh

[kobra]

Much of what you seek has been contributed by the community...
What has not be - being open source, can be custom coded

Check the free software addons, tutorials and the wiki

[cheaperbyfar]

Just about everything you have listed there is available for ZenCart. I use the Apsona shopadmin plugin to control my products (around 7000 imported from csv spreadsheets). The only thing I'm not too sure about would be updating to the FTP. But, ZenCart is extremely easy to modify. I've kind of been learning php and sql on the fly to get my store to act just right. Now if I could only get the graphics/design part nailed down I'd be great.

[schoolboy]

Irrespective of the "cart" you choose, steer clear of add-ons that generate "SEF url's". These URL re-generators are not needed anymore, and (in the words of Google's Head of Search, Matt Cutts), "can actually be harmful to your site".

The SE's prefer to spider dynamic links. Proper SEO has little (if anything) to do with the way URL's are represented.

[524cw]

Almost every feature you mention will need to be added on to the base install. This is not a criticism, as the free add-ons available, and the installs and support are better and smoother than one would expect. Just know that it will take some labor and research to reach your goals.

Every e-commerce system involves compromise of some sort, none of them are perfect. Unless you are walmart.com with a massive budget for an enterprise solution, I guess...