is Zen Cart for me?

[Nyfael]

Hi,

I'm looking for a very simple shopping cart that integrates as part of the site - isn't a whole section. I just will have a few pages with radio buttons as options. The only functionality I really need is the ability to add something to a cart, be able to view it and then a checkout page or forward to paypal (which is what I need), with an email telling me about their order.

The cart buttons need to be integrated into the page, not part of some page that the shopping cart provides.

Is this possible? Or is there a recommendation to another free cart that would be more suitable?

Thanks,
Kerry

[schoolboy]

Hello Kerry

It looks as if you want something quite rudimentary. Zen Cart is fantastic - if you're looking at a really comprehensive webshop solution.

The thing these days is that opensource software (like Zen Cart) puts professionalism within reach of the small business owner. It's now possible for a sole trader to have a webshop that's as impressive and sophisticated as a large multi-national retailer - at a fraction of the cost.

Webshopping is growing at a massive rate, and webshoppers are becoming more discerning about where they shop.

Many people do not like to shop at a website that looks as if it's being run out of a garden shed - but even if you ARE running things out of a garden shed, you can look as if you own 300 acres in central london!

Perhaps you should look at the SHOWCASE of zen shops and see what others are doing.

[Nyfael]

I have looked at the showcase and some examples looked like it was right, but now I realize they were doing it a different way.

Actually the site I'm doing will look VERY professional, but the thing is it only has a few items to sell (it's not a selling site, but selling some services are an option), and to have a huge section devoted to 3-4 items would make it look unprofessional. It's like have a store the size of Target filled with a 99 cent store's goods.

It looks like I'll keep looking, thanks!

-Kerry