- Can it
build free-standing catalogs and CGIs?
- The Shopping Cart Software will create the necessary
catalogs and CGI scripts (Common Gateway Interfaces) to run
those catalogs.
- These catalogs and CGIs
can be installed on your server or just the catalogs on your server and
use a master CGI
on our server.
- There are several ways to create catalogs and CGIs
using our software.
- The choice depends on the product type, site
layout or personal preferences.
- All catalogs use the same logic to call the CGI so
that one can mix and match formats for catalogs and all can use the same CGI on own server.
- If pages are already in place
we would recommend this:
- Insert cart controls into the existing pages.
This will not alter the look and feel of the pages.
Our software is the only one, as far as we know, that
lets one insert the cart controls into existing pages.
- If there is a large number of products, whose price
and/or description change often, we would recommend a 'Dynamic Catalog'...
Leave the pages as they are and create a "dynamic catalog"
that can be linked to the product list. The advantage is
that the pages do not have to be changed when the price or
description changes.
By using a separate data file that holds the price and other details, maintenance will be easier. All that is
required to do is change the price(s) in the datafile (using
Microsoft Excel or any other spreadsheet program) and upload to the server.
- Or, if you wish, let the program
auto-generate static catalogs from a template HTML page and product list.
One can then edit these catalogs or use as they are. By using a template page that matches your site, the
catalogs will require very little editing.
There are more than 10 different formats for the catalogs
to choose from.
Back to top
- Will
the CGI
reside on my server or yours?
You have the option to
reside the CGI on your server or on our secure
server.
The relative advantages are...
- If residing on your
server there is no ongoing fee vs. a yearly
subscription fee of $169 to use our server.
- The template HTMLs are
editable when the CGI is on your server.
- No hassle to setup and
run the CGI if using our server.
- No downtime due to
server problems if the CGI is residing on our
server.
Back to top
- Is it a
one-time
License fee?
Yes, if the CGI is to be
resided on your server. Otherwise, a yearly fee of $169
to run the CGI off our secure server. In the latter
case, you can potentially save the secure server
certificate cost and its installation.
Back to top
- Is
there a limit to the number of products?
No. The CGI can handle
unlimited number of products. These can be listed in a plain
datafile (MS Excel Textfile format)
Yes. The customer can use a web
interface to view the current status of their order. The owner
can update the order status via a web interface and view the
order via a secure server connection.
Back to top
- Will it
send an acknowledgment to the customer?
Yes. The customer will get an
invoice/thank you note in email. This contains the full order
details or you can have a custom message.
Back to top
- Can the
orders be recorded and viewed via secure server
connection?
Yes. This is a popular choice.
Instead of, or in addition to, sending the order to the vendor
in an email, it will be recorded on the server and can be
viewed via a secure server connection.
Back to top
- How can
I sell password protected membership?
Password-protected membership
can be sold just like any other digital good. The CGI will
send the order via email to you. Then, after processing the
payment, the username/password can be emailed back to the
customer.
If you wish to automate the
process, we can customize the CGI (at a cost).
Yes. Digital goods can be sold
just like physical goods. The CGI will send the order via
email to you. Then, after processing the payment, the download
URL can be emailed back to the customer.
If you wish to automate the
process, we can customize the CGI (at a cost).
Back to top
- How do
I test the program during evaluation?
During the evaluation period
the catalogs will use a master CGI on our server. The
functionality of the pages and ordering process will be
identical to the full version.
Back to top
- Can the
cart be inserted into pre-designed catalog pages?
Yes. The software allows you to
insert cart controls into pre-existing pages. There are two
ways to go...
1. Let the Windows' software do
the insertion of code. For this you must mark the insertion
points within the catalog pages.
2. Manually insert a code,
similar to the following, into the pages.
<a href=/cgi-bin/shopcart.cgi?Add+ID+price+title>Buy!</a>
where ID, price and title
are the actual values of your product.
The product details are
maintained as a simple MS Excel spreadsheet (saved as
Tab-delimited text file). This file is used when creating the
static catalogs by the Windowd program. The CGI uses this file
to display the dynamic catalogs.
There is no limit to the number
of products that can be listed.
Back to top
- Can I
specify two different prices for each product?
Yes, but in order to
automatically detect the differential prices requires some
manual adjustments to the CGI.
There is, however, a way to use
any number of different prices by making use of selectable
options on the page. For example, you can have an item with
two selectable options such as "US residents" and
"UK residents". These can have two different prices.
The CGI will add the correct price to the cart.
Yes. There is provision to use
up to 3 different tax rates and unlimited number of tax
regions. Thus, for example, you can have one state residents
paying just the state tax but another paying two taxes and yet
another paying three taxes. The CGI can be customized (by us;
at a cost) to include more tax rates and regions.
Yes. By inserting the item
numbers in a text file the CGI can be instructed to exempt tax
on those items alone.
Back to top
- Can I
specify items with shipping charge exemption?
Yes. By inserting the item
numbers in a text file the CGI can be instructed to exempt
shipping charge on those items alone.
Yes. By inserting the discount
codes and the discount rate in a text file the CGI can be instructed to
apply these to the total amount before tax.
Back to top
- Can I
specify items with discount exemption?
Yes. By inserting the item
numbers in a text file the CGI can be instructed to exempt
discount on those items alone.
Back to top
-
Can I
specify a thumb nail that links to full image or another
page?
Yes. There is inbuilt provision
to specify a thumbnail image and a full image or description
page to link the thumbnail to.
There are inbuilt interfaces to
WorldPay, Verisign, PayPal, AuthorizeNet, LinkPoint, iTransact
and 2Checkout. Others can be custom built (by us; at a cost).
Back to top
- How can
optional items for the same product have surcharges?
The prices are specified in the 'products.txt' file as
e.g.
Size;4 5 6 7!Stone;None Diamond:+100 Ruby:+50 Sapphire:+75
The above means that $100 is added for the diamond option and $75 for
Sapphire.
In the PC version of the software, these values will be specified in the 'products.txt' file.
Back to top
- How are
the prices updated?
The prices and all details can be updated within products.txt using MS Exel.
If using static catalogs you have to create the pages. If using dynamic catalog, the products.txt only needs to be uploaded to the server. The pages need not be changed.
Yes. The CGI resides on your
server (or a special customized CGI can be resided on our
server) and can be customized (often bys us at a cost; or by
yourself) to suit almost any special requirement.
Back to top
- Is
there a "Continue Shopping" button in cart?
Yes. By default the continue
shopping button on the cart contents and payment desk pages
will link to the web page from where the last item was added
into the cart. You can, however, hard code a URL to be used as
continue shopping link's destination.
Back to top
- Do I
need my own secure server certificate to run the cart?
Secure server is not
required for the functioning of the CGI. However, if you
intend to ask for credit card details on the payment
page, then, a secure server is highly recommended.
If residing the CGI on
your own server, you will require a secure server
certificate. Most ISPs will provide a generic secure
server certificate to be used with your website.
However, the name on the certificate will probably not
be that of your company and many customers may hesitate
to place the order.
We therefore recommend
that you must always get a certificate in your own
company's name. We can help get and install the
certificate if your website is hosted with us.
Back to top
- Can the owner modify
the catalog online from a web browser?
No. Our software gives
you control of catalogs and CGIs at the local level -
i.e on your own PC. They can be edited with a HTML or
plain text editor and uploaded to the server.
The dynamic catalogs, on
the other hand, are modifiable via browser. Please write
to us with specific requirements to devise a way.
Back to top
- Can the
orders be processed offline?
Yes. By default the CGI sends
the orders to you in an email for offline processing. There
can be more than one payment option, including credit card
online.
Back to top
- Can I
use my own template designs for the catalogs?
Yes. You can change the
file, template.html, to suit your site's look and feel
before creating the catalogs. The same file can be used
for displaying the dynamic catalogs by the CGI.
Back to top
- Is
there any Anti-Spam
protection against losing orders?
Yes. The CGI has two
inbuilt mechanisms to prevent the accidental loss of
order containing email. They can be activated if you
suspect that mails are being lost.
1. Change the From
address in the email to your own address. This will
prevent any anti-Spam software from discarding mail from
unknown sources.
2. Set the CGI to send a
notice, in addition to the order email, that an order
has been placed. This notice will always have your
address in the FROM field and has common text in the
body to "train" your anti-Spam software to
accept it.
Back to top
- Do I
get Personal technical support?
Yes. By default there is 60
days' free tech support via email and phone. You can purchase
extended support by paying a small fee. We always respond
personally to all emails.
Yes. We shall install the CGI
and other necessary files on your server if requested within
the free support period and FTP access to the server is given.
Please write
to us if you cannot find the answer you are looking for.
|
