Web shopping carts and new site

[IanF]

We have just launched paperkutz web site. This was my first time in setting up a shopping cart.

My feedback, I tried zencart and freeway, both opensource, but after trying for a day to get them going I switched to opencart. I found it quite easy to setup just load the images through the image manager. The only programming if you can call it that was to change the footer so it didn't show the credit card logos. We will accept these in store. The community is quite active and searching the forum I was able to answer my questions. There is quite an active support with addons and different themes, the two I am considering are an extension for showing pics with the different pricing options. If this takes off then get a payment module where you can get credit card details off a secure server and use the instore machine. But this will only be looked at if there is a demand for it. We will just send back an email with all received orders with our bank account details for an EFT.

For webhosting I went with Softdux using a linux South African hosting account. This is run by Rudi a fellow member. I just took the plan with 500 mb bandwidth lets see if this is enough. What I liked is it easy to load the software with a few clicks, no downloading unzipping then FTP it. Then when you see it is not working a one click delete and the files and database are deleted. That is great for me. Also I did a redirect to the ocart in the cpanel. For semi computer literates like me it is great. The other thing which I learnt was to edit the footer file to remove the paypal logo online.

I have chosen local hosting for the following reasons:

• Quicker loading of webpage and images for us in SA.
• The seacom cable break makes surfing to overseas hosts slower!

I know I am missing a lot so let me know what can be changed or where my thinking is flawed.

[tonyflanigan]

Great! at the end of the day, never mind what others say, if you get on with the software, then its the best fit.

And paperkutz is looking good. Well done.

[Cpt Chaos]

Paperkutz is looking good mate. Well Done

[Pap_sak]

Site looks good!

Just an idea, but how about adding a print option - like "Tim's 10th birthday" or "Julie and Tom's wedding"?

[IanF]

Site looks good!

Just an idea, but how about adding a print option - like "Tim's 10th birthday" or "Julie and Tom's wedding"?

Pap sak
That is next on our list, just have to get the production right then we will do that. We have done business cards for ourselves which are die cut. We just need to get the wastage rate down before it can be launched.

[SilverNodashi]

IanF, the site looks good. it's clean-cut and to the point.

OSCommerce & ZenCart can be a bit intimidating at first, but once you learn how powerful they can be, you won't use anything else Does opencart have support for NetCash, PayGate, MyGate, VCS, or any of the other local payment gateways?



P.S. Activate your affiliate account in our billing portal, and apply the affiliate link to the content and you could earn some referral rewards

[IanF]

IanF, the site looks good. it's clean-cut and to the point.

OSCommerce & ZenCart can be a bit intimidating at first, but once you learn how powerful they can be, you won't use anything else Does opencart have support for NetCash, PayGate, MyGate, VCS, or any of the other local payment gateways?



P.S. Activate your affiliate account in our billing portal, and apply the affiliate link to the content and you could earn some referral rewards

Ok activated my affiliate account I will try put it on Paperkutz as well. For payments you can buy add ons for mygate netcash and payfast at $35 each. If I get there which one do you recommend.

[IanF]

We have added some printed cupcake holders, and got onto google sa first page via vottle. Just need the first sale via the website. Had some sales showing friends and contacts.
Must get to personalised ones next week.

[IanF]

Just had the first sale through the website We will investigate payfast to see if that will help. One thing I learnt is always make it easy for your customers.

[garthu]

Its really nice when you know the time invested will pay! Good one

[IanF]

Google adwords

My daughter got a google adwords voucher which she gave to us,as she is a salary slave. This is for R700, so we set it up about 2 weeks ago. We had 3 sales today . Looking at links coming through a lot comes from placed ads from adwords. Based on this we will keep the adwords going.
So see if you can get free adwords and try it out. Hetzner used to have it on their site.

[robinsonwang]

We have just launched paperkutz web site. This was my first time in setting up a shopping cart.

My feedback, I tried zencart and freeway, both opensource, but after trying for a day to get them going I switched to opencart. I found it quite easy to setup just load the images through the image manager. The only programming if you can call it that was to change the footer so it didn't show the credit card logos. We will accept these in store. The community is quite active and searching the forum I was able to answer my questions. There is quite an active support with addons and different themes, the two I am considering are an extension for showing pics with the different pricing options. If this takes off then get a payment module where you can get credit card details off a secure server and use the instore machine. But this will only be looked at if there is a demand for it. We will just send back an email with all received orders with our bank account details for an EFT.

For webhosting I went with Softdux using a linux South African hosting account. This is run by Rudi a fellow member. I just took the plan with 500 mb bandwidth lets see if this is enough. What I liked is it easy to load the software with a few clicks, no downloading unzipping then FTP it. Then when you see it is not working a one click delete and the files and database are deleted. That is great for me. Also I did a redirect to the ocart in the cpanel. For semi computer literates like me it is great. The other thing which I learnt was to edit the footer file to remove the paypal logo online.

I have chosen local hosting for the following reasons:

• Quicker loading of webpage and images for us in SA.
• The seacom cable break makes surfing to overseas hosts slower!

I know I am missing a lot so let me know what can be changed or where my thinking is flawed.

how are the products?
the content of the website is more important.

[murdock]

looks good and i am glad to see it is hosted by one of the members of this site...

[IanF]

how are the products?
the content of the website is more important.

The products are what we have developed.
The trick is we control our own manufacturing. Just sometimes it is hard to get the paper as most of the fancy paper available is imported. We did find some chinese paper at china mart so we will try and cut that when we have finished with the current orders.