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Posted by JM Ivler on 02/15/07 19:24
Daniele wrote:
> JM Ivler wrote:
>> Daniele wrote:
>>> Hi
>>> I want to build a shop from scratch,
>>
>> You're insane. Why create the wheel from scratch? As a programmer I
>> know that there will always be bugs in any code, but thanks to open
>> source there are 100,000 eyes looking at the code and debugging it.
>> For most products that you want there is already a well beaten up open
>> source alternative. For something as basic as a shopping cart there
>> are at least three alternative open source projects that are out there
>> that provide a base from which to start. Some are great (like oscmax)
>> some are buggy and suck (oscloaded). But a cart from scratch?
>>
>> [disclaimer: note that my company uses oscmax as our base, we also
>> hand built a CMS system - so we are only 1/2 nuts. :-) ]
> I'm willing to go in that direction because I need the possibility to
> edit and change template in all the way i will need and many shop do not
> allow me to do that
> yes i can change template but oscommerce and osmax i think ( not sure )
> allow to change color css ecc but not the real structure on the front
> and,i'm thinking in use just the back-end and build a new front-end but
> i think i will have first to understand how 100.000 people structured
> the back end to build the other part.
> does anyone think like me ?
> or can you just advice shop that i can just use and change the front-end
> in the way i want ?
> thanks
On OSCMax I have total control over the template system. I can
center-align a shop, have right/left or no infoboxes, do whatever I
want. The template system is very powerful.
BUT! as I tell my customers... "People are very used to a specific sales
experience online. You may have this great idea on how you want to
effect it, but will people feel comfortable with being in that format?
Will you lose customers?" See, the overall goal is to obtain a customer
and a final sale, not look cool (or Kewl if you so prefer). So, in a
cart you are looking for the following:
1) good indexing for google (whomever) - this is marketing
2) comfort for the buyer - it has to feel natural to transverse, search,
explore the store
3) expected simplicity in product selection - adding a product to the
cart should be one click, getting additional information should be one
click, etc.
4) cross-sell and up-sell opportunities - this is the ability to show
the customer sonething else that they might want based on what they have
already stated that they want. It's what turns a single small sale into
a larger sale.
5) simple checkout process - data should be entered only once (ie:
billing address and shipping address) with the ability to change if they
need to. The steps should be clear and concise. The process should
"flow" from page to page in a logical and clear manner.
Following these simple rules ensures that a store on-line can fulfill
all the things that it needs to do process-wise. Then it's just a matter
of loading the products and making sure that your images and details
sell the items.
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