Own Website And Self Hosted Shopping Cart

This option offers most flexibility than all other options but requires more technical ability to setup and configure than the fully hosted and the own site external cart solutions.

The website and store are hosted on your server and you are required to install and maintain both the site and the store

How it Works

You obtain the store software (commercial or free) and upload it to your host and install and configure it.

You can install it on a subdomain (if you already have an existing site) or on the main domain (if you just need a store).

Most shopping cart systems come with store templates which you can use as they are or modify them as desired so that you don't need a web designer if you just want an online store.

The most difficult area is when you want to integrate the shop into an existing web design as only very few provide this ability.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

Very Flexible and lots of functionality
software is relatively inexpensive (can use free software) and a one-off cost.
Lots of functionality

Disadvantages

Can be difficult to install and setup but most commercial providers provide a setup service at a very modest cost.
Can be more difficult to integrate into an existing site design. However see below
You are responsible for security, backups, upgrades etc.

Suitability

Large stores with many products like DIY Chain stores.
Stores that require lots of functionality and advanced features like affiliate programs, customer reviews, newsletter, upselling and cross selling gift certificates etc.
Experienced Website/store owners

Shopping cart Software to take a look at-

ecommercetemplates.com- Offers shopping cart software with Dreamweaver, FrontPage and Expression web templates that make it easy to integrate the shopping cart designed using any of these packages.

X-Cart Gold: shopping cart software- Open source shopping cart software with lots of features additional add-on modules are available (like survey modules) for extra functionality.

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