# Shopping carts and templates for your website?



## Kristin2011 (May 22, 2011)

I currently have a web site being hosted at godaddy.com www.mibellacreations.com and was looking for a better shopping cart that is easy to use and where I can integrate my own design or templates. How difficult do you think it is to work with a shopping cart? I’ve never used one before and have always relied on Paypal buttons. Since I downloaded a template for a redesign of my website, I wanted to be able to use that with my new shopping cart but I am unsure of how to get the shopping cart to work with the templates. Anyone have any suggestions? 

Thanks!


----------



## canadiansuds (May 23, 2011)

Personally, I would move my site to one of Godaddy's linux servers and install joomla. Then use a joomla template from a site like http://www.rockettheme.com/ then finally i would use one of the many shopping carts available from the joomla extensions site. Joomla is free, the linux servers may be cheaper to host your site on and the shopping cart, which is also free, seamlessly integrates into your site. All you have to do to implement the cart is to click a few buttons and enter correct banking info. All the programming is handled by a programmer. Joomla will take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, its very easy to use. The only thing that would cost you money is the template from rocket theme. But even with that, you may be able to find a free one you like.

I know thats not an answer you are looking for (redesign your whole site) but in the long run i think it would be a better solution if you are not a web programmer.


----------



## soapbuddy (May 23, 2011)

I have Joomla. It's not as easy to set up. Updates are a pain unless you know exactly what you are doing. I have to contact my programmer anytime I need any updates. Adding new product listings and photos are easy enough.


----------



## canadiansuds (May 23, 2011)

Yes, updates can be a pain, even if you know what you are doing. But for site administration, it doesn't get any easier in my opinion, unless you are an html programmer. Management of inventory, site listings, customer data, and so forth can be done by clicking. No need for programming new pages, editing mysql databases, or even multiple browser compatibility testing and security. Its all done for you by joomla and the extension programmers. That and your site looks different. Lots of the free site templates you get access to when you register with a web host are either very simplistic, or look like every other site hosted by that company. But then again, I'm a computer geek and like this kind of stuff. In truth, your computer should serve you. So everyone just needs to find the system that works best with their time, skill level and budget. For me, joomla is the way to go.


----------



## Deda (May 23, 2011)

I use zen cart and made my own template I find it very easy to update, configure and manipulate. 

www.dedanotions.com/shop


----------



## Bukawww (May 23, 2011)

Personally, I would stay away from anything godaddy as they have some questionable moral and business practices.

My site is hosted through merchantmoms.com and while I may not be getting the most economical hosting (I don't really know - they had the best price for the best features, but my head was spinning with different hosting info by that time lol).

I got my site template through boutiquewebsitetemplates.com and I just use Mals ecommerce shopping cart.  Setup has been pretty well explanatory with lots of cart options.


----------



## agriffin (May 24, 2011)

Hand down.  The best cart experience is with 3d cart.  

http://www.3dcart.com/

You can sign up for a free trial and see how it works.

I love them because they have great customer support (especially chat), good prices, great templates...


----------



## madpiano (May 30, 2011)

I like Zen Cart as a whole, but don't like the fact that customers HAVE to register to shop. It turns many of potential buyers off.


----------



## oh2bejoy (Jun 11, 2011)

Hi Deda and MadPiano--

I also have zencart but feel "stuck" because the templates I have seen all look the same. I have looked at your websites and I love them.  My web person just quit because I kept  tweaking the look of my website.  Obviously, we had different aesthetic ideas, lol.  I hope you don't mind if I ask you to point me in the right zencart-related direction (templates or other websites) so I can work on my site myself.  Or perhaps referrals to someone who is familiar with zencart and can work with me?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me....

Joy
soapjoys.com (PLEASE don't laugh!  it is still very much a work in progress! The pictures are old....I posted them as space savers.)


----------



## Guest (Jul 30, 2011)

Kristin2011 said:
			
		

> I currently have a web site being hosted at godaddy.com www.mibellacreations.com and was looking for a better shopping cart that is easy to use and where I can integrate my own design or templates. How difficult do you think it is to work with a shopping cart? I’ve never used one before and have always relied on Paypal buttons. Since I downloaded a template for a redesign of my website, I wanted to be able to use that with my new shopping cart but I am unsure of how to get the shopping cart to work with the templates. Anyone have any suggestions?
> 
> Thanks!



I just go through your website. Its very nice and  awesome design with white background. I really like it a lot. I suggest you to hire a designer to do shopping cart template. I think ecommercetemplates.com will give you the best shopping cart software and design, you just choose the template you like or integrate the software into your existing site.

_spammy links deleted - the mod team_


----------

