considering oscommerce with a list of requirements

[ilektro]

We need to build an online store for a customer. We are considering OSCommerce and have read much on the site and worked ourself thru the (old looking) demo version. As we didn't see access to the Admin, we have quite some questions to make up our decision on which package to choose. We also see a lot of AddOns, but some old or duplicated and as such it's difficult to know what is still valid and not easy to search thru.

 

Not sure this topic belongs here but bear with us .. we're newbies

 

Who could confirm if these features we need are available?

 

• Supports minimum 4 languages (Finnish, English, French, Dutch)
  
• Serves customers in a defined amount of countries (that can be expanded afterwards)
  
• Customers of the webshop: individuals (B-to-C market) at the start but expandable to B2B afterwards (= different pricelists, additional shipment conditions)
  
• National (xx%) and International tax/VAT (0%) rate
  
• Support for unlimited & multiple product categories (eg by brand, by designer, but also type or theme) with sub(subsub)categories eg DVD > Cartoons > Handdrawn > Before 1960
  
• Related items show in results, on item page but also on cart
  
• Multiple product options / variations (e.g. size, color etc.)
  
• Stock availability & inventory management with real-time control
  
• Advanced pricing rules (e.g. product variations, volume selling) and support for Special Prices)
  
• Add to wishlist by cookie (so as not have the need to register)
  
• Product photos (up to 5) with detailed high res zoom
  
• Send to friend : share social + by email + Like / PinIt / Google+ / Tweet
  
• Saveable cart for a user (not only cookie based or session)
  
• View, edit and create customer data via administration interface
  
• Admins and customers can track order history
  
• Forgot Password procedure
  
• Automated order confirmation messages (email – txt or HTML), at order but also at confirmation of shipment
  
• Print invoices and packing slips
  
• Free shipping option, as a promo but also as a “pick up at warehouse” option
  
• New Items promotions
  
• Search engine optimized code / urls
  
• Shop Reporting
  
• Google Analytics
  
• Discount prices, quantity discounts
  
• Dicount voucher (code)
  
• Airway bill nbr integration
  
• Merchandise return (RMAs) & credit slips
  
• Support by chat
  
• How flexible is the CSS for the store? Eg size of thumbnails, zoom options, column changes, not use certain topics, etc
  
• Automatic highlight of a needed version update
  
• Gift voucher selling
  
• Bulk upload of product information/data
  
• Use of screen entirely, not limited to standard 1000px
  
• State/Province not a required form field for outside us countries
  

Thanks for your help, we wouldn't mind becoming a paid member if this requires it.

[Guest]

@@ilektro

 

osCommerce can meet all of your requirements if properly coded to do so. You will need to add contributions and make code additions/edits to configure the cart to perform the way you want. osCommerce is open source, so you can code it anyway you want.

 

 

This is a concern

We need to build an online store for a customer

 

If you are offering professional website services and this is your first osCommerce use......I DO NOT suggest you offer your client an osCommerce site.

 

 

Chris

[ilektro]

@@ilektro

 

If you are offering professional website services and this is your first osCommerce use......I DO NOT suggest you offer your client an osCommerce site.

 

 

This is indeed the case. In the past we have built our own stores but we would like to get going with a package.

Not sure I get this correctly ; you mean I should NOT choose OsCommerce? Why would the fact that this is a first time use change that?

 

+

I understand OsCommerce is open source yet I would like to keep it clean so that updates afterwards are possible which is difficult when updating files

[♥toyicebear]

Oscommerce is a simple "base" shopping cart software, it only has the bare minimum functionality included as default. Its very flexible and can be expanded almost indefinitely.

 

The functionality wanted can be had but only via adding add-ons and some custom coding.

[♥14steve14]

As @@toyicebear has already stated oscommerce is a base install, which is its only downfall. As website developers you should have none or very little trouble getting the store as your customer wants it. It will just be a case of can your customer afford to pay your rates to add multiple addond and carry out specific coding. If you are then going to offer the package you create to other customers as a full package this should not be a problem.

 

Whether this is your first or one hundreth oscommerce build is not an issue, as everyone has to start somewhere. I do not make a living out of oscommerce, so my only advice would be to see if you like the coding platform and if you do, go for it.

[multimixer]

As we didn't see access to the Admin

 

You can download osCommerce and install it to your server, you'll have admin access then and will know much more in 10 minutes

[Guest]

@@ilektro

 

Learning a new product at your clients expense (money and cart stability) is not fair to your client. I suggest if you want to use osCommerce you should learn to use it first. Then, if you wish to offer osCommerce services to your clients, they will be much happier with the product they received based on your experience.

 

 

 

 

Chris

[MrPhil]

Not sure I get this correctly ; you mean I should NOT choose OsCommerce? Why would the fact that this is a first time use change that?

Chris gets all wound up over people charging innocent victims, er, customers to learn any application. His point of view (which is legitimate) is that you should be reasonably familiar with and skilled with a given application (not just osCommerce) before presenting yourself as an expert who is worth the money.

[Guest]

@@MrPhil

 

Well said Phil

 

 

 

 

Chris

[ilektro]

I never said I claimed to be an "expert" , not even that I would charge our customer in this 1st experience ... but I thank you for your advice as it does give a clearer idea on why not to use OsCommerce. So I'll be checking other packages to build our stores.

[♥14steve14]

@@ilektro

 

As I previously said oscommerce is a great platform, but does take a bit of alteration to get it to a workable platform that most shops require. Maybe if enough people complained to the core team, oscommerce would grow up and keep pace with its competitors and actually be a project for store owners and not developers. Most people on these forums want a fully operational store front and rear, and then learn that they have to add many modifications to get what others are offering as standard. Some members are happy that oscommerce stays the way it is as they can make money off the back of a free product. Oscommerce is the only store package that does not have a list of features on its website. Its only because it is so far behind the competition that its almost embarrasing.

 

There are many software packages that offer more than oscommerce as standard, and are probably better than oscommerce, and it is of course your choice to use them. Personally if I didnt already have an oscommerce store, I would use something else. Now watch me get loads of comments from saying what is basically the truth. Use google to search for ecommerce software and you will not find many sites with a good word to say for oscommerce, or that many sites advising to use oscommerce..

[♥toyicebear]

As far as i know no cart will fulfill all the points mentioned by the OP, all will require some modifications one way or the other.

 

Oscommerce is a great base cart, mostly because it is "bare-boned" so you can extend it be what you want without having a lot of bloat.

 

That said it does "lack" a few features which i think should have been added into the core.

 

- Admin controllable/modular front page content.

- Admin create/edit Info pages

- Wysiwyg editor

- Admin controlable front page meta title and meta description.

- "Optional" Manual input of meta tile and description for products and categories.

(Note: Meta keywords does not have to be included since those are redundant in this day and age)

 

Those things would not make it "bloated" but would make it a more complete cart for "newbees" to start off with.