Really need help finding proper e-commerce solution

[ladlon]

Hi.  I'm really hoping someone here can help.

 

I'm a single user of a simple online store selling a small number of digital download files.  I have the webspace (not SSL), the domain, and currently a third party e-commerce provider.

 

On the third party e-commerce site, I upload the product files, define the products (ex. Product 1 includes files 1 and 4, price is set, and download link rules are set), and the system then provides me with a unique bit of code to apply to links/buttons on my own website.

 

The product page of my site (which is not any kind of e-commerce template or third party e-commerce embedded setup) is a standard HTML page, showing thumbnails/descriptions of each product, and has a standard hyperlink button image accompanying each, with the code provided by the e-commerce service attached (as the URL) to each button.

 

Clicking the BUY buttons then launches the customer to the secure, external transaction site, the transactions are made/verified, and the third party system then automatically creates and sends a time-limited download link to the customer (to download their product).

 

Works great, but I'm curently looking into replacing it with a similar type of e-commerce system, just from a differnt provider.

 

Unfortunately, my search has been extremely frustrating, partially because I'm unclear on all what is needed (and what little details to be aware of), but mostly because all articles and offerings seem to require an in-depth understanding of the system and modules.  There also seems to be a dangerous amount of 'assumption' with solutions and systems... such as certain modules, etc assuming you have a secure website (...having a secure site is obviously necessary and makes sense if you are doing things on your own webspace, but often the modules/systems don't specify if they are the types that are external (secure themselves, don't need your site to be secure) or internal (you need a secure site).  In my case, I'm looking for an external system that doesn't require my site to be secure.

 

As well, I'm overwhelmed and confused by the random bits of info I am getting, rather than full, easy-to-understand overviews/explanations.  Often, they provide solutions, claiming they will do the job, but then neglect certain things (..ex. they DON'T support digital downloads, they need some other module/service, etc).

 

The other main problem I've been having is that the (otherwise really good) solutions/programs offered are often TOO elaborate.  As you see in my description of my current, existing system, the requirements are relatively simple... yet the various e-commerce solutions I've been looking into have all kinds of things I don't need (wishlists, newletter subscriptions, reviews, etc)... and it never seems to be a simple task of unchecking them (...sometimes you have to modify the coding itself... and that is scary stuff if you are not a pro-coder, and you are dealing with a system that is dealing with other people's credit cards!).

 

So, long story short, I'm trying to somehow find out where/how I can find an easy-to-use/secure system to address my relatively simple requirements (.. or, a means to easily strip away all the unneeded elements of the default templates).

 

I've been looking at several offerings, Prestashop being one of them.  I tried OpenCart, which was promising to a point, but then got overwhelmingly complicated (for me) when I had to deal with removing elements and customizing things.

 

Searching for premade modules seems to be a nightmare, since it's never fully clear what all the modules do (unless you are well-versed in e-commerce and coding).

 

It's a very tall order, but can anyone shed any kind of light on any of this, pointing me in the right direction?

 

 

To summerize:

 

I have about 8 digital download files.  Unsecure webpage (I want the transactions done securely outside of my site by PayPal Standard).  I don't want the usual bells and whistles (wishlists, reviews, compare products, newsletters, etc...)  Ideally, just a BUY button that launches you out to the secure transaction service (PayPal... for PayPal and credit card processing).  My current provider does all that, but I'm looking into alternate providers to do a similar service.

 

Thanks for reading though all this.  Hope someone can point me in the right spot.

[El Patron]

It can be rather daunting when we review any particular cms because the templates use has all the bells and whistles.  We see this in all cms templates.

 

From reading your dilemma in choosing a particular cms for your shop (taking ownership and full profit minus paypal fee) PrestaShop can handle this without issue.

 

For all the bells and whistles, i.e. wishlist etc.  these are easily removed from back office modules (disable or uninstall).

 

If possible, I suggest test driving PrestaShop using the default theme on a decent shared hosting.  I say decent in that you do not want to load any cms on a platform that is either buggy or slow in order to get you to upgrade.

 

I suggest using this article http://blog.dh42.com/prestashop-cloud/ to give PS a spin around the block. 

[ladlon]

Hi, El Patron.  Thanks for the prompt response, and for taking my complex post well!

 

I had watched one or two tutorial videos for PrestaShop, and got a good first impression (including the usefulness of the tutorial vids themselves).  Yes, I'm with a good, shared server that offers a number of e-commerce options in their cpanel, along with their own service (powered by a repected third party provider).  PrestaShop is one of the offerings in the cpanel.

 

I'll give it a spin.  As I mentioned, I tried OpenCart... which obviously is 'capable', but I was suprised at the fact that only SOME of the elements that appear on the screens can be toggled on/off through the admin panel.  Strange that the others force you to go into the code (and, in some cases, it's not a simple matter of just removing/commenting out the code, but also having to replace it with something else so it doesn't break).

 

Although I've been 'doing e-commerce' for a few years now (via that third party service that I currently have in place), I've been sheltered from the inner workings... so the more 'editable/hands-on' offerings (such as PrestaCart, etc) seem surprisingly difficult (relatively speaking), despite apparently being targetted towards average folk as well as pros.  I keep wondering how non-tech-savvy people get through it.  I guess they keep all the bells and whistles on (but, that also means they have to deal with things like newsletters, reward points, etc).

 

And, again, since we are dealing with serious things like credit card info, money transfers, etc... it's virtually terrifying for me to blindly select software/modules... and even MORE so to edit code!  I am comfortable with HTML/CSS (although still get completely overwhelmed by contemporary advanced 'high coding')... so even if I 'generally get it', it's still really intimidating to touch anything in the code.

 

And, again, I was alarmed that some of the modules that SEEMED to be (sort of) what I was after would actually (seemingly) process things on site, requiring a secure SSL site (...which, in these cases, was assumed, but not spelled out for us non-veterans!).

 

Strange, as the current provider I have has such a simple system... Upload your files to them... Define the products... Receive the code to put on the link/button on your own page.  Done.  My 'product' page is my own, regular HTML page, with buttons that have that supplied code as the hyperlink URL, and immediately move the customer to the external, secure transaction system (item in the cart, everything ready to go).  At that point, it's all PayPal taking care of it.

 

I wish I could find a similarly simple setup.  With  all these additional screens, steps, bells and whistles, there's just more to deal with, and more things that could go wrong.  I tried commenting out some of the elements on the footer, for example... which 'worked', but the footer is still there, big as ever, and I'm not sure if those items are truly 'removed' from the whole process (...some systems/actions may refer or require them).

 

Experimenting and adjusting would all be okay, normally... if it weren't for the fact that we're dealing with customers and credit cards... and that I'm the sole person on this, so it would be all in my lap to be liable for and to somehow fix, if things went bad.  Yikes...

 

I was also surprised that I couldln't find a good 'So, you want to do e-commerce' tutorial video anywhere online...  The stuff I'm seeing is usually addressing very specific issues/tasks... or is the usual cutesy cartoon 'Joe had a product... He wanted to sell it... So, he made a website... added E-COMMERCE!.... Now, Joe makes money...' type of thing.  I have yet to find one that actually explains what all is required, considerations, etc.  (I mean, I generally know, just from experience, but still it would be nice to have it all outlined, if only to verify that my knowledge is correct!)

 

 

Once again, thanks for respecting/understanding my post, and not bashing me for being too vague or something.  Much appreciated!

Wow, do I ever write a lot...  Sorry.  (Just a lot to explain and ask)

[El Patron]

the main reason to use PrestaShop especially virtual sellers?  (assuming you want to reach world market)

 

answer: it is the best cms on the planet for 'by country' geo targeting, i.e. using ccTLD's to increase seo by country, fantastic language and currency support.

 

because ps was originally developed in the EU, they had to take into consideration many different countries, while those developed originally for US market did not.

 

using for example multishop, you can define a .com gTLD, and many different ccTLD (.de/.fr/.uk) each with localized values for those countries.  so now one content can be multiplexed across multiple countries without duplicate content penalty.

 

couple this with multilingual, currency, and a load of other options by country, you can really expand your virtual product (hard products as well) across the globe.  (I am a localization fanatic and why I like ps so well).

 

when starting out, and what trips most people up, is not doing the hard work of building product catalog with default theme.  To early on they buy a template and/or modules without building up the catalog and being familiar with the native features.

 

 

as for servers, go to the cloud now.  ecommerce cms has higher resource usage, when using 'old' services like shared/vps and yes even dedicated serves, one can not just click hosting for better performance in these legacy systems...to get better server environment requires daunting challenge of moving shop files db.  so embracing cloud now, which ever you choose will pay off significantly (I can not stress this enough).

[ladlon]

Right over my head.... 

 

That's the kind of terminology and systems that are way beyond me (at this point at least).

 

I'm just a guy with stuff, and I want people to click the BUY button, and it takes them to the PayPal transaction page... off my site, and out of my hands.

 

Talk of global visibility, maximum coverage, targetting, and talk of various modules and subsystems...  Head-wobble.

 

 Granted, I can grow to that... and arguably, I would grow to that by embracing all that in the first place... But I'm an artist far more than a business guy.  I run away from things like 'YouTube maximum traffic strategies' and so on.  Just not in my blood.

 

  Right now, I just have my little shop, with a few little things, and I just need a 'cash register'.  I'm a little cart selling apples.  Granted, I can choose to grow, and embrace technolgies and strategies, but right now, it's well beyond me, and I just want to quietly sell my apples from my single little cart on the side of the road.   Once that's all established, and I'm familiar and secure, then maybe I'll grow from there.

[El Patron]

all things I described are easily obtainable and as you become my savvy you can leverage them just by asking the community.

 

you primary requirements are supported within ps.

[ladlon]

Ya, I'll install and play around with PrestaCart, and see where that takes me.  I may end up just sticking with the current provider for this year, and study PrestaCart during that time, and hopefully set it up for next year.

[ladlon]

Hi. Okay, two specific questions... just to be sure:

 

1) Does PrestaCart fully support downloadable file products?  If so, am I right in assuming they are stored on my webspace?  How are the product files protected from hackers (by the default PrestaCart software/setup)?

 

2) Is the default setup of PrestaCart one that does all transactions (and other sensitive actions/storage) outside of my site?  Does the default setup not require me to a secure (SSL) website, or any other thing aside from my standard HTML/CSS site on a shared server hosting space?