Know-How Exchange : E-Marketing

I would recommend considering using reliable open source software like OScommerce or VirtueMart. Both systems can be modified to reflect the look and feel of the rest of your web site, and both are rock solid with loooooooooong track records of being reliable.

If you use open source software, you are not tied down to any one host. If you feel you are not being served well, you can pack up your entire site, copy the database, and move to another service provider in less than an hour (not including domain name propigation time).

Check out www.ergosusa.com and www.clothingdoctor.com as examples of web sites using VirtueMart as their shopping cart.

Hosting and which shopping cart software to use will be the least of your problems. You really need to focus on who will handle your online payment for Visa and Mastercard. As a fellow Canadian, and one who has beeing helping companies like yourself move into ecommerce, I can tell you the Canadian Banking system really sucks. The minute you mention online payment, the big six run for the hills, or you may be required to put up a 5 grand deposit for Visa AND MC, you will have to wait 120 days to get your money (up to 120 hold on funds in case of a charge back), and you'll pay some of the highest per transaction and monthly fees on the planet. Try calling TD, Royal, CIBC, and ask them if they can help you take online payments through your web site. Be ready for a long on hold time.

If you want some help navigating the ecommerce for Canadians mine field, consider giving an expert a call. While there are many companies in Canada who could host your web site, you will find very few who really understand ecommerce and know how to get you PAID. Consider finding an ecommerce expert who also understand retail sales, online sales, web site construction, CRM, SEO, marketing, and how to integrate the web into your existing business so you can truly leverage your efforts.

I have helped many companies manuever through our banking system and set up their web sites so payments flow easily as well as sell products and look good while doing so. Feel free to give me a call. No sales pressure, no obligation, the first call to me is free (and maybe even the second). If I can't help you, I can at least give you a decent referal to someone who can. You can find me via my MP profile: https://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/profile.asp?userID=337044

Hope this helps you.

Darcy Moen
Customer Loyalty Network