Best cart for unique items - no templates, inventory mgmnt

Does anyone have recommendation for a shopping cart that would handle a web site selling one of a kind items? I don’t want to enter every item that arrives into it’s own database record. I have (and prefer) static pages for my items as they all need different layouts, etc for best display.

I don’t want the shopping cart software to create my website, just work as a cart and order processor. I also don’t need inventory management, I’ll continue to manually mark items sold when they’re no longer available.

I’ve been using the same cart for 10+ years and it’s no longer supported. My site is at ArtGlassUSA.com if you want to see how I currently do it. This is a live site so please don’t enter any orders (unless you want them). My site is hosted on FreeBSD so a cart developed in PHP would be best.

Needs:
Cybersource and PayPal gateways.
Real time UPS shipping quotes
Option for additional shipping methods
Promotional Coupon processing (including free shipping offers)

Thanks for any suggestions.
Lee

> I have (and prefer) static pages for my items as they all need different layouts, etc for best display.

So you looking for shopping cart that could be integrated into existing design? Am I right?

What static pages you have now? PHP, ASP or HTML?

Yes, my static pages are HTML. My current cart simply uses hyperlinks to put items into the cart… eg.:

<a href=“…/mcart/mof.cgi?order=1----Mayauel+Ward----Multi-layer+Coral+Reef+vase----595.00----11----0”>

You can look at the code at Torchworked art glass vases by Mayauel Ward for a sample of how I do my pages.

I’m not worried about anyone submitting items with changed prices as we manually process all orders and wouldn’t be fooled.

What I need is a more powerful and current back end. One problem I’m having now is my cart started having problems with its UPS real time estimating (which has worked for years) and not having time to debug it, I had to remove it and offer my customers flat rate shipping. I would like to be able to offer my customers shipping via UPS (with realtime quotes) plus be able to add on additional choices, such as ‘pickup at the gallery’, or USPS.

Thanks,
Lee

That’s all the easy stuff to find. You missed the most important request in my first sentence. I’m looking for a cart that works well with unique, one of a kind items. I’m not selling multiples of items, so using a database is not-productive as it just creates a lot more work. I also need to have different size images depending on the item and currently display all items on each page in scale with each other.

I want to be able to feed the info to the cart’s back end by using a GET, POST or a simple embedded form. I don’t care about inventory, just getting unique items into a cart, and processing the order.

Thanks for your reply. I’ve spend a good deal of time going through the Avactis site reading all the info since your first post. Your cart looks to be very nicely designed and obviously you’ve put a lot of thought and planning into it.

Yes, the tags would work, but, I’ll still be doing a lot of extra work entering each item into the database. Take this scenario (which is a daily routine)… I receive a shipment of 12 new vases, paperweights, etc. that I have to photograph and post online. After the pieces are unpacked and measured I photograph each one, edit my photos, then simply place them on web pages with quick links to add to the shopping cart. I upload the images, upload the pages and I’m done. With Avactis, it looks like I’d still have to create a new inventory item for each and every new piece that arrives. We’re only a 2 person company and barely get everything done in the time we have already. Every extra step makes my daily routine longer.

My other big problem with the cart is I’d have to rename my existing pages to a php extension. Right now, all my content pages are indexed extremely well in Google. Loosing that ranking would be a blow to my business which has been online since 1995.

That said, Avactis still comes closer to my needs than any other carts I’ve looked at yet.

One other point I haven’t mentioned before… UPS charges dimensional weight for air shipments (and even ground shipments above a certain size). For each item I have a single shipping weight. I’d like to be able to enter 2 weights: one used to calculate ground shipping, and the second for calculating air shipping. I would just estimate the dimmed weight for the air shipping entry. With just a single weight, either I lose money or my ground shipment customers are overpaying. Entering the box size would even be better, but that would be a programming nightmare trying to combine the dimensions in multiple item orders.

In terms of inventory management, I think it is best if we use Point of Sale software to help us in that area.

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