DBs needed for an ecommerce site

Databases
1

Hi there

Apart from a product database, what other databases are required for an e-commerce website. I mean the bare minimum in order to have a functioning ecommerce website. I can think of transaction database, customer details database. Are there any others?

Thanks

2

I assume that you mean tables… you don’t necessarily need more than one database.

It really depends on your needs. I would say that if you really want a full list, you should check a already-made product so you can see what they use.

You’ll obviously need a customers table and a login details table (if you like to keep them separate from the customers table altough, again, this is not necessary)

A product table

A invoicing (or transaction) table (that could be two of them, one with the invoice number, invoice date and customer id, and a second with the details of the products and amounts bought)

Maybe a table for the details of the addresses where the goods will be delivered, in case that they’re different from the address of the customer

Maybe a table for the companies that will do the delivery

If so, a delivery table, with all the details of the delivery (date sent, company used, date received…)

It depends

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3

I believe that there might be need for a separate database if credit card numbers are being accepted/processed, as part of a secure system, assuming said CC numbers (and other personally identifiable information) are being stored.

V/r,

:slight_smile:

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4

Thanks molona

Yes I was indeed referring to tables.

Ok that information is helpful. On a quick side note, I assume that the customer tables and the transaction and or invoicing table would only be written to after a customer has made a transaction. Would this involve writing PHP scripts to this effect?

5

Well, it is really SQL… but yes, you’ll need a server side language (like PHP) to capture the data from the form and construct the SQL query that will insert the data into the table.

@WolfShade is right though. You may need a separate DB if you’re storing credit card data.

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I don’t know if the same standards apply that would for HIPAA, but I do believe that separation of that kind of information from the rest is not only best-practice, but required (maybe or maybe not by law, but at least by some organisation.)

HTH,

:slight_smile:

1 Like
7

Thanks molona and WolfShade, this is very helpful information.

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