21 Questions to Ask Before You Buy Any Shopping Cart System

21 Questions to Ask Before You Buy Any Shopping Cart System by
Tom Antion

Once you've decided which product your going to sell online, the
next most important decision you'll make is which shopping cart
system to buy. It is perhaps the most important single decision
you'll make in your online marketing career. This is because:

* You're sort of stuck with the decision for a long time.

* If you buy into a system that isn't adequate, it can cost you
money. BIG money.

* There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of off-the-shelf
alternative products out there vying for your money, time or
both.

* Even if you decide you've made a mistake, switching shopping
cart systems is really difficult.

I know. I learned the hard way. When I started in this business I
couldn't find a decent shopping cart program so I rolled my own.
What a headache. In the process of living with that monstrosity
- - and shopping for a suitable replacement -- over the last
couple of years, I've come up with something I think you'll find
useful.

Here are 21 questions you absolutely, unfailingly MUST ask anyone
trying to sell you a shopping cart, custom or otherwise. If you
don't hear good positive answers to the vast majority of these
questions, put your wallet back into your pocket and move to the
next choice. Don't get stuck with a crappy shopping cart. (If you
want to know even more about this subject, you can download a
free eBook "How to Pick a Shopping Cart System That Makes You
Money," from my site at http://www.public-speaking.org/ebook.htm
You can even redistribute that book to others if you want to
share these insights!)

1. Will it calculate shipping & tax?

2. Does it handle specialized shipping like FedEx and UPS?

3. Will it deliver hard goods and soft goods (digital products
like ebooks & in the same transaction?

4. Does it offer customizable "Return to Shopping" pages without
needing custom programming?

5. Does it allow you to make special offers?

6. Does it deliver receipt and confirmation emails?

7. Does it allow multiple order and dropship emails?

8. Does it have a Web-Based administration page?

9. Does it use encryption technology?

10. Does it deliver easy output to your accounting software?

11. Does it have its own associate program or is it easily
compatible with other major brands of associate software?

12. Does it have integrated upsell modules?

13. Does it have an integrated sales and prospect database?

14. Does it have broadcast email capability?

15. Does it have mail merge capability?

16. Can it handle coupons and other discounts?

17. Can it work for multiple websites with no extra fees?

18. Does it have unlimited and fully integrated autoresponders?

19. Does it have ad tracking tied into actual sales?

20. Does it have a pop-up box builder?

21. Does it have a printable off-line order form?

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Tom Antion is an Internet Marketing expert who really makes money
on the Internet . . . he's not giving a book report. Tom is the
founder of the infamous "ButtCamp" seminars where you learn to
make money sitting at home on your rear end. Contact him at
mailto:tom@antion.com or visit http://www.antion.com or
http://www.GreatInternetMarketing.com