Shopping Cart Integration Software

Last Updated February 21, 2024 | Reading Time: 3 min 50 sec

(Original Post)

What to look for in a Shopping Cart Solution

Shopping cart integration is essential in eCommerce. It enables online stores to receive payments and provides customers with a seamless checkout experience. Automating order processing, inventory management, and shipment tracking would be impossible without shopping cart integration.

Qualifiers

For a product to be considered Shopping Cart software, it must allow users to embed the cart on a website, enable the selection of multiple items, collect payment information and shipping details, provide order fulfillment features or integrate with an eCommerce platform, and allow merchants to send confirmation emails.

Types of Shopping Carts that are Available

There are different types of shopping cart integration solutions available in the market. Hosted Shopping Cart Software, or SaaS (Software as a Service), is a cloud-based platform with third-party hosting. These solutions are hassle-free as they only require a monthly fee or subscription to access. Another type is Self-Hosted Shopping Cart Software, which can be either open-source (free to use, and the code is open for modification) or licensed software (you pay a one-time fee for the software, which you then own for life). However, free software has limited functionality. Natalia Kovalchuk, with API2CART, refers to the next type as Enterprise-Level E-commerce Platforms designed for large businesses with high sales volume. The last type is the Marketplace Platforms, intended for large businesses selling products on multiple online marketplaces. (Kovalchuk, 2023)

Important Features

When choosing a shopping cart integration, it’s important to consider several key features. These include efficient order management, inventory synchronization across multiple sales channels, real-time tracking updates, customization options, fair pricing, and scalability.

Order Management and Payment Gateway Integration

Efficient order management and payment gateway integration are crucial for a seamless shopping cart integration. Searching for a solution that allows you to manage orders from various sales channels through a single interface is recommended. You should also be able to accept payments through multiple payment methods, including debit or credit cards, e-wallets, PayPal, and more. Additionally, the software should automatically calculate sales tax and shipping rates.

Inventory Synchronization

Inventory synchronization (also known as catalog management) across multiple sales channels can be challenging, but selecting a solution that automatically updates inventory levels in “realtime” can simplify the process. A clear and user-friendly cart with product titles, images, and price details that allow customers to edit quantities or sizes can enhance the entire checkout experience.

Tracking

Providing prompt and accurate tracking information is critical for a positive shopping experience. Therefore, you should choose a solution that offers real-time tracking updates and integrates with your preferred shipping carriers. (Tain, 2023), (Rebuck, 2023).

Customization

Customization is another crucial feature to consider. Look for a solution that allows you to customize the checkout process to match your brand and customer preferences. (MultiDev, 2023). Also, customers need to feel comfortable navigating the shopping cart to checkout. A complicated interface can result in abandoned shopping carts, poor reviews, and customer dissatisfaction.

Price

Also, consider the pricing model of the solution. Some solutions charge a monthly fee, while others charge a percentage of sales or a transaction fee. Choose the one that suits your budget and business needs.

Ability to Grow

Lastly, look for a solution that can grow with your business. Ensure the solution can handle increased traffic and sales volume without compromising performance.

Let’s take a Look at Three…

To make online shopping easy and convenient for your customers, choose a shopping cart integration that integrates seamlessly with your website. AbanteCart, ThriveCart, and Ecwid are three popular options you can consider.

AbanteCart

AbanteCart is a customizable, open-source e-commerce software that seamlessly integrates with your existing website. It offers over 20 payment options, reduces transaction time, and improves customer satisfaction. AbanteCart is highly versatile and supports future business growth, powered by the latest open-source technologies. It is also well integrated with Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager for data-driven insights into customer behavior.

ThriveCart

ThriveCart is a shopping cart that integrates easily into any website, providing real-time metrics, sales tax calculation based on location and product type, free trial setup, split payments, and support for various payment methods. For a one-time payment of $495, you can get a LIFETIME license to ThriveCart, including a personalized business insights dashboard and unlimited checkout pages, without any ongoing fees.

Ecwid

Ecwid is an e-commerce platform that connects to your website in seconds. It lets you sell on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok and integrate with marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart. You can manage your store on the go with the Ecwid app for iOS and Android.

Ecwid streamlines business processes with automated shipping, tax calculations, and inventory tracking. It provides user-friendly marketing tools like SEO, discount coupons, gift cards, and more. Additionally, you can customize your catalog, checkout page, and customer notifications. Ecwid’s fully integrated payment system accepts debit and credit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and more. The best part? You can start using Ecwid for free.

Conclusion

A shopping cart is essential for any business that sells products or services online because this software allows customers to pay for purchases and for merchants to accept payments. There are numerous solutions on the market to choose from. Go with the one that is best for you.

Reference Materials

Kovalchuk, N. (2023). What is Shopping Cart Integration and Why You Need It in 2023? API2CART, https://api2cart.com/ecommerce/shopping-cart-integration/.

Carrell, P. (2023, December 22). What’s The Best Shopping Cart Software in 2024? AuthorityHacker, https://www.authorityhacker.com/best-shopping-cart-software/.

The Strikingly Blog. (2021, June 9). What is Shopping Cart Integration and How It Can Help your Business. Strikingly, https://www.strikingly.com/content/blog/shopping-cart-integration/.

AbanteCart. (2024). Free Shopping Cart Application and Open Source Ecommerce Solution. AbanteCart, https://www.abantecart.com/.

Ecwid. (2024). #1 Free Ecommerce Shopping Cart & Free Online Store. Ecwid, https://www.ecwid.com/.

ThriveCart. (2024). https://thrivecart.com/special-offer/?ref=tcdotcom.

Tain, E. (2023). Exploring Alternatives to Linnworks for Your Business Needs. https://shiptheory.com/blog/exploring-alternatives-to-linnworks-for-your-business-needs/

Rebuck, E. (2023). Shopping Cart Integrations for Ecommerce Merchants and 3PLs. https://www.extensiv.com/blog/shopping-cart-integrations-everything-ecommerce-merchants-and-3pls-should-know

MultiDev Technologies. (2023). 10 Must-Have Payment Gateway Features for eCommerce. https://chaindrive.com/payment-gateway-features/