Help with E-commerce Solutions

[karan95]

Hi,

I am new to these forums and have done a lot of searching on the internet regarding the question I'm having and just began to search this site a few minutes ago. I will continue searching but just to receive some more specific information, if possible, I will go ahead and post my question.

I am currently in the process of establishing a retail online business. I have hired a web designer who is taking care of the online solution. However, I am curious as to how I can print invoices, build a customer database, and track inventory. Currently, the back-end of the website keeps note of the stock-on-hand of each item and, if all goes well, will maintain a list of customers for me. Will this also print invoices? The web designer said that we will be able to print shipping labels through the solution he is designing.

I suppose my main question is, is there any recommended software that supplements an online business? If so, please provide the types of software I need to look at (i.e. Quickbooks Invoice Management). Looking for immediate assistance so I can continue the process and meet the anticipated 'go-live' date.

Thanks in advance for all responses. All help is welcomed and greatly appreciated.

[roban]

Usually your cart software takes care of these issues. I know mine does so I think these questions should be directed at your developer.

As for integration with third party software such as Quickbooks, many claim to do this (CSCart does) but there still are many 'bugs' involved and a reliable solution still requires user involvement by exporting an iif file and importing into Quickbooks. I have done this successfully.

[karan95]

Thank you for the quick response roban. I will look for answers from my web developer.

Another question, if my web developer develops an inventory tracking system, will I be able to use UPC scanners to keep track of the products going out of the warehouse? As well as updating the inventory for products coming in?

[roban]

Sorry Karan I don't know what a UPC scanner is.

[karan95]

Sorry, I should have elaborated a little more....

I meant the scanners that retail stores use when scanning bar codes for inventory and when customers are purchasing items at checkout, etc.

I will speak with my web designer about this though.

[Tamsin Presley]

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[itHighway]

Instead of buying any third party shopping cart, I would suggest you to contact a web development company, discuss your requirements with them and let them develop a shopping cart according to your requiremets.

[InfoSourcing]

Hmm if you are developing an in-house solution then you will have some serious challenges, as your Company starts to grow you will eventually need a roboust integrated software which will have inventory controls, order management, purchasing, CRM and has built in e-Commerce module so that way you don't have build everything.

There are several integrated softwares such as NetSuite, Interprise Suite, Evolution or other e-Commerce software's ... You will be amazed that some of the ERP s/w already have those features built in like UPC scanning, freight calculation, invoicing, multiple website etc etc ..

[KCI Web]

The issue of order management has been discussed in various threads. I've been in ecommerce since 1995. My advice is get Order manager from Stone Edge- $1500 and have your developer use a shopping cart that integrates with it. 3d cart is supposed to be good, but I don't use a commercial cart and so can't say for sure. Put your money into the site - pay good money to have a site that works well, and Order manager can do the order management.
You will have a world class system usable to the degree that you want to study about the software and utilize the features. You can integrate UPC scanners, it processes your invoices, tracks orders, integrates with WorldShip and Fedex and USPS.
Their forum is open to the public. It is moderated - meaning they actually answer all questions posted!
Good luck. The industry is young and, if you do a good job you can get rich.