Any Simple and Free way to have an online store?

[Kelemvor]

OK, so I'm not really looking to sell anything but am trying to brainstorm a solution for my wife.

She has a bunch of friends who get together and order some bread products directly from the producer every month or so. They buy a lot of stuff and get a good discount. I'm trying to find a nice way to take orders from the other people so they can go to a site and enter what they want (like an online store) and then "Check Out" to submit the order and get a total.

I don't need this to do any actual payment as everyone just writes a check, but just need it for the order taking part.

I do have a website so I could install some sort of Free Shopping Cart software on it if there's one that's pretty easy to setup and maintain. I could also do something through Wordpress if there's a really easy to use Wordpress shopping cart.

Just looking for any ideas or recommendations anyone might have.

Thanks.

 

[Fritzo]

Google Apps.

For free, you get up to 10 business email accounts, a web site, docs, storage, and you can add a shopping cart.

 

[dougp]

I'd just use a Wordpress plugin, Kelemvor. They're all pretty easy and simple to setup.

 

[sdifox]

Google Apps.

For free, you get up to 10 business email accounts, a web site, docs, storage, and you can add a shopping cart.

Inquiring mind want to know about shopping cart on google apps

 

[Fritzo]

Inquiring mind want to know about shopping cart on google apps

The easiest thing to do is use Google Checkout on Sites. Otherwise, there are lots of shopping cart plugins available.

 

[sdifox]

The easiest thing to do is use Google Checkout on Sites. Otherwise, there are lots of shopping cart plugins available.

so google checkout is a payment system and a cart system?

 

[ViviTheMage]

There are a few decent merchant CMS's out there .. I am blanking on some of them right now though ahha.

 

[sdifox]

There are a few decent merchant CMS's out there .. I am blanking on some of them right now though ahha.

I don't know why I am even looking at this now... it's my friend's website and I have nothing to do with it but I had to open my big mouth...:biggrin:

 

[ViviTheMage]

Kelemvor == sdifox ?

 

[sdifox]

Kelemvor == sdifox ?

no, I just decided to usurp the thread :whiste:

 

[ViviTheMage]

I've never used it, but it looks like this WP plugin is pretty easy to use :

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-ecommerce/

 

[sdifox]

I've never used it, but it looks like this WP plugin is pretty easy to use :

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-ecommerce/

danke

 

[Fritzo]

so google checkout is a payment system and a cart system?

Yep. It's quick and easy:

https://developers.google.com/checkout/developer/Google_Checkout_Store_Gadget_How_To

 

[Kelemvor]

I actually ended up with PrestaShop. I tried ZenCart but it was hideously ugly. Prestashop seems easy enough but I've just started playing with it.

 

[Homerboy]

citymax.com has a simple and easy to use system.

 

[sdifox]

OK, so I'm not really looking to sell anything but am trying to brainstorm a solution for my wife.

She has a bunch of friends who get together and order some bread products directly from the producer every month or so. They buy a lot of stuff and get a good discount. I'm trying to find a nice way to take orders from the other people so they can go to a site and enter what they want (like an online store) and then "Check Out" to submit the order and get a total.

I don't need this to do any actual payment as everyone just writes a check, but just need it for the order taking part.

I do have a website so I could install some sort of Free Shopping Cart software on it if there's one that's pretty easy to setup and maintain. I could also do something through Wordpress if there's a really easy to use Wordpress shopping cart.

Just looking for any ideas or recommendations anyone might have.

Thanks.

Why not just a Google doc spreadsheet with formula?

 

[Kelemvor]

Why not just a Google doc spreadsheet with formula?

That's what I do now and it's a pain in the butt to redo it every time and things like that. An actual store system looks better, works better, and hopefully will make things easier.

 

[sdifox]

That's what I do now and it's a pain in the butt to redo it every time and things like that. An actual store system looks better, works better, and hopefully will make things easier.

Why are you re-doing it?

 

[RossMAN]

I do have a website so I could install some sort of Free Shopping Cart software on it if there's one that's pretty easy to setup and maintain. I could also do something through Wordpress if there's a really easy to use Wordpress shopping cart.

I actually ended up with PrestaShop. I tried ZenCart but it was hideously ugly. Prestashop seems easy enough but I've just started playing with it.

Looks nice, is it free? It's difficult to find pricing details on their web site, although you can request a quote.

 

[Kelemvor]

Looks nice, is it free? It's difficult to find pricing details on their web site, although you can request a quote.

Yes, PrestaShop is free. The quote is if you need someone to find you a host, install it for you, etc.

 

[sdifox]

Doesn't look like google checkout works for Canadians yet

 

[RossMAN]

Yes, PrestaShop is free. The quote is if you need someone to find you a host, install it for you, etc.

Awesome, thanks. Are there any drawbacks/limitations/catches?