Cheapest/best domain hosting for selling downloadable files?

[jewelrygal]

I"ve been reading about shopping carts, etc., and free ones but am apparently too dumb to figure out how to use oscommerce and others mentioned on this site. I don't get how to load them into frontpage or wherever so I can work with them and actually create the shopping cart. (I have XP pro but no server program, do I need that? Is that what I'm missing?)

I read that mambo shopping cart does support selling immediately downloadable files and even though that's free too, I can't figure out how to use the darned thing. So--can someone either recommend a shopping cart for idiots like me that's like a program that I just open and create my inventory? (I'd even buy one so I can host it on my own computer.) I called godaddy and 1and1 and asked them if their shopping carts supported downloadable stuff and they said no. So, should I go with a hosting place that uses mambo as their shopping cart, or what? What am I missing here that I can't figure all this out?

HELP!!!!

 

[TitanDiddly]

What are you selling? 'eBay secrets'?

 

[jewelrygal]

No, long out-of-print back issues of a magazine that I write. I sell them as xeroxes but would like to also offer them as downloadable pdf files.

 

[RossMAN]

I had no idea Mambo offers a shopping cart module, you learn something new every day

Personally I would recommend signing up for a web host which offers cPanel with Fantastico or DirectAdmin with Installatron. Both of these control panels can automatically install osCommerce for you which handles inventory, etc. You should also check out CubeCart, another free shopping cart.

 

[jewelrygal]

link to what I saw on mambo: http://www.mambo-phpshop.net/i...mp;id=69&Itemid=62

Feature List:
Products/Categories:

* Add as many Products and Categories as you want
* unlimited Category/Subcategory depth
* Sort your Categories the way you like
* Sell downloadable Products like MP3s, Templates, Videos or Software
* Add a Thumbnail and a full size Image to every Product via your Browser
* Add Attributes like Size or Color to your Products
* Use Product Discounts (percantage/total, time limited or not) v1.2
* Show Details & images for every Item v1.2
* CSV Upload, (CSV Export v1.2)
* Manage the Stock Level for Products and Items
* Automatically Notify Shoppers when a Product is back in Stock
* Feature specific Products by setting them "on Special"

The part that I liked was: "sell downloadable products" .

Rossman, I'll check out those links you mentioned.

 

[RossMAN]

What's your budget for web hosting?

 

[DeviousTrap]

jewelrygal, do you have AIM?

I would like to show you how a mambo install works and how you would edit the content.

 

[DaveSimmons]

For the commerce side, have you looked at DigitalRiver.com? A bunch of software shops use them including Acronis.com and V-Com.com?

Having them handle CC processing and "shipping" the license key might be easier than running your own shopping cart, dealing with authorize.net, getting a SSL cert, etc. but I haven't read what they charge.

If not them, there are some other ebook-specific vendors, a bit of googling or checking PDA websites should find them.

If you weren't handling your own sales then a much cheaper hosting plan would do the job.

 

[jewelrygal]

Thank you, guys, for responding. I had to leave for Xmas in CT but am back today ready to solve my dilemma!

Rossman, guess I would pay up to $50/month if I had to pay for hosting. I do have a static IP address and currently host a few small websites on my computer, which runs the old O'Reilly "Website" and "Webboard" pgms for the server. I would prefer to host the shopping cart site on my system, if only because the 50+ back issues that people order take up about 4 gigs by themselves in PDF files. I think I'd have to pay a lot just for the amount of space I need! (not sure on this, though)

Devious, I do have AIM and the name is jewelrygal (or jewelrygal@aol.com). I liked the fact that mambo specifically stated: "Sell downloadable Products like MP3s, Templates, Videos or Software ." I use Frontpage for my websites but I don't get how to put the mambo into it (or whatever) or how to deal with (or create) the database. I would like to know how to install and use Mambo.

Dave: I looked at Digital River, you have to contact them for prices so I expect it's somewhat expensive. I looked at V-com and wouldn't be adverse to buying a program like theirs outright (if it wasn't expensive; theirs is like $69). I do already have a MC/Visa account...and am mostly concerned about the amount of space I'd need to host my site elsewhere.

 

[hevnsnt]

Sucks that phil taylor (http://www.phil-taylor.com/) has taken his site offline.. He wrote a mambo module that did EXACTLY what you are looking for. You may want to go onto a mambo forum (mambers.com) and ask to see if anyone could send you mosIPN

Good luck, as you had to pay for it..

 

[RossMAN]

jewelrygal,

I'm sure that Eric (DeviousTrap) would be more than willing to assist you

Hi AIM screen name is DeviousTrap

 

[jewelrygal]

Thanks, Rossman. I"ll IM him.