Frequently Asked Questions about ShopSite

We are always improving ShopSite! You can view the list of newest features here.

ShopSite is an off-the-shelf shopping cart solution that enables anyone to build and maintain Web stores or online catalogs. ShopSite also ensures that orders are taken and handled in a secure fashion by working with standard security protocols such as SSL/TLS and by being PCI compliant.

Yes, ShopSite has a feature called Order Buttons that allows "Add to Cart" and "View Cart" buttons to be inserted into existing HTML pages. In fact, using most WYSIWYG HTML editors - such as  Adobe’s Dreamweaver - you can simply drag and drop the buttons from ShopSite's back office onto your Web pages. In addition, ShopSite has a plugin just for WordPress users so you can use ShopSite within WordPress.

Yes, ShopSite is optimized to handle smartphones like the iPhone and Android devices. When ShopSite generated pages are to be viewed on a smartphone they are automatically reformatted to be optimized for mobile displays.

ShopSite has a number of Social features from a Facebook Store to automatically adding Like and +1 buttons to your pages.

ShopSite comes in three service levels: Starter, Manager and Pro. Which service level you decide to use will depend on your specific requirements. For merchants new to e-commerce and those who only want to put a few products online, Starter is the best choice. For merchants with more than 15 products, Manager is a better choice. ShopSite Pro includes a number of advanced features that are targeted towards power users and programmers. You can read about the features in all ShopSite products in the ShopSite Feature Checklist.

ShopSite is a set of CGIs (Web server programs) that are installed on and run from a server. After installation, ShopSite is accessed through your web browser (e.g. Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc.)

No. Unlike some malls and shopping cart programs that require you to host on their server and pay their monthly fees, ShopSite allows you to choose where you install our software. If you are not currently hosted at an Internet Service Provider (ISP) we can refer you to a ShopSite Partner. Because ShopSite is designed to run on several different server platforms, you can move your store to another site or ISP if the need ever arises.

Yes. ShopSite is an entirely web-based application, which means both merchants and customers can use ShopSite from any computer with internet access and a web browser. ShopSite has been tested on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, and Linux using a variety of popular browsers (IE, Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, Opera, etc.). ShopSite can even be accessed using a variety of portable web-enabled devices (iPhone, Android, iPad, etc.).

ShopSite works with the most popular server operating systems. Click here for a list of the supported server platforms and the system requirements. If you don't see your OS listed, contact us to see if we are in the process of supporting it.

Yes. ShopSite can generate HTML pages for any part of your site, even if you don't have products on those pages. ShopSite Manager and Pro stores can also generate More Information pages for each product, allowing you to provide as much or as little information as desired for each product. In addition, every customer-facing page or e-mail message generated by ShopSite is customizable through the use of ShopSite's Custom Templates. We even have a list of Certified ShopSite Designers who can use their custom template expertise to create a new design or match the specific look and feel of your current Web site.

See our demo page and try ShopSite from both the merchant's and shopper's point of view.

You need to purchase a separate license for each individual store. However, you can share one copy of ShopSite program files (CGIs) with each licenced store.

We have hundreds of reference sites. You can read case studies from merchants explaining how they've used ShopSite to build their online stores, or check out our Featured Stores to see a few of our favorite ShopSite stores.

Yes, you'll find reviews by the following:

• Internet Retailer - "It was so easy it's almost laughable,"
• Lexiconn - "their ShopSite enabled ecommerce store handled 1,000 orders in 40 minutes!"
• PC Week - "businesses will find it an excellent choice for building anything from a simple catalog to a large online store."
• C|Net - "ShopSite Manager is a relative bargain for companies with a lot of items to sell"
• eWeek - "ShopSite's handling of product discounts, made it simple to quickly mark products as sales items."
• Nett.com - "[ShopSite] is not too expensive and is well worth its minimal cost, as it provides a remarkably extensive range of options, from simple cart functions through to downloads and gift vouchers, as well as being compatible with both Google and Paypal."
• E-commerce-guide.com - "ShopSite offers clear menus and screens to edit products, view sales, monitor statistics and more."
• ISP Planet - "The ShopSite software . . . adds a swath of new features, but the basic goal remains serving all customers."
• Web Developer's Journal - "[the ShopSite team] has gone to such lengths to make an e-commerce site easy to set up that your mother can probably do it."
• InfoWorld - "I tested the service as a merchant and found store creation and management to be quite simple. I did not have to download any software or engage in involved configuration."

Yes. We have integrated several real-time payment processing systems into all ShopSite products. Some notable systems include:

• PayPal
• Authorize.Net

The ShopSite application has been validated by the Payment Security Standards Council to be PCI Compliant. For more information, see our ShopSite and PCI Compliance information page.

Yes. ShopSite Pro and Manager stores have built-in integration with UPS, FedEx, and USPS to provide real-time shipping quotes in the shopping cart. Best of all, the rates are displayed on the very first shopping cart screen, so customers don't have to fill out several screens of information before they can find out what the shipping charges will be. ShopSite Pro also includes support for custom shipping add-ons, which allow developers to develop modules for any other real-time shipping quote service.

Yes. ShopSite is designed to work with search engines. ShopSite Manager and Pro stores include several SEO features, including full control of HTML title, meta keywords, meta description, filename, and link text. In addition, ShopSite has integration with Google Sitemaps. ShopSite's static pages also ensure search engines will find and index all your pages, while minimizing the load on server resources.

No. All ShopSite images and links can be removed or replaced with your own. There is always a ShopSite logo in the back office, which the merchant sees. Of course, we would love it if you kept our logo and links on your site!

Yes, a number of developers have created modules for ShopSite's large installed base of merchants. See a list of Partner Add-Ons.

Yes, you can. ShopSite has several built-in themes in a variety of color schemes for you to pick from. If you have a Manager or Pro store, you can use custom templates and other Designer Tools to make your store look any way you want it to.

No, we have many Certified ShopSite Designers who are experienced with ShopSite and designing e-commerce sites.

ShopSite is sold through our partners such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs). They will set their own pricing. Some partners bundle the cost of ShopSite in with their monthly hosting fee. Other partners will charge an upfront fee for ShopSite. If you do not have much of a budget, don't worry, ShopSite Starter stores start at just dollars a month.

All server-side features listed for each ShopSite product are included in the price of ShopSite - there are no hidden or additional costs for any ShopSite features. Merchants who use a payment processing service for real-time credit card processing pay for those services separately, and any third-party add-ons are sold by their respective developers.