Using a Hosted Shopping Cart vs Buying a Shopping Cart License

[mandy]

2 articles on the pros and cons of hosted and licensed shopping carts

Hosted carts:

PeC: Why should an ecommerce business consider a hosted shopping cart, versus purchasing a one-time cart license?

Valiant: A hosted solution ensures quick implementation and turn around, inclusive security, 24/7 monitoring, no investment in infrastructure, full and continued support, regular automatic and free software upgrades, a maintenance free environment, easy data management accessible from anywhere in the world and a generally more robust system.

Hosted solutions are responsible for the entire infrastructure, as well as maintaining the safe and smooth operation of merchant’s data and order processing. It's fully prepared to deal with any emergency situations that may occur with its merchants' businesses online...

full article: http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articl...ted-Carts/

Licensed carts:

PeC: Why should an ecommerce business consider a licensed shopping cart, versus a hosted cart?


Arrigoni: Flexibility, portability, and cost. In many cases a licensed shopping cart allows you to modify the system to better meet your needs, which gives you tremendous flexibility. Flexibility not only to alter an existing feature to address a specific scenario, but also to add new functionality over time or integrate third-party solutions as your business grows. A licensed shopping cart is also portable: You choose where to host it and can bring it with you if you change your web hosting company. On the cost side, a shopping cart is normally a medium-term investment (at least 2-3 years using the same solution): Multiply the monthly fee of a hosted solution times 24 or 36 and the cost of a licensed cart very often represents a much cheaper alternative, although the start-up cost is higher...

full article: http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articl...rtability/