Feature Comparison of Popular Shopping Cart/Store-Building Programs
Web Commerce Today, Issue 51, October 15, 2001
This chart compares some of the leading small business online stores feature by feature: PayPal, CCNow, Americart, Bigstep, ShopSite, Yahoo! Store, Miva Merchant, and MerchandiZer. There are many, many other programs available, but these are some of the best and most popular for use by small to medium businesses.
|
|
PayPal |
CCNow |
Americart |
Bigstep |
ShopSite |
Yahoo! |
Miva |
Merchan- |
|
Hosting |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Type |
order form only |
order form only |
order form only |
ASP |
ASP |
merchant's choice of host |
ASP |
|
|
Site design |
PayPal |
CCNow |
Americart |
Bigstep |
ShopSite |
Yahoo! |
Miva |
Merchan- |
|
Page design |
- |
- |
HTML page generator available, pages then uploaded |
Different templates or customer HTML design |
Different templates or custom HTML design |
Different templates or custom design language |
Wizards and some templates. Custom design possible |
Many templates and styles. Wizard |
|
Product page generation |
- |
- |
- |
dynamic |
static HTML |
static HTML |
dynamic |
dynamic |
|
Products |
PayPal |
CCNow |
Americart |
Bigstep |
ShopSite |
Yahoo! |
Miva |
Merchan- |
|
Product database |
- |
yes |
- |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Product categories |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Appropriate max number of products |
hundreds |
hundreds |
hundreds |
hundreds |
thousands |
20,000 |
hundreds of thousands |
hundreds of thousands |
|
Product database upload |
- |
yes |
- |
with catalog manager option |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Product database export |
|
not easily |
- |
- |
yes |
- |
yes |
yes |
|
Option handling |
- |
multiple options at same price |
multiple options at different prices |
multiple options, same price, require catalog manager option |
options with different prices in Pro |
multiple options at same price |
multiple options at different prices |
options with different prices module |
|
Monograms, inscriptions field |
- |
yes |
yes |
- |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Cross-selling |
- |
- |
- |
- |
yes |
yes, accessories, families |
yes |
yes |
|
Additional info/pics |
- |
- |
- |
- |
yes |
- |
yes |
yes |
|
Featured products |
- |
- |
- |
- |
yes |
yes |
|
yes |
|
Product indexing |
- |
- |
yes |
- |
Pro version |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Digital products |
- |
Not allowed |
yes, with website |
- |
- |
yes |
3rd party licensing module |
yes |
|
Shows if in-stock |
- |
yes |
- |
can indicate unavailable |
Pro version decrements inventory |
database or real-time inventory connection |
yes, inventory level notification |
yes |
|
Pricing |
PayPal |
CCNow |
Americart |
Bigstep |
ShopSite |
Yahoo! |
Miva |
Merchan- |
|
Sale pricing |
- |
- |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Discounts |
- |
- |
quantity & flat discounts |
- |
Pro version based on transaction total |
quantity pricing |
discounts based on transaction total |
discounts for groups |
|
Member prices |
- |
- |
flat discount |
- |
- |
- |
yes |
yes |
|
Taxable/non-taxable |
|
- |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Minimum order option |
- |
|
yes |
- |
- |
- |
both min. quantity and min. price |
yes |
|
Order Form |
PayPal |
CCNow |
Americart |
Bigstep |
ShopSite |
Yahoo! |
Miva |
Merchan- |
|
Order retrieval |
web interface |
web interface |
secure e-mail |
web interface |
web interface |
web interface |
web interface |
web interface |
|
Digital Certificate |
included |
included |
included |
included |
host's or own |
included |
host's or own |
host's or own |
|
Customer registration |
Must join |
- |
- |
yes |
only in TX versions |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Taxes |
single state |
single state |
state, VAT, multiple counties |
yes |
multiple states, VAT, multiple counties |
multiple states, VAT |
multiple states, VAT, CertiTax plugin |
multiple states, VAT, optional DPT tax plugin |
|
Gift wrapping |
- |
- |
yes |
|
- |
yes |
- |
yes |
|
Gift message |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
yes |
- |
yes |
|
Coupons |
- |
- |
yes |
|
- |
yes |
3rd party module |
yes |
|
Shipping |
flat amount or % based on purchase total |
flat amount charged per order for US, Canada, Int'l |
many options, UPS/FedEx plugins |
|
many options |
USP, USPS, FedEx, other tables for various methods |
many options, UPS plugin, 3rd party FedEx, UPS WorldShip, USPS modules |
many options, UPS, USPS, European, and other plugins |
|
Ship to multiple recipients |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
yes |
- |
- |
|
Single-page order form |
- |
- |
option |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Multiple items in a "package" deal with a single order button |
- |
- |
yes |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Custom ordering scripts |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Pro version |
- |
3rd party plugins |
- |
|
Order faxing |
- |
- |
yes |
- |
- |
yes |
- |
- |
|
Orders via XML |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
yes |
- |
- |
|
International |
PayPal |
CCNow |
Americart |
Bigstep |
ShopSite |
Yahoo! |
Miva |
Merchan- |
|
Order form languages |
- |
- |
partial |
- |
any single bit lang. |
16 lang/country choices |
|
any single big language |
|
Currency |
US only |
US only |
any |
US only |
any currency, 2 display at a time |
18 currencies |
|
any currency |
|
Payment System |
PayPal |
CCNow |
Americart |
Bigstep |
ShopSite |
Yahoo! |
Miva |
Merchan- |
|
Merchant account |
not needed |
not needed, |
needed |
needed (unless PayPal) |
needed |
needed. Payment Tech, $22.95/MO, US residents only |
needed |
needed |
|
Payment gateway |
included |
included |
VeriSign, Authorize.net, LinkPoint |
included |
VeriSign, CyberCash, Authorize.net, ClickPay |
included |
VeriSign, CyberCash, Authorize.net, LinkPoint, CyberSource, etc. |
Authorize.net, VeriSign, Netbanx, and several others |
|
Types of payment |
PayPal, |
credit card (Visa, MC, Disc, Amex) |
credit card, PayPal, online check |
credit card, PayPal |
credit card (other options are not real-time) |
credit cards (other options are not real-time) |
credit cards |
credit cards, electronic check, etc. |
|
Marketing |
PayPal |
CCNow |
Americart |
Bigstep |
ShopSite |
Yahoo! |
Miva |
Merchan- |
|
Search engine registration |
- |
- |
- |
yes |
- |
yes |
- |
yes |
|
E-Mail customer list |
- |
- |
- |
yes |
- |
yes |
|
yes |
|
Affiliate program |
- |
Allows 3rd party affiliate program code |
Allows 3rd party affiliate programs, basic program included |
|
Pro version |
no, but works with CJ.com |
yes, built-in and 3rd party programs |
optional module |
|
Site statistics |
- |
- |
- |
crude |
crude |
excellent |
good |
good |
|
Gift register |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
optional module |
|
Accounting |
PayPal |
CCNow |
Americart |
Bigstep |
ShopSite |
Yahoo! |
Miva |
Merchan- |
|
Data export |
tab-delimited, Quicken, QuickBooks |
|
- |
- |
tab-delimited |
Excel, Access, CSV, M.O.M., Quicken, QuickBooks, PC Charge, XML |
flatfile, QuickBooks |
CSV, QuickBooks |
|
Vendor management |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
optional vendor interface |
|
Order management |
PayPal |
CCNow |
Americart |
Bigstep |
ShopSite |
Yahoo! |
Miva |
Merchan- |
|
E-mail upon shipping |
- |
- |
- |
- |
TX versions |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Customer tracking interface |
- |
- |
- |
- |
TX versions |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Order management |
- |
fair |
fair |
3rd party StoneEdge Order Manager |
good |
good |
good |
|
|
B2B Features |
|
|
Some |
|
Pro TX version |
|
yes, |
yes, |
|
Vendor Management |
|
|
|
|
|
|
yes, |
yes, |
|
Fees |
PayPal |
CCNow |
Americart |
Bigstep |
ShopSite |
Yahoo! |
Miva |
Merchan- |
|
Licensing fee |
- |
- |
- |
- |
$495 Manager, $1295 Pro |
- |
Purchased thru resellers |
- |
|
Set-up fee |
- |
- |
- |
- |
varies with host |
- |
varies with host |
$149 to $500 |
|
Monthly fee |
- |
- |
$249/yr |
$44.90 to $74.90 |
host |
hosting $49.95 |
host |
$95 to $500 |
|
Gateway fee |
- |
- |
varies |
- |
varies |
- |
varies |
varies |
|
Merchant acct fees |
- |
- |
varies |
CardService Intl. 24.95/MO. |
varies |
optional Paymentech |
varies |
varies |
|
Discount rate |
2.9% on sales |
8-9% on sales |
varies |
varies |
2.32% |
varies |
varies |
|
|
Misc fees |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
0.5% transaction fee, 10¢ item insertion per month, 3.5% revenue share on Yahoo! Shopping sales |
- |
various optional modules |
|
Miscellaneous |
PayPal |
CCNow |
Americart |
Bigstep |
ShopSite |
Yahoo! |
Miva |
Merchan- |
|
Mass pay feature |
yes |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Auction interfaces |
yes |
yes |
- |
Auction Manager |
- |
yes (Yahoo only) |
- |
- |
|
Customer rating |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
yes |
- |
- |
|
Forms-to-email program |
- |
- |
yes |
contact us page |
- |
contact form |
contact form |
contact form |




