Q: Is there such thing as a simple mini-shopping cart solution?
 Dear BJ,I'm paying for a merchant account with VISA. If I don't use a shopping
cart, I can only take orders for services over the phone. Not only am I hearing-
impaired, this method also results in the highest fees (card-not-present).
Is there a really really lightweight thing-a-majig that let's me have a mini-
shopping cart for my clients? In other words, a PayPal style button that goes
through a gateway (or whatever).
Cheers,
Mitch
A: Magic 8 Ball says, "Quite possible"
 Hi Mitch,
You're not alone! Many people do just need a quick and
simple cart for processing orders online that allows flexibility no matter
whether you are processing your payments manually via Verifone or other machines,
or capturing payment info online and approving it securely. Still many others
swear by PayPal or other hosted processing solutions like Google Checkout.
I think I may have found a few for you to look into *. None of these require you
to have an entire web site store like OSCommerce, ZenCart, and the like. These
are all basically just drop-the-code-in-where-you-need-it style solutions. I
took the liberty of including an example of sites that use each. I hope you find
one that works for you!
NOTE: As with any shopping cart solution, be sure to check out all the features
and compare to find the one that best meets your needs!
Free solutions
E-Junkie.com's Fat Free cart is a free and easy way to have a cart that accepts
PayPal and Google Checkout. You just drop in some code, configure product
options (up to 3 variables per item), tax, shipping, etc. and away you go. There
is also a pro version for more flexibility and control.
Website
Example store
Mal's E-Commerce has been around a long time and made many merchants very
happy
with its robust cart options and flexible payment gateway compatabilities.
Secure checkout is very simple and hosted by Mal's SSL, so you don't have to
worry about paying for a unique IP along with an encrypted security certificate
service. It's well known that even the least tech-savvy folks have had success
Mal's. It's also platform-independent. Doesn't matter if you are hosting an
.ASP, .PHP, or static html site.
Website
Example store
NOP Free Shopping Cart is another free option without any scripting or
CGI. This
cart supports multiple languages and product options, yet is simple to configure
and use. Accepts Authorize.net, WorldPay, and LinkPoint. You may need to set up
your own SSL certificate encryption through your host, if using this one.
Website
Example store
Paid solutions
CoolCart lets you have a very lightweight simple cart that accepts payments from
PayPal Website Payments Pro, AuthorizeNet, PayPal's PayFlow, and LinkPoint. Just
add the html to your page. There is a monthly fee for this service
($2X.00/Month):
Website
Example store (set up by
coolcart, not actual store)
Beamed Cart - Another copy/paste style cart solution to check out. There is a
$9.95 per month fee but you should incur no transaction fees.
Website
Example cart
* Please note - Ask BJ is intended only as an informational resource for
business/website owners or individuals who are interested in website design
expertise as related to their own website or client websites, and should not be
construed as legal advice. if you are concerned about the legal issues related
to your website(s) and/or business, please consult with an attorney.
Bobbi Jo Woods, Owner
B. Woods Design - Professional Managed Websites & Hosting
Toll - Free (877) 99-MY-WEB
http://www.bwoodsdesign.com Private Reply to Bobbi Jo Woods | 
