Looking for a cart system using wordpress

[msabas]

I am looking for a cart system or a way to sell photos online using my wordpress site. Has anyone have any plugins that they have seen or used.

My client base isnt very big but the little that I do have, I'd like to offer online purchasing.

So i would like to set up something that will install with my wordpress site that i can maybe integrate paypal.

[LanceHaynie]

This one look's the best from the few I just found: WordPress › WP e-Commerce WordPress Plugins I have never used it though.

I am in the same boat as you though, small client base. However, I have found that SmugMug Pro is just the best all around. I can use a custom domain, you can make the site look like a real site. Best of all, they handle all of the printing.

[msabas]

Thanks Lance, I will look into this , also I havent tried out Smug Mug and I really ike the company I use for prints.. so we will see what I do.

[hue-e]

I've only messed around with the WP e-commerce plug but it wasn't without trying out quite a few and just seeing which ones were the most secure, easy to use and the least bloated (WP already runs to damn slow so I didn't want to slow it down anymore.

I recommend testing as many of them as possible.

[hue-e]

re: smug mug... is there a monthly or yearly fee for that site?

[rab3rd]

yearly

[rab3rd]

The pro level account is pretty good. Lets you set the prices and the labs do a good job on printing. Just make sure you check the "dont color correct" unless you want them to do it. I have been using them for about a year and a half with no issues.

[hue-e]

hmm, just looked at their pricing.. I'll save myself the overhead and do it myself. I mean, for people that can't develop websites, it seems perfect, but I can build much of that myself.

[rab3rd]

The value seems to be in the labs, they handle all the work and drop ship to your customer. I have seen the results from several customers and for what it cost to print, package, and ship its worth it, to me anyway. I have a nice printer so if its an art print I will do it myself but thats that special case.

[msabas]

I was thinking the same thing, i can just come up with a way on my own to offer online sales.

[msabas]

btw the way I was doing it was simply by adding a add to cart button from paypal giving each image a option to order in different sizes. It works well but it becomes a hassle if your uploading 20+ images for a client and you have to create a button for each image.

[hue-e]

Originally Posted by rab3rd

The value seems to be in the labs, they handle all the work and drop ship to your customer. I have seen the results from several customers and for what it cost to print, package, and ship its worth it, to me anyway. I have a nice printer so if its an art print I will do it myself but thats that special case.

I can see the value if I were doing high volume. But right now, I'm not shooting/printing enough to justify the cost. I'm still an extreme enthusiast with a regular day job. When I get to the point I'm actually making money, quitting my job and running a business, I can treat that cost as having a very cheap employee that's doing grunt work I hate anyway.

[rab3rd]

You and me both Patrick, you and me both. I was a bit suprised though that when people found out I could take pictures for them and create a gallery just for them (with a password) people started asking me to take photos for them. In fact I just got asked today to do a first year birthday party, this will be my second one. So, if you build it they will come???

[LanceHaynie]

Originally Posted by hue-e

I can see the value if I were doing high volume. But right now, I'm not shooting/printing enough to justify the cost. I'm still an extreme enthusiast with a regular day job. When I get to the point I'm actually making money, quitting my job and running a business, I can treat that cost as having a very cheap employee that's doing grunt work I hate anyway.

The way I saw it, I was paying $15 for hosting (yes, you can get cheaper but I like reliability and GoDaddy, SiteGround, and others just don't cut it for me).

If I can get my hosting capabilities, have unlimited storage, they take care of the prints & cart system, AND payments.....I am sold. It was only $5 more/month to make the switch. Granted, it took me about 3 years to come to this realization.

Edit: Also the ability to have SmugMug built into my Lightroom workflow is priceless!

[hue-e]

the thing is, I co-own two dedicated servers that pay for themselves, so that part is free. I'm also really handy with things like modifying wordpress, which you can create password protected pages with so creating a gallery, and a hidden shopping cart is pretty easy.

I'm currently looking into a system that combines a simple paypal cart with the nextgen gallery system to more easily create automatic, personalized carts, but I have yet to install everything and fiddle with it. I'll let people know as soon as I do, and if it's effective at all.