How free are free carts?

There are many shopping cart software solutions available, many of them are paid solutions and some are free. Free solutions may seem like a great idea as there is no initial outlay, but like anything that seems to be free there is often a hidden cost that needs to be fully considered before choosing them. Here are some of the key considerations.

• What is your time worth? Free solutions often require considerable technical skills to cover installation and security configurations.
• Who will you call on if things go wrong?
• Do you know what modules you'll need to install to fit the needs of your business? If not you'll have to learn how to do them and find the modules as well.
• What server will you host them on? Is it optimised for ecommerce?
• Does your free cart integrate with the programs you require it to? If not, what will it cost you to get the work done?
• Can you trust the people doing the work for you? some Freelance boards are notorious for people having their intellectual property copied.
• How will you process credit cards? Do you have the right setup for this - like SSL encryption to protect people's privacy in checkout. if not, are you happy not to accept credit cards or send users to other sites to collect credit card details.

Whatever you decide to do, if you are going with a free cart make sure you have appropriate technical support on hand if things go wrong. Or your free cart may not end up very free at all!