An eCommerce shopping cart is software that allows customers to select, review, and purchase items from your website. It handles pricing, tax calculations, shipping costs, coupon codes, and often connects you to payment providers.
Why are shopping carts important for your website?
An eCommerce shopping cart turns your website into a fully working online store. It lets visitors browse your products, choose what they want, and complete a purchase without ever leaving your website.
For example, imagine you have a blog where you share baking recipes. If you decide to sell digital cookbooks or recipes, a shopping cart allows people to buy them directly from your blog. Everything happens right there on your own website.
Here is why shopping carts are so important:
- Provide an easy and optimized purchase experience: Helps customers complete their purchase in just a few simple steps. Shoppers can add items to a cart, make changes, and feel confident before paying.
- Organize your products and inventory: Keeps all your products in one place. You can update descriptions, pricing, and stock levels. It also lets you set up discounts and special offers easily.
- Process payments securely: Allows you to offer multiple payment options such as credit cards and PayPal. It makes sure you get paid quickly and safely after each transaction.
- Handle refunds and more: Gives you the tools to manage returns, issue refunds, and resolve common customer service requests without hassle.
- Provide helpful data: Offers insights into what people are buying, how they behave, and where you can improve. This helps you make smarter business decisions.
In short, if you want to sell anything online, a shopping cart is what makes that possible.
Types of eCommerce shopping carts
1. Hosted shopping carts
With a hosted shopping cart, another company provides and manages the entire system for you. This includes everything from server maintenance to security updates. The hosting is included, so you do not need to pay separately to keep your website running smoothly.
Hosted carts are usually easier to set up and manage, which makes them a great choice for beginners or business owners who would rather focus on marketing, product creation, or customer service than on technology.
2. Self hosted shopping carts
Self hosted carts give you full control. You install the software on your own website and can customize every detail. This flexibility allows you to change how the cart works, add special tools, and shape the experience exactly how you want it.
The tradeoff is that you will need more technical skill to set everything up and keep it running. You may also face higher upfront costs and take responsibility for any troubleshooting or software updates.
Hosted solutions are usually best for people who want to get started quickly and prefer not to deal with the technical side of things. Self hosted options are better for those who want more control and are comfortable handling web development or hiring someone who is.
How to choose the right shopping cart for your website
No matter which type you choose, your shopping cart software should include the following features:
- Secure global payment processing: Accepts credit cards, PayPal, and other trusted payment methods so you can serve customers around the world with confidence.
- Robust ecommerce features: Supports selling digital products, physical goods, subscriptions, memberships, and more—all from one place.
- Tax handling: Automatically calculates taxes based on the customer’s location and the type of product being sold.
- Marketing tools: Helps you promote your store with features like coupon codes, store wide sales, affiliate programs, cross selling, upselling, and more.
- Order management tools: Allows you to view, track, and manage customer orders with ease.
- Analytics and reporting: Provides valuable insights into your best selling products, customer behavior, and overall store performance.
- Refund and cancellation options: Makes it simple to issue refunds or manage changes when needed.
Support and documentation: Includes helpful guides and customer support in case you run into questions or technical issues. - Affordability: Offers pricing that fits your budget, especially important when you are just getting started.
If you are looking for a simple and powerful shopping cart that checks all the boxes above, Payhip is an excellent choice. It is free to get started, with a small fee only when you make a sale. You can sell digital products, physical items, subscriptions, and courses all from one platform. Payhip takes care of secure payments, taxes, storefront customizations, marketing tools, and more—so you can focus on growing your business.
Is there a free online shopping cart software?
Yes, Payhip is a free shopping cart platform that lets you sell digital products, physical items, courses, and more. You only pay a small fee when you make a sale, and there are no monthly charges.
Payhip also gives you everything you need in one place: secure payments, mobile friendly checkout, tax settings, discount tools, and affiliate marketing features. It is a simple, all in one solution for anyone starting or growing an online business.