Middle Fork Software

eCommerce & Online Store Review

Middle Fork Software specializes in helping small business and start-ups select, set up and customize their online stores.

The good news is starting an online store doesn't have to require much upfront capital. Of course like many things worth doing, setting up your online store will require some sweat equity to customize your storefront, load products and become familiar with the features of your online store. More good news is there are lots of feature packed ecommerce software packages out there for your business to use. This is also the bad news, how do you start to compare the software available? Let alone, choose the right one for your business. This is where Middle Fork Software wants to help you. We are constantly evaluating the eCommerce software landscape to identify the best options available. Of course as the saying goes -- "one size doesn't fit all", but there are certainly some options that are better than others. We want to help your business succeed. Contact us and let us know how we can assist you.

Our favorite eCommerce Shopping Cart Options.

  • Magento
    • Pros: Lots of features, used by more than 200,000 stores, very flexible and customizable, 100s of online store templates, Mobile Site, and can be either hosted by Magento starting at $15 a month, or externally by you or a third party company such as Middle Fork Software. Integration with Amazon.com, Ebay and Facebook through extension library. Loads of extensions available.
    • Cons: The administration console is more complex than it needs to be.
    • Who uses it? Nike, The North Face, Office Max, and 200,000 others.
    • learn more about the Magento eCommerce Platform
  • Shopify
    • Pros: Large user base with 70,000 online stores. Very easy to use with a streamlined set of features. Starter option at $14/month for 25 products and unlimited products for $29/month. Point of Sale capability. Free SSL certificate. Mobile store sites.
    • Cons: Not as many features as Magento; but less features is not always bad.
    • Who uses it? Gatorade, Tesla Motors, and 70,000 others.
    • learn more about the Shopify eCommerce Platform
  • Big Commerce
    • Pros: Beautiful online store templates, easy to use site builder, sell on EBay, Facebook Google Shopping, Nexttag.com and Shopping.com, conversion tools, no transaction fees or bandwidth usage fees, and starts at $25/month.
    • Cons: No integration with Amazon.com
    • Who uses it? Revolution, Yeti Coolers, Pandora Jewelry and 40,000 others
    • learn more about the Big Commerce eCommerce Platform

Other eCommerce Shopping Cart Software Available

There are lots of options. Below are links to more than 70 different eCommerce shopping cart software packages. While this list is not exhaustive, you may become exhausted just looking through it.

Call us at 208-918-0538 or email us at info@middleforksoftware.com and let's discuss how we can work together to launch your online business. Let Middle Fork Software make this a lot easier for you.

Quick Answers

How much does an online store cost?

Typically, prices range depending on number of unique products (skus) offered in the online store. Most of the hosted online stores start around $15 to 25 per month for listing 100 products. Unlimited plans are priced between $180 to $500 per month.

Pro-Tip: Beware of fees tied to bandwidth usage as they can more than double the monthly rates.
more pro-tips

Can I display my products in Amazon.com, EBay and my Online Store at the same time?

Yes! This can be done. Although not all the online stores support this capability, some only support it with their higher tier plans, and some stores only support this capability through third party software extensions.

How do I set up a online store for Mobile devices?

It is very common for the online stores to provide a mobile site along with a standard web store.

Pro-Tip: Beware of slow mobile sites. Rule of thumb: if it takes more than 3 seconds to load your mobile site then half your shoppers will give up before they even see your products.
more pro-tips

Can I switch online stores?

Yes you can, but there a number of issues that will need to be managed, including SEO product rankings, customer reviews, and customer contact lists and much more. Switching online store platforms is possible but can be a lot of effort. Upgrading or downgrading plans with in the same platform is more straight forward.

Are there transaction fees?

Some plans do have transaction fees for each purchase, but not all.

Can I update my online store front to list special events?

Yes! Pretty much all of the online stores have a way to update your front page with pictures and event information. And you don't need to be an HTML programmer either. (Although that wouldn't hurt.)

Can I sell digital downloads such as mp3 or ebooks?

This is a feature of many of the online stores. Magento, for instance, allows digital media samples to be downloaded prior to purchase.

How are products be added to the online store?

All the online store software packages have an administration area where store managers can add products with descriptions as well as up load product photos. In addition, some packages allow bulk product loads from spreadsheets.

Can shoppers leave comments and rate products?

Typically yes, if you want them too. You can even review each comment prior to it posting to the online store.

Can a store issue coupons and temporary discounts?

This is a feature that is not always available with entry level plans. So if it is important right away, then you should make sure it is included in the plan that you purchase.