About UltraCart
Online shopping is nothing new, in fact in recent years it is something that has become commonplace in our society. More and more people are turning to the Internet to purchase goods for themselves and others. Not only is shopping online convenient for consumers, but it can also be a much more cost-efficient way for retailers and small business owners to sell their goods to others. An e-commerce company that exists to help other small businesses get their footing online, UltraCart has been around since some of the earliest days of online shopping.
The e-commerce management program began more than 15 years ago and brings together a shopping cart, shipping tools, order management and fulfillment, and some basic marketing extras. Additional features of the site include:
- All-in-one solution for selling online
- Reliable and secure shopping cart
- Powerful e-mail marketing tools
- Robust store website templates
The increasing popularity of online shopping has driven more business to live solely on the net and as a result companies such as UltraCart exist to help businesses easily develop into fully functioning companies. A secure shopping-based cart service, UltraCart has helped thousands of companies succeed in a cluttered and competitive marketplace.
Operating a business online is a much more cost effective way to do business because it eliminates many costs that brick and mortar stores can create. Not only that but online businesses have the luxury of being able to reach the masses as the virtual stores are able to be access anywhere on the planet. Let’s dive into some of the key features that make UltraCart one worth pursuing.
Top Features of UltraCart
UltraCart is a hosted shopping cart solution with a twist. For this product it’s not necessary for a user to download any files to utilize the program. However, unlike web-hosted ecommerce solutions that enable you to build a store from the ground up as a part of your monthly fee, with UltraCart you embed “Add to Cart” or “Buy” buttons to your preexisting website in order to sell items.
The cart is really geared towards small business owners and other merchants who want to sell goods to the masses. The website is ideal for those who want to sell goods on their pre-existing website but do not want to create an entire new site from scratch. The software works seamlessly into a business website.
All that needs to be done is for one to carve out an area of a website and voila – the store is up and running! If that’s you, the cart may be an option worth considering. You also do have the option to create a store from scratch using UltraCart, but that means hiring an on-staff UltraCart developer to assist in the building and launching process.
UltraCart has been around for more than a decade for a reason. It has developed a formula for success that helps one manage all aspects of their ecommerce business from one central portal. The company provides valuable resources that allow you to create an impressive website that will help your company’s services stand out and get you noticed.
In addition, the site equips one with the tools that are needed so that one can not only sell product on their site but also makes it so one can market the site to others through a valuable e-mail marketing service. In addition the company will help you retain your customer base by providing useful merchandising tools that makes it easier for customers to spend money and continue to visit your site.
Users attest to UltraCart’s scalability and ability to expand alongside your store. There’s probably more functionality in inventory and item tracking than you’ll want or need, and extras like discounting and product management are available. The UltraCart interface is very simple and easy to use, even for technological novices. Some useful features that help it stand apart in the marketplace include tools like variable billing support and 1-click upselling.
When it comes to marketing, the UltraCart system will let you issue gift certificates and execute campaigns and coupons. There is also a return email tool that lets you automatically generate messages for dropped orders. There are even thoughtful processing options, like chargeback dispute tools and personalized packing slips.
Since UltraCart works by integrating into your website, SEO placements aren’t altered. URLs won’t change when you use the service and existing search indexes won’t be altered. The cart also integrates with major shippers, including UPS, USPS, and Fed Ex and can calculate real-time rates or generate shipping cost via order weight, subtotals, or items.
UltraCart Prices
With UltraCart business owners are able to purchase the package that is right for you. The product exists in many levels and costs as low as $49.95 per month and as high as $154 per month. Depending on the product level selected, one will receive varying services. Naturally, the more one spends the more services and features that will be available to the business at hand. The more items you have for sale in your online store, the more expensive the service will be for you.
Criticisms Of UltraCart
The age of UltraCart is beginning to show, with some missing out-of-the-box features like a mobile version and robust social media integrations. The cart also has a general lack of user-friendliness (at least compared to many of its peers) that leaves many users desiring something more.
Although the service includes a handy PDF manual for help you get stuck, a series of videos or online tutorials would also be beneficial to assist me in exploring the admin. While there are instruction guides that outline a series of six steps to help complete the store process, if you learn better by visual cues then you’ll probably want visual illustrations too, something that UltraCart currently does not offer.
Another criticism of the service is that UltraCart makes too big a hoopla over its PCI Level 1 compliance. These days, just about every reputable cart has earned the same level of security, and it’s now expected by the ecommerce crowd. The site also includes more than enough reporting tools which can make the user feel slightly overwhelmed. It would be better and more straightforward if UltraCart only gave users the option to select from one or two reporting tools. Sometimes too many choices can just make a person go crazy!
Customer Support
It can be complex and sometimes confusing when creating a website for your business for the first time. Since creating a website isn’t necessarily a business owner’s main expertise, it’s nice to know that there are other representatives who are able to lend support in a time of need. That’s why UltraCart offers support via telephone and e-mail for its customers. Members who use the service are able to reach out through these vehicles should they have any questions, need advice or support on the proper way to develop their site and using the shopping cart software.
Final Thoughts
The UltraCart team is full of experienced web designers, developers and technical engineers that are able to help bring any small businesses ideas to life. The service is easy to use, easy to maintain and easy to modify and is full with loads of fun and attractive design templates that will be sure to attract consumers to your website. Not only that but UltraCart also includes state of the art software that is very flexible and powerful shopping cart software.
Merchants who want to operate a store as a portion of their overall website could do well with UltraCart. While the system might be a little pricey compared to other competitors in the space, UltraCart does offer other amenities that make it unbeatable in the space. The system’s built-in security, coupons, and limited marketing tools all help sweeten the deal.
The checkout pages are flexible, and if you’re moderately tech savvy you can add pop-ups and embed video. In addition, with a little knowledge of PHP and templates, one is able to customize it to do just about anything. The service includes plenty of third party code developers that can also customize UltraCart for you should you desire. So take a visit to UltraCart.com today and let the experts help grow your business!