There is a big difference between shopping carts and store fronts that most new online business owners are not aware of. When starting an online business, it can be difficult to make a decision as to what shopping cart software to buy, because there are so many options available. Making the decision process even more confusing, there is a lot of software out there that calls themselves shopping carts but are actually store fronts. 

So, what, exactly, is the difference between shopping carts and storefronts? Quite simply, shopping carts are placed on existing web sites while store fronts are the entire online retail store solution. In other words, when you use a shopping cart, you are placing code on your existing web pages that allows users to navigate through the shopping process. When you use a store front, you are creating the entire web site, including product catalogs, product descriptions, ordering systems, and shipping systems.

For an existing online store, adding a shopping cart is much easier and cost effective than purchasing a store front. The shopping cart software is typically run on your own server or domain, as well as from your main business computer. Those with html knowledge can really manipulate shopping cart software to allow for a lot of great flexibility and features that some of the cheaper software packages do not allow.

For new online stores, however, a store front is typically much more feasible. A store front usually includes set up of your domain, your website, your product catalog, product descriptions, shipping and payment interfaces, and other website features. Basically, the store front software packages are your entire online store, customized to fit your needs. If you don’t know much about servers, html, web site building, or hosting, a complete store front is a great option.

Some online store fronts are great for existing stores as well. If the store front allows integration with an existing web site or hosting service, it should be an easy switch. If, however, you must purchase a new domain or hosting, online store fronts are rarely worth the hassle of the switch, and you will be better off with simply adding an online shopping cart to your website.

Price may be a determination when comparing shopping carts and store fronts. The shopping carts software packages are much less expensive than entire store fronts. They have less features and require more set up, however, so the money you save is spent in the time to set up the shopping carts. If you have a lot of products, or if you would rather pay for convenience, complete store fronts may be the better way to go for your online retail store.