In about 100 words, outline and briefly describe the main ...

[jake]

In about 100 words, outline and briefly describe the main functions of shopping cart software.

Question 2

Giving online customers alternative paths that lead to products in which they might be interested is important. In one or two paragraphs, explain how static and dynamic catalogs might facilitate or inhibit customers as they try to find a particular product on a companys Web site.

[bhavsar]

Answer to Question 1

Answer: A shopping cart keeps track of the items the customer has selected and allows customers to view the contents of their carts, add new items, or remove items. To order an item, the customer simply clicks a button or link near the items description that indicates add to cart or similar language. All of the details about the item, including its price, product number, and other identifying information, are stored automatically in the cart. A good shopping cart allows the customer to view the carts contents and remove the unwanted items at any time during the session. When the customer is ready to conclude the shopping session, the click of a button executes the purchase transaction.

Answer to Question 2

A dynamic catalog can feature multiple photos of each item, detailed descriptions, and a search tool that allows customers to search for an item and determine its availability.
Small online stores (those that sell fewer than 100 items) can sometimes get by with a simple list of products or categories and the organization of items on the Web site might not be particularly important. Such sites can provide a photo of each item that is a link to more information about the product. Thus, a static catalog is sufficient for their needs. Most online sellers, however, want to incorporate into their sites the navigation aids and better product organization tools that are a part of dynamic catalogs.
Good sites give buyers alternative ways to find products. Besides offering a well-organized catalog, large sites with many products can provide a search engine that allows customers to enter descriptive search terms, such as mens shirts, so they can quickly find the Web page containing what they want to purchase.