Project Summary

Inventory Stores is not just user-friendly open source shopping cart system.It is a user-empowering shopping cart experience.There are many shopping carts to choose from. They range in cost, look, features, functionality, and simplicity. The Inventory Stores Project began, because we believe that as an online merchant, you should not have to compromise on any of these. The goal of the Inventory Stores Project was not to re-invent the wheel, but to make it “rounder”. There are enough bumps when trying to succeed as an online merchant, your shopping cart technology should help to give you as smooth a ride as possible.

The challenge for any platform is that it is only one platform and there are millions of users, millions of different users. Many new technologies and platforms start out “complicated” to the common user, but make an experienced programmer happy. They are loaded with features and tools that serious businesses and technical teams demand. However, the more you fill the features list, the steeper the learning curve for a new user. In the past, to make platforms easier to use, platform teams would remove features, customizable options, and user control. This is where “turnkey” platform comes from. A “turnkey” site works out of the box, but they belong in a trash can. Users and/or the current e-commerce technologies quickly outgrow these platforms. The Inventory Stores project members believe there is a better way.

Project Philosophy and the Spork

According to Williams and Edge, "Central to Social Shaping of Technology (SST) is the concept that there are `choices' (though not necessarily conscious choices) inherent in both the design of individual artifacts and systems, and in the direction or trajectory of innovation programs." If technology does not emerge from the unfolding of a predetermined logic or a single determinant, then innovation is a 'garden of forking paths'. Technological development can take different paths leading to different outcomes and each can have different implications on those who use technology.

Just like the “garden of forking paths”, in software engineering, a project fork happens when a development group uses code from one project and starts to develop a project independent of the rest. In the world of open source software, the term is very common. Forks can happen for anything from a personality clash to significant disagreements in the direction or goal of a project.

Inventory Stores is based on years of experience with the CRE Loaded platform of osCommerce. The Inventory Stores Project does not consider itself a fork from CRE Loaded, but more of a CRE Loaded “spork”. We have taken the power of the CRE Loaded platform, but provided some Quick Set-up Wizards, added a growing number of Free Starter Templates, and set the defaults demanded by most users who sell large numbers of products. This will allow every user the ability to quickly create and operate a store, and then have the time to easily learn more about the more advanced features as they grow into a more advanced business.

The Inventory Stores platform will deliver the ultimate online shopping experience to your customers. Navigating through your merchandise offerings is very simple. The program provides several product promoting lists in addition to the traditional category to product links, such as the Specials and Featured Products modules. Once a product is added to the shopping cart, secure checkout is a simple 3-step process. After providing the billing information, your customer chooses the shipping method. (multiple shipping methods, such as UPS, Fed Ex, USPS, and more are built-in) Next, a payment type is chosen from one of the popular payment modules. (PayPal™ and AuthorizeNet™ are just 2 of the included modules) Last, the customer reviews the order, shipping and payment choices, and confirms the order. You are immediately notified of the order and your customer automatically receives an e-mail confirmation.

The Inventory Stores platform meets many of the most commonly requested needs of users looking for a great e-Commerce solution:

•           make the program easy to set up for new users with the Quick Setup Process, but allow for continued growth with the platform so advanced users can       make additional changes and customizations

•           make it easy to customize

•           automate tasks, such as order confirmation

•           make navigation simple for customers and store owners

•           built in promotions; discount coupons, gift certificates, newsletters and product notification

•           offer single item specials, category specials, and storewide discounts

•           built in Search Engine Optimization tools, such as Meta Tag tools

•           password protect the Administration Tool with various Administration users levels

•           support multiple languages, currencies, and tax structures

•           allow for all of the great work developed for the CRE Loaded platform and other open source contributions to be installed easily on this platform

Enjoy your new Inventory Stores platform. It is not something totally new, it is just something totally better.