Feature Set:  

One of the best features of mercentec are their reports. There are a lot of sales and product reports which can be configured to the way you want them. They can also be presented in bar graph form which allows you to analyze your results very quickly. Another great feature is the ability to customize the type of information you want to add about your products. With this customization you can really make your products stand out from other websites. The new variant layout offers customers the chance to create unlimited amount of variants (color, size, accessories, etc.) to be displayed via dropdown menus on the product description page. With Mercantec Softcart, adding variants to products is much easier than other shopping cart products we reviewed.

Mercantec has a few limitations. First, there are only 15 designs to choose from in the website setup wizard. Second, there are no website traffic reports available. Traffic statistics is vital information that helps you better understand your customer and gives you the power to improve your website and/or products. Third, the shopping features are limited. There are no coupons or gift certificate options. Customers cannot view their order history, and you cannot use downloadable goods with this product. The shipping is very simple but there is no real-time shipping like UPS or FedEx.

Ease of Use:  

Mercantec Softcart is very easy to use. It is server–based software so using the merchant tools is quite simple. In the back office you have a top title bar that lists your main categories as well as a left hand bar that lists the sub categories.Across the top you would have: store admin, site design, products, orders, and reports. Under each of these titles the left hand side would go into further detail about each title for example products. Once you choose the left hand options, you could work with what you have selected in the middle of the screen with more options depending on what area you are in. It is a very nice layout and really easy to use.

Ease of Installation:  

Installation needs to be done by your ISP. Mercantec is not available for lease, you have to buy it. After that, you need to choose a hosting service and have them install Mercantec on their server.

Help/Documentation:  

The Help is great. There is context–sensitive Help on each page, which means you get your answers to your specific questions without trying to maneuver through a large index of help. Whatever you are working on or have highlighted, if you push the help button, it gives you help about what you are on. They also have general FAQs on their website. Their online help is time– consuming because you must download everything in Acrobat pdf format.

True E–Commerce Solution:

Is Mercantec Softcart an E–commerce solution?   Yes.   There are hosting partners available but hosting itself is not offered. Mercantec gives you the tools to build and manage your website, offers the ability for credit card processing, and allows for flexible shipping options.

Mercantec Softcart Pro is a good product overall. It is very easy to use and has many features that will help you build a website quickly.