WHY PHOENIXCART

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Why Use Phoenix Cart?

Submitted by one of our Danish users.

PhoenixCart is made to allow fully integratable customizations, meaning that professional developers are able to make powerful tools that can be added to the cart without interfering with the core code. This is done by a high degree of modularization of content, as well as lots of points in the core code, where the code will “look” for customizations. This is however only the beginning of it, as amateurs with no knowledge of code can easily copy functionality and place it where it’s wanted, making the cart flexible as no others. You want to show something in the header instead of in the main content? No problem, just copy a few files, rename them, and rename a few things inside the files - This UserGuide even has some examples of that. This means that you, as a store owner, don’t need to pay a developer for every little adjustment you want to make, and you will be able to maintain your site all by yourself. Of course, some people like to have professional help, and complicated functionality might need more than the UserGuide can teach you, and this is where the certified developers come into play. They are experienced in working with PhoenixCart, so they will quickly be able to offer you the solution you need. The flexibility also contributes to less time spent for professional developers, meaning that the cost for customizations will likely be lower compared to other ecommerce solutions.

As an example, consider the PhoenixCart logo. It clearly resembles a Phoenix, doing the job quite well. However, you might want your Phoenix to look a little different or have a slightly different color-pallette - The simplicity of the logo makes this a rather small job, compared to having to do the same on a complicated drawing. Complexity is nice, assuming it is the complexity you need, if not; it’s gonna be tough.

Questions like: "Is it possible to..?" can in general be answered "Yes!". The flexibility makes almost everything possible, and while something of course will be more difficult than others, it is almost only the fantasy that limits the features and functions of PhoenixCart

PhoenixCart is free and open source and a lot of the addons available are made and supported by shop owners. Noone is making money from PhoenixCart, as it is carried, developed, hosted, maintained and supported by the community. Still, the result is professional and ready-to-use, and the support and continued development is major. Everyone is invited to contribute to the further development of PhoenixCart, benefiting the individual store owner as well as the many other store owners using the software. As a user of PhoenixCart, you are also the “crew” behind the software with the possibility to help shape the future of the software you are using - it is the true spirit of Open Source!

The forum for PhoenixCart is a home for users of the software, as well as certified developers and even the core-developers. Here features, general e-commerce topics and much more are discussed, and it is a great place to find help regarding the use and developing of your own PhoenixCart-shop. Everyone on the forum are spending their free-time there, and this means that, in order to get the best answer possible, you should aim to be very concrete and specific when asking things. This will make it easier for others to answer your question, as they know exactly what you ask, and it will make it more likely for you to receive the help you need. The forum enables shopowners to find multiple solutions together, while all learning from the experience, benefitting all, and sometimes resulting in some very interesting new addons that is useful for many people. The forum is excellent for those who are willing to learn how to maintain and even develop their PhoenixCart further, not necessarily by learning how to code, but rather by understanding how and why things are built the way they are, and how to "move the lego-pieces" around to get a different end-result.