E-Commerce FAQ
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions regarding our e-commerce plans.
1. What does it mean by we support Mercantec's SoftCart?
We support Mercantec's SoftCart in several ways:
- We configure your site for SoftCart by installing and maintaining the server side
executable software
- We provide Technical Support related to the functionality of the server side software
All your mercantec conf , html, and images files are located in your website's
/u/web/userid/online-store and the executable files are located in /u/web/userid/cgi-
local directories.
We do not provide direct technical support related to the client-side setup of your
Mercantec software. Mercantec has wealth of information in their faq pages and their user
guide that will help you setup your store as each individual store has a different
business needs:
2. Do you offer a trial version of Mercantec's SoftCart?
We do not offer a trial version of Mercantec's SoftCart, however you can see a demo
version from the following url:
http://www.mercantec.com/demo/
3. How do I setup my store?
You will receive an activation notice from our support department which will inform you on
how to access your store manager. Once you access this site, you will need to follow the
step by step instructions on setting up your store: http://www.mercantec.com/products/download/SC40.htm
4. How do I upload my existing Database to my Mercantec.
The SoftCart 4.0 product database, found at the following path, /userid/online-store/data/shopdata/products/products4.pdb
is (standard) a tab-delimited flat file database. You will need to upload your DB to this
format with the following layout:
SKU Description Price Weight MarketingDescription Taxable SoftCartCategory
SoftCartTemplate Upsell VendorNo ListPrice Graphic Thumbnail
If you are using a large amount of products in their database (i.e. > 10,000 SKU's)
then it is recommended that they use a relational database (mySQL) for the storage of the
products in a database as opposed to a standard flat file database as this may cause a
problem with the catalog creation module during SmPageGen process. Mercantec is currently
working on a Dynamic Page Creation module that will take care of this problem.
5. How does the Mercantec Store Manager work:
When you input the store information, products, and categories the information is stored
in a flat-file database. When you click the Generate or Update store button, a program
called smpagegen.exe reads the database files from the DB path you uploaded to ie
/userid/online-store/data/shopdata/products/products4.pdb and uses the template set that
you have created to create the html files for your store. Now, if you make any
modifications to the html files, you will see these the next time that you connect to your
store. If you re-generate or make any changes to your products/categories/template set
which requires that you re-generate your store, the change smpagegen.exe file will
regenerate all of the html files that are used for the store, thus erasing all the changes
that you have made, for more info please refer to Page 97 of your user guide manual. If
you wish to make certain changes to your store and have these changes stay, then we
suggest that you make these changes in the template set that you are using. The best bet
is the create a new template set for your account based on the basic format of an existing
template set that already exists. If you wish to do this, we would strongly suggest
that you download the Template
Guide for WebDevelopers. There is also a section for Front Page users that
you may wish to review.
6. I am getting an "Error [4000]" or "Error [4004]".
This means that your domain has not yet been registered or propagated. Mercantec sets up
the SoftCart's configuration files under the domain name by default. You will need to wait
until your domain name is registered and fully propagated.
7. Can I send my order form information securely?
Yes. Mercantec can be configured to send an email from the order form securely using the
PGP format. They provide you a separate CD that they will send you for the PGP capability.
It is fairly easy to install the PGP encryption keys, you can find info on page 90
of your userguide manual.
Due to export restrictions on encryption technology, we are not permitted to sell this
product to people in the following countries: Afghanistan, Cayman Islands, Chile, People's
Republic of China, Columbia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mexico, Nigeria,
North Korea, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, the Russian Federation, Sudan, Syria,
Taiwan, Thailand, and Venezuela.
For more info, please also refer to the following url: http://www.mercantec.com/international/
8. How do I turn off online ordering if I do not want to use Credit Cards?
You will need to manually edit the page online.html to only allow off-line ordering by
removing the credit card requirement fields. This page can be found at the following
location: /u/web/userid/online-store/scstore/
You will also have to modify the following file in order to remove the Credit Card
information.:
/u/web/userid/merchant/shopdata/template]# more ordrform.req
bill_to_name
bill_to_street1
bill_to_city
bill_to_state
bill_to_zip
bill_to_phone
bill_to_email
cc_name
cc_type
_cc_number ccnum
_cc_expmonth
_cc_expyear
9. I am getting the "Error[4000]: This script should be referenced with a
METHOD of POST. REQUEST_METHOD was GET."
This is means that you are not accessing the store manager url with an https(SSL)
request. You must refer to the url as indicated in the activation notice:
If you are using the server's SSL certificate:
https://wwwXX.rapidsite.net/<userID>/online-store/StoreMgr/storemgr.html
If you are using your own SSL certificate:
https://www.<domain-name.com>/online-store/StoreMgr/storemgr.html
10. How types of payment systems do you provide with the Mercantec's SoftCart
software?
We support the following payment systems:
Once your CyberCash account is set up on the web server than you will need to configure
your CyberCash online payment system through Mercantec's browser-based Store Manager
environment. Simply fill in nine fields of information provided by CyberCash, and your
system will be configured, tested and ready to go live! For more info please refer to
SoftCart's User Guide manual of page 79.
11. Does Mercantec come with templates?
SoftCart includes several professional templates that you can use to build your site
quickly using only your browser. There are 5 templates that come with your software:
iconicbasic, iconiccomp, contbasic, contsub, merc1.
If you wish to create your own template, you may want to work with a Web designer who
can use Mercantec's Template Guide for Web Designers which can be downloaded from http://www.mercantec.com/products/download/SC40.htm
to create a customized template set that conveys a unique look and feel for your own
store.
12. How do I upload my images for my catalog?
When building the catalog for your store, the Store Manager has a feature that will allow
you to upload the images for your products. For more information please refer to Page
107 of your UserGuide Manual.
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