X-Cart forums

[sambamu]

Originally Posted by am2003

Let's appreciate all the efforts of the Development team in launching new versions. I agree the actual X-Cart platform is an old one and could not offer more. Many free shopping carts already offer Ajax, easy templates, lots of mods, and many other features. It is a strong competition. My heart is with X-Cart, that's the reason I bought it!

xplorer:

I would like to know what you would like to offer in the next version 5. It will be great if you create a thread joining your idea with the community idea. Guys, we have one year to create the best e-commerce solution available.

I support you.

[donavichi]

That's great news! It's about time you gave it a thorough overhaul and drag it into the modern era.

Don't just respond to AJAX and web 2.0 though. If you're going to reinvent X-Cart, do something groundbreaking with it that sets you apart from the free/paid competition.

Regardless of price-point, X-Cart has major benefits over all other carts which need to be built-on, but also major shortcomings which can be answered simply enough.

The real challenge going forward is how to push the boundaries and reinvigorate the brand with a revolutionary product, not just a step-forward into line with other people.

I trust in X-Cart to take this chance to push themselves and break the mould by offering a feature-set that is peerless and a level of efficiency for both database admins/store owners & consumers.

Good luck & DON'T RUSH IT!

[WhiteDoveGifts]

Originally Posted by donavichi

That's great news! It's about time you gave it a thorough overhaul and drag it into the modern era.

Don't just respond to AJAX and web 2.0 though. If you're going to reinvent X-Cart, do something groundbreaking with it that sets you apart from the free/paid competition.

Regardless of price-point, X-Cart has major benefits over all other carts which need to be built-on, but also major shortcomings which can be answered simply enough.

The real challenge going forward is how to push the boundaries and reinvigorate the brand with a revolutionary product, not just a step-forward into line with other people.

I trust in X-Cart to take this chance to push themselves and break the mould by offering a feature-set that is peerless and a level of efficiency for both database admins/store owners & consumers.

Good luck & DON'T RUSH IT!

Agreed 110% ! X-Cart, please USE your customers to "reinvent" the next generation. I would suggest sending an e-mail survey to all existing customers to find out what the actual needs and wishes are. X-Cart has lot's of stuff most customers don't use so that can be replaced by groundbreaking new features.

[kulture]

It is impossible to decide whether to stay with Litecommerce and wait for X-Cart 5 or whether to jump ship to a different cart without more information. Other carts already have more features, and look better to customers. Other carts alrady have roadmaps saying what additional features they will have so you know what you are getting and what improvements will subsequently occur. X-Cart 5 is just a title. If we do not know what is going to be in it on day 1, nor what other features will be built into it subsequently, then why should we stick arround? Further, there are lots of 3rd party add ons to X-Cart. Many of which are essential for any decent e-commerce shop. Litecommerce has some of these built in. Will X-Cart follow the Litecommerce approach, or leave holes for the 3rd party developers to fill? Will Qualiteam provide the 3rd party developers interface documentation, and/or early releases so that these add ons can be released as soon as possible after X-Cart 5? Will Qualiteam provide progress reports to us, so that we do not get to the end of 2009 to suddenly be told that it will be another 6 months? We need information, we need to have a warm feeling that it is worth waiting for, and we need to know that Qualiteam are in control and will produce a cart on schedule.

[Swish]

Originally Posted by kulture

It is impossible to decide whether to stay with Litecommerce and wait for X-Cart 5 or whether to jump ship to a different cart without more information. Other carts already have more features, and look better to customers. Other carts alrady have roadmaps saying what additional features they will have so you know what you are getting and what improvements will subsequently occur. X-Cart 5 is just a title. If we do not know what is going to be in it on day 1, nor what other features will be built into it subsequently, then why should we stick arround? Further, there are lots of 3rd party add ons to X-Cart. Many of which are essential for any decent e-commerce shop. Litecommerce has some of these built in. Will X-Cart follow the Litecommerce approach, or leave holes for the 3rd party developers to fill? Will Qualiteam provide the 3rd party developers interface documentation, and/or early releases so that these add ons can be released as soon as possible after X-Cart 5? Will Qualiteam provide progress reports to us, so that we do not get to the end of 2009 to suddenly be told that it will be another 6 months? We need information, we need to have a warm feeling that it is worth waiting for, and we need to know that Qualiteam are in control and will produce a cart on schedule.

Well said, Richard.

[mitash]

Wordpress Blogging platform is frequently updated.
For their 2.8 release they have made a list of features/functionalities and have asked community to VOTE... Here is an example....

http://www.polldaddy.com/s/6FC3E15CDE20B5B5/

I think this is a great way to do things....
At the end of the day cart is used by the users and their input/feedback is imperative!

Qualiteam, has a large customer base and they should certainly take advantage of their customers/followers of x-cart.

So x-cart could...

- request ideas about features/functionalities from its existing users
- request users to cast a vote to select the main features/functionalities
- have a roadmap of the upcoming features/functionalities.

What do you all at Qualiteam and in the Forums think..?

Cheers
Ash

[Tavarz]

Originally Posted by xplorer

Hi folks,

Since both X-Cart 4 and LiteCommerce 2 platforms require almost a complete rewrite in order to provide you with cool modern features like AJAX interface and so on, we have decided to develop a new shopping cart software on a completely new platform. It is planned to be released by the end of 2009. Although most likely it will be released under "X-Cart" brand, it could be considered as "X-Cart v5" and "LiteCommerce v3" at the same time. X-Cart and LiteCommerce users will be granted licenses on the same conditions.

Since we move all of our efforts towards development of the new platform, new releases of LiteCommerce and X-Cart will include bug-fixes only, not new features/improvements. The only exception is X-Cart v4.3 that is planned to be released this Spring and that will feature PCI-DSS compliance (however, it won't be listed under PA-DSS verified payment applications).

There is no hurry to migrate all LiteCommerce stores to X-Cart 4. The only reason I see is the PCI-DSS compliance (which rules don't apply on all e-commerce stores). For those LiteCommerce users, who require such a compliance right now we can exchange their LiteCommerce license to X-Cart - that will allow them to switch to X-Cart 4.3 and achieve PCI-DSS compliance before we release the new e-commerce platform.

Feel free to ask me if you have a question I haven't addressed.

Best regards,

What other modern features besides AJAX? Have to be many more reasons for 5.0 no?

[ADDISON]

I agree we should make a roadmap. A wish list should be done very soon.

Many new free shopping carts offer by default many mods like: recentely viewed mod, currency mod, skin change, tabs, detaliled image mod, nice admin interfaces, and much more.

We waited 4.2 to have a detailed image mod by default for X-Cart. And it is not Telafirma's.

[kulture]

It is the weekend, and obviously Qualiteam cannot be expected to relpy until Monday, but I would like a reply.

It seems to me that Qualiteam have just made this descision. As such they are saying that they are going to start a brand new cart. Fine. A very good idea. In any IT development the first stage is to document the user (our) requirements. Then to prioritise the requirements; then design a system to fulfil the selected requirements; then build it (then TEST etc etc).

Are we, their customer base, going to be asked to list our requirements, to actually say what we want? I would be prepared to spend time on this IF I could be assured it was worth it.

Are they going to list all our requirements and get votes or something, to get an idea of who what wants what etc? Are they going to involve the large customer base and listen to us, get our help, so that togther we can develop the best ever cart?

Or are they going to disapear for 12 months, wave a magic wand, and say here you are this is what we think you want?

If the latter then I will not wait around.

[balinor]

It would be a HUGE missed opportunity on their part if they didn't involve the 18000+ registered users of this forum in the decisions. Obviously there needs to be a system created to manage all the feedback, as forum posts and the wishlist obviously don't get any attention.

There needs to be some sort of system to first sort the requests, and then vote on the requests. Other carts will need to be discussed just to that we can provide working examples of things that work well. I too would be VERY involved in this process, but only if my time is not spent in vain.

Once a final blueprint of features/functions is decided on by Qualiteam, there should be no less than 3 rounds of beta testing. 4.2 was supposed to be 'stable right away' but that is obviously not the case. This needs to be done right, by giving some sort of incentive for people to beta test, with a thorough bug reporting system and possibly its own forum.

I really think this is an opportunity to develop the best cart in the industry, but it needs to be done right. Qualiteam really has an advantage in having SO MANY users to draw ideas from, I hope they take full advantage of it so that no one is disappointed once the new cart is launched. There are a lot of talented people here in the forums, many of whom are willing to spend time making sure things are done right - almost like free programmers for Qualiteam. Use that to the fullest!