X-Cart forums

[keystone]

I currently have a couple of websites on x-cart classic 4.7.11 and am considering making a change. I was hoping to get some feedback from any of you who made the switch from x-cart 4 over to x-cart 5. Are you happy with the move or do you regret it? Would you do it again?
Thanks

[Triple A Racing]

https://forum.x-cart.com/showthread.php?t=78078

[keystone]

Thanks for the link Triple. I understand the pricing frustration especially since I'm still on x-cart 4. I haven't been able gotten a breakdown of x-carts price structure yet so I can't compare that with others I do have info on so far. Any of the other solutions I'm looking at that can do what I need them to do are pretty pricy as well and require a monthly subscription. So pricing aside for the moment, I'm curious how x-cart 5 performs compared to sites like BigCommerce, Shopify, Magento, WooComerce, etc.

Basically, do current x-cart 5 users wish they had gone with a different option?

[thebluedoorboutique]

We are in a similar boat, but on a much more dated version of XC4. We're actually looking at upgradring to XC 4.7.13 when it's released, instead of XC5. Personally, I think XC5 is not a complete product. The perfect example is the RMA module. It's not intergrated with the Gift Certificate module, so RMA module is pointless, unless you give refunds - which we (in our industry) don't. XC4 has this, built in. If you have products with variants, you still have a stock counter on the main product page, like you would if you didn't have variants. XC5 should be a direct copy of XC4 with improvements. You don't release a product with less functionality. The ONLY reason I've considered XC5 is being able to update, but it seems that still isn't fool proof. I assume too, that this is why so many people go with Shopify. I prefer to own, and develop my own modules. My only monthly expense is hosting. I know Shopify owners paying $2,000-3,000/mo. in service and modules. Over my dead body.

[Triple A Racing]

Originally Posted by keystone

.... So pricing aside for the moment, I'm curious how x-cart 5 performs compared to sites like BigCommerce, Shopify, Magento, WooComerce, etc.

Basically, do current x-cart 5 users wish they had gone with a different option?

We had no regrets at all swapping over to XC5 from XC4 back in 2015. Everyone's experience is different though and some wish they had stayed with XC4 or, they never thought of changing over anyway. Changing over seems to depend, mainly on the suitability of own business model / products etc

However, the caveat to all that ^^ is... that this only applied prior to XC selling their souls, plus all of their identity / credibility / technical ability / customer service / reliability / trustworthiness and common sense etc to the clown show that is Sellerdream Labs

People who (for some unfathomable reason ) thought that the Hosted XC5 package was good value for money, reliable and professionally competent got their windscreen cleared... when all the Sellerdream Labs / XC5 "servers" were hacked and they then suffered the punitive consequences of ransomware. There's forum threads on that, as plenty of people lost everything for days on end.... Here's a starter set of links

[cflsystems]

Originally Posted by thebluedoorboutique

I know Shopify owners paying $2,000-3,000/mo. in service and modules. Over my dead body.

You're kidding. I know the advertised cost Shopify has is nowhere near what's needed for an ecommerce store but that much? It makes the $200-$250/month for XC5 a cheap solution


Although I am not a fan of the SaaS and prefer complete control over the software.

[keystone]

Unfortunately he isn't kidding. I checked them out as well and for the Shopify Plus (enterprise) solution it started at $2000. BigCommerce enterprise for us started at $1000 - $1350 but their pricing is based a lot on how many transactions a month you do, in this case 50,000 transactions.

My main reason for looking to possible change from my x-cart 4 sites is because we need to update our brick and mortar POS. I was thinking of trying to streamline everything and make it so I can put my product in my POS and have it pushed up to my website too.

So you're right, $200 - $250 isn't bad but if it isn't good software or does what you need it to then free isn't worth it either.

I put in for a demo of x-cart 5 to see what all it does. i definitely like being able to edit templates and having control of the software. Is that an option in x-cart 5?

[cflsystems]

Last I had from SL/XC is that they offer only hosted solutions but in some cases upon request they will supply the actual installation pack so you can host on your own. Whether this is still the case or not I don't know.


If these other big providers ask for $2000/month that's enough to put towards XC5 customization to make it your own. And after that simply maintain due to minor version changes.


You can modify templates directly with XC5 but I would advice against that. It is way better to do such modifications via custom module. That way you can make changes conditional, you can inherit from original template, etc.

[thebluedoorboutique]

Questioned the release of 4.7.13 again yesterday. They said "There is no 4.7.13", I pointed them to the Roadmap that was updated mid June 2021. Now... page has been deleted. https://help.x-cart.com/Roadmap

[voodoo1967]

Has anyone made the jump from XC4 to ecwid instead of XC5 ?
I know ecwid doesnt have the full functionality of XC - but in terms of pricing , updates, look and feel it seems a better fit for some stores.
Stick in a wordpress blog and it's a great fit - in my opinion
What say everyone else ?