Programming a shopping cart

[Tony0930]

I am almost done developing this e-commerce site and my client just asked me to add a shopping cart. I have some templates, but I want to start from scratch, is there a specific way of starting to do it? What should I consider when building a shopping cart?

[ryanhellyer]

Hi,
The most important thing to consider is the software you want to use. You 'could' write the entire thing yourself, but in most instances it is easier to use an off the shelf software and modify it to suit your needs.

I assume the most important thing to consider in building a shopping cart from scratch is security. I wouldn't want to make any errors in the development of an ecommerce program as I would never want to risk placing my customers credit card details at risk.

Beyond that, ease of use and a logical flow to the shopping process would be high on my list of priorities.