Offering a complete solution for merchants to sell online through the use of ecommerce software, Ashop Commerce uses a web-based application which utilizes thousands of features and a fully customizable design. This shopping cart software is an affordable viable option for merchants who would like to sell their merchandise online and have a wider reach than they might in a traditional store. Or so the sales pitch would go.

The truth of the matter is that thanks to the infinite wonders of the interweb, anybody with an internet connection could set up an online shop for cheap, and it would probably end up costing must less than Ashop Commerce. While the service itself is fantastic, in the world of online shopping cart software and setups, there are just too many competitors willing to do it for less. One could set up a few free accounts, pay half of what Ashop costs and set up their own online merchandising site just as easily as they could if they decided to go with Ashop. So what you’re looking at, if you do decide to go with Ashop, is not what am I getting for less. It’s more along the line of what am I paying for?

Let’s look at the “Light” option (which does not include the 10-day free trial). The non-optionals (the things that will come with the package that you choose) are things like webspace, a domain, support, themes, and other things that are pretty much required to run the shop itself. This is $39.95 per month. With the light package, you are getting a domain and a 1 email account on that domain, and they claim that it is more affordable and secure than hosting your own store “if you add it up”.

Choosing a web-host at random (unnamed), the costs for setting up a dedicated server would cost $60.90 + $15.00 (for the first setup) and after that it would even out to around $25. That includes the domain registration, and through certain hosts, access to free eshop software, with 1-click installs and information on running said software.

The things they listed for you to add up to compare pricing were as follows:

-hosting
-security
-managing uptime
-adding upgrades
-fixing bugs
-doing search engine optimization
-receiving up to date advice
-paying for a payment gateway

Hosting and security really go hand in hand. A hosting company really couldn’t honestly sell a hosting plan if they couldn’t back it up with server side security on their end. Managing uptime and adding upgrades are as reliable as the hosting company you choose. “Managing upgrades” is a bit of reach to be adding to a price table. If by upgrades you’re talking about bandwidth expansion and that sort of thing, some hosting companies will actually add bandwidth the longer your account is active with them. (Bandwidth is actually pretty cheap.) Search engine optimization is really just a fancy way of saying placing things in certain places so that engines like Google and Yahoo can find them easier, as well as targeting niche groups or groups on a whole, with campaigns or advertising. (I highly doubt that second part.) And as far as advice and a payment gateway, Paypal offers such a service for free, and the advice can be found in the millions of chatrooms, forums and websites that are across the interweb (for free).

I wouldn’t say it’s less expensive, just less of a hassle.

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of reasons why one would go the route of not setting up their own store for cheaper as opposed to just letting a middle man take care of that for you. But after all of that, the bottom line can always be summed up into three valid points:

1. Ashop will provide you with constant updates to the software.
2. Ashop can provide the professional edge you may lack.
3. Ashop knows ecommerce.

It may be true that it might be slightly less expensive to go a different route, but would you risk quality just to save a few bucks? If you’re serious about opening an online shop, it would do you some good to check them out. Any stone left unturned is a possible viable opportunity missed.