Ecommerce: Custom Shopping Cart vs. Paypal

Cost
One of the main deciding factors between using Paypal and a Custom Shopping Cart is going to be the number of items for sale. With few items, it is more economical to simply use Paypal (they charge a small fee per transaction, and setup is free). A shopping cart will require the purchase of the cart engine ($299-$???) and an SSL certificate ($149) which must be renewed yearly.

Management
The advantage with a shopping cart is that if you have lots of items it can (literally) manage those easier, were-as using Paypal (each item by hand) would be tedious and inefficient. When we create an online store for a client we ask, "do you want to manage your products, pricing, shipping, discounts, inventory, image posting, and most importantly, how many products will you ultimately be selling?" These basics pieces of info are absolutely vital to developing a proper online shopping cart experience.

Look
A shopping cart is typically more advantageous because it's easier to keep a consistent graphic look by designing it to look like the parent website; thus, it looks more professional. However, there is a lot of time spent on the front-end doing the custom styling to match the parent website. When using Paypal, the user clicks a button which will redirect the user to a Paypal purchase window (leaving the parent website) where they will select the amount of the product they want, and proceed with checking out. Yet, a shopping cart is self-contained in that all the information and confirmations are handled within the parent website.

Examples
For a visual, we refer you to the Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra and Secure Product Sales (MSO uses Paypal, and SPS uses a custom Shopping cart).
SPS: http://www.secureproductsales.com/
MSO: http://www.murfreesborosymphony.com/tickets/

Happy Online Shopping!
—Josh Morrison, Senior Web Designer, Navigation Advertising

Video Production Tips

Visually telling a story through video is one the most effectively ways to reach desired audiences. But if your video production value is low due to poor videography, your message may be lost in translation. By following these three tips your production value will inspire and inform rather than distract and disappoint.

1. The first step to improving your video is to ensure visual stability by using a tripod, jib/crane or steady cam. While some camcorders come with built-in image stabilization, it can only compensate for so much movement and will not give you the clear, you want. Don't skimp on your video equipment—nothing is more expensive than having to reshoot poor video. Note: some producers want the "shaky camera" effect, but make sure you stay on your shots long enough for the viewer to follow the story.

2. A common video mistake is making constant movements and adjustments while shooting. Be deliberate when making adjustments; don't make changes without a reason. Take a shot of something and leave it there for several seconds, stop the recording and take another shot. Don't quickly pan the camera from one subject to another. When panning and zooming, use slow, smooth, and deliberate motions. This will make your videos much more pleasant to the viewer. Note: We make sure that our entire video crew is constantly looking at the camera to make sure it is ON. Yes, we like other video production companies have made the mistake of forgetting to hit "record".

3. While the viewer will typically never know about your production organization, this is a crucial step to take to ensure proper video production. Organizing your shots in pre-production will save headaches and hours of time in post-production. Slating and making useful comments on each shot allows for more creative time in post. By purchasing a small dry erase board for slating and legal pads for making comments about each shot, digital capturing time in post will be limited to just capturing necessary shots. This will also save tons of hard drive space and make finding wanted shots quicker. Make sure to always allow at least 10 seconds of pre AND post roll for each shot. You'll get smoother transitions and easier batch capturing in post-production.

While everyone has their own way of shooting video, the three tips above will ensure a smoother production from beginning to end. From keeping it simple and stable to maintaining organization throughout your production—you and your viewer will experience a better product. Anyone can use a video camera, but few can get professional results every time.

Kristen Archer, Video Production Manager
Navigation Advertising, LLC