UltraCart was created by the parent company BPS Info Solutions and has been around for a solid 15 years. Unlike other shopping cart platforms, UltraCart is meant to be integrated into your existing website. Instead of creating an entirely new eCommerce website and store, you can directly embed shopping cart and "Buy Now" links and start selling. Read our UltraCart review below.
OverviewUltraCart is meant for sellers who want to add a store to their existing site. It is not a good choice if you are looking to build an online store from scratch or a template. The available features focus more on inventory and product management than anything else.
Standard Features Include:
Just by taking a look at the standard features, it is easy to see that UltraCart specifically targets merchants who are interested in product management capabilities. Pricing plans vary according to how many products you will be listing. Every package includes the same features, which means that UltraCart is completely scalable. If you need to add more products, then, simply upgrade your plan.
Limitations
The most glaring limitation of this software is that doesn’t allow you to design a store from scratch. While you can pay their designers to build a shop for you, UltraCart isn’t meant for beginners who don’t have a website. Instead, the idea is that you can simply embed a snippet of code into an existing site and start selling. If you don’t have a website yet, this isn’t the program for you.
Cancelation Policy
You can cancel your UltraCart subscription at any time. However, if you cancel in the middle of a billing cycle, you will still be responsible for the full cost of that month.
Awards and Reputation
Despite having been around for 15 years, UltraCart seems to sit in the second tier of shopping cart platforms. This is because mostly offers a very particular focus. It doesn’t seem fair to compare it to more functional and comprehensive shopping cart platforms that allow you to design your website.
UltraCart is meant to help you expand your existing site and turn it into a store. This is something it does very well. When viewed on its own and within the context of what it is trying to achieve, UltraCart hits the mark. For this, it has earned a reputation as a reliable company with high-quality services.
Why Choose UltraCart?
If you already have a website, and you want to start selling as soon as possible, UltraCart is the perfect tool. It serves as a sophisticated extension that adds functionality to your site. Don’t bother with creating an entirely new eCommerce website. Only convert your existing site and start earning money.
Key FeaturesOverall, critics give UltraCart an above average rating. A survey of different reviews shows that most experts award UltraCart with 4 out of 5 stars or a grade of B. Here are a few of the reasons why it didn’t receive better reviews:
Despite these drawbacks, experts still feel good about recommending UltraCart to the right companies. If you are looking to monetize an existing website, then UltraCart should be on your list of choices. It certainly provides enough tools, features, and add-ons to create an attractive and functional store that will help you sell products.
Some of the negative reviews of UltraCart seem a little unfair because they tend to compare the program to fully hosted options. UltraCart is catering towards an entirely different audience and inherently won’t include a lot of the same features. Customers, when compared UltraCart to other add-on programs reported more positive experiences.
Satisfied customers noted these features:
It should probably also be noted that there were some positive reviews concerning customer service.While there were also some unhappy customers, the reviews tended to skew towards overall satisfaction. In addition, users who had tried other options on the market were quick to recommend UltraCart as the superior choice.
Unfortunately, there isn’t ton of feedback on the web when it comes to UltraCart. However, this could be viewed as a good thing. While there isn’t a lot of chatter about the program, this also mean that there are very few complaints. A quick look at the company’s social media pages shows that they have run into some technical difficulties in the past few months, but they were the fault of a particular payment gateway.
The other main reason that there isn’t quite as much feedback on UltraCart is that it provides software that is simply added to your existing site. A less sophisticated program may simply mean less to say. This also means that customers found it to be rather basic and somewhat behind the times.
Design & CustomizationThere isn’t much to be said when it comes to UltraCart’s design features. You won’t have to worry about choosing a theme or paying for a premium template. All you have to do is copy and paste a bit of code into your existing site. This will allow you to create an “Add to Cart” or “Buy Now” button without changing the overall look of your site.
You have the option of hiring an UltraCart designer to help you build a store, but this option doesn’t make sense. There are plenty of available shopping carts that will provide you with free templates and several ways to edit your website as you go. UltraCart and design simply don’t go together.
Customization Options
Once you have entered all your information, you will have the possibility of customizing your checkout page. You can choose from a variety of settings that include email notifications and basic configurations. Creating your checkout page is more about clicking on available options rather than truly customizing the page.
UltraCart Backend
When it comes to inventory and tracking tools, the backend is packed full of features. In general, the backend is easy to navigate, but it isn’t exactly impressive. You will notice that it looks a bit dated and uninspiring.
Mobile Site Building
The majority of online shoppers make their purchases from a mobile device. This makes it especially important that your website has a responsive design. You wouldn’t want to lose a sale because a customer couldn’t correctly view a product. Unfortunately, UltraCart is way behind the times when it comes to mobile friendly sites. Simply adding the software won’t do anything to make your website more responsive.
Social Integration
Social media is another vital component of running an online business. It is also another area where UltraCart comes up short. Yes, there is social integrations built-in, but not of the caliber, you would expect from a modern shopping cart. You can create a Facebook page, and that is it.
Features & Tools | Feature | Overview |
| Online Store Setup | If you can copy and paste, you can setup UltraCart. Once you subscribe, you will receive an email containing the links you will need to embed in your site. You will also receive a series of emails with more accurate instructions. However, there isn’t a setup wizard to offer guidance or online tutorials to provide additional help. |
| Bandwidth and Storage | There is no need to worry about bandwidth and storage limitations. Packages are separated by the number of items you will be posting and volume of sales per month. |
| Shopping Cart Plugins and Add-ons | UltraCart does offer an “Extras” section where you can integrate add-ons. The platform is compatible with popular business applications such as Constant Contact, QuickBooks, Amazon, and MailChimp. |
| Order Management` | With UltraCart you can track every aspect of the order. You can even receive email updates for just about anything. Want to know when a sale is made? Want to be notified when an order is dropped? Gather all the information you want and manage every order. |
| Inventory Management | This is exactly where UltraCart is meant to shine. In fact, the program is so thorough when it comes to order management that it might have gone overboard. It requires you to enter some areas when uploading a product. This may be more information than you care to add. |
| Shipment Tracking | UltraCart integrates with major global shipping companies. This means that you can quickly generate and view tracking numbers |
| CRM Features | UltraCart is one of the few platforms that makes it easy to handle customer disputes. There are several tools in place that make communication easy and help protect the merchant |
| Templates and Themes | There is no need to agonize over which theme to choose. Only get the most out of your current website design. |
| Integrations and Add-ons | Because UltraCart doesn’t use themes, the number of add-ons is pretty limited. You can integrate popular social media, marketing and accounting software. However, you could probably do these things with or without UltraCart |
| Mobile eCommerce | Adding UltraCart does not make your site mobile friendly. You will have to create a responsive website from the start |
| Web Hosting | Enjoy the use of UltraCart’s cloud-based program and robust servers. You won’t have to download any additional software, but you will have to pay for hosting and a domain name. |
| App Store | There isn’t much if an app store to speak of. You can integrate programs, but all the features you will need are already built into UltraCart. |
| Blogging | Again, you can indeed run a blog on your site, but UltraCart is not designed to help you launch one. |
| SEO and Marketing | Using UltraCart won’t affect any of your existing SEO settings. If you want to improve your marketing tools, consider integrating third party providers. |
| Newsletters | If you would like to use newsletters and email blasts as marketing tools, you will have to use an additional program. UltraCart is designed to send you regular updates to your email but doesn’t expand newsletter capabilities. |
| Security Features | UltraCart is PCI compliant. That is about it when it comes to security. They haven’t gone out of their way to building impressive firewalls or encryptions. The shopping cart security features are certainly enough but aren’t anything to write home about. |
| PCI Certification | Tier 1 certified. |
| Content Creation | You will have to use your existing editor to add content. UltraCart isn’t meant to expand or improve this functionality at all. |
| Gift Certificates | It takes just a couple clicks to create gift certificates, coupons, and discounts. |
| Payment Options | UltraCart integrates with all the leading third-party payment processors. Customers can use PayPal, Google Checkout, and major credit cards. It even offers plenty of international payment options. |
| Tax and Shipping Calculators | Before you begin to add products, you will setup all your tax and shipping settings. Built-in calculators will automatically generate these fees. |
| Reports | Enjoy plenty of built-in reporting tools. You can track just about any aspect of your inventory and your products. |
| Site Statistics | While UltraCart includes enough reporting tools, you can always upgrade to Google Analytics. The free version is more user-friendly and informative. |
Plans & Pricing Considering that UltraCart doesn’t include design features, the price is relatively high. The basic plan costs $49.95 per month. That is about $20 higher than most competitors. It is hard to say what that extra money buys you since UltraCart is more of a website extension that a full platform.
The good news is that you enjoy all the same features no matter what pricing package you purchase. The main difference is how many products you want to list. Here is a breakdown of the plans:
Additional Costs and Services
If you are planning on listing more than 5,000 products, you will be charged an additional $50 per month per group of 5,000 items. Also, you can sign up for pro services which include training calls and help with creating custom coupons. There are no discounts for paying upfront and no refunds if you cancel in the middle of a billing cycle.
Trial Period
UltraCart offers a 30-day free trial. No credit card required. This is double what most eCommerce platforms offer. During that period of 30 days, you will enjoy free email and phone support.
Customer Support UltraCart’s customer support services are a mixed bag. The good news is that their sales and technical staff and friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. You can quickly get thorough answers to your questions. The major drawback is that there are only available during typical business hours. (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST). If you encounter a problem after hours, you will either have to wait or try to troubleshoot it yourself.
Need help? Here is a list of the available resources:
What UltraCart doesn’t have is an active community forum, a YouTube channel with tutorials or an extensive knowledge base. On the one hand, customer service is top-notch when you contact a representative. On the other hand, your options for resources are relatively limited, especially compared to other programs.
Ease of Use Getting setup is easy, but getting help is more difficult. Setting up your store only involves copying and pasting a couple of links. This will embed the right code and allow you to create a shopping cart for your website.
Things can get more complicated once you start exploring the admin section. You will receive a few instructional emails, but there is no step-by-step guide. You are on your own when it comes to finding your way around.
In all honesty, it won’t take you long to figure out the backend. However, the program isn’t exactly user-friendly. There are so many other platforms that include great tutorials and modern interfaces that these tools are almost expected. Without them, UltraCart begins to look even more dated. Overall, the user experience isn’t terrible, but it is lackluster.
Conclusion Is UltraCart the Right Choice for You?
In all honesty, it’s hard to see why UltraCart is a relevant option. It doesn’t offer any clear benefits, especially considering the price. Yes, it is an easy way to install a shopping cart on your existing site. And that is about it.
There are so many better options when it comes to shopping cart platforms. In fact, you can probably find more affordable plugins for your site if you do a little digging. While UltraCart allows you to add “Buy Now” buttons and checkout page, it does nothing else to improve the functionality of your website. Ultimately, the program seems out of date and way behind the times. Spend less and get more on a different eCommerce software.
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