Getting an SSL certificate typically is not that expensive and if you have a good hosting provider, they typically install that for you.

So yes, it is a nice thing to have if you collect any user data. If you just have a Website, I can't see any reason to need one either.

You should also keep in mind that SSL requires a dedicated IP address which adds yet another expense to your website.

Folks perceptions of SSL are generally flawed. It is only the connection that is secure. Anyone can get a SSL certificate without any background checks whatsoever and use that data collection either irresponsibly, or illegally.

Giving out sensitive data on shops powered by cart creator is not a problem, as all that takes place on the payment processors web site. The payment processors are responsible for the security aspects and the shop owner can just concentrate on marketing the actual products. Now that really is the best deal for shop owners and customers alike.

If you are only using your form to collect "general" information about a customer/prospect, and NOT critical information such as Credit Card #'s, SSN's, and the likes, a simple statement on the form that says that the information from the form will NOT be stored on an un-secured web-based DB should appease most folks. Let's face it, we live in a world where people have gotten bit, or know people who have. There are going to be those who will NEVER be convinced that their transactions are secure over the internet PERIOD. It is the job of the web-master to provide the MOST secure methods of handling peoples data possible. AND it is also their job to help users understand to what level of security they will be ENTRUSTING their information to.

As Phil says, lots of folks have gotten bit, either by credit cards being compromised with extra transactions, or by the theft of identity to obtain other benefits.

Trouble is with all databases, you are totally dependant on every person that comes into contact with that database being one hundred percent honest, which simply isn't realistic. At least with using a recognised payment provider, they have audited security measures in place to secure who has access to customer data.

Some of the big commercial operations on the net have noted customer concerns about security and now add PayPal and similar as payment options.

A techy friend of mine is interested to know if it would be possible to password protect each categorie.!

Reason for this is he wants to set up a shopping cart, for his Glamour and wedding, photography clients, so he can have a categorie for each client, list their personal pictures, and give them the password for them to view just their own photo's.

This would allow their personal friends and family to order pictures directly off his website.

Any chance this could be a future otion ?

There would be no way to do that because there is not a file for each category. You access viewcategory.php and then pass a variable to display the category. You can block access to every category with Website Access Manager, but you cannot protect just a specific one.

Right now we don't have any plans at this time to add any security type restrictions to the software.

Maybe this is something that would work? Works in my head ... but we all know how crazy that can be!

I'm pretty sure SCC will work with subdirectories right? So... since you'd have to create a separate area for each customer anyways (separate folder basically), why not take your shopping cart and setup a new cart for each customer area? This would allow you to password protect each subdirectory so that the particular shopping cart they need to get to would have to be accessed via Website Access Manager first before it would open the site.

Not sure if that makes sense to you, does to me but as I said lol...

If you were able to create your cart and then just duplicate the cart for each subdirectory (of course you'd have to put in all the pictures and such, but then you'd have to do that no matter how you setup your cart right?).

Just a thought that maybe it would work this way?

Thanks Scott, Adrian said similar to wolverana after getting your reply.

He has just headed off home with a trial download of your programs, and is going to see if he can link the cart to his website with a separate cart for each client (password protected)

He was a computer programmer full time for some years before ill health has affected his momory.

he likes what CC has done with cart designer, and SCC hopefully he will find a useable solution .

I have asked about this before, and now i have the new SCC with 5 option fields (Now has 3 more & greatly appreciated) i only have one thing missing

A text field for customers to enter details in

IE the name to engrave on a product, or make a pendant in

I am guessing this is far more difficult than the label options any chance of this in the neer future

Presently my customers have to fill in a separate form for the sake of on average no more than 8 letters (ie Rachael)

Viv