# What's the best way to put a shopping cart on a website?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-put-a-shopping-cart-on-a-website/244902>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 13, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-put-a-shopping-cart-on-a-website/244902 "2004-05-13T03:41:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chuckster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@chuckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chuckster)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-put-a-shopping-cart-on-a-website/244902/1 "2004-05-13T03:41:27Z")

</div>

I’m doing a website using HTML and PHP. I have the ability to create a SQL database on my host as well. I want to have a photo gallery of fountains, birdbaths, and such that a friend of mine has created. If I want to do online purchases and take credit cards, what is the best (easiest) way to do it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-put-a-shopping-cart-on-a-website/244902/2 "2004-05-13T03:59:49Z")

</div>

You’ll need to set up with a merchant account. You can ask at your bank, or look around on the Web for places like [this](http://www.monstermerchantaccount.com/). Very often, they can also supply the scripts and such for a shopping cart, or provide the information you’ll need to have your custom shopping cart scripts interface with the CC server.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-put-a-shopping-cart-on-a-website/244902/3 "2004-05-13T04:05:02Z")

</div>

Not sure about their rates, but UPS has what you need too:

[http://www.ec.ups.com/](http://www.ec.ups.com/)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-put-a-shopping-cart-on-a-website/244902/4 "2004-05-13T13:26:27Z")

</div>

Paypal has all that, too - accepts credit cards, provides a shopping cart, etc. etc.