This is a comprehensive ecommerce solution comparison between open source shopping carts TomatoCart and osCommerce.

1. TomatoCart V1.1 vs. osCommerce V3.0-a-5
Preface
OsCommerce is the first and greatest open source ecommerce project developed
by a group of freelancers. No one could deny the positive influence it has made
on modern life. On the other hand, as a separate project branched from
osCommerce, TomatoCart, backed by a specialized company, inherits the
highlights of osCommerce, and create new ideas at the same time. So
TomatoCart is standing on the shoulders of the giant.
This article is written for those who are not familiar with TomatoCart or those who
can’t make a decision when facing the two eCommerce solutions. Focusing on
functionality comparison, the content of the article is objective with no
discrimination.
Essentials:
Both carts are quick to install and easy to learn. The requirements of two carts
indicate low cost on hosting. However, different from web 1.0 technology based
ZenCart, TomatoCart applies the modern web 2.0 technology such as RIA (Rich
Internet Application), Ajax, which provides a familiar windows operation
environment and boosts the operation efficiency. If you want to migrate from
osCommerce, there’s a ready osCommerce Migration Tool (Download?) and you
need no worry about learning curve.

2. Admin panel of TomatoCart
TomatoCart osCommerce
Requirements PHP5.1.6+ PHP v5.2.0+
MySQL4.1.13+ or 5.0.7+ MySQL v4.1.13+ or v5.0.7+
Open Source
Unlimited products
Fee none none
SSL support Full or shared SSL full or shared SSL
Knowledge level for intermediate intermediate
coding
Ease of use easy easy
Site Management:
Site management, generally speaking, should include all the basic tools to
organize your sites and it decides the performance of your sites and the
flexibility of your site settings. In addition to all the contents of site
management of osCommerce, TomatoCart has created its unique tools such as
department management, which allow customers to choose the department
they’d like to contact.
TomatoCart osCommerce
Multi-Lingual
Multi-Currency
Tax

3. TomatoCart osCommerce
Weight Classes
Zone/Country
WYSIWYG Limited
Separate Web Mail
Email template
Newsletter Management
Image Groups
Watermark Tool
Cache Control
Backup Manager
File Manager
Import/Export
Roles Permission Limited Limited
Management
Reports Limited
Captcha
Maintenance Mode
Department Management
CMS:
CMS, simplifying your publication of web content, is a special and indispensable
part of shopping cart software. If you wanna make your site attractive,
impressive and distinctive, you should turn to help of CMS. Ranging from simple
article to indicative video, high-end CMS is capable of doing nearly anything you
comes up with. But it doesn’t absolutely indicate the more, the better. It’s up to
your demand. Never be too greedy, which always run counters to your desire.
By comparison, it seems TomatoCart take advantage over osCommerce in CMS.
Of course, it is not too difficult for you to find some add-ons to implement the
CMS of osCommerce. Internet is full of free and paid resources.
TomatoCart osCommerce
Article
Guest Book
Polls
Slide Images/Image Menu
Product Slider
Product Scroller
Videos
Template Install Limited
Template Layout

4. Catalog Management:
As a proverb says, effort doubled, result halved. I do believe a clear catalog
layout makes your work simple! Let’s take a careful look at this part.
TomatoCart osCommerce
Category management
Variant
Attribute
Manufacture
Specials
Reviews&Ratings Limited
Upcoming Product
Popular Search Terms
Featured Product
Product Management:
TomatoCart is featured with a sleek experience of adding new products.
Compared with TomatoCart, osCommerce’s product management seems a little
simpler with little functionality. However it may affect the sales to some extent.
Say zoom image will increase sales since it enables the detail magnification and
clear look at the product.
TomatoCart osCommerce
Multi-image
Batch Add
Duplicate
Customization
Attachment
Cross-sell
Accessory
Short Description
Image Zoom
Reports

5. Customer Management:
How to manage your customers? Treat them all the same? Definitely not!
Different treatment is needed here to boost your online sales. For example, you
can divide them into several customer groups and give them different discounts
according to their order records. In a word, a perfect customer management is
also a powerful marketing tool.
TomatoCart osCommerce
Add/Edit in admin
Batch Add
Customer Group
IP
Status
Wishlist
Store Credits
Order Management:
Sometimes, orders will be taken by phone, which requires the shopping cart
system with a manual order-adding functionality. Sometimes, customers may
return a product. And sometimes… There are a lot of exceptions you have to take
into consideration. Let’s see whether your shopping cart software has thought of
the exceptions in advance!
TomatoCart osCommerce
Add orders in admin
Reorder
Multiple invoices and
shipping addresses
Order status
Return Request
Abandoned Cart
Track Order
Store Credits/Credit Slips

6. Promotional Tools and SEO:
Nowadays, Marketing is considered as a key to popularity and success. Without
exception, it is also a significant part of shopping cart software. Built-in
promotional tools not only cut down on the cost but also boost your revenue.
Aside from promotional tools, SEO brings you a good result when customers are
searching store or product via search engines.
TomatoCart osCommerce
Gift Certificate
Coupon
Customer Groups
Catalog Promotional
Discount
Quantity Discount
Store Credits
Add to Compare
Tell a friend
Cross Sell
Accessory
Newsletter
URL rewrite
Google sitemap
Homepage info
Book Marks
RSS Feed
Search Engine Friendly
URLs
Checkout:
Checkout determines the sales conversion. Customers will be bothered by
complex check out processes and limited choices.
TomatoCart osCommerce
Ajax Shopping Cart
Delivery/Billing Address
One-page Checkout
Guest Checkout
Shipping to multiple
addressed
Gift Wrapping

7. Payment Gateways:
People all around the world definitely have different favored payment methods.
What if they can’t find the gateway they are looking for or there is no other
alternative payment gateway? What a frustrating shopping experience!
Consequently, multiple choices of payment methods should be prepared to satisfy
all kinds of need.
TomatoCart osCommerce
Amazon IPN
Authorize.net Credit Card
Authorize.net eCheck
Bank Wire
Credit Card
Cheque
ChronoPay
eWay Payment Credit Card
Google Checkout
Moneybookers
NOCHEX
PayPal IPN
PayPal Website Payment
Pro(US/UK) Direct
PayPal Website Payment
Pro(UK) Express
PayPal Express Checkout
PayPal Website Payments
Standard
PayQuake Credit Card
Safepay Credit Card
Safepay Bank Transfer
Safepay Virtual Terminal
Western Union
Wire Card Credit Card
Wire Card EFT
PayQ