Python based eCommerce System - technical comparison
GetPaid
License: ZPL
Technologies: Python 2.4, Plone 3.x (Plone 4 support in beta)
Extendability: Skin layers, portlets
Listed sites/users: 16
Can be run in Google App Engine: No (Plone/Zope is not compatible)
Complete solution, add-on for Plone.
Features: Donations, pay-to-publish, any content "buyable", discounts, UPS shipping (with real-time shipping charge calculation), good documentation, tests(!), getpaid products are available in a multitude of languages and all products are tagged with translatable text-ids.
EasyShop
License: GPL
Familiar technologies: Python 2.4, Plone 3.2.5
Extendability: Skin layers, portlets
Listed sites/users: A handful (most being migrated to LFS?)
Can be run in Google App Engine: No (Plone/Zope is not compatible)
Complete solution, add-on for Plone.
Lightning Fast Shop
License: BSD
Technologies: Python 2.6, jQuery, jQuery UI, TinyMCE, Django
Extendability: Product templates, portlets
Listed sites/users: 11 http://www.getlfs.com/live-shops
Can be run in Google App Engine: No (Python 2.6 can't be run)
Easy to set up, clean management interface, functional shop out of the box and well thought out design. Snappy performance!
Satchmo
License: BSD
Familiar technologies: Python, Django 1.2.1
Extendability: Very high
Listed sites/users: At least 67
Can be run in Google App Engine: No
Satchmo is a complete web shop like the rest. The admin interface works fine, is snappy but is a little bit cluttered and asks tons of questions.
Conclusion
All the tested solutions are functional out of the box. The two Plone based solutions have an advantage in having a tool chain that is familiar to us, but the Django based ones have better performance. LFS stands out because it also looks good out of the box
What is your experience?
Please send us comments and tell us your ecommerce experience. Which system is your favorite?