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The number one item in 2005, "Top Ten Mistakes of Web Design" according to Usability Expert, Jakob Nielsen is that Search has become the quintessential element used on the web for customers/users trying to find exactly what they are searching for.

The average web user, does not know how exactly search engines work and are even timid about using the "Advanced" Search capabilities, as most users use search as an question and answer mechanism. If a user cannot find a relevant result within the first 2 pages of results, they will become frustrated and try other means or go else where to find what they are in search of.

X-Cart's internal Search capabilities are not very up to date. As of Version 4.1.x OR logic was finally implemented. Something that has been around for ages. X-Cart's search has no Spelling Suggestions, no Stop Words, no Automatic Punctuation Removal, no Ranking, no Synonyms, the list goes on and on that today's search users expect of their search queries. The only time X-Cart's search is even useful is if you know exactly what your looking for. Variations will not do the trick, "AcmeWidget" and "Acme Widget" will return two different sets of results. X-Cart's search will also ONLY search over products of your X-Cart store, ignoring Any static pages, or even other integrated systems such as a forum or support system, like phpBB and Kayako, for example.

Think of a Google Mini as one central search location you can quickly and efficiently find all relative content within your website - even other sites, such as intranets and 3rd party sites. There are many benefits, and not just limited to X-Cart.

The Google mini is the perfect solution for X-Cart. Google is the search giant, and this is exactly what they specialize in, X-Cart is great for e-commerce but its defiantly not a Search engine, or has the means to be a useful Search appliance. Since the Google mini offers its relevant output via XML format, The same exact display of X-Cart's existing Search can be integrated seamless, and effortlessly into X-Cart.

Cart-Lab will help you along the entire path of configuring your Google mini. Cart-Lab will correspond with the Host in configuring, initial setups and delivery. Server recommendations and server configurations are available as well to help the Google Mini successfully crawl and index your site(s).

After Initial delivery and setup of the Google Mini on your network. Special modified PHP/TPL files will be installed and configured along side your X-Cart installation for integration, per your requested requirements. This includes any special requests, such as: Customizing the output of the Google Mini however you see fit for your business model needs. All Cart-Lab.com integration code is Open Source and not encrypted. There are very minor core X-Cart base code changes, in case of future X-Cart upgrades.

Live Demos:

• X-Cart version 4.0 integration - with Bahamablue.com.
• X-Cart version 3.5 integration - with BitsBytesComputer.com.

Requirements:

• A Google Mini. More Details
• An existing or new host that will be able to co-locate the Google Mini hardware. We recommend HandsOnHosting, however you are free to host with whomever will co-locate that you prefer.
• Currently Installation and Configuring of the Google Mini and the Cart-Lab.com X-Cart integration code must be performed. Installation and documentation may be available at a later time.

References:

• My Blog posting on improving X-Cart's Search - Oct. 27 2005
• My Blog posting on implementing the Google Mini with X-Cart - Feb. 4 2006
• Top Ten Design Mistakes - Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox
• Google Mini Details - Office Gogole Mini site.
• Affordable Search Solution - Even small business can harness Google's search capabilities.

Google, Google mini, and the Google "art" is ©2006 Google

Required X-Cart Version : 3.4.x, 3.5.x, 4.0.x, 4.1.x (Determine Version)
Delivery time-frame : Please allow 24-72 hours for delivery of this product.