Using A Blog Vs. Using A E-commerce Website?

This is a topic I’ve explored for a week to decide whether or not to use a blog with an add-on shopping cart, or to use e-commerce systems like Zencart or Oscommerce.
I have several clients who would use my services to design e-commerce and I decide between using a blog to my shopping cart add-on functions or run e-commerce system with the blog integration.
It’s quite interesting to read comments from other forums and blogs about this topic and here are my thoughts.
My Previous Blog / E-commerce ExperienceI’ve using WordPress for several years and have tried to integrate them to ZenCart e-commerce site.
It worked okay but not exactly what I wanted.
The issue was that I had to make a WordPress site and e-commerce site with an appropriate theme, so that end users will have the experience of one site.
This solution is not ideal because the site administrator must log into different backends update the information.
On the other hand, installing WordPre ss as the main system and installing e-commerce add-on sounds like an ideal situation (for now, I’ll call it a eBlog).
Everything will be in one system and on a database and does not need to log into two different systems as before I had to.
I have tried this method and so far nothing works as well, but there are some issues such as payment method, has a large product catalogs and limited reporting.
WordPress plugin can not handle these things have not compared with e-commerce systems that have been designed for this.
Benefits Of Using eBlog Vs E-Commerce SystemSimplicity and easy customizableThe reasons why I chose it eBlog is simplicity in use.
Especially if you are training clients how to use the system for the first time, is quite clear from just looking at the back of WordPress.
In addition the number of broad themes that are available make it easier for every developer to customize and install a new website more quickly without consuming too much time on a project.
FriendlyAnother this profit search engine, search engines love blogs and content derived from them allow them to be easily ranked in search engines faster than e-commerce websites.
Most web sites e-commerce has only registered product and requires an additional program that will allow them to search engine friendly.
In comparison, WordPress has additional plug-ins that automatically makes an article or product into a search engine friendly to save time and money for clients.
UpgradesSince automatic release of WordPress 2.
7 any updates can be automatically propagated by clicking a button and make upgrades and changes very easy.
Not like Zencart or Oscommerce, every time a new upgrade is released it takes me almost a week to upgrade because the vast number of customized plug-in installed and the main file that can be overwritten.
Lack Of A eBlog Using E-Commerce Vs SystemPayment methodsAt present, there are a limited amount of payments received by eBlog and a lot of development and programs will be needed in eBlogs to receive a variety of other payment systems offering e-commerce.
The most commonly available is Paypal, but what if I want or eWay payment gateway for other commercial banking gateway? Not possible yet.
Handling 100 + products databaseMost one e-commerce system has built a lot of products and will be available for display on their Web sites.
Architecture for is not available for eBlogs and limits any Internet business is less than 100 products.
It’s possible to have 100 + products in eBlog but to find them in this system will be forever.
Limited ReportingIt important to track what customers are buying and know what the numbers are in your business.
Unfortunately eBlog not offer accounting and reporting appropriate.
Overall if you have an Internet business that has a few products to sell, this will be a simple way to get started and have your Internet business and running quickly.
While the Internet business with a variety of products and require greater functionality, the appropriate e-commerce systems like Zencart or Oscommerce is still a way to go.