What website CMS to use?

[sarahk]

I'm very familiar with tools such as directories, Mambo/Joomla and WordPress but not with the systems to drive software affiliate sales.

As a vendor I'm used to being asked to submit a PAD file and the site will extract the information and feed it back to me for confirmation and pretty much all I have to do is select the category.

Now I want to be able to sell other people's software...

Are any of these systems opensource?

[Linda Buquet]

It almost sounds like you are talking about a datafeed when you say you just pick a category. Here is a beginners article I wrote about datafeeds. http://www.5staraffiliateprograms.com/datafeed1.html Is that what you mean???

If so then the software most affiliates use to build a product store from a merchant feed is called WebMerge.

But my other mod here Tele, has a script that converts a datafeed into Wordpress. If you are already familiar with Wordpress this may be a better option for you. Plus you can tell the software to add just few products a day or whatever so you always have fresh content.

Heres the info and a video that shows how it works.
http://www.wordpressdatafeedimport.com/affiliatefeed/

[sarahk]

Thanks Linda

In my enthusiasm I made a start and have decided to go with wsnlinks which is actually directory software but I know it well and it's a good starting point. Doesn't do PAD files but I'm planning on vetting every entry so it's no biggie. The review itself will take longer.

I have alot of reading to do and it'll be interesting to see how my efforts look one year from now compared to my current vision.

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks back Sarah! I have 2 new projects I'm going to be starting and both are directories of sorts or at least have directory components to them, so wsnlinks may be an option for me. Will check it out.

[Eminem]

Nice selections suggested there. However, if you want to look professional, then hire someone to make a custome CMS for you. That will cost $xxx+ I think, but will be worth it if you are going to have a long term use of it. SitePoint.Com is the BEST place that I know to post your application. You will SURELY get people to apply for that job.

Best of luck.