Have you ever heard of EC-CUBE? Even if you haven't, it's most likely being used by a few shops in your country already. EC-CUBE is a complete shopping cart suite built in Japan and adopted by most Japanese online stores. It has revolutionized the domestic shopping cart industry and it now aims to do the same abroad.

LOCKON (founded by Iwata Susumu in Osaka, Japan) claims development of the software for international use has always been the primary goal of the company. EC-CUBE is extremely customizable, easy-to-use and ultra-light. It also contains built-in features that most shopping carts lack. With an established track record in Japan and limitless areas to tweak, it is the perfect fit for the global community. Did we forget to mention it is also free?

However the price tag is not what makes EC-CUBE shine. Ranging from family owned shops to large enterprises, its unique preinstalled features are what really brings in the crowds. Here is a short list of its features:

• Points to US dollar (or currency of your choice) system. Allows users to rack up points when they make a purchase
• Accommodates "Ship to" multiple addresses at the same time.
• Payment options that go far beyond just credit cards. Caters to all countries.
• Lightweight and perfect for Smart phones.

Plug-in support is also rather popular in Japan, but the EC-CUBE team is waiting for international feedback before it adds such a feature in the global version.

Open platforms (plug-ins) for "EC-CUBE"

In 2006 EC-CUBE became the number one open source e-commerce package in Japan. It is running in 20,000 stores in Japan (according to Lockon Japan). The most recent version, released in May 2012, allows users to add plug-ins in the owner's store for distribution.

Site URL's
EC-CUBE Official Site: http://en.ec-cube.net/
Community: http://en.ec-cube.net/forum/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/en.eccube/

Outline of LOCKON Co., LTD.
Company name: LOCKON Co., LTD.
Osaka head office: Breeze tower 13F 2-4-9 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi 530-0001
Tokyo branch: Cross Ginza 6F, 5-9-8 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061
Representative: Susumu Iwata
Established: June 04, 2001
URL: http://www.lockon.co.jp/en/
Areas of business: Business planning and development of e-commerce.