VP-ASP is difficult to customize & offers terrible support

VP-ASP touts the flexibility of their software, but what they really mean is that the software REQUIRES reprogramming just to run properly. If you were buying a house, it would be like a buying a "fixer-upper" in a bad part of town. If you happen to be a carpenter who wants to dedicate considerable time to fixing the place up -- and are betting the neighborhood will someday improve -- you've found your dream home. If you just want an appealing, comfortable place to live that isn't falling apart, look anywhere else.

I am a professional web developer, and I have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with VP-ASP for 2 separate projects. Many years ago, I made the mistake of choosing VP-ASP to set up an online store, and more recently, a client of mine asked me to move an existing e-commerce site to a new server. I am an expert in this area and yet both experiences were miserable.

Pros:

-- The initial costs are relatively low.

-- Offers most standard shopping cart features.

Cons:

-- The software itself is poorly coded and poorly updated. The files are terribly organized, almost to the point of being comical (if it weren't such a headache to deal with).

-- Their support system is a borderline scam. To begin with, the free online support materials are rarely helpful. This is probably intentional so that they can charge you for support.

Before their support staff will even answer a question, you have to buy non-refundable "support points," which have a completely arbitrary and unpredictable value. In my most recent experience, I had to buy $100 worth (50 points) before they would even respond to a single question. And if you think you can save unused points for problems down the road: they expire after 30 days.

You can always post questions in the forums, but most responses will be from people who are equally frustrated by the same problems and can't find solutions. A common response from VP-ASP staff is to purchase their hosting, which is not competitively priced.

-- All versions require a Windows server.

-- The admin area could be worse, but it's cumbersome and unsophisticated by modern standards.

-- Most advanced functions require the purchase of 3rd party add-ons. The add-ons community is small, leaving you with few options, and the available options are overpriced.

Needless to say, I would not recommend that anyone try VP-ASP.