hey all,

Some questions to all you people with sucessful online stores. I'd like to set up a simple online store in the next couple months but have absolutely no experience at all and need some advice. Here are some things that i need to consider:

What does it take to set up one?
What do i need to look for in a service provider/hosting?(add on's, and stuff)
How do i set up payment by credit card?
Security issues that i need to look out for?

Please feel free to add any other useful tips that i may have left out.

thanks in advance!

How's this coming Mukki? If you're still interested in "tips", I have a ton. Set up my site, and have done all the seo work, etc. Seems like an old thread, however, so won't spend a lot of time now. You update it soon, and I'll gladly chime in to more specifics related to where you are now in the process if you're still interested...

hey there, any advice is good advice I say. well the sites kinda been on hold now with all the issues with getting my stuff made. darm suppliers!! In a way its been good as I've had time to stand back, take a good look and rework the look.

What I am in limbo about is integrating a site into an e-commerce site with the shopping baskets, mailing lists, and electronic transactions. Did you end up doing all this yourself and was it hard to do? Who are you using and has the step up to e-commerce paid off in regards to sales online vs running costs? Has it lived up to your expectations in sales? These are some of the querries that I have. I've been thinking maybe its best to pay someone to set the site up properly and develop an idiots system to make it easy for me to maintain myself.

Thanks again.

I was an idiot, but, I decided to invest some time into it and learn. I used one of those "do it yourself" hosts, and had a site up pretty fast. Don't worry about content right away ... trust me, no one will stumble into it for months, as it takes a VERY long time to even show up in searches. (I wish I had known this... I wanted everything to be perfect before I published - which it never is - and then I waited for months...)

I use Web.com. as a host. I am going to plug them here - I do not work for them! I don't know if any of the others are as easy to manipulate. Web.com has been very easy to use for set-up, with templates, etc. Learn how to get your own photos up right away for that. They offer a small business "package" that includes very easy to load cataloge - with big picture possibilites, a PayPal shopping cart which allows you to take all forms of plastic, and a great email service (Constant Contact). And they have very good tech help pretty much all the time. I think I pay $20 a month for the basic service.

Since I set it up, I have learned a ton - almost organically - through the back door of the site. Now, I am very versatile, I write a lot of my own html, and I'm a basic expert on SEO. (I didn't even know what SEO was 1 year ago.)

Good Luck and send me your url!

Thanks for the heads up on Web.com, is that a U.S based company? Ive'been looking at Gate 13 which is a local service here. If anyone has experience with them please share!!

I think paypal would be all that I would need for now. SEO..ha...gonna have to look that one up. It's so much more fulfilling when you teach yourself and grow. Lets you be in more control of your site too rather than relying on someone all the time which is idealy what I want. I should start edumacating myself more on this topic more like you did. I always thought it would take a while for people to stumble on to the site, good to know it is generally the case so I can plan myself abit better.

Thanks for sharing your experience...how about a plug for your site for us to visit?

Search Engine Optimization. Google it - big fun.
I decided early on that I wanted to be able to do all the necessary work myself. It's the best way. I know far too many people who are slaves to their webmasters. Trust me - you can do it!
I suppose web.com is American - not sure it matters - all the tech support is in India of course.
P.S. there's a link to my site on my profile page. I'm not bragging that it's the best site on earth; but it's mine...

Learning to program will be the most integral step to it. It's a really big task, and you're going to have to weigh up how involved you want to be. While a webmaster can (but won't necessarily) be expensive, it can also leave you the much needed time to establish your brand and deal with the nuances of that.

I built the first (totally el-dodgo) one myself. Then 2nd time around I had a graphic designer get the 'look' right, and then the lads at Quantico in Richmond turned it into the website that I know and love. They built it so I can edit it myself, upload new pics, change things etc. The shopping cart is paypal, and it integrates so well, its just the easiest thing in the world to use. I'm happy to share more if you need - flick me an email or somethin.

Post by airdrie

I had a graphic designer get the 'look' right,

.... and they did - your landing page is gorgeous!

I've just started working in E-commerce, at the moment my main role is SEO, so if you wish I can teach you as I learn.
I don't have the programing background though. Just a degree in Marketing and my MBA.