HELP! creating a website with a shop..

[Suzie and Faith]

What is the best (and not too expensive) way of doing this? I want to register my own domain and set up a shop - I am good with computers and have set up basic websites before.

Am I best doing it myself? Paying someone else to help? Or buying a 'package' from a site of a domain and creator??

 

[Geordie&Bairn]

ooooooooooooooooooo what shop are you setting up
this interests me too as i'll be doing the same for my story sacks

 

[Babylicious]

124 reg is good for domains.

shop wise depends what you want? I've built a few .. ...........

 

[Suzie and Faith]

124 reg is good for domains.

shop wise depends what you want? I've built a few .. ...........

oooh i want it to be fairly simple I guess. with different categories and things to buy - is it easy to build them? I'm guessing it'd be cheaper for me to make my own???
What software did you use? xx

 

[MrsBrightside]

ive got a shop to make for the first time for someone as well as she was quoted £1,500 for the pleasure I know i can do it cheaper then that for her so said I would design it for her and if she dont like it then she dont have to pay me (shes a mates mother) She is wanting something fairly easy as well.

Id be interested for some advice as well!

 

[Misslarue]

I use freeparking for my domains

Try this to build it yourself
http://www.oscommerce.com/

 

[HideiLu]

I think when running a site, it is best to have control yourself, else you'll forever be back and forth with a web designer trying to get what's in your vision across to them plus any changes for new products/withdrawn products, description and price changes. You can always get someobe to build it for you but allow easy access for you to amend updates yourself which will save costs on monthly web management fees and instead just have a one off price to set things up. Be sure to get the domain registered in your name - Ive been screwed over by web guys in the past that have the domain in their name, then disappear, leaving me to re-set up everything from scratch There are also some sort of 'disability access' rules which need to be included in the site design.

 

[Suzie and Faith]

arg! is it complicated?

 

[Misslarue]

If you have some experince hun and are good with computers, have a read through the link I have posted. You can download everything you need http://www.oscommerce.com/solutions and there is loads of online support. I am currently looking into building my first OS site. I am a web designer but I haven't built my own shop before. I've just got a florist site to build so I need to learn!

Looking around, the OS site was the best one I found.

osCommerce Online Merchant is an Open Source online shop e-commerce solution that is available for free under the GNU General Public License. It features a rich set of out-of-the-box online shopping cart functionality that allows store owners to setup, run, and maintain online stores with minimum effort and with no costs, fees, or limitations involved.

It is def better to have control over your own site. You will need a domain, I have used freeparking for years and have no complaints. You will also need webspace to host your site. You probably have some free with your IP but you will need to check its limitations as far as hosting PHP/etc

 

[Sherlock]

Defo have control yourself. Freeparking is good for domain registration but is expensive. However I've used them for years and have no complaints.

Hosting I use Lunarpages and as I have been known to use over 400GB of bandwidth a month I find their hosting great. And not overly expensive. And hardly ever any down time. Its pretty much unlimited tbh as most small sites won't ever use even a fraction of that. Has some great features also. I run all my sites from the same hosting package.

FWIW I run 3 websites, a blog and 2 shops. I am currently hacking around with some other ideas. Wordpress is good and has evolved and can be made to look however you want pretty much. Much easier than building a site from the ground up. Plus it can all be done online which in this day and age is so much easier and cleaner. You could then incorporate shop pages I am sure. CMS is the way forward

Anyways, if you need any help drop me a PM If you want to see my sites (and my hubbys) ask and I'll happily give you the links to them so you can see.

 

[Suzie and Faith]

Defo have control yourself. Freeparking is good for domain registration but is expensive. However I've used them for years and have no complaints.

Hosting I use Lunarpages and as I have been known to use over 400GB of bandwidth a month I find their hosting great. And not overly expensive. And hardly ever any down time. Its pretty much unlimited tbh as most small sites won't ever use even a fraction of that. Has some great features also. I run all my sites from the same hosting package.

FWIW I run 3 websites, a blog and 2 shops. I am currently hacking around with some other ideas. Wordpress is good and has evolved and can be made to look however you want pretty much. Much easier than building a site from the ground up. Plus it can all be done online which in this day and age is so much easier and cleaner. You could then incorporate shop pages I am sure. CMS is the way forward

Anyways, if you need any help drop me a PM If you want to see my sites (and my hubbys) ask and I'll happily give you the links to them so you can see.

will pm you

thanks misslarue, i'm now having a read of that site x