Starting an Online business...

Love Doctor · 10-07-2009, 11:08 AM

Well after 10 years of working with my employer, the company final came to a hault and I lost my job.

I have not been able to find a new job, so I've decided to open up an online web store directed at a nitch market that may or may not be there.

My question is, what is the best (Least expensive) way to get a good looking web page up and running? I came across something called Webstudio online, that you can buy templates. I guess I wanted to know if I'm on the right track here or perhaps their is something better?

Thanks for any input you may provide.

PEACE-

TNathe · 10-07-2009, 11:28 AM

how much web development can YOU do? If you are "okay" at it and can do simple things buying a template would def be an option. How much do you have to put into a site?

Love Doctor · 10-07-2009, 11:33 AM

I'm as Sales guy, and no nothing about building a webpage. I know what look I'm looking for and have a small budget for it.

The idea is to confirm if I truely have a demand for my product, before I go all out. So far I've seen prices from $ 60 dollars to $ 2,500. Its all very confusing to me.

PEACE-

Love Doctor · 10-07-2009, 11:52 AM

I found a web page that makes the site for you called homestead... I think I will begin here.

PEACE-

**Jeff240sx** · 10-07-2009, 12:16 PM

People can figure out who made the site pretty easy. Whether it was made by a kid in highschool straight from a HTML book, or a person using a templated builds-it-for-you site.

And personally, I judge the store and the website before sending any information. If it looks like a kid built it, it might be a kid running it. If it looks like an open-source "Homestead"-type site, it might be running an opensource (read: hackerbait) shopping cart/credit card deal...

If you can't build a decent site, find a friend or someone on Craigslist to do it at a discount.

I've never shopped at a Yahoo! storefront, or from an Angelfire.com website. And I never will...

P.S. I might be the minority with my views. Ask around before taking my opinion...

**m0nk3y** · 10-07-2009, 12:24 PM

www.elance.com

Love Doctor · 10-07-2009, 03:14 PM

Thank you...

TNathe · 10-07-2009, 05:49 PM

do a market analysis for your product first obviously...if you decide to pursue it do it RIGHT. Homestead pages = crapola. Pay someone a couple hundred bucks and get something you'd be proud to put your name on.

Alex-S · 10-09-2009, 09:59 AM

I use Joomla & Virtuemart for my online store.

What niche are you trying to hit?

Love Doctor · 10-09-2009, 10:17 AM

I'm into the rental business. Looking for a calendar software that will allow a customer to select the amount of days they would like to rent my product, then move it over to the shopping cart.

PEACE-

Alex-S · 10-09-2009, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Love Doctor

I'm into the rental business. Looking for a calendar software that will allow a customer to select the amount of days they would like to rent my product, then move it over to the shopping cart.

PEACE-

Are you going to be shipping these products?

So the customer needs to choose the amount, and WHICH dates?

Love Doctor · 10-11-2009, 08:03 PM

No shipping will be required, because I will drop off and pick up the product.

PEACE-

Love Doctor · 10-20-2009, 01:44 AM

Update:

Found and hired a Flash Web-Developer... and went with Go Daddy for the hosting and URLs. Should have things up and running within 4 weeks time.

PEACE-

Alex-S · 10-20-2009, 09:52 AM

Now, dont over do it with the flash

Search engines have a problem reading flash

My first websites were 100% flash

**MianoSM** · 10-20-2009, 10:59 AM

Flash is god awful. Unless you are using it to host/play videos, it's not a good way to make a website.

Bleh, huge turn off.

**m0nk3y** · 10-20-2009, 11:05 AM

Also, may want to look for a new host... GoDaddy shared hosting is ridiculously oversold. I had nothing but problems with them and my ecomm site. PM/reply if you want suggestions

Alex-S · 10-20-2009, 11:09 AM

true godaddy is pretty bad. Hostgator is better than godaddy

The best and fastest hosting you can get is going to be a designer/website owners private server. It might cost $180 per year, but you can rest assured less than 200 sites will be on there.

clear · 11-03-2009, 12:41 PM

I prefer interspire shopping cart over all others but I do not think it has anything for a rental store. I will not buy from a site that is loaded with flash or hosted by angelfire/homestead/godaddy etc.. Good luck with your venture!

MiDiablo · 11-10-2009, 04:14 PM

I used 1and1.com for my website. I designed it all myself with an online template interface called something like "My Business Builder", IIRC. It was something like $100 for the year, and then the monthly hosting fee of $9 I think. Nothing outrageous, and I did it all myself. I'm sure someone who is a bit more "savvy" could have done more with it - but it's a continuous work in progress, and I have to say it's better than what I had paid for in the past (my upholstery shop & GoDaddy hosting).

www.joshsellsreos.com

Good luck w/your site & your business venture!!

TNathe · 11-10-2009, 04:51 PM

for real? I like her title though "Female Assistant"

10-07-2009, 11:08 AM	#1 (permalink)
Love Doctor SOOFIERCE	Starting an Online business... Well after 10 years of working with my employer, the company final came to a hault and I lost my job. I have not been able to find a new job, so I've decided to open up an online web store directed at a nitch market that may or may not be there. My question is, what is the best (Least expensive) way to get a good looking web page up and running? I came across something called Webstudio online, that you can buy templates. I guess I wanted to know if I'm on the right track here or perhaps their is something better? Thanks for any input you may provide. PEACE-

10-07-2009, 11:28 AM	#2 (permalink)
TNathe Registered User	how much web development can YOU do? If you are "okay" at it and can do simple things buying a template would def be an option. How much do you have to put into a site?

10-07-2009, 11:33 AM	#3 (permalink)
Love Doctor SOOFIERCE	I'm as Sales guy, and no nothing about building a webpage. I know what look I'm looking for and have a small budget for it. The idea is to confirm if I truely have a demand for my product, before I go all out. So far I've seen prices from $ 60 dollars to $ 2,500. Its all very confusing to me. PEACE-

10-07-2009, 11:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
Love Doctor SOOFIERCE	I found a web page that makes the site for you called homestead... I think I will begin here. PEACE-

10-07-2009, 12:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jeff240sx KDM. Yea, I said it.	People can figure out who made the site pretty easy. Whether it was made by a kid in highschool straight from a HTML book, or a person using a templated builds-it-for-you site. And personally, I judge the store and the website before sending any information. If it looks like a kid built it, it might be a kid running it. If it looks like an open-source "Homestead"-type site, it might be running an opensource (read: hackerbait) shopping cart/credit card deal... If you can't build a decent site, find a friend or someone on Craigslist to do it at a discount. I've never shopped at a Yahoo! storefront, or from an Angelfire.com website. And I never will... P.S. I might be the minority with my views. Ask around before taking my opinion...

10-07-2009, 12:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
m0nk3y pwns.	www.elance.com

10-07-2009, 03:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
Love Doctor SOOFIERCE	Thank you...

10-07-2009, 05:49 PM	#8 (permalink)
TNathe Registered User	do a market analysis for your product first obviously...if you decide to pursue it do it RIGHT. Homestead pages = crapola. Pay someone a couple hundred bucks and get something you'd be proud to put your name on.

10-09-2009, 09:59 AM	#9 (permalink)
Alex-S The Wolf Eating the Sheep	I use Joomla & Virtuemart for my online store. What niche are you trying to hit?

10-09-2009, 10:17 AM	#10 (permalink)
Love Doctor SOOFIERCE	I'm into the rental business. Looking for a calendar software that will allow a customer to select the amount of days they would like to rent my product, then move it over to the shopping cart. PEACE-

10-11-2009, 08:03 PM	#12 (permalink)
Love Doctor SOOFIERCE	No shipping will be required, because I will drop off and pick up the product. PEACE-

10-20-2009, 01:44 AM	#13 (permalink)
Love Doctor SOOFIERCE	Update: Found and hired a Flash Web-Developer... and went with Go Daddy for the hosting and URLs. Should have things up and running within 4 weeks time. PEACE-

10-20-2009, 09:52 AM	#14 (permalink)
Alex-S The Wolf Eating the Sheep	Now, dont over do it with the flash Search engines have a problem reading flash My first websites were 100% flash

10-20-2009, 10:59 AM	#15 (permalink)
MianoSM Custom User Title	Flash is god awful. Unless you are using it to host/play videos, it's not a good way to make a website. Bleh, huge turn off.

10-20-2009, 11:05 AM	#16 (permalink)
m0nk3y pwns.	Also, may want to look for a new host... GoDaddy shared hosting is ridiculously oversold. I had nothing but problems with them and my ecomm site. PM/reply if you want suggestions

10-20-2009, 11:09 AM	#17 (permalink)
Alex-S The Wolf Eating the Sheep	true godaddy is pretty bad. Hostgator is better than godaddy The best and fastest hosting you can get is going to be a designer/website owners private server. It might cost $180 per year, but you can rest assured less than 200 sites will be on there.

11-03-2009, 12:41 PM	#18 (permalink)
clear Registered User	I prefer interspire shopping cart over all others but I do not think it has anything for a rental store. I will not buy from a site that is loaded with flash or hosted by angelfire/homestead/godaddy etc.. Good luck with your venture!

11-10-2009, 04:14 PM	#19 (permalink)
MiDiablo $ells Foreclo$ure$ Cheap!	I used 1and1.com for my website. I designed it all myself with an online template interface called something like "My Business Builder", IIRC. It was something like $100 for the year, and then the monthly hosting fee of $9 I think. Nothing outrageous, and I did it all myself. I'm sure someone who is a bit more "savvy" could have done more with it - but it's a continuous work in progress, and I have to say it's better than what I had paid for in the past (my upholstery shop & GoDaddy hosting). www.joshsellsreos.com Good luck w/your site & your business venture!!

11-10-2009, 04:51 PM	#20 (permalink)
TNathe Registered User	for real? I like her title though "Female Assistant"