New Online Shop

[bobster316]

I am planning to sell my own branded health products in a competitive market (health & vitamins) Initially there will only be 4 products with approx 4 variations to each.

To attract customers to the website I want to develop content to make it the definitive resource for the benefits of the product.

The website will also need to include a shopping cart for customers to purchase the products

As this is a brand new start up I still need to have the brand created and developed.

Can anyone recommend the best way forward.

Thanks

 

[jeremyc]

First of all find a good domain name for online store, because it's a second name you self assign to yourself when you and your business grow up Then, determine what kind of a shopping cart software you want to put on..normally its all start from there.....You can ask your web host about auto script installers such as fantastico or softaculous; there you will find some open source cart applications, which you can install within a few mouse clicks....

To attract customers to the website I want to develop content to make it the definitive resource for the benefits of the product.

As your website would be an online store so there is no need to write a thesis; you should write a content which is descriptive and short; specifically mention product features and specifications. Make you store attractive with images...its very important (usually people try analyze products through images and its features). And don't forget to include TOS if you are going to offer money back guarantee....

 

[DPOM]

Hi there,

90% of our clients are start ups and we include everything you need, logo design etc. We also take care of the domain name, hosting and design the site from scratch specifically for you.

You can have unlimited products and receive unlimited updates, monthly Search Engine Optimisation (so your clients can find your site) and a yearly re-design if you want it.

Everything is included for £49.99 per month -take a look at www.rentawebuk.com

 

[petlover]

zencart maybe helps u

 

[WHUK]

Hi bobster


I recommend you to sign up for an eCommerce hosting plan that also comprises of WordPress. You must have a content resource on your website, this is the best way of providing complete information to the customers. The eCommerce hosting plan will provide you with essential features like shopping cart software and support to the online payment systems like PayPal in order to ensure the smoothness of the online transactions; while WordPress will enable you to setup a blog for the website and it will also make your website more impressive. Make sure to opt for an eCommerce host who guarantees a 99.9% uptime so that the website is up even in the times of high traffic.

 

[swasa11]

Zeuscart is the best free shopping cart software to create your online store.

 

[AceCream]

when you talk about developing content and a resource straight away I would recommend also installing a blog into your domain. we do this and it helps to bring in traffic if you know what you are talking about then you can constantly post relevant and insightful information which will draw people that are not even attempting to shop

 

[jeremyc]

To be very honest, it's ridiculous to recommend e-commerce hosting plan before OP pick out the right platform that meets his demands.....It is more likely a body without a skeleton...Anyway, as there are many good open source platforms available, but you need to ensure they are not storing or transmitting credit card details to payment gateways, as this may go against their PCI compliance.

 

[ansteydesign]

Hi Bobster316,

It's a tricky one. There's all sorts of programs out there which you could use, zencart for example, but in our experience people tend to not want to get involved in the actual site building, especially when it comes to credit card security etc.

You could work with a web developer and use a templated ecommerce site provided through a website host. The problem with this is that the host provider is unlikely to let you fully brand the site in your style. Alternatively, you could work with a designer/website developer to create something more bespoke which meets your needs exactly and can be branded in whatever way you like. The downside to the bespoke route is, of course, the cost.

If you'd like to discuss things further then you can find our contact details on our website (search google for AnsteyDesign) and we'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

 

[UK_Web_Design]

Hi there, this what you need to do if you are going to do it yourself.

1. Buy a .co.uk domain name (2 years £7.00)
2. Buy Web Hosting (£14.99 per year)
3. Install a free shopping cart to your web hosting (recommend OpenCart)
4. Modify the layout yourself, or buy a premium theme. (£5 - £50)
5. Add your products, prices and photos via admin section.
6. Done!

Doing it all yourself can cost you total £21.99 to get your domain name and web hosting. Thereafter the price depends on whether you design yourself or buy a template. Estimated Total could be no more than £60.00. for a complete e-commerce website with CMS.

Alternatively, you can get a web designer or company to do it for you for £300 - £400 or possibly more.

Another option is to find a freelance web designer, who's prices could be more realistic and affordable. Someone who could do it for you for around £100 - £200.

Be careful who you choose, as you get what you pay for. Try to choose someone who has a decent website and portfolio and at the same time affordable. (it's hard to find all 3)

If you would like to know who provides hosting and domain names for the price mentioned then PM me and I will let you know.


Regards,


Craig

 

[twenty1ten]

If you want to go down a bespoke site route then please PM me (roughly you are looking at about £5-6k for a bespoke site tailored to your needs with full CMS/Optimised/Email marketing module) & about £500.00 to create the brand (properly). I was involved at the infancy in the marketing of the Healthy Direct brand (and its migration from Mail Order through to E-commerce), that sold to Healthspan in 2009 for a lot of £££££'s.

Would be more than willing to talk you through my experiences, so you may avoid some of the costly mistakes along the way.

PM if interested.

JON

I am planning to sell my own branded health products in a competitive market (health & vitamins) Initially there will only be 4 products with approx 4 variations to each.

To attract customers to the website I want to develop content to make it the definitive resource for the benefits of the product.

The website will also need to include a shopping cart for customers to purchase the products

As this is a brand new start up I still need to have the brand created and developed.

Can anyone recommend the best way forward.

Thanks

 

[quikshop]

1) Decide on your branding alongside seeing what domain names are available. You want a domain name that says what it does on the tin, obscure brand names only work with a large marketing budget.

2) Got your suppliers sorted? Worked out your business plan, e.g. initial investment in stock, marketing budget for Adwords etc?

3) Make a list of must-have features that you want your online shop to have. Then see what Ecommerce solutions come the closest.

Consider the different shop types, you could just start with Ebay and Amazon. For your own shop there are hosted solutions, custom built shops or open source software each with their advantages.

Oh, do you have a USP (unique selling point)? Why are you own branded products better than the rest!? Make sure you can identify genuine reasons for customers choosing your products and promote those messages on your website and through your marketing.