Tips & Advice on How to set up an E-commerce SiteThis section is designed to give you a basic grasp of how to start a successful e-commerce site and how to start trading on the net.
The first step is to consider some of the following questions about the goods/services you will be selling...
You can answer some of these questions by carrying out market research which includes looking at web statistics. E.G. If you are setting up a site to sell walking sticks to the elderly, what is the average age of the Internet shopper? Also you have to judge the potential success of the product you are selling by the predicted quantity of people who will visit your site. Remember check out the competition, find points at which you could improve upon their service, a successful site is not always an original one. If the site is an information resource find a subject that you are both interested in and knowledgeable of.
Once you have decided what your site will contain and the amount of demand there is for your product, you need to work out how much you want to spend on development. You will probably need a reasonably good domain name, some kind shopping cart system, web space and possibly secure credit card transaction.
Shopping Cart Systems
There are many shopping cart or catalogue systems available which automate the web building process and make it much less painful and time consuming. Below are some links you might find useful...
Registering a Domain Name
You can Register your domain in one of two ways. The first is to go direct to the naming authority, but this can be a complicated and drawn out process. The other simpler way is to go to a domain Registering company who will do it for you. You will find these companies everywhere, simply pick up an Internet magazine or check out yahoo.com's domain section.
Getting Web Space
This again can be done in one of two ways. The first way is to host your site yourself which involves getting a leased line in which will cost a lot of money. Also you will have to know how to configure and customise your server system. The easier way is for someone else to host your site for you which means you need to find a web hosting company, Internet mag's, big link indexes will all have information about these.
Secure Credit Card Transaction
This is vital if you are serious about trading on the net. It involves ether setting up your own secure servers, firewalls etc. And getting an agreement with a bank to let you process cards. Alternatively you can link with a third party company that will supply you with real time transactions and everything you need bar a merchant account to trade safely and securely. Try some of these links...
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© Sam Lockwood.