E shop from scratch knowing nothing!

[JMugs]

This may help others like me
Ok I am scanning the forum to find out how to build an E shop (if that's what you call it) from scratch, and as the title says I know absolutely nothing about where to start. So if I post as I go a sort of diary of my trials and tribulations, it can only help others in the future. Feel free to chip in, ask, guide, laugh etc.

Reading so far I gather my "E shop" is like any other shop, it needs to be build and in order to do that you need to know what the shop has to do. (I did say this was basic!). The shop I want is a basic shop I advertise, people buy on the site, I send. No altering or loading up of thier own pictures. So I need to be able to display pictures under various headings and collect thier money. Now it appears to me that "Opencart" may be an answer.

I have also worked out that I need a way of getting my shop out to the customer, and the customer to me. Now as the post office take things from me, and bring things to me, I need an internet Royal Mail. This I think is called a server or host?

I also need a name for my shop (domain name?), and this has to be registered some where, some how (where?). Is that 123.com or something?

Now first questions what has to come first as thier must be a one correct order and eight wrong ones!

SO what is the order is it
a/ Register the name somewhere
b/ Get a host
c/ Download software to build shop.

My logic is
To build a shop I need a plot of land (domain with a name), for the buliding materials to arrive at (host), to start on the plans (software) to buils the shop (E Shop).

So in summary if that order is right, where for what?
Where or with whom do I register the name
Host by christianhosting (Smitch6) I believe may be a good option
How do I build the shop (Opencart?)

Janners

[JMugs]

FTP ? No idea what that is so I'll look it up and be back later.

Ok I'm back had a look and it's this, well this is the one mentioned in the open cart blurb

[h=1]What is SmartFTP?[/h]SmartFTP is an FTP (File Transfer Protocol), FTPS, SFTP, SSH, Terminal client. It allows you to transfer files between your local computer and a server on the Internet. With its many basic and advanced Features SmartFTP also offers secure, reliable and efficient transfers that make it a powerful tool. .

So it appears I know have 4 steps as the beginnings
a/ Register the name somewhere
b/ Get a host
c/ install a FTP
d/ Download software to build shop


Janners

[Paul]

Iam not going to answer for all your questions here but i will give you one friendly advice.

Speak to smitch, forum member. He will sort you out with domain name, space and he can instal open.cart for you. So all in one place.and cheap as chips. Also he DO care about his customers so if need help is always there.

Regarding open cart again... Its not as basic as you think it is

[JMugs]

Hi Paul

Regarding open cart again... Its not as basic as you think it is

Like women then!

Going cross eyed reading about it all at the moment. Will keep updating as I go.

Janners

[nik_decalarama]

1. register with www.123reg.co.uk
2. You can host with them also
3. Download a program called Filezilla (it's a FTP client and it's free)
4. I wouldn't recommend building your own shop, way too much work (see below)

I have 3 websites, one for my stickers/printing, etc business, 1 for our sweet shop and the other for a personal hobby of mine. I use wordpress on all 3 as it requires very little work once set up. It is possible to install a shop on wordpress, I tried it and didn't like it. I now use ekmpowershop which costs £20 a month. It's very easy to use and pretty much everything you need built in, plus you just link it to your own website. For example, my website is www.decalarama.co.uk but the shop address is shop.decalarama.co.uk I basically import from ebay to save me time. ekm also uploads to google for you, so all your items appear in Google's own shopping results.

I would recommend the above because if you decide to build your own website, you will need a html editor. With wordpress, you don't need any of that. I use a html editor (Dreamweaver) to build my ebay templates, but haven't had to use it for websites for a long time. By the way, Wordpress is basically blogging software but it is so much more. Easy to update, upload images and other attachments and you can do it from any computer that is connected to the net.

[smitch6]

ah yes but 123 won't give you the support like i do
i used to recommend them for domains but until i had a problem with a couple and both times the support took 3 days to reply :O
my tech ppl reply within 5-10mins 24/7 they are brilliant

yes i can sort you out with domains, hosting and even install OC and help you set it up if you want
if you wanted you can even email me the images and i'll sort everything out for you although tbh it'd be better if i helped you as you may/will need to do changes down the line.

by all means drop me a pm and we can have a chat

ps thanks for the recommendations
and also there are a few ppl on here who now host with me and are happy (as far as i know ) with my services.

[smitch6]

1. register with www.123reg.co.uk
2. You can host with them also
3. Download a program called Filezilla (it's a FTP client and it's free)
4. I wouldn't recommend building your own shop, way too much work (see below)

I have 3 websites, one for my stickers/printing, etc business, 1 for our sweet shop and the other for a personal hobby of mine. I use wordpress on all 3 as it requires very little work once set up. It is possible to install a shop on wordpress, I tried it and didn't like it. I now use ekmpowershop which costs £20 a month. It's very easy to use and pretty much everything you need built in, plus you just link it to your own website. For example, my website is www.decalarama.co.uk but the shop address is shop.decalarama.co.uk I basically import from ebay to save me time. ekm also uploads to google for you, so all your items appear in Google's own shopping results.

I would recommend the above because if you decide to build your own website, you will need a html editor. With wordpress, you don't need any of that. I use a html editor (Dreamweaver) to build my ebay templates, but haven't had to use it for websites for a long time. By the way, Wordpress is basically blogging software but it is so much more. Easy to update, upload images and other attachments and you can do it from any computer that is connected to the net.

actually you don't need html for OC and it does all what you said upload seo to google and loads and loads more
plus why pay £20 each month for something you can get for free?
wordpress is ok but it hasn't got the features like OC or even presta etc

[Justin]

.....and if you become a Premium Member Smitch will do you an even better deal!

[smitch6]

.....and if you become a Premium Member Smitch will do you an even better deal!

i sure will
and if you like my FB page it will be even better
thats another deal i have going as well

wow 2 deals if your a premium woo hoo

[bigj2552]

Regarding open cart again... Its not as basic as you think it is

dam right there bud :rolleyes: - took me a while to get to grips with it but hell it was worth it.

Janners - if you go down the opencart road, remember that altho it may be opensource ( freeware ), it will cost you to buy the add-ons (modules) for it....well it will cost you for the decent ones...there are freebies there to, but you would soon see the differance - and you will buy them trust me !

To date, i have spent about £106 on modules ( add-ons ) to make my site more appealing to the public
( i hope ) when it opens aug this yr....fingers crossed

As paul says, for a complete newbie, get a hold of steve (smitch) on here would be your best bet.....
or

You could always go with one of the freebie all in one instant sites like http://www.freewebstore.org/.
free but you are limited to how many products you can sell and you got there branding all over the place unless you "upgrade" to one of there monthly packages - most of these "freewebsite" sites are like this !
Simple enough even a child could do it but, you will NOT get the customisation/looks/add-ons/appeal/eye candy - need i go on ? - that opencart can give you.