How to Build eCommerce Websites With Software
The Internet is a great place to start a business. Overhead costs are much lower than traditional brick-and-mortar stores, and there are few barriers to entering the online market. When staring an online business, most individuals choose to build an eCommerce website. These sites enable businesses to sell products or services directly to customers. While the task of building an eCommerce website may seem overwhelming, almost anyone with basic computer skills can easily develop their own commercial site.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Choose an eCommerce website package for your site. ProStores.com and Yahoo Stores are two popular eCommerce packages. These sites contain all of the features necessary to create and manage an eCommerce site. As of April 2010, ProStores.com charges $29.95 per month for their basic plan, plus a .05 percent transaction fee on successful sales. Yahoo Stores charges $39.95 per month for their basic plan, plus a 1.5 percent transaction fee on successful sales. Yahoo Stores also charges a one-time $50.00 setup fee.
-
2
Choose a domain name for your eCommerce store. The domain is the .com or .net name your customers will type in to access your eCommerce store. Select a .com that reflects your business name or the products that you will sell. Both ProStores and Yahoo Stores include a free domain name with the purchase of their software. Check to see if your domain name is available by using the domain name search feature on either website.
-
-
3
Purchase your hosting package and register your domain name by using the checkout feature. Add your personal and billing information, and complete the checkout. During this process, you will also choose a username and password for your account. You will use these to access your eCommerce site, so make sure to write them down and choose a secure password.
-
4
Log in to your hosting package by following the instructions provided by your hosting company. You can then build your site using their website building software. Follow the Web hosting company's instructions to choose from several pre-made templates to use for your site's design. Both packages offer professional templates for your site. Customize your template by adding text and uploading pictures with the software provided. You can also add HTML if you want to customize your design further.
-
5
Select a merchant account to process payments online. Both sites support popular merchant accounts such as PayPal. If you do not have a PayPal account, you can sign up by visiting PayPal.com. It is free to register for an account, and PayPal charges a transaction fee on successful sales. When you are done, add your account information to the payment section of your eCommerce software package.
-
6
Add product pages to your site by using the Add Product feature. Add titles, descriptions, pictures and prices for your products. Publish the site by clicking the "Publish" button. Add additional product pages, store information and more to complete your eCommerce site.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Keep your billing information up-to-date to keep your store online.
Never use copyrighted names in your domain name.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit website layout image by 6922Designer from Fotolia.com
