What Do I Need to Do to Build an E-Commerce Website?
An e-commerce website is also known as a virtual storefront. A regular storefront is limited to a certain geographical area. However, a virtual storefront allows you to extend your reach around the globe, without leaving the comfort of your home. Before you can create your e-commerce website, there are a few essential elements that need to be in place. Once those elements are in place, the only thing left to do is start building.
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Domain Name
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The first thing you must do before building your e-commerce website is to purchase a domain name. The domain name is the website address (www.yourdomain.com) that Internet users will use to find your e-commerce site. When choosing a domain name, it is recommended that you incorporate keywords that pertain to the products or services you are selling. By doing so, you make it easier for potential website visitors to find your site in the search engines. The average cost to purchase a domain name is around $7 to $10 per year, depending upon the company you choose to purchase the name from.
Web Hosting
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The domain name can be likened to a mobile home. Web hosting can be likened to the lot that the mobile home sits on. A Web hosting account provides you with the server space that you need for your e-commerce website. When choosing a Web hosting company for your e-commerce website, there are several factors you should take into consideration. For example, look for a Web hosting company that has 99.9-percent or higher uptime, backup servers, storefront templates, SSL Certificates and 24/7 customer support. If you will be building the website yourself, check to see if the website builder is simple enough for you to use. The cost for Web hosting will greatly vary by Web hosting provider. However, you can expect to pay around $15 per month for hosting.
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Product Pictures
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Once you have secured Web hosting, you can log into your Web hosting account and begin designing your e-commerce website. When designing your site, you can include pages about your company, your company's history and how to contact your company. However, you also need to include pictures of your products. If you don't already have pictures of your products, you can use a digital camera to take some. You can then upload the pictures from your digital camera to your website via a compatible USB cable.
Payment Gateway
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In order to sell products on your website, you need a "payment gateway." A payment gateway allows you to accept and process credit card payments online. Companies such as PayPal, Google Checkout, iPay88 and AuthorizeNet provide payment gateways for free. You simply need to sign up for a free account. A checking account is needed in order to sign up. Another alternative to a payment gateway is a merchant account. A merchant account charges fees, and often requires you to submit an application for approval. Once you have signed up for a payment gateway or merchant account, you will be provided with a special code to place on your website. This code allows your website visitors to click on and purchase your products.
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References
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- Photo Credit e-shopping Cart image by treenabeena from Fotolia.com
