Website development...

[Cuda1447]

So how are people doing it nowadays? Let's talk about e-commerce type sites. If you were building one, but you aren't a website designer, just a guy with normal computer knowledge - do you just learn/do straight HTML? Do you use a WYSIWYG editor? Or do you go with a content management system like Joomla or something else?

There seem to be a lot of ways of designing a website now a days, but whats the 'right' way?

 

[brianmanahan]

yeah, learn client side (html, css and javascript) plus a server side lanaguage/platform (php, ruby/rails, java, c#, etc).

 

[Red Squirrel]

For something basic, learn HTML and CSS, get notepad++ or editor of choice and start coding. Photoshop is nice too for the graphics such as shadings, buttons, etc...

Once you are comfortable with that look at learning php/mysql to make dynamically generated pages, stuff that can be updated on the fly through an admin interface etc..

 

[Cuda1447]

What type of timeframe are we talking to learn the coding required to actually do things of value, versus just using a content management system? I've started messing with Codecedmy, which is apparently a good start for learning Java basics, but I'm curious if I'm literally years away from being able to be dangerous, or if its something I could pick up with an hour a night of learning in a few months.

 

[chusteczka]

I have been wondering similar, and frankly, the suggestions to learn html, css, notepad++, php/mysql, ruby/rails, java, c# are a bit old and worn out. Tips to actually get a site up and running would provide the needed information better than blanket statements to learn the basics.

For an e-commerce site, is it best to implement:

1. any of the numerous free templates available,
2. a content management system, or
3. a blogging tool such as wordpress?

Information stating which of those three to start with would be of great help.

 

[yllus]

Basic ecommerce sites should at this point be using http://shopify.com/ , or maybe Magento if they really want flexibility. No need to reinvent the wheel.

 

[Cuda1447]

Chust/sully - that's kind of what I'm thinking. Could I learn to code? Probably, would my time be better spent just implementing something that already exists at a small cost though?

What I'm looking for is really just a simple design. I just don't want to be relying upon other people if I need to make changes etc...

I'll check out shopify etc... Thanks.

 

[chusteczka]

Basic ecommerce sites should at this point be using http://shopify.com/ , or maybe Magento if they really want flexibility. No need to reinvent the wheel.

Now that is a good start, thank you. :thumbsup:

Transaction fees are something I wish to stay away from, yet it may be cost effective to get a site up and running first and then worry about transaction fees later.

Shopify sounds familiar, yet I have not seen the website before. The site looks new, possibly developed within the past year.

I thought Magento was a shopping cart but the site shows an ecommerce platform similar to shopify. This site also looks new.


I have thought the process was to build the site, add a shopping cart, then add merchant credit processing services. Shopify and Magento appear to handle all of that in one.

 

[Cuda1447]

I just did some reading on the Shopify site and it seems like a really nice product. Even with the basic package at $30 per month and 2% transaction fee's, that's still on par with what you will pay through Paypal/google checkout or a payment gateway of your own. I am curious how well their SEO features really work? All in all though, it looks like a super easy solution and a hell of a lot better than paying someone to make my site or learning to program myself.

 

[chusteczka]

Cuda, I have found there is so much work that needs to be done in building a business and an ecommerce website, that even though I have a degree in computer science I still find myself wanting someone else to do the technical work while I concentrate on the business aspect.

No matter the web technology used, the business aspect requires pictures, sales information, prices and product permutations, product warranty, return policy, and more. The content of the site is so exhausting to develop, it is own project. Being the person responsible for the business content, site development, order taking and shipping, financial accounting, inventory management, and product development is an extremely daunting task.

Shopify has transaction fees of 2% to 1%.

Yahoo small business has transaction fees of 1.5%-.75%. Yahoo's prices have come down in the past year. They used to be 3%-4%.

Magento does not have transaction fees.

IMO, transaction fees are inappropriate since website construction and use is not related to purchase transactions and amounts. I would rather pay a flat fee per month than a transaction fee. But as I mentioned earlier, maybe it is better just to get into the game with any of them to get sales started. A running operation can be modified later when cash is flowing much easier than taking the difficult route to build a website that may cost more over the long run in lost sales just to avoid transaction fees.

EDIT:
Volusion is another website builder and shopping cart provider with no transaction fees. I believe they rely on Microsoft's ASP.

 

[fjmeat]

I have been wondering similar, and frankly, the suggestions to learn html, css, notepad++, php/mysql, ruby/rails, java, c# are a bit old and worn out. Tips to actually get a site up and running would provide the needed information better than blanket statements to learn the basics.

For an e-commerce site, is it best to implement:

1. any of the numerous free templates available,
2. a content management system, or
3. a blogging tool such as wordpress?

Information stating which of those three to start with would be of great help.

this is what i do for fun on the side

 

[alkemyst]

I just charge $5000, download a $10 template...profit!

 

[chusteczka]

this is what i do for fun on the side

Since I have been working to get my own business started and online, I have realized the opportunity for helping small businesses get their products online.

If not for the business I am already working to develop, I would otherwise work to learn and develop a small web development company that handles all these problems for the small businesses.

• Website Development
  • templates
  • content management system
  • blogging tools
  • user generated product reviews and forum
• Website Content
  • pictures
  • marketing (this could use its own small group of marketing professionals)
  • product permutations
  • product guarantee
  • return policy
• Shopping Cart Integration
• Merchant Account Setup for credit card processing
• Search Engine Optimization
• Online Advertising

1. Does anyone know of a company that provides all of this?
2. Is this what the solutions previously mentioned will solve?

 

[Ichinisan]

Not professionally trained, but I've been able to get some things done w/ Notepad++ and Google.

 

[mlah384]

You definitely want to learn HTML and CSS... I've always liked dreamweaver... But there are some CMS's now that are greater ecomerce... It depends on how many products, type of products,etc to determine the best platform...

 

[MrColin]

So how are people doing it nowadays? Let's talk about e-commerce type sites. If you were building one, but you aren't a website designer, just a guy with normal computer knowledge - do you just learn/do straight HTML? Do you use a WYSIWYG editor? Or do you go with a content management system like Joomla or something else?

There seem to be a lot of ways of designing a website now a days, but whats the 'right' way?

There are some boxed options available for free with paid support and you could hire programmers to add the features you want. Zencart, Magento, and Wordpress with the wp-commerce add-on, theres also drupal. I've seen implementations of that last two up close and all I can say is its not pretty. If you have a real product or service to sell you should go with something that works for that niche. Technology should enable the business need, as opposed to building a business around the technology.

Ruby is probably the last platform you want to learn on. People that use it usually have years of experience with other languages. Learning php,html/css, and javascript will enable you to hack up any of the "boxed" packages mentioned above to suit just about any need.

 

[xanis]

There are some boxed options available for free with paid support and you could hire programmers to add the features you want. Zencart, Magento, and Wordpress with the wp-commerce add-on, theres also drupal. I've seen implementations of that last two up close and all I can say is its not pretty. If you have a real product or service to sell you should go with something that works for that niche. Technology should enable the business need, as opposed to building a business around the technology.

Ruby is probably the last platform you want to learn on. People that use it usually have years of experience with other languages. Learning php,html/css, and javascript will enable you to hack up any of the "boxed" packages mentioned above to suit just about any need.

This is some solid advice. If you want to learn anything, start with the basics: HTML/CSS/Javascript. After that go for PHP.

 

[Markbnj]

IMO, transaction fees are inappropriate since website construction and use is not related to purchase transactions and amounts. I would rather pay a flat fee per month than a transaction fee.

The only reason you're getting their software so inexpensively is that their business is sitting on the transaction stream and getting their cut. You're not getting away from this. Regardless of what route you take to get your site live you're going to be paying points to someone to move your payments.

Just FYI, depending on the level of polish and sophistication, an ecommerce website can cost from $250k to several million dollars to develop, test, and deploy.