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What do I need to know to build a eCommerce Site?

Discussion in 'eCommerce' started by SEOXpert2011, Mar 10, 2013.

  1. #1
    Hi;

    I want to build a Ecommerce Site. I am new to website building and willing to learn from scratch.

    What do I need to know before I can build a eCommerce site with a product category and filter feature like Amazon (like filter by star rating, reviews etc..)

    Your help is greatly appreciated!

    Thanks!

    Regards
    SEOX
     
    SEOXpert2011, Mar 10, 2013 IP
  2. ericlewis107

    ericlewis107 Greenhorn

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    #2
    First of all you need to learn programming language, and basic fundamentals to develop an ecommerce website. There are many programming languages such as Java, .Net, PHP, RoR etc. that you can choose to develop an ecommerce website.
     
    ericlewis107, Mar 11, 2013 IP
  3. cldnails

    cldnails Well-Known Member

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    #3
    Sorry, I disagree with ericlewis107. If you can install wordpress you can install an ecommerce website. There are plenty of free and paid scripts available that install just as easily as a blogging platform.

    Hell, if that's too difficult there are even options to go with a hosted ecommerce website where you just provide the details of the product and set a price. Basically, it can be as difficult or as simple as you want it to be.
     
    cldnails, Mar 12, 2013 IP
  4. GORF

    GORF Well-Known Member

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    #4
    You have not even started to explain what it is you want to do:

    Are you selling physical or downloadable products?
    How do you ship physical products?
    Are downloadable products licensed at the time of purchase?
    What is your software experience level?
    .....
    There are hundreds of questions. You need to give us some direction.

    There are plenty of ready-to-go ecommerce software packages (like OpenCart) that you can install on your website. And like cldnails said, there are hosted options.
     
    GORF, Mar 12, 2013 IP
  5. markwill

    markwill Peon

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    #5
    Select any ecommerce platform, most of open source platforms are developed in PHP, so you should learn PHP, then start from wordpress development. There are too many free themes available which can help you in learning. You can download them, analyse their code. Hope this helps :)
     
    markwill, Mar 13, 2013 IP
  6. ecapsnet

    ecapsnet Member

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    #6
    You can use php scripts - open source like oscommerce, majento, OpenCart for the shopping Solutions. Use softaculous from your cPnel; Install directly on your server to avoid the errors. Once you will have script on your server; you need to get a theme.

    Get shopping theme from themeforest and it's sister sites, install them. You can get the documentation with each site.Customize on your own else look for expert developer or team of professional for the job.

    Your shopping site is ready to go.

    Cheers.
     
    ecapsnet, Mar 20, 2013 IP
  7. Lynn C

    Lynn C Active Member

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    #7
    One of the easiest things to do is to set up an Amazon product store. You can go to Amazon.com and get info directly, or do an internet search for: "Amazon Merchant Account" or "Amazon Store" and follow the links.


    If you really want to quickly get into dropshipping, try Shopify.com. They can help you set up a store and find products fast, and then you just need to promote it.

    Lastly, take a look at some of the websites for sale on Flippa that are already storefronts and marketing sites. Pick a cheap one that is sort of in the area you are interested in, and then modify it with more products and with merchant Plugins.

    Finally, get a mentor to work with. Get active in the discussion boards or set up a "meetup" in your area and find someone who is already doing what you want to do and offer to help out for free so you can learn the ropes.

    Rocky
     
    Lynn C, Mar 20, 2013 IP
    bordello likes this.
  8. komol88

    komol88 Active Member

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    #8
    Hi!

    I don't think that you need to study PHP
    You don't want to be a programmer yeah :)?

    Of course on your way to the unique and professional online store you can meet the PHP requirements
    But not know.

    Choose WordPress as a base for the start. Choose free theme like here:
    http://readyshoppingcart.com/products_categories/templates/

    Now download and setup WordPress
    download and setup e-commerce theme on you WordPress site
    add products and setup payment gates

    That's all.
    Really?!
    Of course not :)

    On this first step you'll get a lot of questions.
    But you now the steps you need to do, you have the target and it's much easer to arrive at the end-point when you know where it is.
     
    komol88, Mar 23, 2013 IP
  9. ChrisMono

    ChrisMono Active Member

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    #9
    1) Get an shopping cart script and upload it
    2) get a theme and upload it
    3) setup the settings (shipping rates, currency, localization, payment etc)
    4) list the products you want to sell
    5) go
     
    ChrisMono, Mar 25, 2013 IP
    Lynn C likes this.
  10. Lynn C

    Lynn C Active Member

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    #10
    ChrisMono hit the nail on the head with this advice.

    The un-said part of his advice is this: DON'T OVER PLAN but instead TAKE ACTION.


    You can spend a heck of a lot of time thinking about what to do and how to do it perfectly, but in the end, if you get started and then see what works and does not work, you learn a lot along the way.

    There are many free or cheap solutions out there, and my experience has been that people on this and other forums will give you advice and offer suggestions freely. That is very nice and helpful.

    Again, don't over-think things. Get started and then tweak and modify things as you go along.

    Rocky
     
    Lynn C, Mar 25, 2013 IP
  11. e21media

    e21media Well-Known Member

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    #11
    If you really want to start from scratch choose an eCommerce PHP script then play around with customizing and extending it. You will learn a lot that way. You can install eCommerce solutions automatically via your host company's control panel, or you can choose a hosted eCommerce solution.
    Do some googling on the following: oscommerce, OpenCart, magento, zen cart.

    Any more questions, feel free to give me a shout.
     
    e21media, Mar 27, 2013 IP
  12. AKraly

    AKraly Active Member

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    #12
    The cheapest way to go is to a use a WordPress with someone like OpenCart or Magento.

    I personally prefer to use Shopify (a paid eCommerce hosting solution). They have a ton of great "themes" that you can install on your store with one click and a great backend system for processing orders.

    They also have A LOT of great apps to install to increase your stores productivity in their "app store".

    Good Luck!
     
    AKraly, Mar 28, 2013 IP
  13. ibutrading

    ibutrading Greenhorn

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    #13
    it is easy to establish a website online to sell some products, while if you want to build a platform....you need to know the buyers and sellers' demand, e-business processes on both sides, payment on both sides, and fund security....
     
    ibutrading, Mar 29, 2013 IP
  14. harryom87

    harryom87 Peon

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    #14
    Hi Nice information, thanks
     
    harryom87, Apr 1, 2013 IP
  15. dinesh.gene

    dinesh.gene Well-Known Member

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    #15
    Hire a PHP developer and start your work!!
     
    dinesh.gene, Apr 2, 2013 IP
  16. jko

    jko Peon

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    #16
    You could use either Wordpress or OpenCart. Both are pretty easy to use. OpenCart would be more of a store only sort of site, while you could build more of a content oriented site with Wordpress, and the store would be integrated into it (just not necessarily the main focus of the site, although it could be.) I've set up tons of both, please feel free to get in touch if you need help or direction.
     
    jko, Apr 2, 2013 IP
  17. aamir.alvi3

    aamir.alvi3 Member

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    #17
    Ecommerce is a wide field and includes hell of platforms, you might call them technologies. Choose the one which is simplest and then start experimenting it until your concepts are cleared. When done successfully, you can move around to various technologies as basic concepts are always the same, with changing development environment. Its a matter of time when you know which is a handsome match to your mind prowess. :p
     
    aamir.alvi3, Apr 22, 2013 IP
  18. Arema Connect

    Arema Connect Greenhorn

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    #18
    You need to consider how will you manage the customer enquiries too. This whitepaper explains quite a lot things: http://www.callmanagement.ie/landing/whitepaperecommerce/
     
    Arema Connect, May 10, 2013 IP
  19. Qura-tul-Ain

    Qura-tul-Ain Active Member

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    #19
    This!!
     
    Qura-tul-Ain, May 11, 2013 IP
  20. appkodes

    appkodes Banned

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    #20
    First fix what is your niche in ecommerce. If you are looking for multi vendor with filters like amazon you can try fancy clone and wanelo clone scripts available in the market. Before that fix that fix your goals hook up with the flexible ecommerce provider with a reliable hosting. Good luck or your venture
     
    appkodes, Mar 24, 2016 IP