Starting an e-commerce site.

Not quite sure what im going to sell yet but im definitely interested in starting one.

Firstly what qualities do i need?

• Do i need to know HTML+CSS?
• Do i have to be of a certain age to start one?

What is the start up cost? Running costs? What program to run it?

How do i get stock in the first place?

Any e-books?

Thanks, Ben.

 

Ben I might have a few books that can get you started. I have like Ecommerce for dummies and Starting an online business but not sure the author I would have to look them up.

 

Thanks.


Can anybody else help me out?

 

Surley somone can help me?

 

Well, I've got a few e-commerce sites, so here's my two-pennorth.
Do you need to know html/css? - no most shop sites are to some extent from templates, though it's always an advantage to know a bit.
Do you have to be a certain age? - well, you'll need some sort of merchant processing, paypal at the least, so I assume you need to be old enough to have a bank account. If you're not, a parent will have to be involved.
Start up and running costs? - slightly longer than this piece of string. Also depends on whether you intend to buy in stock or dropship. And you will to need spend 5 times as much on promotion as you think you do.
How do you get stock? If you don't know, you haven't done anything like enough research to even be considering it.

 

To start a e-commerce site you need to have basic knowledge of business and how to run a business. Obviously without knowing the basics you will probably struggle in running a successful e-commerce website.

Since I offer web hosting, I know quite a bit about people who want to start their own website and earn themselves extra cash in their pocket or either make it a part time or even full time job.

There are many open source scripts out there to make it easier for you. There scripts are called shopping carts and the main ones which are freely available are: CubeCart, osCommerce and Zen Cart. With my web hosting packages, anyone can install those shopping carts in 3 - 4 clicks. These shopping carts offer you a admin section where you can configure every aspect (depending on the shopping cart you pick) of your site. From adding extra pages or setting the payment modules, these shopping carts make it easier for to control your sales.

The costs are quite low. There are the hosting costs which if you go with me would be only £2.99 a month (lowest plan) and domain name wouldn't cost to much either.

 

Oh and I also forgot about promoting your site. If you don't promote and advertise your website, it'll be there doing nothing and wasting your money. These forums will definitely help you in the promoting part.

 

what about buying a website

 

Thanks, i have basic knowledge of html and css so hopfully this will help.

Thanks, i do however have a good knowledge of business as i taken it at GCSE level and i got an A. I am actually taking a course at college which i will start in September which covers e-commence. I'm particularly interested in it.

I may consider this however i do not have a very big budget.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

 

Dear Lolage,

If you plan to start your e-commerce website. Please download this FREE Report guide you through the step by step to start your own business absolutely FREE. You can view my post at

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?p=7408753#post7408753

Hope it help.

Cheer...

 

Thanks for that, its helped.

If i was to use one of the 3 good pieces of software (CubeCart, OsCommerence and Zen Cart) would i be able to create a custom layout using that certain script?

 

I am changing my store according to my custom layout. By default, it look ugly, but if you familiar with CSS, HTML, then you can change it. It took time for me to change it. Anyway, there are no impact on the logic since I retain all the programming code in the script. Since I only expose into Zen Cart now...I do not know how to change in CubeCart or OsCommerce.

Anyway, the Zen Cart Admin Control Panel have too many features you can turn on and off. You can play around with it...

 

CubeCart, OsCommerence and Zen Cart all offer customization. There template or skins providers located on the Internet which would either make a custom skin / template or allow you to buy ready made skins / templates.

 

I have used os commerce for 2 shopping sites now, and it's been great!

 

So lolage, have you thought about starting?

 

I want to get it started but im really stuck at what niche to go into. Also stuck for what dropship suppliers to get for the UK.