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How to Design your First E-commerce Website

January 24, 2013

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ecommerce

The virtual shopping world is like premier real estate, and many are trying to own their piece. While it is easy to access the tools and resources that can make this possible, the art of creating a digital store that will effectively allow the business to excel is of utmost importance to your success. Are you entertaining the thought of entering the world of ecommerce and therefore designing your first ecommerce website? There are many things you have to keep in mind. This article will help you to design your first ecommerce website and also mention software that you need in your new ecommerce business.

Create a Logo

Top brands use their logo to mark their products and distinguish them from their competitors’ as well as to make them easily identifiable to their customers. A logo is just as important to a startup as it is to an established store. Your online shoppers will view your logo as a symbol of reassurance. It should be clear and easily recognized. You may not have the financial resources to create a fashionable homepage similar to those of the more popular brand, but your page should at least reflect a logo that is well known or a mascot, a video or an attractive image. You can use free software such as that found on www.logomaker.com to create your logo.

Register a Domain Name

Your business’s domain name will play a very important role to your online success. It should be unique, short and easy to remember. Both the search engines and your customers will be using it to find you online and a long domain name will easily be ignored and forgotten. Spend quality time to create your domain name before you go ahead and purchase it. Once you have paid for a domain name you are stuck with it for a year or possible more based on the decision you make. NameSilo is a great source where you can register your domain name.

Select Your Web Hosting Service

There are a number of web hosts out there, but it is important that you select one that supports both PHP and MySQL databases. The backend language that will be used to operate your online store and the selection of the proper server settings are very important. Hostgator and Bluehost are good options for first timers.

Select Your Ecommerce Package

You can choose to build your online store with either a hosted solution or a licensed script. Hosted solutions take care of everything on the back end and your e-commerce scripts will be hosted on their server. This frees you of any programming or file uploading responsibilities. Your domain name will be used to redirect and give you a distinct URL. Hosted solutions are good for those who do not want to take on the direct responsibility of dealing with the security risks associated with online payments. Choices for hosted service include Yahoo! Merchant Solution, Shopify and BigCommerce.

A licensed script is easy to customize and is used by most online stores. It is available as both a free and an open source. You will have to handle the downloading and re-uploading of scripted files but it is an easy process. Magento and Zen Cart are popular online scripts.

These pointers are good starters for anyone who is thinking of creating their own ecommerce websites. They are basic steps which will help set the pace for future development of your business.

Know Your Guest Author:

Hugh Yearsley is a business software consultant. He shares his knowledge and insights on various software blogs. Visit Ordoro.com to learn about shipping label software solutions.

About the author 

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These posts are submitted by our Guest Bloggers. We accept guest posts on topics that are relevant to our blog like blogging, internet entrepreneurship tutorials, affiliate marketing, social media etc. You can read more about how to submit guest posts by visiting our write-for-us page.

My name is Dilip. I am a fan of the internet and love the many opportunities that the world wide web provides. If used constructively , the internet can give you an opportunity to lead a life free of the 9-5 treadmill and will be able to give more time to your family members. Read about internet entrepreneurship at my blog.

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