Opening an Online Store
Can I be selling my stuff right online, just like everybody else?
Almost certainly- it all depends on your chosen market. Opening an online store can be a very inexpensive way to reach a much larger marketplace,
given the right product line and a focused, target audience. An online store has a relatively low overhead, but a number of technical considerations that we can help with.
• Ecommerce Software / Shopping Cart - a number of different setups exist, from turn-key operations where someone else is managing your money, product database, etc., to open source shopping carts that you set up yourself.
• Merchant Account - Online merchant services requires a specific merchant account, different from POS sales.
• SSL - A Secure Sockets Layer Certificate is required to ensure the security of online credit card processing.
• Store Design - Ecommerce software requires its own visual design setup, usually from included templates. Further custom modification is also possible.
• Website Integration - Making your store (which could be hosted elsewhere) a visually integral part of your site.
• Product List and Data Management - A store begins when you import product information into the backend database, i.e. put something on your "shelves". Unlike most web design firms, we can provide any and all database development, data migration and administration, data scrubbing, and other data related services.
• Product Highlighting and Specials - A store's front page is just like a street level store window- it's important to make good use of the space that first greets your customer's eyes.
• SEO and Web Marketing - No store can survive long without customers. Professional Search Engine Optimization is crucial to bringing in the right customers for the right reasons. More agressive marketing strategies include Pay Per Click, banner advertising, external site product placement, and much more.
