Build your own website

[Clarence15]

Can anyone recommend a site which lets you build your own ecommerce website? Or is it better to pay someone to do it?

Doesn't need to be massively professional but I need to be able to upload product photos and take payment by card.

Unless you are technically minded, I would say it's probably far better to pay someone to build it - especially if you are serious about making money from the website, rather than just simply having a little dabble.

yes I would agree with Saffra - I would not buy from an online shop that looks home made (ie badly designed, low quality photos etc) as I would be worried about security issues.

Simon at UKsitebuilder did my DH's
some day I'll get to meet him but in the mean time I know that he's darn good at his job

Wix.com
Fab temPlates that are very professional
Really easy to use too and free

Just to add.... with selling effectively and successfully online, there is a lot more involved than getting a website up and running - e.g. SEO/online marketing and website usability.

What are you looking to sell?

Great site for getting small jobs done at low cost is www.flipajob.co.uk/categories/Websites

ALways pay a professional copy that can provide a professional image. Use the correct text, understand the market. Unfortunately, there are people who say they can do it but they cant and its false economy. Building a professional website requires experience and lets face it there are some dreadful ones out there- sorry but puts me off.

ALso professional photos a MUST. Around £500 half day. Business cards/stationery etc all need to follow the brand image. Copywriting is also advisable and legal jargon - T&Cs etc need to be correct.

Having a company that can set up numerous e-mail accounts and understand your system is essential and if they are local they can pop up and sort out any e-commence problems you may have.

I use bigcartel.com/examples works very well for me, you can customize the design, but really your photographs are everything when selling online, so it would be money better spent getting a pro to do your photographs IMO. But like Saffra says, it all totally depends what you're selling?

wix are good, there's also weebly. i use weebly but don't sell direct from it. i could do, but choose not to. instead it directs towards etsy.

why won't you consider Microsoft Office365? It gives you a website, your email (25GB), your office web apps (word, powerpoint, excel) and IM for just £4 per month per user. This is all cloud based and Microsoft will host everything so you don't have to worry about buying servers etc...

I work for a Microsoft gold partner and we are launchign support services for this now and I think this would be ideal for a start up or for a professional.

Drop me a line on my work email if you would like some more info.

[email protected]

Regards,
sal