thinking of starting web based business - help required!

[fridgeraiders]

i'm thinking of starting a mail order type business and would appreciate any help/tips. As well as stock i guess my main expense would be a proper website but I have zero idea of costs. Can anyone give me a 'ball park' figure? I know it depends on many things but I'm trying to get a rough idea of budget.
Also, in terms of postage, does anyone do anything other than royal mail and how do other companies work?
I am at the early stages (i.e. yet to actually do anything yet!) so if you have any advice at all I will take it!

bump

Have you looked into options like Facebook to start off with rather than a full website? Or selling through eBay, just to find out how much interest there would be in the product you are selling? A website really can cost as much or as little as you want to spend! Regarding couriers, apparently parcel monkey are very cheap to use for postage, personally I'd just be googling courier services (or words to that effect!) and seeing who had the cheapest rates for the size of parcels you are posting, you can get quotes online for them.

What is it you are going to be selling? Find a specialist website to sell through like etsy/can'tgetontgehighstreet etc.