| Like most average persons, I wanted some extra | | | | is the best software program for graphics. Adobe |
| money to supplement my regular income. I had | | | | "Photoshop Elements" can also be used, but is a |
| considered a part time second job at times, but | | | | limited version of the full Photoshop software. The |
| hated that option because it would take me away | | | | programs from Adobe are expensive so shop around |
| from the family, make me more tired and probably | | | | for the best price.Web hosting is very important and |
| just pay minimum wage. I also wanted to be able to | | | | you need to comparison shop for features first, not |
| work from home.I had surfed the internet for years | | | | on price. Web hosting and ecommerce are extremely |
| and had often considered the idea of participating in | | | | related, and learned by personal experience the |
| the internet revolution. I had read some statistics on | | | | mistake trying to separate ecommerce from web |
| the use of internet and the increasing numbers of | | | | hosting. The web host company is the company that |
| homes with computers and the increasing percentage | | | | rents room on their server for your web site, but |
| of Christmas shopping done over the internet. So I | | | | they can much more. They can offer an integrated |
| decided to jump in with both feet.First what is | | | | shopping cart.The shopping cart is the heart of the |
| ecommerce? The online world designates web sites | | | | ecommerce web site. The shopping cart for all |
| devoted to retail sales as an e-commerce site. | | | | intents and purposes runs your ecommerce web site |
| E-commerce sites sell either information or hard | | | | so it is critical to get a good one. It contains and |
| goods such as cameras or knifes. E-commerce sites | | | | displays the products you intend to sell. It also does |
| also have Shopping Carts and Payment Gateways | | | | other neat administrative functions that will make |
| attached to them that non-sales web sites do not | | | | your store easier to run. There are some stand alone |
| need.Ok......so you want to develop an E-commerce | | | | shopping carts for sale but most come with web |
| site. You are now probably asking do I have enough | | | | hosting service attached.The "Payment Gateway" is |
| skill, mental patience or aptitude to be | | | | the cashier in the store and is also known as a |
| successful?Well if you have average intelligence, I | | | | "Merchant Account." This is basically a business credit |
| believe that you and thousands of people just like | | | | card account. The payment gateway allows your se |
| you could have an E-commerce web site. All that is | | | | store to accept credit cards and transfer money to |
| required is the willingness to learn a few things, | | | | you. Merchant Accounts are very important and you |
| patience, and the determination to apply | | | | should also carefully review their services and prices. |
| yourself.How? I am glad you asked.Let's begin. We | | | | If you do not get a merchant account you are |
| first need to discuss the basics components you will | | | | pretty much limited to papal. Search the web and |
| need.1. Computer | | | | check out the available shopping carts and payment |
| 2. Internet connection | | | | gateways.Now what are you going to sell, and where |
| 3. Site building software | | | | are you going to get it? You can look every where |
| 4. Graphics Software | | | | for the products you want to sell. How do you know |
| 5. Web hosting company | | | | what will sell well? You need to do some market |
| 6. Shopping cart | | | | research. Not everything sells well, including |
| 7. Payment gatewayThe above elements are where | | | | electronics. If you have no preference on what to |
| most people stop when they think of what they will | | | | sell, find some marketing software that will allow you |
| need when they want to start an ecommerce site. | | | | to determine which products ell well online.Next, you |
| However, there are other elements that need to be | | | | will need a source for those products. Assuming you |
| considered, such as getting legal and product | | | | are not making them yourself. The best way is to |
| sourcing.Items 1 and 2 above are pretty straight | | | | drop ship them. The trouble is finding a reliable drop |
| forward and most people can understand why they | | | | ship source and avoiding the imposters.Once you find |
| are necessary. The other items however are a little | | | | you product source you need to open an account |
| more complex. Site building software allows the | | | | and stock your store and start selling. There munch |
| beginner to construct a web site without knowing | | | | more to an ecommerce store then can be explained |
| html programming code. What is Html programming | | | | in a brief article format. As someone who recently |
| Code?Html is the programming language of the | | | | went from zero to an online store Cynscorion.com), I |
| internet and stands for Hyper Text Mark Up | | | | know first hand of the pit falls that await the |
| Language. The two best software programs | | | | beginning ecommerce site builder.If you want to learn |
| currently available to write Html are Microsoft's | | | | more about what to avoid in building an ecommerce |
| FrontPage 2003 or Macromedia's Dreamweaver. | | | | site go to either: and go to the bottom of the page |
| These programs are more correctly known as HTML | | | | and click on "Ecommerce Book For Beginners" ,or go |
| Editors.These two programs are the best ones | | | | to: |
| available. I have them both but use FrontPage 2003 | | | | This book is for people undecided on whether to |
| primarily. I think FrontPage 2003 is easier to use and | | | | start an ecommerce site and want to find one point |
| does better tables then Dreamweaver. Most | | | | of reference to assist them in making their |
| professional web site developers, however consider | | | | decision.Lastly, I wish you good luck and success in |
| Dreamweaver the better of the two because some | | | | your ecommerce endeavors. If I can do it, so can |
| claim it has more features, but I find it is a little more | | | | you!For additional assistance go to: |
| complicated to use. I would recommend that you | | | | author created his own ecommerce web site going |
| surf the internet and read the reviews on both of | | | | from knowing nothing to having a fully functional |
| these programs and make you own choice.Next you | | | | ecommerce site on the web, and wrote a book on |
| will need a good graphic program such as Adobe | | | | the experience. The aptly titled "STEP 1: E-commerce |
| Photoshop 6. A graphics program allows you | | | | for Beginners" explains to BEGINNERS what "STEP 1" |
| manipulate the size of images create images in | | | | is, and what they should be prepared for and makes |
| different formats and create special effects. | | | | recommedations to make the experience of building |
| "PhotoShop 6" is the current version from Adobe and | | | | the 1st web site less stressful. |