The Wholesale Forums

[laptgoptraders]

Hi I am looking to set up a site and I am looking for a host

preferably with a online site builder and easy to use shopping site software

Any advice

Thanks

[Brandsearcher]

Pete. Where are you?

[Pete]

I think he's looking for one of those deals like Volusion, where you pay them $ 29.95 to $ 99.95 or more a month for the whole deal. Me and my measly $ 5 a month and get a better deal just won't do.

Of course, I do provide the hosting for as low as $ 4.49 a month. And I do install a cart free, so all that needs to be done is load your products and fill in your name, etc and shipping rates, etc. Maybe I ought to call it an "online solution" and get $ 24.95 a month?

But it wouldn't be fair. With those online deals they often control the domain name, won't let you take it when you leave. And they definitely own the proprietary software that you cannot take with you if you want to leave. You sort of marry them when you sign up. And you quickly learn to dance to their tune.

And here, for so much less, I urge my clients to buy their own domain, so there is no way I can control it. And I offer open source and free shopping carts that they can take anywhere, anytime they get tired of me. I give them the username and password of their database, so they can copy that if they decide to move. Those online site-builders don't do any of that.

Maybe I don't charge enough. Let's see, if I charge more and offer less and maintain complete control over their data to the point they can't even take it when they leave, maybe I could say I was an online shopping cart provider.
.

[greedyboy]

Pete's advise is the best. Get your own domain with Cubecart installed and you are ready to go!

[laptgoptraders]

That sounds great but how easy is to use cubecart. ie upload images add products etc


i already have a couple of domain names so i would just need to transfer them

[FiveStarWholesale]

If you do decide to go down the whole 'shop set up' then I've heard good things about EKM Powershop. Easy set up etc although it does cost around £20 and your shop can end up looking the same as hundreds of others.

1and1 also offer a service but I've never heard any feedback on it.

[amguncrazy]

heard a lot of bad things about 1and1 thou

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=664340
http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=662832

just a taster

[Pete]

Well, with CubeCart you can either upload a batch of images at once with ftp, or you can just add each as you enter the description, price, etc.

It's as simple as finding on your PC and clicking. There is a Browse button that takes you right to your hard drive, you pick the image and give it a click. Could not be simplier.

The only thing that you might want to do is get a different "skin", the area around the cart itself. There are some free, some already made in the $ 20 to $ 100 range and there are designers who will do a custom skin for you.

Here are links to a default site and 3 skinned ones. The header on the default can easily be changed.

http://www.affordablehoster.com/cart/ - this is a play site, it may look a bit funny.
http://www.gifts.jowestcorp.com/inde...a2c6e25add537f
http://www.istockbargains.com/about-us/info_1.html
http://www.mediacroc.co.uk

And here is a "back room" you can check out. I can about guarantee the store is a bit messy, but you can see how things work, and can even add an item and upload an image. User is - admin password is - password

http://smallbusinesshoster.com/cubec...dmin/index.php
.

[amguncrazy]

like the back-room pete

it is quite simple, even i can use it lol

so basically , all i need is a domain and cubecart installed and am up running

[Pete]

That's it. $ 53.88 per annum.
.