The Wholesale Forums

[Pete]

bondandco, there are 2 diametrically opposed views on this. One is "throw money at it and you'll have a successful site."

And the other is "money doesn't matter, you can do it for very little."

I supply shopping carts to those who agree with the second statement. A cart is pretty basic, they all do pretty much the same thing. The difference is in the "design".

I'm not going to get into a lot of debate with the "you have to spend a lot" crowd. I'll just list a few of my clients and let you judge for yourself.

Your cost will be about $ 5 USD per month. I install th basic cart free. Here's a cart where he paid me $ 14.97 two weeks ago. That's it. He did change the template, I don't know the cost of that, but I'd bet he has not spent $ 100 USD total.

He still has to add more inventory, and frankly, I'd get some products in the middle of the home page, but he's well on his way and has done it all himself, after a quick shove by me. Check it out $ 14.97 for 3 months hosting -

www.bargain-boutique.net

Here are a few more. They all have non-default "skins", some free, some paid for. I can't tell you how much, I don't sell them, but I will install them.

www.mediacroc.co.uk

http://AllRoundBargains.co.uk

http://poshpongs.co.uk

http://span-trade.co.uk

http://confidentcurves.co.uk - click around on this and see the multiple images of the items.

Nothing extreme, just some nice carts.

I'll be glad to help you, you can email me at pete at smallbusinesshoster dot com and I'll answer any questions.
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[geosamm]

Originally Posted by bondandco

full unique design for £150ish.

This will be the killer..... the rest you can get cheap but effective... see Pete above..... but "full unique design"...... not for 150ish

[Andy777]

Originally Posted by Pete

bondandco, there are 2 diametrically opposed views on this. One is "throw money at it and you'll have a successful site."

I'll go with this one

Ok, maybe not that radical but I have seen so many failures ONLY because shop looks like a crap that I stand behind quality day or night.

What's more interesting for me is - sellers are investing thousands of pounds in stock but to create online shop they can only afford to invest 100 quid or so? C'mon!!! From how you will design your shop, build functionality, position it - will depend your success!

Nothing personal Pete, but most of os commerce and cube cart shops without fully customized layout, design and functionality looks really bad. I have never bought anything from shops like these.

[geosamm]

Originally Posted by Andy777

sellers are investing thousands of pounds in stock but to create online shop they can only afford to invest 100 quid or so?

if this statement is valid then I agree, its ludicrous.

Got to give Andy a yes and a no on his comments... some inexpensive options are available and should be considered, depending on your budget and your ability to customise it to some extent.

All this should have been budgeted in at start up or conception.

The idea that sellers, on here, are spending thousands of pounds on stock is I think stretching it a little. A few maybe, the ones with a little knowledge and experience combined with determination and daring, but as we have seen most want to buy "stock" for £100 or less and limit themselves to the confines of their bedrooms and ebay.

If you are serious about business, and going down that route I would always advise, spend the time and money on a distinctive presence and marketing.

If your content with a bit of cash on the side.... go for the marketing.

If your just content with turning the snow yellow... does it matter?

I mean no disrespect to Andy [who seems to have his business head screwed on the right way] or Pete [who offers good product and service at good prices]

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Andy777

Nothing personal Pete, but most of os commerce and cube cart shops without fully customized layout, design and functionality looks really bad. I have never bought anything from shops like these.

Andy, in nearly every thread of this sort someone will make such a statement. And while for some it may actually be true, they are people like you and I (not that I feel that way, but) who are online most of the time. Many are actually site designers.

When I see the success people do have with plain Jane carts, with little or no design work done, I know that is not the feeling of most online shoppers. You can stand above the crowd and be particular about where you buy, but the majority of folks with don't have such concerns.

I would not have people continuing to pay their fees and even ask about opening additional shops if they were not selling some goods.

Yes, it's good to look different. But with the folks here, many of whom are just starting on a budget, to tell them they need to invest thousands in "infrastructure" for site design is telling thousands of people - "don't bother, you'll never be successful without a custom designed website."

Thzt'a just not so. It's just a make-work program for site designers.

And possibly a bit of snobbishness.
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[Andy777]

Pete, I do not talk about thousands - you can get super website for 300-500 GBP, custom designed, modified and ready to go

Also, I don't argue that with ugly looking website you can make lots of money - but in all those cases - imagine how much more you would make with a professional one???

I have always believed in giving the best to my customers and if this means a 200 quid eBay Shop design and 500 quid for e-commerce, I will do that because I know that it will pay back many times over the years!

[Pete]

I'm not talking about ugly - here are some free skins - Hardly common or ugly -

http://www.cubecartforums.org/index.php?showtopic=3790

http://www.cubecartforums.org/index.php?showtopic=1577

http://www.cubecartforums.org/index.php?showtopic=699

http://www.cubecartforums.org/index.php?showtopic=246

http://www.cubecartforums.org/index.php?showtopic=5456

And here are some "under $ 100" skins -

http://www.cubecartforums.org/index.php?showtopic=5957

http://www.cubecartforums.org/index.php?showtopic=5903

http://www.cubecartforums.org/index.php?showtopic=5663

http://www.cubecartforums.org/index.php?showtopic=5081

Can't call them Budget Busters, now can we?

Again, for $ 100 or so someone can have a nice looking cart.

This $ 300 and up stuff may be nice, but not necessary.
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[Andy777]

I don't argue on that

It's just my opinion and at the end of the day - it will probably depend on how high each and every person sets the bar. I have set it pretty high, maybe that's my problem

It's just my philosophy - Be The Best and results will come! Tomorrow, I'm launching my new eBay Shop and already I can see that it will be the best within that market in terms of stock quality & assortment, shop design, pre-sales & after sales customer support etc..

It's just easier to work when you can beat your competitors before you even start the marketing part

But as I said - it's probably an individual choice! And sure - you can get nice looking online store using free or sub $150 skins & templates, no doubt about that.

[Pete]

If everyone waited until they could afford to be The Number One in their niche, there would be far fewer sites on the net.

We have far more newbies here than experienced business people with appreciable funding. It's fine to set ideals, but to just tell everyone wishing their slice of the pie it takes 1,000 USD or GBP or anything else for that matter is just not realistic.

Not you Andy, there are others who just right off the bat expect every site to be world class - with someone else's money, of course.

It's just not so. Ideal? Yeah, we'd all like to have Bill Gates behind us. But you've got to do the best you can with what you've got.
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[Andy777]

Yep, we all started with something (I don't want to remember my first site , it was total crap).

I suppose it's just a part of this game.