Getting your business on the Web

[mandy]

Getting your business on the Web

E-commerce is just one part of a solid Web presence, but an important one. We look at what you need to get yourself up and running...

...you need a plan an e-commerce solution that will grow as your business does.

covers: basic building blocks of ecommerce, choosing whether to do it yourself or outsource, choosing a scalable solution

http://insight.zdnet.co.uk/internet/ecom...692,00.htm

[valleygirl]

The basic building blocks she lists seem so basic they should be second nature but so many store owners build a site without using them and don't understand why they don't have any sales.

[amy]

the basics:

 

* Aesthetics — the site must be well designed to attract customers.
    * Navigability — potential customers must be able to get around the site easily
    * Ease of use — the site must make it easy for customers to place orders
    * Security — customers must be assured that credit card and personal information sent in transactions is protected
    * Availability — the site must be up and running 24/7 to avoid lost business

Aesthetics--try to avoid  scrolling 'welcome to my store' banners and animated mailbox icons at all costs  :twistedevil:
Security--SSL certificates are available for under $20
Availability--the cheapest web host you can find could turn out to be the most expensive if your site is down 10% of the time..

edited to say: If you feel the need to tell your life's story then do it on an 'about us' page and not on your store's front page.