Nov 19, 2015
What is the best eCommerce solution for a very small, very simple, one product company?
I'm setting up what I view as a trial company - i.e. I can't validate the demand, so I'm going to try it and see if demand exists. So I need something very simple and very cheap. I don't have a website set up yet. Here are the requirements:
1) No HTML coding required (I'm smart, but don't want to learn it).
2) Must have form creation capability, including ability to upload an image.
3) Minimal cost. My entire start-up costs aside from the eCommerce solution are going to be <$500, so it doesn't make sense to spend $1000 for someone to build a website for me.
It's a physical product which is customized for each customer. Cost will be about $20-25, which is considerably cheaper than customer make it themselves. My COGS should be about $5 per unit. Shipping will be a constant (1st class mail).
My marketing will be done primarily via Facebook ads. SEO is not going to be the primary driver.
I've tried to learn what I can about sites like Shopify, as well as Wordpress based solutions and Paypal type solutions. Now I'm more confused than ever.
I'd appreciate any input and suggestions.
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Nov 19, 2015
Here are my thoughts on the subject. For a web site the choices are WordPress which is free or something like Wix or the ones like it where you will pay a higher monthly fee but they are drag and drop.
I am going to suggest WordPress. Now there are two options I can suggest. One is to go to YouTube and search for " creating a business website" and there will be lots and lots of tutorials. Find one at least an hour long. The shorter ones don't go into as much detail. Watch it once. Then watch it again but pause on each step. Use the same free template they are using and do each step after they show you how pausing, the video to complete them. You can have a sharp web site up in a day that will cost you a few bucks a month. WordPress is the most popular way of doing a web site these days and many major companies use it. Even companies such as eBay and the NY Times.
The second option would be also to use WordPress but to go on Fiverr.com and you can get someone to create the website for you for $ 5.00 to $ 30.00. You will need to come up with the photos and wording.
Now for the online store part of it I will suggest something I have used for the past 10 years and have been happy with. You won't hear too many people talk about it but they do have 10's of thousands of people using it. It is Mals-e.com What I like about it is all you have to do is create one hyperlink. You don't need an SSL certificate. They use theirs. You can use PayPal or any credit card (you need to arrange that). Basically when you get an order they will email you and you log in and retrieve the order info and credit card number in their database. You don't need any special templates. They have a button generator that will make the buy it now button if you wish and the best part is that it is totally free. There is a premium program which is cheap but you don't need it. I have used the free version on multiple web sites with hundreds of products for 10 years with total satisfaction.
Nov 19, 2015
Hi Jan -
Great email. Congrats on your product and you seem to be really on top of all the right points (margins, COGS, etc). I've been looking for a simple online store solution for my wife who's starting an antique and gift idea business. Want to start online first and follow with retail once buzz takes hold. I've come to the conclusion that we'll revisit the Magento and Shopify solutions once she's off the ground. Great customizability etc but seems complicated for a novice like me. To start, I think we are going to use a GoDaddy-esqe out-of-the-box solution for ease of startup and low startup cost. I've heard that other site hosting companies have similar shopping cart solutions and I hope some of my mosaicHub colleagues will bring them up (for my benefit as well). I've dealt with GoDaddy for years so I like them as my first option, but I am open to suggestion.
Good luck and PM me if I can help in any way.
Nov 21, 2015
Hi Jan,
After reading all your requirements including budget , I would like to recommend you Yo!Kart which is a multi vendor eCommerce platform to start an eCommerce marketplace. You can buy Yo!kart copy at the price of $250. It is becoming best choice for startups who want to enter in the eCommerce industry in less investment.
Yo!Kart has many advanced features including :
- Three layer security
- Robust report generation;
- Free hosting for 1 year
- New Features/Auto Upgrades
- 1 year free tech support
- Customizable design.
Below are the Multi store and Multi-Vendor Specific Features of Yo!Kart which you should check:
- Multistore: You can create as many shops/vendors as you want with option to manage all shops from single admin.
- Stable and reliable: Its continuous development and enhancements makes it a stable eCommerce Platform.
- Scalability: No matter what is the size of your business, Yokart can help you to succeed. Supports unlimited number of products, shops, categories & brands.
- Easy in administration: The control panel is clear and convenient so no special technical skills are required.
- Convenient site navigation: simplicity and intelligibility of the interface.
- Optimized for search engines: It helps to define SEO friendly URLs and add meta tags for every products, category, shops, brands & Content Pages.
- Easy to Understand & Customize: Basic html and css knowledge is enough to handle.
- Responsive: Supports all major mobile devices.
- Major payment gateway supports like Paypal, Authorize, Payu etc...
Multi-Vendor Specific features of Yo!Kart :
- Unlimited Number of Vendor Accounts.
- Multiple Vendors, Single Storefront.
- Products from Multiple Vendors in One Order.
- Vendor Shop page management.
- Vendor Products on shop page.
- Vendor Ratings and feedback.
- Separate Area to Manage Orders/Sales for Each Vendor.
- Common Payment Processing.
- Withdrawal System to request payouts.
- Vendor Dashboard with Total sales, latest orders, Chart.
- Product Specific - Shipping Methods, Duration & Rates.
In addition to this, you will also get features like order processing, customer groups and intuitive interface for as low as $250. I think, Yo!Kart is fulfilling all your requirements and you may want to check more about it :) View further details about Yo!Kart here: http://www.fatbit.com/multi-vendor-ecommerce-system-yokart.html
Nov 19, 2015
Hi Jan,
Congratulations on your new business. Your email seems to suggest you're at test marketing stage with your product or measuring the market fit.
I'd suggest you find a low-cost or DIY web application custom made or off the shelf that offers a product landing (marketing) page with one click to purchase functionality. Most of them already come with a number of integrated payment modules. In this way, there'd be no need for unnecessary coding etc. And more importantly, keep your costs down.
Codecanyon or Themeforest is a good place to start. (NO AFFILIATION)
Get in touch if you need further assistance or I can be of further help.
Good luck.
Nov 19, 2015
Shopify, Wordpress, and Paypal would likely be along the lines of your best options. If you find those options daunting I don't imaging Godaddy's options will feel much better to you, but I could be wrong.
Could you find someone on upWork or Fiverr that can set it up for you at a reasonable cost.
Nov 20, 2015
You might be able to get a cheap website but will it help you sell your product?These are two separate things. If the site does not have the correct UX strategy your bounce rates might be high. Which means your conversions rates will be low (little to no sales) Creating a design that is professional and trustworthy and showcases you the product features takes time. Furthermore, online users are raising the bar on websites. They expect a nice, friendly user experience. If you don't have the UX strategy done right its a problem. Good luck! Would love to see a follow-up on your project.
Jan 25, 2016
Go with Shopify. It supports good SEO and Facebook integrated for marketing. You can purchase good themes as well. I implemented for one client and he is happy with quick delivery and customization done.
Nov 21, 2015
For something experimental like this, I think your simplest option is to make a landing page where users will be directed when they click your Facebook ad. Ideally, that page should reveal your product, the description or sales copy, and an "Add to Cart" button so they can purchase it. You're also probably thinking of adding a form so they can contact you.
To achieve this, here's the only thing you need:
Step 1: Create your free website at Big Cartel
* Sign up for a free account to upload up to 5 products (1 photo each). If you need more photos, then get the Titanium plan at $9.99 per month because it lets you upload up to 5 photos per product (and 25 products max). If you're only running the ad for less than a month then that $9.99 is all you have to pay.
Here's their signup page: https://www.bigcartel.com/signup/
* Good news: Your big cartel website already comes with a free contact form.
If you need a different kind of form, you can make one (drag-and-drop style) at https://www.emailmeform.com/. Copy the form's generated code, then paste it on your big cartel "custom page" section. Easy.
Step 2 [Optional]: If you really want to have your own ".com" (I'm not sure if it's that important to you at this stage), then I suggest you get one at GoDaddy.com. Just purchase the domain name and nothing else:
https://www.godaddy.com/domains/domain-name-search.aspx
Hope this helps.
Nov 24, 2015
Joomla and Virtuemart. Easy to modify and setup if you are good with figuring stuff out. You could also do Joomla / Wordpress and integrate Paypal, which is fairly simple as well
Nov 19, 2015
Jan, I agree with Richard recommending Godaddy.com web products (Domain, hosting, email, and others). Like Richard, I have used Godaddy for many years and their low cost and 24/7 tech support is very useful. Wish you great success in your endeavors!
BTW, forgot to add that both are free ;)