Forum Moderators: buckworks
That being said at least 1000 products all have individually created pop up html pages which all have to be updated per page - time consuming and problemic but doable for now. I am not a webdesigner but am very good at following and copying coding that I have had done already - don't necessarily understand it but someone else who created the original for me did and I am working off or something I am already using successfully. My thought is I know the most work in constructing a database is entering in all the data. If I have the database constructed with just a few products of each catagory and tell the designer the fields I am interested in being designated, and then also having a few pages created as a template just to set up the site in database form and then follow that lead and enter the other data/products in myself from there would this be a way I may be able to get this done now for something I could afford? I would love any feedback from database site people and coders! Thank You :)
It is something I knew enough to ask my old webdesigner when we had it created, but she said "you don't want to start with that".
The truth probably is that she didn't know how and wanted your money. So rather than to say "I only have dreamweaver, I don't know how" it is a method of keeping the client to make a pseudo-authoritative recommentation. I have customers with small custom CMS's and one or two products that are all database driven. If there is a plan for long-term expansion, there is not a single good reason to recommend a free-download text database system, other than a way to get the check from your hands to their account without looking incompetent.
but am very good at following and copying coding that I have had done already - don't necessarily understand it but someone else who created the original for me did and I am working off or something I am already using successfully
This is the second part of your problem, like many others you're trying to figure this out on your own without it costing you anything, using free apps and modifying them to your needs. Now you're in trouble. :-)
Look at it this way: your ecommerce site has been successful enough to quit your job, right? So it's time for you to get serious about it and stop patching it together. If you put it in your head you need to find someone you can trust to bring your site up to snuff, then also put it in your head that you can figure out a way to come up with the money to pay them for it.
"Can't afford it" is really what's limiting you right now, not the reality of it, the fact that this is how you see it. My wife started a brick-and-mortar on $800 and $1500 on her credit card. I built her a website. Two years later it's bringing in $40K, and we're ready for a big expansion this year, this year we break 6 figures. The whole time we've never been able to afford it. But we figured out ways because we had to.
So now for the good news. :-D There are at least 10 other things that a good programmer can add to your ecommerce management rather than just the task of storing the items in a database, things that will improve your management as well as improve company image and increase sales. To begin with, a good perl or php programmer should be able to port your text database into a mysql database with his or her eyes closed. This is basic stuff. So that in itself shouldn't be very expensive.
Secondly, you mention all these HTML files in popups (bad) that need to be edited manually (really bad.) Imagine this: you log in to your admin account, create or edit an item, and those product pages are automatically created or updated using a product page template that you create. Either that, or they are dynamically output as someone comes to the site. So your only hands-on product editing is the actual product template and the few static pages you have, everything else is done through your administration area.
The alternative of course is to learn how to program it all yourself. Do you have the time for that?
So this is the deal. You can continue scrambling around looking for free or no cost solutions and patching it together, or you can figure out how to budget a quality programmer into your site, get it done right, and begin rising above the norm.
>> I know the most work in constructing a database is entering in all the data.
Well it depends actually. In your case with a 1000 products it could be. But there is a lot work in the keyword selection and search engine optimization. Not counting making the site search engine friendly.
As for starting off with a db driven site - that also depends. Databases are great for stores with many products because their strength is in giving the store owner the ability to add/edit/delete products as they wish. If the product line doesn't change much or the store own only has a few products, it's far more cost effective for them to use a static site and hire a developer to make the edits. It's a great way for the store owner to get their feet wet at a lower cost.
So what did we do? Well, during college for my e-commerce/web administration degree one of the required classes was to get an internship at a web company or for a business with a website. So I contacted my old professer and we had 5 applicants to choose from. We then had them do product entry but also taught them many other aspects of running an e-commerce store. And suprisingly the "kids" could do product entry much faster than us "older" folks. We paid them $10/hr although when I had that class, some people took non paying internships just so they could pass the class.
So I'd suggest asking around at local colleges for internet/media type degrees that require internships. However don't make them do 100% product entry. Let them give you advice on your design (even if you don't want to change it). Assign them tasks for updating graphics, links, text etc. Even if the colleges dont have an internship program I'm sure many students would love to get some hands on experience. They may even be knowledgeable in some areas like SEO or PPC and give you some good advice.
If you're looking to have something specific created there are lots of programmers/companies who can do that. The trick is finding a company in your budget range who knows what their doing. I would NOT recommend having interns program your site, or having an e-commerce newbie create your site.
If you have a limited budget shop around a bit and get a few quotes which meet your needs.
nn :)
prob cos it's not a cure-all - it may be free, but doesn't make it right for the job (the conversion of a static website to database driven site and entering tons of data) and may not be suitable for someone without the programming skills necessary to set it all up properly and it could be better to employ a designer/developer
but yes, there are plenty of "out of the box" systems to choose from like actinic / ecommerce templates / oscommerce etc - one of those might be suitable - but they're not the only options
"can't afford" is merely an excuse
the business makes you a living - rebuilding the website with a database could cost a couple of thousand - so probably only a small percentage of your income
getting the database system set up will allow you to add products much faster - your business will grow faster - sales will increase faster (hopefully!) - therefore switching to a database system is an investment in your business
so it's really a case of can you afford NOT to do it?
