SO YOU WANT A WEBSITE

[Ferg]

I have finished my new website for selling a few leather items plus I done another site for our main business at the same time.

I used GoDaddy. Dug deeply into the five most highly regarded Hosting, Domain Regstrars, Site building companies on the Net. After much fussing and fuming I decided to use GoDaddy. It wasn't easy. These companies have one thing in mind, make money. I have no problem with that as I like to do that also. My problem with them is how they approach getting it. There are hundreds of little traps in the programs to either convince you that you must have so-and-so or they require you to "sign Up" for trials that will automatically Renew unless you figure a way to get out of them. 

Approach these with extreme caution. If you are not at least an Intermediate User of a computer, have someone else do the site for you. If you are adept at writing the different nuances of WebSite Code, by all means use an editor and a program you like, don't go this route. I have written several sites with code. It has been several years since I done it and quite honestly, I simply did not wish to refresh my memory and dive into it again.

Secondly. This is not cheap. I have Hosting for my two sites, Top Level SSL with McAfee, GD holds the Domains, I have WebSite Builder with Online Store for both. I can change/edit anything I wish at any time. Use my photos or theirs, redo their suggested layouts, etc. they will give you a dedicated e-mail Free for one year, you pay for after that. I can set up Search Engines from my sites, we will see how much good that does. I never pay for Search. I have done it myself for years after finding the money spent with most done absolutely nothing. When I learned how to do it with Meta Words etc. I was consistently within the first ten to twenty sites listed. If you are beyond that you will get very few "Clicks". Which BTW, you can buy from the "Slicks". They amount to absolutely nothing in my opinion. They can make your site have "Hits" if it rains.

What it boils down to? You must have something to sell that is either unique or better than what is available and at a price at which you can afford to manufacture plus offer impeccable service. If they say a Swivel Knife cut is out of alignment and you know it isn't, you replace the item and ask for the item to be returned to you in original condition and in the original packaging. Then you send a new item with a smile.

Price: !!!!!!!! For the two sites I just finished enough to put them On-Line, I have between $800 and $1000 invested. That breaks down to parts being for one year, some two years. I may never sell enough leather items to cover the cost of that page, I know that. The Puzzle Site will pay for both of them in one year. It is established and we have had that business for forty years.

I am not advertising for anyone nor trying to sell to any of you. I sincerely hope my experience will help some of you that are riding the fence to make a decision.

"fergsleatheronline.com"

"namepuzzles4kids.com"

Good Luck!

Ferg

Edited April 17, 2018 by Ferg

[JD62]

Thanks Ferg. I've been thinking about a site for my wifes products and some of my own,but honestly dont know the first thing about "building a site" and would probably goten myself in trouble so I do appreciate the heads up.

[rodneywt1180b]

Thank you for sharing your experiences with starting your own site.  It indicates I made the right decision for me.

I'm borderline computer illiterate.  I can turn one on and type but not much more than that.  After checking out various selling sites like Ebay and Etsy I decided that I would use Etsy instead of trying to manage my own site.  They take a cut but it's a manageable one and it's easy.  Are there things I don't like? Yes.  That said I believe that for me the pros outweigh the cons.

[brmax]

Thanks this is a great deal of information, super helpful. 

 

Floyd