E-commerce web site

[Lunk1]

Any advantages of a custom coded site vs out of the box design like Shopify for a e-commerce web store?

[Lunk1]

You guys are a ton of fkn help

[songdog]

You got me lost bro.

[numbere]

Any advantages of a custom coded site vs out of the box design like Shopify for a e-commerce web store?

The main advantage to a custom site is that you don't have to do anything other than cut a check.

The disadvantages are that you have to deal with a with an IT person who will likely be socially awkward and be hard to reach because they tend to have several projects happening at once all of which they find more interesting than your website.

Imo you're better off doing it yourself because if you want to change a photo or contact number you don't have to play email tag with someone who has lost interest in the project because they've already been paid.

[Marsoc]

Is it like a lab or training site..confused on the relavance

[Lunk1]

Is it like a lab or training site..confused on the relavance

Its the lounge, since when is anything relevant?

[diesel101]

Its the lounge, since when is anything relevant?

Everything is relevant and very serious in the lounge.

[RaginCajun]

You guys are a ton of fkn help

you're welcome

[Marsoc]

Its the lounge, since when is anything relevant?

I dunno I figured u were asking a question pertaining to stocks or something. Unsure. But yeah that's cool. Just wondering

[RaginCajun]

Its the lounge, since when is anything relevant?

hello, redz is back

[Mooseman33]

and full of bullshit

[CrossOps]

Ok, let me lay this out. You want to use a full CMS (Content Management Suite), and the main one to consider is WordPress hands down. Its modularity is fantastic. Aside from the ability to update its CORE without touching the various extensions (plugins) is the reason its so appealing.

So yes, use WordPress, and then an ecommerce package, in this case, the only acceptable choice is WooCommerce.

I run 6 online stores, and they all run this setup, and all are ranking very high for the specific keywords that we targeted. I have been doing website ecommerce design for 13 years.

There are many plugins you can add to the CMS, however be sure to target: Yoast SEO Pack, XML Sitemapping, WooCommerce, CSS Custom+, and a few others that may or may not be applicable to your scenario.

Remember, on proprietary sites that offer you an all in one "Online Store", you forfeit your content rights, and there is no defensive argument that the DMCA could mount in your defense that your "content is yours" as you accepted their TOS. AND... all your work to promote your store or to market it, is in vain because they host you database (more than likely PHP/MySQL) and they have copies of EVERY one of your customers.

Do what you want, but I would not touch Shopify or any other co-hosted virtual store with a 10 foot pole.

[Zodiac82]

^^^^ errrr whhaaaaa lol

[Lunk1]

Ok, let me lay this out. You want to use a full CMS (Content Management Suite), and the main one to consider is WordPress hands down. Its modularity is fantastic. Aside from the ability to update its CORE without touching the various extensions (plugins) is the reason its so appealing.

So yes, use WordPress, and then an ecommerce package, in this case, the only acceptable choice is WooCommerce.

I run 6 online stores, and they all run this setup, and all are ranking very high for the specific keywords that we targeted. I have been doing website ecommerce design for 13 years.

There are many plugins you can add to the CMS, however be sure to target: Yoast SEO Pack, XML Sitemapping, WooCommerce, CSS Custom+, and a few others that may or may not be applicable to your scenario.

Remember, on proprietary sites that offer you an all in one "Online Store", you forfeit your content rights, and there is no defensive argument that the DMCA could mount in your defense that your "content is yours" as you accepted their TOS. AND... all your work to promote your store or to market it, is in vain because they host you database (more than likely PHP/MySQL) and they have copies of EVERY one of your customers.

Do what you want, but I would not touch Shopify or any other co-hosted virtual store with a 10 foot pole.

To use a custom coded word press site would require tech support to make any changes to content or design. Not to mention the $10k plus set up and several month wait.

With a box option like shopify it's 10% of the cost, can be built up in weeks and allowance to track customer data and make changes myself such as adding product, applying discount codes etc.

[Euroholic]

E commerce? Like internet shares? Just ring your bank

[CrossOps]

To use a custom coded word press site would require tech support to make any changes to content or design. Not to mention the $10k plus set up and several month wait.

With a box option like shopify it's 10% of the cost, can be built up in weeks and allowance to track customer data and make changes myself such as adding product, applying discount codes etc.

Well, let me address this piece by piece.

#1 False. You make all your own changes with WordPress, because its a CMS.
#2 Setup time. I can setup a WordPress CMS / With modules / With Theme in under 1 hour.
#3 You do not need ANY tech support to do anything with WordPress, content or otherwise.
#4 $10k setup?!
#5 You can track anything and everything customer, order, blog, content, coupons, shipping options, or plugin wise with WordPress. Its not even a close comparison.

Do not misunderstand me, this is not a sales pitch, its merely trying to clarify your misinformation, as it is highly inaccurate.

Setup Times: (admin or moderators, please let me know if these need to be removed, using these as examples):

Render Payment: WordPress install, plugin install, and theme setup: 3 hours / Render Payment - Cannabis Merchant Solutions
Overwatch: WordPress install, plugin install, and theme setup: 4 hours / Overwatch - Product Management
ENDEXO: WordPress install, plugin install, and theme setup: 3 hours / ENDEXO
CBD Warehouse: WordPress install, plugin install, and theme setup: 2 hours / CBD Warehouse

Your comparative analysis of the two technologies is as flawed as I have ever seen. If you start on a Shopify website, and I start on a new WordPress installation at the same time, I will be done with a full demo setup in under 2 hours. It wont even be close...

[Lunk1]

Well, let me address this piece by piece.

#1 False. You make all your own changes with WordPress, because its a CMS.
#2 Setup time. I can setup a WordPress CMS / With modules / With Theme in under 1 hour.
#3 You do not need ANY tech support to do anything with WordPress, content or otherwise.
#4 $10k setup?!
#5 You can track anything and everything customer, order, blog, content, coupons, shipping options, or plugin wise with WordPress. Its not even a close comparison.

Do not misunderstand me, this is not a sales pitch, its merely trying to clarify your misinformation, as it is highly inaccurate.

Setup Times: (admin or moderators, please let me know if these need to be removed, using these as examples):

Render Payment: WordPress install, plugin install, and theme setup: 3 hours / Render Payment - Cannabis Merchant Solutions
Overwatch: WordPress install, plugin install, and theme setup: 4 hours / Overwatch - Product Management
ENDEXO: WordPress install, plugin install, and theme setup: 3 hours / ENDEXO
CBD Warehouse: WordPress install, plugin install, and theme setup: 2 hours / CBD Warehouse

Your comparative analysis of the two technologies is as flawed as I have ever seen. If you start on a Shopify website, and I start on a new WordPress installation at the same time, I will be done with a full demo setup in under 2 hours. It wont even be close...

No question that the subject matter is outside of my wheelhouse. I notice that none of the examples you posted offer an online shopping cart or payment gateway. Im pretty much married to authorize.net due to the nature of the business.

With the wordpress option, how difficult is it to include a cart/payment option?

Hoe easy is it for some redneck like me to add products or change prices. Or to keep track of inventory in real time?

[CrossOps]

No question that the subject matter is outside of my wheelhouse. I notice that none of the examples you posted offer an online shopping cart or payment gateway. Im pretty much married to authorize.net due to the nature of the business.

With the wordpress option, how difficult is it to include a cart/payment option?

Hoe easy is it for some redneck like me to add products or change prices. Or to keep track of inventory in real time?

Super easy to track inventory, shipping and more.

CBD.biz has an online store. Another site we did was Star Molecule - Military Grade Aluminum Powder

Both are full blown ecommerce sites. Plugging in woo commerce and using authorize.net is a slam dunk. Very easy. Even has native eCheck and PayPal support built in. Don't let it psych you out bro, you can do this fairly easily.

Also, a trick a lot of people do is install WordPress as the CMS, they find a Theme (appearance) they like, and then they load all the demo data. From there you can add, edit, or delete the various demo content as you seem fit. Its essentially backing into an install.

You can do this, and you will control your customers, not giving Shopify access to your clients. Your clients on an ecommerce website are invaluable and not to be shared if at all possible. Remember, every competitor you enable or breed adds to your competition matrix and increases both your resistance to market and barrier to entry.

[Lunk1]

Super easy to track inventory, shipping and more.

CBD.biz has an online store. Another site we did was Star Molecule - Military Grade Aluminum Powder

Both are full blown ecommerce sites. Plugging in woo commerce and using authorize.net is a slam dunk. Very easy. Even has native eCheck and PayPal support built in. Don't let it psych you out bro, you can do this fairly easily.

Also, a trick a lot of people do is install WordPress as the CMS, they find a Theme (appearance) they like, and then they load all the demo data. From there you can add, edit, or delete the various demo content as you seem fit. Its essentially backing into an install.

You can do this, and you will control your customers, not giving Shopify access to your clients. Your clients on an ecommerce website are invaluable and not to be shared if at all possible. Remember, every competitor you enable or breed adds to your competition matrix and increases both your resistance to market and barrier to entry.

And what are fees like compared to say Shopifys mid level that covers the whole kit and kaboodle for $79 to include hosting , security updates...everything

Shopify also charges 1% transaction fee that really bites when your cc processor is already taking nearly 3% and margins can run as low as 10%

[CrossOps]

There are no markups on WordPress ecommerce. It is whatever Authorize.net charges you, and your payment process (example: PayPal or other).

Hosting? Go to Godaddy or HostGator and get a Linux hosting account, maybe $50 to $70 per year.

Use a theme like WooCommerce Superstore, its lean and mean. Works VERY well, and is extremely easy to work with.

[Lunk1]

There are no markups on WordPress ecommerce. It is whatever Authorize.net charges you, and your payment process (example: PayPal or other).

Hosting? Go to Godaddy or HostGator and get a Linux hosting account, maybe $50 to $70 per year.

Use a theme like WooCommerce Superstore, its lean and mean. Works VERY well, and is extremely easy to work with.

Would you mind if I pm'd you some examples of what Im shooting for and get your opinion?

[Lunk1]

Crossops, I just got off the phone with my web developer and after talking to him about the points you made, we will be receiving a quote for a wordpress site using Woo Commerce.

Any thoughts on magenta vs woocommerce?

[CrossOps]

Avoid Magenta like the plague, it is EXTREMELY complicated for new and often advanced designers. I have zero issue with you messaging me to give you a few pointers. No worries there.

I would give you one hour trying to learn the backend of Magenta, and you would be running for the hills.

WordPress give me 15 minutes and you would say "I got this..."