anyone experienced with ecommerce website builds?

I started a company that produces car parts and have been selling them through PMs on forums as well as through email and over the phone. I've been taking payments through paypal and receiving checks by mail. I need to get a website up that can showcase products, take orders, and receive payments through paypal and credit cards. There are companies like Wix, volusion, bigcommerce, etc. but I don't have much of a clue where to begin so I get what I want and don't end up paying for more than I need.

These website building companies all have the "We'll get you started today!" "FREE design templates" promotional hype but are vague as to how monies and fees are handled, packing lists, invoices, shipping labels, inventory availability and other features are taken care of without actually committing. So if anyone's done this I'd appreciate any feedback.

We're now using Shopify for our online merchandise sales, and it seems to be working very well.

We used a web designer who happened to be literally on the other side of the parking lot for the new DIYAutoTune site - he's redoing his own website now, but you can contact him through Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/CreativeCombustionAgency/

What kind of parts are you producing?

I've recently started an online store and I'm using Shopify. It was pretty easy to get a basic site set up from getting the domain and linking it to shopify. There are some really easy ways to improve from the free templates too.

Shopify offers a 14 day trial for their basic plan.I'd really recommend checking it out. It is working out great for me.

+5 for Shopify. I've built quite a few ecommerce sites, and have never felt as good about one as I did with the GRM Shopify store. There so much functionality at your fingertips that you may not use at first, but could help down the road.

Use Shopify or Amazon.. Both can provide you the front end you desire. Shopify will probably be cheaper.

jimbob_racing wrote: What kind of parts are you producing?

The primary use of the website is the sale of pieces to repair and strengthen sub frames of certain 60's-70's GM cars, pieces that work with other aftermarket products, and I make other restoration pieces as well as wheel center caps like the one in my avatar. Some pieces are weld in and some are bolt in, most are for specific applications. Official name of the company is Laboratory Fourteen and Lab-14 will be used for advertising, website etc.

Below's a list of current items and a couple pics. Current buyers know what each of these things are and their purpose however the new website will need to be informative with pics of installed products as well as pages for installation instructions. The ecommerce website services don't really tell you whether you can do these things or not and mostly just offer enticements like "14 day free trial!". I don't want to waste a lot of time only to find out their templates don't work for me. Selling things like T-shirts that only require basic info because everyone knows what a T-shirt is is different than selling an adjustable upper control arm cross shaft mounting bolt triangulation bracket that's designed for use with a Pro Touring F Body G-Brace and requires frame modification for installation.

Lab-14 products

2nd gen F body cowl body mount sub frame reinforcements $30.00 pair

2nd gen F body upper control arm mount reinforcement plates $40.00 pair

2nd gen F body Cowl pinch weld sandwich plate kit race $80.00

2nd gen F body Cowl pinch weld sandwich plate kit street $40.00

2nd gen F body Lower control arm reinforcement standard kit $70.00

2nd gen F body Lower control arm thick plate reinforcement kit $75.00

2nd gen F body Adjustable upper control arm cross shaft bolt supports $110.00 pair

70-74 F body Front sway bar mount plates $45.00 pair

75-81 F body front sway bar mount plates $40.00 pair

Lower control arm installation tool $5.00 each

77-78 Firebird inner fender extensions $35.00 each R or L

79-81 Firebird inner fender extensions $35.00 each R or L

Modified early 2nd gen Firebird W/Pontiac engine mounts $60.00 pair

70-81 F body rocker panel section wire hold downs $6.00 each

ARP stud for UCA mount W/distorted thread lock nut $5.00 each

Center caps for American Racing wheels $200.00 set of 4

[URL=http://s240.photobucket.com/user/NOTATA/media/Lab%2014%20products/20160825_231105_zpsmd2nxial.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s240.photobucket.com/user/NOTATA/media/mods%20and%20fab%20stuff/20160531_174322_zpsz3brzor8.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s240.photobucket.com/user/NOTATA/media/mods%20and%20fab%20stuff/003_zpsyxou3l59.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s240.photobucket.com/user/NOTATA/media/RAD%20CAPZ%20Wheel%20Nutz/WheelNutzpromophotoshoot025.jpg.html][/URL]

Well, looks like there's several votes for Shopify so maybe I'll try them. I really wish these companies provided more info up front rather than making you sign in and all to find out what their fees will be.

Not sure what platform you are using for the site but I've had good luck with WOOCommerce off of a Wordpress engine.

Paul_VR6 wrote: WOOCommerce off of a Wordpress engine.

Sadly, I haven't a clue what that means and wouldn't know one "platform" from another, whatever a platform is.

Thought I'd update for anyone who might find this thread in a search. I couldn't get any answers to my questions without signing up on shopify. So I gave them my info thinking I'd find answers to my questions and then maybe a week later start the free trial if I chose them. Turns out that as soon as you give your info your "Free" trial starts so the countdown begins.

Since the countdown timer on the free trial had started and based on the favorable recommendations posted here I figured I might as well just jump in with both feet. The free trial period gave me a sense of urgency to just get things moving, so I rearranged my schedule to use my time setting up the store while completely forgetting to get all of my questions answered before forging ahead.

Being an old guy who didn't grow up with computers it's a learning experience. I spent days and days hunting and pecking my way through while taking product photos, writing product descriptions, and figuring out how to use their themes etc. My free trial ran out before I got the store functional, so they billed me.

One thing they don't tell you till you sign up is that if you sell an item for $100.00 or more, or accrue a total sales of $200.00 or more before the free trial is up then your trial is over and they automatically bill you for at least the first month. Since I never finished before the countdown ended it didn't have any impact on me but I can see where others might be annoyed if it occurred to them because if they sold an item for a hundred dollars the Shopify fees and credit card/paypal etc. fees might put them at a loss if they decided not to continue with Shopify.

One of my original questions that wasn't answered before signing up was about how payments were transferred to me once a purchase was made. Of course I distracted myself during the free trial trying to accomplish all the things I considered "important", like product descriptions, pictures, etc. before setting up the most important part, money. When the free trial ran out I was billed and thought to myself "well at least I got a couple weeks for free to work on the store". Once I got the pages of the store the customers see acceptable I started setting up the financials only to find out the Shopify transactions are run through a stage coach riding bank that I avoid whenever possible. Had I'd gotten answers to my financial questions before signing up or if I'd checked as soon as I signed up I would not have used Shopify. So my fault for not searching for the answers in the beginning.

I decided since I put a lot of time in and I'd already been billed for the first month I might as well try it (at least temporarily)for the time they've already billed me for. At this point it's online, doesn't really look or work quite as well as I'd like (I'll keep tweaking)and the money from sales is going through a bank that has made my life hell in the past and cost me over a hundred grand.

The products currently listed are for 70-81 Camaros and Firebirds. If anyone's interested in them or just wants to check out the website/store it's at https://www.lab-14.com

Another option to look at is Magento Go. It's a small-shop, hosted version of the very popular Magento platform. There's an open-source Community Edition as well, but it's not well suited to what you're looking at.

Never mind, looks like Magento Go shut down last year, now we're left with Community and Enterprise ($$) editions. They've walked away from the small shop market.

NOT A TA said: Shopify transactions are run through a stage coach riding bank that I avoid whenever possible.

Do you remember the good old days when the bank used to be the one getting robbed? And how naive do we need to be to think that WF is the only one doing this?

In reply to NOHOME: I followed your thread and didn't reply because I'd just get myself all wound up and it took me years to calm down. Would you believe the last several digits of a checking account I can't close with the previously referred to bank came up through the Shopify software BEFORE I'd even entered any financial transmission info on the Shopify site? Mr Orwell would say "warned ya".