1) What are the costs? What is the baseline price – which are optional features? What are monthly costs?
Make sure you understand the total cost of your website. When you contract with them, make sure the contract spells out the main features you are needing, and which optional ones - at what costs. This keeps everyone on friendly terms when the website is delivered.
Most web designers have baseline prices for different types of sites. Then, if you add features, they charge per extra feature. Custom features are often more than standard ones - but that's OK if you get what your specific business needs.
2) Do you host my site? Or do I contract with the web host?
If your ecommerce web designer also hosts your site, you may be locked in more than you like. In most cases, the web developer is contracting with a web host company, doubles the price (or more) – and gives you a monthly fee you pay to the web designer. That is how many ecommerce sites end up have hosting costs of $50, $75, or more per month.
Also, if you contract with the web host, it gives you more leverage. Perhaps you may want to change web hosts. Or perhaps you may want a different web designer to make updates. If you are the one contracting with the web host, you have all the power.
3) Can I add new pages and products myself? Or do I need you (the web designer) to do it for me? Are there restrictions/limits to how many I can add?
Most professional ecommerce applications/websites also have CMS features, enabling you to add and edit pages in addition to products. They will have some sort of admin or control panel for you to do this.
In most cases there are not restrictions on the number of pages or products you can add, particularly when it is a standard process of purchasing a physical product that is shipped to the customer. However, some do have pricing models... with different monthly costs, depending on the number of pages or products.
4) Have you built e-commerce web sites before? May I see some examples?
Most web designers will post a list of sample websites that they have built on their own website. If they don't, think twice. Perhaps they are just beginning.
If they do, perhaps contact the owners of these websites - ask them about their experience with this vendor. Ask about their professionalism, customer support, and would they recommend them? Doing your homework can weed out undesirables.
Then, for good measure, check with the BBB for the company.
5) Is this built in Flash?
If this is built in Flash, then you will normally end up with a very pretty site that will never be found by search engines. You basically cannot do much to optimize a flash site - which puts you at a disadvantage when you try to market your website.
6) What are your hourly rates for maintenance?
These do range widely from vendor to vendor. Some are around $75/hour. Some are $250/hour. Make sure you are fully aware of this before selecting a web designer.
Tips provided by Robert Fuess from Spiderweb Logic - a veteran ecommerce web designer
Monday, March 14, 2011
Top 5 Terms to know BEFORE talking to your web designer:
When talking to a web designer, it is good to be familiar with some of the basic terms that will be using:
web design: This is the creative labor used to build your website. It normally includes any layout design (and related graphics), and setup of any initial pages needed in the main menu of the site. Logo design is normally not included with this.
web site: This includes is all files created / needed for proper display of your site on the web. This is what the web designer builds for you.
web host: This is a company whose primary purpose is to store your web site on special big computers (called servers) so they can be seen on the internet. No web hosting - means no connectivity to the internet. These fees are normally paid monthly, quarterly, or annually - depending on your particular contract.
TIPS: Most web developers/designers do not actually host websites, though many offer web hosting. If they provide hosting (or insist on providing web hosting) of your website, most will contract the hosting with a web hosting company, add to their costs (double/triple?) - and bill you accordingly. If a web developer is insisting that you host with them, they are locking in for themselves some additional monthly revenue. This is good for the web developer, but often provides little benefit for the customer.
Sample Web Hosts: www.DigitalWest.net, www.GoDaddy.com, www.sbwh.net
You should always consult your web designer when it comes to purchasing hosting. Some advanced e-commerce or CMS applications will not work well on the shared GoDaddy.com accounts. And when hosting, the web designer will need to specify whether their software works best on a Windows or Linux box.
All web hosts are not created equal. For example some provide email support only - and will get back to you about your issues within 1 business day. Some provide telephone support during business hours. A few (like Digital West) provide 24/7 telephone and email support by live humans. Of course, this means you pay a bit more per month for the extra support and security.
When I recommend a web host for my clients, I consider what type of website it is. If it is a 2-5 page website - with just HTML (and no advanced programming) I go with the cheapest option - normally GoDaddy.com. If the site involves advanced software - particularly where cool new features are being added incrementally - I recommend a hosting company like Digital West where I can call them at 2:00am to get an issue fixed if needed.
domain name: This is name of the website that you type in to get there. For example, with www.SpiderwebLogic.com the domain name is "SpiderwebLogic.com" . Domain Name fees are normally billed annually and ranging from $10 - 25/year. However, owning a domain name is one thing. To do anything with it you need web hosting and web design.
TIPS: Most web hosts also sell domain names, and sometimes offer deals on this as part of a hosting package. Also, there are services out there that exclusively sell domain names at competitive prices like www.123CheapDomains.com.
You do not need to consult your web designer if you want to purchase a new domain name.
e-commerce web site: Any website that somehow collects money from others over the internet. Commonly this is through PayPal or using Credit Card.
TIPS: Whether you accept PayPal or Credit Cards is a business decision. A Premier PayPal account allows you to sell products through PayPal without monthly fees. In such a case you pay a percentage of each sale. If you accept Credit Cards, however, you normally start with fees around $30/month plus a percentage of the sales.
web design: This is the creative labor used to build your website. It normally includes any layout design (and related graphics), and setup of any initial pages needed in the main menu of the site. Logo design is normally not included with this.
web site: This includes is all files created / needed for proper display of your site on the web. This is what the web designer builds for you.
web host: This is a company whose primary purpose is to store your web site on special big computers (called servers) so they can be seen on the internet. No web hosting - means no connectivity to the internet. These fees are normally paid monthly, quarterly, or annually - depending on your particular contract.
TIPS: Most web developers/designers do not actually host websites, though many offer web hosting. If they provide hosting (or insist on providing web hosting) of your website, most will contract the hosting with a web hosting company, add to their costs (double/triple?) - and bill you accordingly. If a web developer is insisting that you host with them, they are locking in for themselves some additional monthly revenue. This is good for the web developer, but often provides little benefit for the customer.
Sample Web Hosts: www.DigitalWest.net, www.GoDaddy.com, www.sbwh.net
You should always consult your web designer when it comes to purchasing hosting. Some advanced e-commerce or CMS applications will not work well on the shared GoDaddy.com accounts. And when hosting, the web designer will need to specify whether their software works best on a Windows or Linux box.
All web hosts are not created equal. For example some provide email support only - and will get back to you about your issues within 1 business day. Some provide telephone support during business hours. A few (like Digital West) provide 24/7 telephone and email support by live humans. Of course, this means you pay a bit more per month for the extra support and security.
When I recommend a web host for my clients, I consider what type of website it is. If it is a 2-5 page website - with just HTML (and no advanced programming) I go with the cheapest option - normally GoDaddy.com. If the site involves advanced software - particularly where cool new features are being added incrementally - I recommend a hosting company like Digital West where I can call them at 2:00am to get an issue fixed if needed.
domain name: This is name of the website that you type in to get there. For example, with www.SpiderwebLogic.com the domain name is "SpiderwebLogic.com" . Domain Name fees are normally billed annually and ranging from $10 - 25/year. However, owning a domain name is one thing. To do anything with it you need web hosting and web design.
TIPS: Most web hosts also sell domain names, and sometimes offer deals on this as part of a hosting package. Also, there are services out there that exclusively sell domain names at competitive prices like www.123CheapDomains.com.
You do not need to consult your web designer if you want to purchase a new domain name.
e-commerce web site: Any website that somehow collects money from others over the internet. Commonly this is through PayPal or using Credit Card.
TIPS: Whether you accept PayPal or Credit Cards is a business decision. A Premier PayPal account allows you to sell products through PayPal without monthly fees. In such a case you pay a percentage of each sale. If you accept Credit Cards, however, you normally start with fees around $30/month plus a percentage of the sales.
Spiderweb Logic – an eCommerce Web Design Specialist
Spiderweb Logic is primarily a medium and small business website design and ecommerce web design company. Most e-commerce customers want a website THEY can maintain easily – with strong emphasis on “easily”.
Their ecommerce customers normally either have a small business or are starting a small business – and having an editable site minimizes overall cost – since they don’t need to keep coming back to the web designer when they want to update a product description, add a product, or edit page text and images.
Some are membership sites - that collect money for monthly or annual services... Some are designed to sell physical products that are shipped to the client. Some include business directories - or specialized data searches - where customers pay for specific data. They do all kinds of e-commerce sites - with a process catered to your specific business idea.
http://www.Spiderweblogic.com
Their ecommerce customers normally either have a small business or are starting a small business – and having an editable site minimizes overall cost – since they don’t need to keep coming back to the web designer when they want to update a product description, add a product, or edit page text and images.
Some are membership sites - that collect money for monthly or annual services... Some are designed to sell physical products that are shipped to the client. Some include business directories - or specialized data searches - where customers pay for specific data. They do all kinds of e-commerce sites - with a process catered to your specific business idea.
http://www.Spiderweblogic.com
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Perform the best with your website!
To perform the best in online marketing you have to have the best design and content for your website. To develop a website without any experience is very difficult, though many try it. You can tell when it is designed by a professional. Therefore you have to be careful when choosing the web design company for your business.
Spiderweb Logic is one of the top website designing companies. The main benefit of choosing us is that we focus on small business web design. We are very experienced at getting the little guy started... and helping him achieve success in the online market. We are focused on the nature of your business and will perform a detailed study.
The perfect strategy will be planned by our professionals regarding your business domain. We are the leading San Luis Obispo ecommerce website design company and we will provide you with the website and guidance to make your business a success. You will be able to concentrate on your business. We are here to make sure your website professionally represents you.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Create uniqueness with your website!
Make a difference with your website and create an impact in the online market. You can develop a reliable website with the help of a professional web designer by including all the information about your products and services. And if you have a CMS, you can do many of these updates yourself, and just have the web designer put together the structure for you. Unfortunately, many will choose a buddy, or family friend to do the website for their company. Unfortunately, (since it is for free or at a high discount) this often gets pushed to the back burner - or is not done as professionally as desired. And how can you criticize a family member? How easy is it to say you don't like it? Proper eCommerce website design is very crucial with respect to your online presence. It is your door to the online community. That is why many choose to hire a professional with a good reputation, so they can ensure they end up with something that builds their business.
The revenue you earn form the online market depends on the design and content of your website. Therefore, it is critical to your online success to choose the best professional available for the web design of your small business. Checking out their reputation from the BBB is an excellent way to filter out those who may not be good for you. This can be a rather time consuming task since there are innumerable professional and web design companies out there.
The validation of your website should also be performed to ensure accuracy. The website should be designed according the rules and regulations of the search engines. Many companies neglect that. W3C Validation, for example, is an important aspect in ensuring that the rules are followed.
The content of the website is also important - since it contains your promotional text - and contains keywords search engines use to find your website. Another crucial aspect to consider when you design a website for online business/sales is to ensure it is functional and easy to use.
The content of the website is also important - since it contains your promotional text - and contains keywords search engines use to find your website. Another crucial aspect to consider when you design a website for online business/sales is to ensure it is functional and easy to use.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Best website for you!
Designing a website for your online business is very important. The content and design of the template has a lot to contribute to your online marketing profits. Planning the template for your website is very important. It should be according to the nature of your business. The content should also be written with care. And professional help is normally recommended for this. An experienced professional will know more about the market demands and trends.
A good website can improve your sales and productivity. a professional help is recommended to design the best one. you can also give suggestions and helps in designing the website for your business. Spiderweb Logic's ecommerce system will be a good choice for your business.
Outsourcing the website design - especially ecommerce design is now rather common. Most companies dont need or can't afford to keep a good web designer on as staff. But you still need choose the best company to design and promote your business in the online market. Spider web Logic is a good company with an excellent reputation that will help you to design and promote your business.
A good website can improve your sales and productivity. a professional help is recommended to design the best one. you can also give suggestions and helps in designing the website for your business. Spiderweb Logic's ecommerce system will be a good choice for your business.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Planning to design a website?
Choosing the Web designing company is very important - and something that should be done with care. The best company should be chosen which contain experienced professionals - with a proven track record - and with great customer support.. They will be able to help you to design according to your requirement, and make sure you are left with something you are proud of in the end. Your products and services will reach the global market through your e-commerce website. Spiderweb Logic Web Design is one such reliable company which will help you to design your business website. Check out their website samples!
The design and content of a website is very important when it comes to marketing it in the online market. The commercial success of the website mainly depends heavily on these two factors. To satisfy the requirements of the targeted customers for websites that generate money you need to create a professional ecommerce website. The professionals in Spiderweb Logic will help in this.
The website should clearly state you objectives and strategies of your business. It should be alluring to the clients. Creative design and content to make people to buy your product is also recommended. The quality of the content is also very important. Original and true content explaining your business will make your website more attractive.
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