# Hostgator vs Big Commerce (What are the differences)



## CocoVee (Apr 18, 2010)

I have been trying different website/ecommerce solutions and I am a bit confused. I don't know HTML, CSS or any of the website creation languages so I am running into issues.

I have tried Weebly, Storenvy, Big Cartel, Hostgator and now Big Commerce. Initially I wanted to try to use a free site but I am finding that to be very limiting on support. 

I would like to be able to:

*add my items myself
*link to my Paypal account
*use my own domain name
*choose my web designs from predesigned templates initially or at least be able to change the background and add a banner. 
*I would also like to have size and color options.

Weebly was pretty straight forward but I had a real issue adding size and color choice.

BigCartel was also pretty straight forward but I could not get the background changed so it is just plain gray.

I thought that I would be able to do this without adding code with hostgator but when I download the templates they are all individual images.

Today I have worked with Big Commerce on their free trial. So far the interface is very user friendly but I have not completed yet.

I guess my question is what is the difference in web hosting and a shopping cart and I'm sure that I have left out another description? Based on my above list what should I be looking for in an online web setup solution? 

I hope this is making sense.

Thanks for all your help.


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## taricp35 (Dec 10, 2008)

Hosting, you build your site with CSS, HTML etc. and you place it on the hosting company servers. Sites like BiG Commerce, Store Envy, Big Cartel, and Weebly do the hosting for you and all you do is load your items, change a few colors, add your header graphic and you are done.

I have used Weebly and the e-commerce sucks when it comes to selling apparel. No variant options are included so if you want to use them (eg. size, color, ect.) you need to add paypal buttons. Store Envy you can not use your own domain, I have not used it but others that do say it is great. Big Cartel is good. If you go to the help section it will tell you how to change the background. If it is just the background color that you want to change, in the design section under simple, just type in the color code and the background will change. If you want to add an image, from the design page, click on CSS, scroll to the bottom of the page and add a bit of CSS code to the bottom and it will change. Big cartel also has people that will customize your page for you for a fee of course.

Big Commerce I just did not like so after my 30 days I did not go forward but others may find it to be great i just didn't.


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## CocoVee (Apr 18, 2010)

taricp35 said:


> Hosting, you build your site with CSS, HTML etc. and you place it on the hosting company servers. Sites like BiG Commerce, Store Envy, Big Cartel, and Weebly do the hosting for you and all you do is load your items, change a few colors, add your header graphic and you are done.
> 
> I have used Weebly and the e-commerce sucks when it comes to selling apparel. No variant options are included so if you want to use them (eg. size, color, ect.) you need to add paypal buttons. Store Envy you can not use your own domain, I have not used it but others that do say it is great. Big Cartel is good. If you go to the help section it will tell you how to change the background. If it is just the background color that you want to change, in the design section under simple, just type in the color code and the background will change. If you want to add an image, from the design page, click on CSS, scroll to the bottom of the page and add a bit of CSS code to the bottom and it will change. Big cartel also has people that will customize your page for you for a fee of course.
> 
> Big Commerce I just did not like so after my 30 days I did not go forward but others may find it to be great i just didn't.


Thank you for your response. With BigCartel I did try entering code to change the background and it did nothing. I don't know if the code was wrong or if I added it in the wrong place. After trying several times I gave up on that. 

Have you found a solution?

Thanks.


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## taricp35 (Dec 10, 2008)

Yes it must be in a specific place. It has to be at the bottom of the page under the section that says: "Custom Styles - add and override styles below."

Your code should look something like this:

body {
background-color: #ffffff;
background-image: url("http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv24/tansv3/exampe.jpg");
background-repeat: repeat;
background-position:center;
}

It can vary if you do not want it to repeat or do not want it centered but the above code should help you out. your graphic image has to be hosted somewhere. in the above example the background-image is hosted with photobucket.


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## CocoVee (Apr 18, 2010)

Okay, Thank you. I will try this.


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