# Need help with website PLEASE!



## morr (Feb 1, 2007)

Hi all,
I purchased a web/host package from WestHost and am finding out that it is not as user friendly as I had hoped. I know little to nothing about web design but am usually able to figure many things out on my own with a little help. These are my questions:

1. Since I am just starting, I plan to sell locally and would like to have a website mainly for advertising, but would also like to offer a shopping cart option for my customers. Should I just use the Oscommerce shopping cart as my website and skip the web designer?

2. Can I just copy images of Gildan, Hanes products (with models) from their websites?

3. Would you (or do you) list your prices online?

4. Is there an easier way? Would using a free website from SanMar, etc. be worthwhile?

Thanks,
Shelly


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## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

morr said:


> Hi all,
> I purchased a web/host package from WestHost and am finding out that it is not as user friendly as I had hoped. I know little to nothing about web design but am usually able to figure many things out on my own with a little help. These are my questions:
> 
> 1. Since I am just starting, I plan to sell locally and would like to have a website mainly for advertising, but would also like to offer a shopping cart option for my customers. Should I just use the Oscommerce shopping cart as my website and skip the web designer?
> ...


There are several members here that only have a Sanmar website. Customers can place there order for the retail prices and bring them to you to print or they can browse the catalog and let you know what they want you to buy. You have the option to list or not to list pricing, that's just your preference. Don't be in to big of a rush to put up a perfect website, there's no emergency. If you're doing screenprinting and embroidery, best thing to get you started is cold calling on foot. You'll get more orders that way than through your website.


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## jjohnson (Feb 11, 2008)

The answer to #2 is no... you can't just use the Hanes etc models and product shots as that is a copyright/trademark infringement. (essentially they paid those models to be on their site and their products are..well...their products) It's one of those fine lines however... if you wanted to just use simple product only shots with no models you could probably get away with it, even more likely if you went ahead and showed them with things you've printed, however it is technically still illegal without permission from them. I seriously doubt (and this is in no way legal advice) you would get nabbed for it.. the general order of business is if they do find your site they would send you a cease and desist letter then if you do not comply would take legal action. However, that is only if they find you.


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## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

If you use Sanmar to produce your website, you gain access to the catalog and all of the products and pictures that they have available, some with models and some without.


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

I am not so sure you cant use the tee wholesalers images as they have several denoted just for that purpose. I may be wrong but I assume thats what they are for.


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## jeffl1107 (Jan 16, 2008)

I dont know if you got answers to your other questions. For a shopping cart system on yours site, try out Mals. It is a free shopping cart system. They will give you the script language you need, so you just add it into your HTML on your site. Its pretty easy. Have used it alot with never a problem. Good Luck


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## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

MotoskinGraphix said:


> I am not so sure you cant use the tee wholesalers images as they have several denoted just for that purpose. I may be wrong but I assume thats what they are for.


You're right, I don't think that it's the exact images that they use but none the less, they are images with the product and some of them are on models.


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## The T Shirt Man (Aug 29, 2006)

1) If you do not have lots to sell you could make the website as an advertising site, and use buttons from paypal to sell aswell. (i say not alot because it will be time consuming to add a paypal button for every shirt if you want to sell hundreds online).


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## morr (Feb 1, 2007)

Thanks guys. I will probally cget my money back from WestHost and start over. You've been a great help!


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## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

Some companies, like Hanes (http://hanesbullseye.com/), actually offer there images for use. Also Broder Bros, allows you upload a graphic, were they marry it to their model images for use.


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## atoms (Sep 23, 2007)

I heard that to save time and all kinds of problems, it is better to have a professional to design your site.
I'm not sure if this is the right way for everyone, but if you have the fund, it is the better and less stress.
an average fee for 5 dynamic page plus ecommerce is between 4k to 5k. I'm currently seeking for a better price.
I still think 4k is a bit too much for a 5 page ecommerce site.


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## jjohnson (Feb 11, 2008)

for 5 pages only then yeah that's steep...


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## fabeddie (Feb 8, 2008)

Please find a Webmaster to help you out. Some are not expensive for what your needs are. Find a plan that gives you cPanel which includes a great cart for free and for a few dollars....will help you set it up anyway you want.


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## The T Shirt Man (Aug 29, 2006)

imo its essential to have an understanding of how your website works at least, if you pay someone for a website what happens if you want to make changes or something goes wrong? You pay again? I am not saying you must need to know php/html etc. to run an online store, but some kind of knowledge and then learn as you go.

People who charge per page and people who look at those kinds of prices are silly. You will more than likely be providing the content, so for someone to create a website it hardly matters if its 5 or 25 pages, its not alot of work once the main parts of the site are made (e.g. template if we were talking about a static site).

Give me 5k and i will make you a site with 50 pages instead of just 5


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

Try yahoo merchant solutions with the free sitebuilder program.


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## Vanguard (Feb 17, 2008)

Try going to the local college and or trade school and talking to web design students about having them do your site. Sometimes you can find a student who will do it as a project for class or for much, much less than a commercial designer. Try offering him/her some free t-shirts for their time. Or better yet, offer to design a custom layout for the student. You could design a new shirt and print 6-12 shirts for them for way less than what it would cost to hire a designer. Remember, it's ''perceived value'' that counts. If a student thinks they are getting 12 free shirts worth $15.00 a piece, then they think it's a great trade. You both win. They get experience and shirts and you get your website. Students are usually more excited about building a new site than those who have done it for a while. See what you can find.


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