# My own site or alternative?



## AstralPlanez (Sep 12, 2011)

Ok I have a dilemma. Is there way to sell my t-shirts through an already established website? Or is the only way getting my own domain? is OS commerce worth a try? I worry about security when processing credit cards for people and do not want to be held liable. (already have a paypal biz account)

I have all these great designs but no way to get them out there safely. I get a headache every time I try to figure out how to get these things online for sell. once I have a site, marketing and promo is a piece of cake for me.


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## spankthafunk (Apr 9, 2007)

I believe there are sites to sell your t-shirts online. You could do something like I do with my 3D website an use a blog site, like wordpress. They work just as good as any other site and upkeep, updating, or adding content is a piece of cake. Also I think they support things like PayPal accounts.


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## EnMartian (Feb 14, 2008)

You could sell through Cafe Press or Zazzle. I'm sure there are other sites that do that sort of thing as well. Those are the two that come to mind first.


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## STZREEK (Sep 13, 2011)

I would highly recommend you get your own domain and site setup.

Looks way more professional in my opinion.


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## AstralPlanez (Sep 12, 2011)

Thank you all for your help. i think I may try multiple avenues.


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## flamer (Dec 28, 2009)

The problem with using your own site is trying to compete with every other online store and most of your potential customers will never find you.

I would also look into setting up a store on ebay etc where you can attract more customer views to your brand. 

I agree having a website and your own domain name is a must these days but personally 99% of my sales are not via my website and I am an online only business.


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## sofiaarce (Sep 30, 2011)

My friend's os commerce is working fine. If your site is done by good developers and optimize well. You can compete online 
I can recommend you to my colleague if you like. They have vast experience in OS commerce.

Thanks.


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## RCouture (Jul 21, 2011)

If you are looking for a free e-commerce website to start from, look into Prestashop. It is simple to use. There are already a lot for free modules that come with the download. As for security, it is something that you should be concerned with. I was able to get a SSL certificate with through Rapid SSL for around $40 which is really good. Also, if decide to create your own site, JustHost.com web hosting has a great package and it comes with a lot of great features. 

There is a lot to think about and honestly, if you aren't a web savvy type, selling on an established site like Cafe Press might be the best option. But having your own website does look more professional. Just something to think about. Also if you do create your own site, it does take time to establish and create your site. If you are trying to get your t-shirt out there quickly, than selling on another site might be best.


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## Stamp (Mar 26, 2010)

AstralPlanez said:


> marketing and promo is a piece of cake for me.


If marketing and promo is a piece of cake for you then go for your own site!
The biggest issue I think people have is creating a cool site but getting it out there and known is the hardest thing.
If you go in with another store then your margin is going to be drastically reduced, less hassle but less money.


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## clclothing (Jul 27, 2011)

Unless you are extremely technically savvy, I would recommend going with a hosted solution like Bi Commerce, Volusion, or Shopify. The monthly cost is more than worth it when you consider all of the rules that you now have to comply with as a merchant who accepts credit cards.

PCI and Red Flags are the two biggies. And just because a cart says they are PCI compliant does not mean that you are covered. THEIR part may be PCI compliant, but PCI covers much more than just the software architecture. There are rules about how you have to setup your server environment, how you have to isolate your traffic, how you have to monitor access to your systems and how you have to report breaches. 

For $25 a month, let someone else handle those headaches so you can concentrate on your store. The fines are substantial. Thanks Enron and Bernie Madoff...


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