# Clothing Store Website Templates & Clothes Shops



## graffix

i use shopfactory to build a website and so far i love it

i am thinking maybe i will buy a website template at

[edit: link removed - you can buy the same templates from the main source, templatemonster.com]

or should i google for free templates? 

*the world is a vampire*


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## Rodney

You can either use a templatemonster template like you saw, or get a free template from somewhere and customize it to your liking.

You could also use a service like rentacoder.com,designoutpost.com,guru.com, elance.com to have a custom design made for you


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## rabid

I tried a templatemonster template. It was pretty cheap and jump-started my design process, but I ended up not using it at all except for some of the color scheme and font. It was designed with tables and I moved over to pure CSS because I thought I was cool and I wanted to increase the dev time by months and be difficult.

In the end, I think a template is a good idea for someone who's doing everything themselves. If you're a perfectionist or have some knowledge of html/dhtml/css then I suggest designing your own site.

One thing you must remember though, a template is not a shopping cart. Which is to say, most shopping carts are heavy on php and require you to contain the page entirely in a database. This means that your template is blown out the window unless you know php because this restricts/determines the site layout.

In the end I went with designing my site how I wanted it and a hosted shopping cart solution. I'm extremely happy with it, if I get any sales.

Brian


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## SC2565

I'm interested in buying a template myself but the php factor is kind of holding me back after reading this post. Is intergrating php fairly easy or would I have to change around tons of code to make everything fit?


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## The60s

i was just wondering if you have the site template...are u suppose to intergrate the cart and creditcard processor into it yourself or you need to pay them additional to get it up?


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## Rodney

> Is intergrating php fairly easy or would I have to change around tons of code to make everything fit?


If you know HTML and you use CubeCart, you won't have to mess with any PHP, since the HTML layout of the site is separate from the PHP ecommerce stuff.



> i was just wondering if you have the site template...are u suppose to intergrate the cart and creditcard processor into it yourself or you need to pay them additional to get it up?


If you have a shopping cart setup and you have a site template that you bought somewhere, you can either do the integration yourself, or you can hire someone to do it for you.


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## calebkoolaid

CSS is the way to go if you have constant changing information


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## SC2565

i'm going thru the tutorials to teach me dreamweaver I took a class on it last year but i need a refresher crash course so to speak so i'm on my way to web design 102 lol


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## TCARTEL1

I'm using Homestead - your web site company to create my storefront and it's really good and inexpensive too.


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## JoeJon

calebkoolaid said:


> CSS is the way to go if you have constant changing information


 
Hey, I noticed your comment about css and it rang true with what i have heard from other people who know alot - so I am seeking your opinion on something.

I don't know anything about HTML, CSS, or PHP, but my friend and I are putting up a site some time.

Because we don't know much about CSS, what do you recommend we do in terms of integrating site design with the shopping cart?

I have heard that some hosted shopping carts offer ability to customize, but is it enough?

Is cubecart enough with all its mods?

I need advice please!!


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## expo

SC2565 said:


> I'm interested in buying a template myself but the php factor is kind of holding me back after reading this post. Is intergrating php fairly easy or would I have to change around tons of code to make everything fit?



Php websites do not require any additional code. You can have a standard webpage, change the extension from html to php and it will function the same. The php extension tells the php server to activate. If you wanted to use a php tag in a website like an include, you just change the extension to php and throw the include in the site


Code:


<? php code here ?>

.

Don't get confused by the lingo.


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## lauerja

CSS is really just for the styling of the website (colors, positioning, fonts) etc...It is very helpful for fast changes to the way something looks or is positioned on the page.

The actual shopping carts must be written in a scripting or programming language like ASP, PHP, Java, or .Net so they can interact with a database and other items and controls on the server.

The other thing to keep in mind if you are going to try this yourself is security. You are going to want to provide security for the personal information gathered on the pages so it is not comprimised.

Unless you have developed sites with security yourself in the past, I would recommend going with a hosted or out-of-the-box solution you can purchase.

I have been working as a web site developer for years and would not build my own encyption into a site. Much to risky and easy to break.


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## Ujudgnme2

And what's wrong with PayPal?

Right now, I am looking at Bravenet.com for hosting.


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## Solmu

Ujudgnme2 said:


> And what's wrong with PayPal?


Not everyone is a fan:
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/tags/paypal/

The two main problems are 1) Their shopping cart completely totally sucks, 2) As a payment processor, they're not as legally accountable as other financial institutions such as your bank.


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## Ujudgnme2

TCARTEL1 said:


> I'm using Homestead - your web site company to create my storefront and it's really good and inexpensive too.


 
$19.00 a month is not inexpensive


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## Ujudgnme2

Solmu said:


> Not everyone is a fan:
> http://www.t-shirtforums.com/tags/paypal/
> 
> The two main problems are 1) Their shopping cart completely totally sucks, 2) As a payment processor, they're not as legally accountable as other financial institutions such as your bank.


For a website, you are using a bank?


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## NeoNiko

Ujudgnme2 said:


> For a website, you are using a bank?


For the record, PayPal is not a bank. Somehow they have been able to jump through legal loop holes that make them function like a bank, but aren't legally responsible like a bank. Although they do offer their own kind of protection.

Oh....my...gosh! Some one is still using Homestead? Wow, I hated them. I'm just glade I got out of there when I did. But...to each there own


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## KingJut

hey, just noticed this thread, and thought I would put in my 2p worth...

I designed my site in flash (rubbish for spiders and creating a flash cart is a no no) it just looks a bit good...!!! (bloody premadonna designers eh..!!)

So after much googling, I found a Uk company called romancart, they host the cart, checkout and take care of all the serurity, stock orders ect ect, and its pretty cheap too.... they even generate the code for your products so you can copy and past in a dreamweaver page.

If you head over to my site, go to the limited edition section, choose something, then your size and head to check out, you can see how it all works together... (you cant buy anything as Im all sold out...!!)

hope this helps

Justin


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