# Major n00b needs help!!!!



## AceHighway (Jun 25, 2012)

Okay so I am 15 and I started my own business last year. It is a screen printing shop (run out of the garage) and I currently only do jobs for people and groups. But now I want to start making cool and funny shirts with my own designs. 

Anyways I want to build a website that promotes my custom screen printing aspect and my own shirts. I know lots about html (not html5 though) but don't like the look of html sites. They look basic and do not show the crisp clean look I want my website to be like. I am ready to buy my domain and hosting but don't know when. Can someone point me in the direction of tutorials for all that.
I do have access to the Adobe master collection and have seen some nice stuff made with them. Are there any sites explaining how to make crisp bussiness type websites with those. 

Ps I'm sorry that this was kind of rambly but there is lots I need to learn 

Thank you,
Ace


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## martinjr86 (Nov 10, 2007)

What is your monthly budget?


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## AceHighway (Jun 25, 2012)

Well I guess as cheap as possible haha 

Sent from my PC36100 using T-Shirt Forums


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## akoprint (Mar 4, 2012)

Try to search free e-commerce online cart. its easy as one two tree.


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## XBM (Jul 2, 2012)

What kind of tutorials are you looking for specifically?

To me, the simplest way to get a clean/modern looking website is to sign-up with a web host (I use HostGator.com), and then install Wordpress. Most webhosts CPanel's make this easy for anyone. From there, you can just mess around in the admin panel and do anything you want: create pages, change the template, etc. If you have any specific questions, feel free to post them here or PM me and I'll do what I can to help.


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## AceHighway (Jun 25, 2012)

The only thing that makes me not want to use Wordpress is, I don't want to use a template that is recognizable and then I feel that my website wouldn't look as professional. 

P.s. what package would you recommend on host gator? I was thinking the second one looks good. 
Thanks,
Ace 

Sent from my HTC EVO 4G


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## Plus 37 Research (Jan 12, 2011)

I use wordpress and you can pretty much customize everything, including theme templates. Its mostly all css, html and php.

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## akoprint (Mar 4, 2012)

In my experience I found out that wordpress is kinda slower than e-commerce website. 

Just want to share.


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## XBM (Jul 2, 2012)

AceHighway said:


> The only thing that makes me not want to use Wordpress is, I don't want to use a template that is recognizable and then I feel that my website wouldn't look as professional.
> 
> P.s. what package would you recommend on host gator? I was thinking the second one looks good.
> Thanks,
> ...


Alot of small businesses are going to CMS systems like Wordpress, Joomla, etc. They have made it easy to create and maintain website, make it more SEO friendly, and there are so many free templates that it takes just a little bit of CSS knowledge to tweak them. If you are set on creating your website from scratch, I applaud you and would suggest searching your favorite search engine for some CSS3 and HTML5 tutorials. I might be able to dig some up, but front-end design is not something I enjoy doing. I prefer the back-end/coding side of things.

Realistically, any of the Hostgator packages would be fine. You can upgrade/downgrade at any time. The main difference between the cheapest and the middle one seems to be that the cheapest only allows you to host one domain name. If you think you'll be hosting multiples, I'd go with the middle package.


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## akoprint (Mar 4, 2012)

bigntallapparel said:


> Go for zencart or OScommerce they are open source and you can very easily set up online over them.
> let me know if you're interested I can send you detailed ebook for zencart just for help purpose


DUdz! in your opinion which e-commerce is the best? 

I am using Opencart as of now,. 

I just want to know if there is a much better and easier to modify than may existing Oscommerce.

thanks


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## XBM (Jul 2, 2012)

akoprint said:


> DUdz! in your opinion which e-commerce is the best?
> 
> I am using Opencart as of now,.
> 
> ...


Honestly, I am not a fan of any of the current open-source ecommerce solutions. I usually use X-Cart or CS-Cart for most my projects, but they both aren't free.

Out of the free options out there, I prefer to use the Loaded Commerce CE: Loaded Commerce - Commercial Open Source Ecommerce Shopping Cart - PCI Compliant Community Edition (CE) - PCI CE Shopping Cart (Free Download) or for smaller sites I use Wordpress with an ecommerce plugin if I have to.


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## printingray (Apr 4, 2012)

I have a great suggestion for you, if you need a professional site then you must hire a developing company, which will takes bucks but gives you a professional site like, printingray.com, printingblue.com, vistaprint, zazzle etc. These kind of sites are fully professional and have great value in search engines. Customers also prefer this kind of site because site represent the work. Best of luck


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## ConCon (May 30, 2012)

As a freelance designer I have built a few websites including some for the members of this forum. 

For best and simple results use the following:
*Microsoft Web Matrix* - Allows you to host your site locally and make changes, then upload them online. Just in case you mess something up by accident. Very easy to use.
*Wordpress* - You can install Wordpress straight from Web Matrix interface.
*Woo-Commerce* - Free cart software, with variation support and other powerful features and TOP NOTCH documentation and support - used by hundreds of professionals.
*CSV Product Import Plugin* - 50$ Upload Manufactures Products seamlessly with variation support! (which is a rare find)
*WebSecureStores Hosting* - Integrates perfectly with WebMatrix and offers a local database connection! (rare find) all for just 2.25$ a month if you use the coupon: WebMatrix55
*SanMar Products* - I created these files for uploading into the CSV Plugin - You can have them:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bze...TFLeDZMTWVLZDg
and
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bze...XVXeGJvLXNPNnM

I just posted a really long step by step tutorial and waiting approval from the moderators... Check it out if it's up! 

If you can't afford the CSV Uploader, contact me via PM and I will help you out. If you choose to go with WP... but you may want to wait until that tutorial is up... 

You may also want to save up and pay just a little bit of money for a premium woo-commerce theme search google for "woo-commerce themes" to find a whole bunch. 

I have use and recommend elegantthemes.com because they have great documentation, forum support, and Video Tutorials... They are also really cheap and you get a whole bunch of great designs for only 40 bux


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## akoprint (Mar 4, 2012)

I see,. since opencart is my first discovery i find it easy, i haven't try other OSecommere maybe i'll try it later. thanks.


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## akoprint (Mar 4, 2012)

I see,. So far i find opencart easy to modify, i haven't tried any other e-commerce yet. i'll check it out later. thanks dudz.


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## LadyKnife (Jun 4, 2012)

I'd recommend sitting down and really thinking about what you want in a website vs what you need. Make two lists and then compare.

Do you need a website that's just searchable - so people can find you and your contact information to make an order via email? You can have a gallery of your past work to show off too.

Or 

Do you need a fully functional e-commerce "store" online where people can whip out their visa and pay online?

(E-commerce is not as easy as it looks! You'll need to get approved for credit card processing/merchant accounts/ etc which I imagine is pretty difficult at 15!)

I think yahoo offers some pretty easy to use pre-built e-commerce websites for newbies that are worth checking out!


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## ConCon (May 30, 2012)

The WooCommerce Solution I mentioned earlier allows you to use PayPal to process CC payments. PP is free to anyone and they won't care how old you are. 

Here is a link to the tutorial, it's still meant for the forum so you will see a little bit of formatting shortcode, but it's a step by step instructional tutorial get started for as little as 2.25 a month for hosting, you can even pay for just one month to start out...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Hh6nPw-UkIxeso3PRTsIJeTS79zcxIOuin6oGazSCYg/edit

Like I said before, if you choose to go with Wordpress, and you need help getting the CSV plugin let me know.

There are also free WooCommerce Themes that look pretty professional for being FREE


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## AceHighway (Jun 25, 2012)

Okay wow a long time since I posted on this thread but I'm coming along on my site. I chose to use Wordpress because of the support out there and the ease of using it. I purchased a theme from ait themes and am really satisfied with it. Anyways in a week or do I will be ready to work on the ecommerce side of it but don't know if woo commerce will look good or "fit" with my theme. Thanks guys for all the support, it is really appreciated


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## SparkleGear (Jul 19, 2012)

Both wp-ecommerce and WooCommerce will look and work best if your have a theme that is designed to be aware of, and take advantage of, the underlying commerce infrastructure. This is somewhat counter intuitive becuase you typically want WordPress theme to be presentation only. 

You need to separate the presentation from the logic as best you can, but there are some things happening with a commerce site that have to be handled with a little differently. Mostly on the transaction processing side. 

You can do the theme customization yourself. It's not hard once you understand all of the details of the commerce system you choose, but there are a lot of details. Also read up on Wordpress Child Themes. This feature will help you out with your customization.

If you have a couple of extras dollars floating around check out Splashing Pixels themes. They are available for both wp-ecommerce and woocommerce. Great support. 

Splashing Pixels | Premium WordPress eCommerce Themes


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