Should i hire a web designer or build it myself? (NEED HELP!)

[Kitjaii]

Hey all,

I wanted to have a website made for my side business (clothing retail), but i have no clue how to build a website. I have been researching online , self learning but couldn't go far due to limited time. Would it be better off for me to hire a freelancer to help me out on the website? How much would i be expecting since i am on a budget as a student , i want to minimize the cost. Its just a simple website with a few linked pages to the different categories of clothes i sell. I will also need shopping cart, paypal , credit card buttons etc, like the full functions that an online clothing store would need.

The only problem is, i would need constant updates to the website with the different types of clothes i put up and take down. I have learned how to add titles, change fonts, link pages etc , but that's about it, and i need the website up soon.

What do you guys think? Any recommendations

[jlevy]

Hi Kitjaii,

I have two recommendations for you. First, I would recommend enlisting someone to help you with the site. If websites aren't your thing, learning everything you need to know to create something that is functional and conveys the right professional brand image to your customers will be extremely time consuming. It sounds like you are running a business on top of being a student, so your time is probably limited, and therefore valuable. Hiring someone will probably be cheaper when you consider the value of your time.

My second recommendation is to use a robust content management system as a framework for your site, such as Drupal or Joomla. As you said, your site will need to constantly be updated with new products to sell. By using a content management system, you can update the content from an easy web interface without needing to dive into the code. A good web developer will create your site, and then teach you how to update it so you can minimize what you spend in maintenance fees.

If you do decide you would like help with your site, I'm willing to help. I have a fair amount of experience working with Drupal. I'm a recent college grad myself, so I understand needing to work on small budget. Building websites is something I do in my spare time, not as a profession. Mostly I enjoy it, and I like the idea of helping a student entrepreneur. Although I would expect some payment, I would not expect anywhere near what you would pay a professional designer. I'd also be willing to do some upfront work on a prototype so you can see what the product would look/feel like before paying. Send me a pm if you are interested and we can talk more via email.

Jeff

[web designer]

Make sure you buy domain and web hosting yourself and then you can hire a web designer .

[Alexishost]

Work able solution
If you are on tight bugdet you can order webhosting ,and tell them about your situation. ask them if they have workable solution for you.

Drupal or Joomla +oscommerce
those application, manage content easier , and easy integration with oscommerce online clothing shop

[Kitjaii]

Thanks guys for the help and suggestions!

Luckily, i came across this website while researching, it looks too good to be true but i emailed him and it seems really legit. The website design is free, domain name is free, the only payment i need to do is pay $14 a month for hosting. The owner told me to pick out which website i would like to make so he would know which style i want. I have arranged a time on monday for a talk over the phone since hes located in Vancouver and i'm in Toronto. I also saw his portfolio, looks really good !

Free Website Design – Canada – Its Simple.

What do you guys think? He said he will teach me how to run the site once its created. Any suggestions on this one?


P.S . I saw this note that said:

If you like what you see and would like to get a website built, this is what to do:

- Ring me on 778 320 6410 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 778 320 6410 end_of_the_skype_highlighting to arrange a time to meet

- We can meet and discuss your website needs in detail

- You pay 6 months hosting as a deposit

- I register your domain name and create your website

- Your website will be live on the internet within 5 working days

- You pay the remaining 6 months hosting

[jlevy]

Hi Kitjaii,

I would be very careful with this service. I took a quick look and I saw several things I didn't like.

1) Be very careful letting someone else register your domain name for you. Your domain name is your brand. You should be in control of it at all times. If you decide to move your site to a different hosting provider, you will need access to your domain dns settings to do this.
2) I checked several of the sites in his portfolio, and they run very slowly. I am located in the US, but that shouldn't cause the kind of speeds I was seeing. Some pages took 30 seconds or more to load on a high speed connection. This is probably because the sites are stored on cheap shared hosting, where lots and lots of sites are packed onto one server. This kind of hosting can be had for $4 a month or so.
3) None of the sites I visited had ssl encryption enabled for the shopping cart/user login area. This is an essential security feature that many customers demand. SSL is when addresses start with https:// and you see the lock in the corner of your browser. Many people would not feel comfortable shopping on a site without this security enabled. The problem is a unique public ip address is required for this, and cheap hosting plans do not provide that feature.

Also, by looking at the source code, it looks like these sites all run wordpress content management system, for which there are many many free themes available. My guess is he finds a pre-made template, does a few hours of customization for the site, a little training, and then proceeds to overcharge you for hosting for years to come. I think you would be better off paying a small amount to get the site running, and then getting a better deal on the hosting. For $15 a month, you could get a much higher performing hosting plan that allows you to implement the security you need.

At the very least, you need to ask a lot of questions. What is the hosting plan? Are there limits on disk space and bandwith? What are the hours for support if something is wrong with your site? Can you get your own ip address and use SSL? What if you decide to change hosting providers? What if you aren't happy with the site's performance?

Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Jeff

[jaexavier]

If you find a hosting company to buy a domain name, they will upsell you on a web design package. Pricing varies but generally go $199+ for a very small e-commerce site (1 to 5 products) and $500 (5+ products). You can pay it down, after putting an initial down payment.

What is nice:
- All your services are all-in-one (hosting, domain registration, billing, web design, cPanel access, SSL, payment gateway, etc.)
- You don't have to pay for all the labor upfront (although there will be a down payment), you can pay it down monthly
- After signing a contract, you collaborate with their web design experts
- Will often times finish your site in 1 month (requires that you be very exact in what you want)
- You get an installed CMS - Content Management System (you can just login and administer your site, they will teach you how to...)

The reality is:
- Your website concept must be 99% finished before you call them (mission statement, colors, layout, pictures, competitive advantage, etc.)
- Miscommunication often occurs, be sure to ask lots of questions
- If you go with a template design, you have limited options (however some templates are reallllly nice)
- If you go completely custom, it will cost you $$$
- Be on top of communicating with the designers

The bottom line is that your idea needs to materialize, otherwise its just another idea.

[Alexishost]

That's very well said.

If you find a hosting company to buy a domain name, they will upsell you on a web design package. Pricing varies but generally go $199+ for a very small e-commerce site (1 to 5 products) and $500 (5+ products). You can pay it down, after putting an initial down payment.

What is nice:
- All your services are all-in-one (hosting, domain registration, billing, web design, cPanel access, SSL, payment gateway, etc.)
- You don't have to pay for all the labor upfront (although there will be a down payment), you can pay it down monthly
- After signing a contract, you collaborate with their web design experts
- Will often times finish your site in 1 month (requires that you be very exact in what you want)
- You get an installed CMS - Content Management System (you can just login and administer your site, they will teach you how to...)

The reality is:
- Your website concept must be 99% finished before you call them (mission statement, colors, layout, pictures, competitive advantage, etc.)
- Miscommunication often occurs, be sure to ask lots of questions
- If you go with a template design, you have limited options (however some templates are reallllly nice)
- If you go completely custom, it will cost you $$$
- Be on top of communicating with the designers

The bottom line is that your idea needs to materialize, otherwise its just another idea.

[semmyw]

If you can't do it by your self I think It's better you hire a profesional web design and also seo specialis, so you can focust on marketing your products. that's my oppinion,

[AmbitionLab]

Have you explored options like shopify.com or volusion.com? They're combination hosting + CMS + ecommerce solutions that aren't bad for the cost.

Alternatively you could do WordPress + FoxyCart, which would offer more flexibility and features at less cost, but may be slightly more involved to set up.

Or WordPress + the WP-ecommerce plugin, using paypal. All you have to pay for is hosting and whatever paypal's fees are today. This is the cheapest solution, but also the most limited, and it would involve some web know-how to get it done right.

[mvtglobal]

There are lots of Site Builder websites nowadays with easy ways to build websites.
mvtworld.com

[renudiz]

Hi,

Hire a professional web designer

[BioSpherical]

Hi,
The best option for you would probably be the following:
- Find a cheap host
- Get a free template from somewhere that suits your needs
- Use PayPal shopping cart (unless you want customers to register in which case you'll need something a little more comprehensive)

I can help you with this if its still required. I can offer hosting and even suggest a few places for templates. For an extra fee I can get a simple custom template made for you, or I can customise a free template you find.

If you want any further info or advice, feel free to PM me. Also let me know your budget for the whole job if possible and I can suggest the best solution.

[st351]

Your best bet is to use an open source e-commerce software like Joomla. You can then go and buy a professionally done template for around 50 dollars. It is not really that easy to develop a customized template since you need to be able to tell the designer precisely what you are looking for and the designer is able to do it. To pay the small fees definitely worth the money since it is usually very professionally made and you can see the end product before you pay for it. I am a web professional and I sometimes buy templates as well since it is more cost effective to do it this way.

Once it is installed, you can just create and update the products yourself.

[altwebdesign]

a professional will always have that edge over youre average guy tyring to save a buck doing the website himself.
Its a good start, doing it yourself to get the idea across of what you want, then let a professional take the reigns and really bring your website to life and most of all make it convert!