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How to Build Your
Own Online Store
 
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Incorporate Online
Register Domain Name
Get Your Online Store
Get a Merchant Account
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Main Index Page
How it Works
Start Your Business
Best Selling Products Intro
Best Selling Products Section
DropShip Distributors
Open Your Online Store
Marketing Your Online Store
Running Your Online Store
Frequently Asked Questions
Incorporate Online
Register Domain Name
Get Your Online Store
Get Your Merchant Account
Internet Business Resources
    
    
 
      
 
 
 
Building an online store is much easier than what most people think. And you can build a very nice website using a simple website design program such as CoffeeCup HTML Editor, Microsoft Expression Web, Adobe Dreamweaver, GoLive and others as well.

Furthermore, learning how to use such programs is as simple as reading the step-by-step tutorials and then putting them into practice.

If you can read and type, then you can build your own online store. And the first thing you’ll need to do is to choose a web host provider to host your website such as JustHost, iPage, Godaddy.com or others as well.
  
Then you can register your domain name with that same web host provider for as little as $10 per year and get your website hosted for as little as $4 per month with shopping cart included. After registering your domain name and obtaining a web hosting account, then you can proceed to build your online store with your web development program.

For example, when using Microsoft Expression Web, you would have to first open up the Expression Web program on your screen.

Then click >"Open site"

Then type in your domain name in the dialog box provided: http://www.yournewonlinestore.com

Then enter your user name and password for your web hosting account when prompted to do so.

An index of pages for your website will appear in the Expression Web file window.

Click on the page (file) called “index”, which is the main page for your website.

The index page may already have some promotional content or a welcome logo in place.

Simply select and highlight everything on that page and then delete it in order to start building from scratch.

It’s also best to leave the background of the webpage white as a white background is standard in ecommerce design and is more effective as well.

Then you can begin to add tables, rows and columns and insert images and product informational text within those tables.

Tables consist of rows which run across the web page and columns which run up and down the page. And these tables, rows and columns are what keep all of your images and product information in place.
  
   
To begin to insert tables:

Click on "Table" from the top menu in Microsoft Expression Web

Then select 6 rows and 3 columns and then click “ok” or “apply”. (NOTE: 6 rows and 3 columns are used for illustrational purposes only. You can add more rows and more columns as well.)
Your logo, header and top navigation menu will be placed in the top 2 to 3 rows.

There should be a slight margin on both sides of the page as well.

Then click, grab and stretch your left column line to the left of the page in order to give you a 2 inch margin on the left side of the webpage. This is where you will be placing your left navigation menu which will appear on each and every page.

You can fit more text or page buttons on a vertical navigation menu than you can on a horizontal navigation menu. And that left navigation menu, which can consist of text or buttons, will take your customers to every important page on your website.

You will also want to have a 1 inch margin on the right side of the webpage as well in order to separate product images and information from the right side of the page wall.

Margins on both sides of the page are necessary in order to keep product images and information in the center of the page.

Then starting from the top of the page, insert your logo on the upper left hand corner of the webpage, (within the first or second row). (You may want to leave some space on the top row in order to have a small margin on the top of the page as well.)
  
   
To insert your logo onto the upper left hand corner of the webpage:

1. Click your mouse on the top left table row

2. Click Insert from the top menu

3. Then click > Picture > From file

Find the logo image on your hard drive and then click “Insert”.
   
   
Now you have your logo in place on the top left hand corner of the webpage.

Next, insert your top navigation menu, under the logo, in the same manner in which you inserted your logo, (if your top navigation menu is one main image).
  
   
Your top navigation menu can also be made of regular text links as well, which works well for search engine optimization.

Then you would highlight those text links on the menu and then link those text titles to their respective web pages on your website when those pages are finally built and completed.
If your top navigation menu is a series of text or image buttons then type the text or insert the buttons in the rows and then link those text and/or buttons to the proper web pages on your website.

You can also add a background color inside the row of where your navigation menu would be and then enter your text on that row to create a text and image free navigation menu which downloads quickly.

To add a background color to any specific row, simply click inside the cell with your mouse and then click “Cell properties”.

Select the “Background” option and then choose a color for the background from the color palette provided or insert a background image within that cell area.

Then click “Apply”

Then again, you can type the page text titles and link those text titles to their web pages by highlighting the text, selecting “Hyperlink”, and click on the page you want that text to point to from the open dialog box. Then click “OK”.
  
    
Then you can proceed to add and/or insert your left navigation menu as well in the same manner in which you inserted the top menu, linking those text titles or page buttons to those specific pages within your website, (once those pages are built).

NOTE: Examples of designs and layouts can be seen on TemplateMonster.com in the ecommerce categories.
   
   
Then in the center (body) of the webpage, and underneath that top navigation menu, you can add 3 to 6 or more of your most popular products, latest products, or both.

The main page on your website should be the equivalent of your showroom and should be used to display your new and best selling products and most popular products as well.
You can also display an image of your best selling categories and subcategories on that same main page. And you can add more products on your main page by simply adding more tables, rows and columns and then inserting those products into those rows and columns.

After inserting your logo, top menu, side menu and product images into the body of the webpage then your main page is done.

Click “Save” and you’re finished.

Saving the page will automatically upload and publish that web page onto the internet. And now that page is live for the whole world to see. Furthermore, this page becomes your template for the rest of your web pages as well. And you can use that same page over and over again by simply removing the product images and text and then inserting the new product image and the new product information and then click save as “new product name”.

Then at the bottom of the page, or throughout the webpage as well, you can add the “Buy now” or “Add to cart” button for your customers to click on when they’re ready to buy the product.
   
   
Then link that buy button to that product in your shopping cart data base. Save page as “new product name” and you’re done.

Then continue to build the rest of your pages in the same manner until your website is done and complete.
  
   
    
<-Back - Main Page - Next->
    
> How to Build Effective Product WebPages
> Building Your eStore with Website Templates
> Designing, Planning and Organizing Your eStore
> Implementing Graphic Elements
   
 
 
   
 
Main Article Index Page
How to Succeed in Your Online Store Business
How to Start Your Online Store Business
How to Choose Your Niche Market
How to Create an Effective Business Name
Check for Domain Name Availability
How to Register Your Business Name
Should You Use a PO Box or Home Address
How to Choose the Right Business Entity for You
Sole Proprietorships Explained
Corporations Explained
Partnerships Explained
Limited Liability Companies Explained
Incorporate Your Business Online
How to Obtain Your Sales Tax License
The Best Selling Products Online (Intro)
1. Books
2. Computers, Computer Hardware
NEW:Start a Computer Reseller Business Online
3. Computer Software
4. Consumer Electronics
5. Apparel, Clothing
6. Toys/Video Games
7. Videos DVD’s
8. Health and Beauty
9. Music
10. Jewelry
11. Office Supplies
12. Linens/Home Décor
13. Flowers
14. Sporting Goods
15. Footwear, Shoes
16. Small Appliances
17. Tools and Garden
18. Gifts
About Distribution
Choosing the Right Distributors
How to Get Signed-Up With DropShip Distributors
Books Distributors, DropShippers, Wholesalers
Computers, Hardware, Software DropShippers
Apparel, Clothing Distributors, DropShippers
Toys/Video Games DropShippers, Wholesalers
Video DVD  DropShippers, Wholesalers
Health and Beauty Distributors, DropShippers
Consumer Electronics DropShippers
Music Distributors, DropShippers, Wholesalers
Jewelry Distributors, DropShippers, Wholesalers
Office Supply Distributors, DropShippers
Linens/Home Décor DropShippers, Wholesalers
Flowers Distributors, DropShippers, Wholesalers
Sporting Goods Distributors, DropShippers
Footwear, Shoes Distributors, DropShippers
Small Appliances DropShippers, Wholesalers
Tools and Garden DropShippers, Wholesalers
Gifts Distributors, DropShippers, Wholesalers
How to Find More DropShippers, Wholesalers
How to Open Your Online Store
How to Build Your Own Online Store
How to Build Effective Product WebPages
Building Your eStore with Website Templates
Designing, Planning and Organizing Your eStore
Implementing Graphic Elements
How to Create Your Own Company Logo
Create Search Engine Optimized Product Pages
How to Create a Content Rich Website
Choosing Your Web Host Provider
Create a Search Engine Optimized Domain Name
Check for Domain Name Availability
Top Web Building Software Programs
Top 10 Web Host Providers
Top 10 Complete eCommerce Solutions
Top Website Developers
All About Shopping Carts
All About Payment Processing
All About Merchant Accounts
Using PayPal as a Payment Processing Solution
More Merchant Account Providers
All Merchant Account Providers
Setting Your Prices
Setting Shipping Charges
Maintaining Your Online Store
Your Internet Marketing Master Plan
All about Search Engines
The Top Search Engines
Search Engine Optimization Guide Pt.1
Search Engine Optimization Guide Pt.2
All about Building and Exchanging Links
Purchasing Text Link Ads
All about Press Release Marketing
All about Pay-Per-Click Marketing
All about Discussion Forum Marketing
All about Article Marketing
All about Email Marketing
All about Banner Advertising
How Offering Free Shipping Can Boost Sales
All about 800 Toll Free Numbers
How to Beat the Competition
How to Run an Online Store Business
Dealing with Customers
How to Minimize Interaction with Customers
How to Deal with Customers via Email
How to Take and Place Orders
Paying for Products with Your Customers’ Money
How to Collect Sales Tax for Internet Sales
Avoiding Credit Card Fraud
How to Ship International and Overseas
How You Get Paid Each and Every Day
Dealing with Product Returns and Exchanges
Sample Return Policy and Procedures
Sample Privacy Policy
Sample Terms and Conditions Policy
Conclusion
Contact
Internet Business Resources
 
     
   
     
     
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