Online Business Help

woodenwonder

Hi guys I apologise if this is on the wrong section.

I currently have an online business which is an add on to my retail shop. It was done 9 years ago and is os ccommerce. I've never fully understood how it works. And I can't even change the homepage picture!!!
But I have a large retail presence so it kind of works. I make very small money from it annually but I put no effort into the site.

I used to use google ad words but that has stopped paying its way recently. I use facebook and have about 700 likes.

So I'm thinking of doing a few things:

Getting an entirely new website
Starting a blog
I also want to add a totally different range to my website. This is only kind of related to my existing products, ie same target market

If I'm honest the only customers I have are ones that know my shop. My accountant keeps telling me I need to go online more and I've been ignoring him as I've had no time due to personal reasons, but I know have more time.

I paid someone to do SEO for me and that was a complete waste of money. I want to do it myself as I believe I am the only one who truly understands my business.

With regard to my new product range do I create a new site entirely or do I incorporate it into my existing site.

my understanding of OS commerce is embarrassing low.

I really need to figure out how to sort out my problems. I've phoned a few website design companies but they generally suggest a rebuild.

Thanks in advance.
ww

delahuntv

My guess is a total rebuild is the best option - 9 years is antique in the online world.

If you are serious about getting online sales, then just like bricks and mortar store needing professional shopfitting, online needs the same.

I would however stick to products you already sell in store and see online almost like a new branch. It also means not having to stock extra product.

I use vpasp software have also use them for hosting $49/month.

It's dreadfully easy to operate / update too.

Possibly your current database could be transferred over, thus saving some money.

secondattempt

One quick bit of advice if you are doing Google Ads you really want to be updating and tailoring your site content to match the ads to make sure they "work" and also it keeps the costs down.

If your site is static and not being updated regularly it is probably not a good measure of what the site can potentially do for your business.

One thing I find with small businesses is that they don't get that having an online presence is really taking on an extra job. For it to work you constantly have to keep working at it and updating it. Even Google for example rewards new material in search rankings so you constantly need to work at it.

Ditto Google Ads there are a lot tweaks and management needed to get the most of it. Just setting them up and letting them run doesn't work. You may also find better value in places other than Google depending what you are selling.

jimmii

Definitely worth the expense of doing it right. I spend a lot of time on the site and social media its a key part of our business strategy. A lot of the time the site is just an additional shop window but it's still important to get right. You'd at least want to be able to change the homepage!

We outsource seo and AdWords to do it well it takes a bit of time and there is likely to be a big learning curve so I wouldn't rule outsourcing again just make sure its the right conpany.

woodenwonder

I want to avoid outsourcing fully as this is how I got into this mess in the first place as I don't understand what's going on.

I have plenty of time to get to grips with it. I would see it as a new business nearly.

Any advise on what platform I should build on for new website. I have about 2000 products.
ww

secondattempt

woodenwonder wrote: »

I want to avoid outsourcing fully as this is how I got into this mess in the first place as I don't understand what's going on.

In my experience it is a really good idea to have some expert support to fall back on if you are in any way dependent on your e commerce operation.

I had a client recently who's site started crashing whenever we launched a specific campaign. No particular reason but the site builder was so long coming back with support each time we'd loose the campaign window. We had another issue wit Google Ads not showing due to a site fault and again no support on the website side to get it resolved meaning campaigns win dowsing were wasted.

If you are running Ads and use an e commerce solution that doesn't allow you to insert tracking codes in the order complete page you can't properly track you ad ROI. This is a common problem. I've seen plenty of businesses which are hostages to their website. That's why you should consider professional advice to get it built properly the first time.

jimmii

woodenwonder wrote: »

I want to avoid outsourcing fully as this is how I got into this mess in the first place as I don't understand what's going on.

I have plenty of time to get to grips with it. I would see it as a new business nearly.

Any advise on what platform I should build on for new website. I have about 2000 products.
ww

With 2000 products its going to be a hell of a lot of work as it is hiring experienced people who already know what they are doing is going to keep your time free for the main part of your business.

salamanca22

I am going to be blunt and say there is no way no how you will be able to do this alone if you do not understand even a simple software such as oscommerce.

SEO is an incredibly complicated thing and requires constant research and changes as search engines evolve.

If you want to get the most out of it then you have to employ either employees or a firm to help you out here or otherwise you will be stuck in low traffic limbo forever.

woodenwonder

Salamanca I know you're right! Do you think it's best I get someone to develop a website for me on WordPress or something similar. I just don't want to be stuck with the same developer if I'm not happy with him in the future? Also I feel a custom made website is difficult to change as you go along as there isn't continuous updates??

Magnate

A CMS like wordpress is the way to go. It's easy to manage & customise yourself, and it's not hard to find a good developer to get you started or make changes in the future. If you're planning on having the e-commerce store, I'd recommend getting a professional developer to handle the design and add a few products as a template, then outsource the rest as there's a lot of work in 2000 as jimmii mentioned. You'll save quite a bit.

salamanca22

woodenwonder wrote: »

Salamanca I know you're right! Do you think it's best I get someone to develop a website for me on WordPress or something similar. I just don't want to be stuck with the same developer if I'm not happy with him in the future? Also I feel a custom made website is difficult to change as you go along as there isn't continuous updates??

That is a very good question. It also depends on a lot of factors. You should get in contact with a few design and development firms and have consultations.


If you don't plan on keeping a firm on to manage the website then you will definitely want it built around a robust well kept cms such as wordpress and one of it's store plugins such as woocommerce.

SEO however is a waiting game and you will need to hire a firm for at least a few months to see any benefit.

Do you have your 2000 products already available including pictures and descriptions on your current website? If so any developer worth their salt will be able to make a script that will convert it from an oscommerce database to a wordpress one. This will save a ton of time.

Lau2976

A total rebuild is probably your best option. My website paid for itself relatively fast once it had a user friendly interface and an easy checkout option.

Because your paying someone else to do it and don't need to put the work in yourself, id suggest spending time on produce photos and descriptions. That's going to be one of the most important things uploaded.

woodenwonder

salamanca22 wrote:

Do you have your 2000 products already available including pictures and descriptions on your current website? If so any developer worth their salt will be able to make a script that will convert it from an oscommerce database to a wordpress one. This will save a ton of time.

Yes I have them all available online now to buy. Should the products go in a certain way to improve seo? Ie with the name in URL as opposed to just code as it is at present? Thanks

Bathroomly

Hi Woodenwonder

I would suggest a rebuild in the likes of wordpress. Its so easy to do and a wordpress site shouldn't be too costly to build either. Using WP, you have really cool extensions which are plug and play, so you can use SEO extensions that will help you in that department - obviously having content on the site that is regularly updated will help too. But it also needs to be mobile friendly - which you can purchase templates for.

I created a price comparison site earlier this year (bathroomly.co.uk) and have never used any paid marketing, i have relied solely on seo / organic traffic and have made a few bob out of that which is great.

Wordpress is easy enough to build yourself if you have the time - if not, use sites like people per hour to get the job done a fraction of the price local agencies will charge you.

You should be able to export all your products through a csv export, which you can then reload into the WP build.

In terms of selling your products or increasing your exposure, if you have a bit of money worth spending, try sign up to an affiliate network. Here, other websites (which you can approve of disapprove) market your products or display your banners for you. When a sale is made and they have referred the traffic, they get a commission. You set the commission so you are never left making a loss (well, i suppose that depends on your margins).

If you ever need a bit of help or guidance (even finding someone to help you with a solid WP build that doesn't cost the earth), feel free to give me a shout!

Graham

I'm not sure why the knee-jerk reaction is rip up the current store and replace it completely. If this were a bricks and mortar business nobody would be suggesting knock down the shop and start again. OS commerce hasn't stood still in the last 9 years, has your site been updated during that time?

A complete rewrite might be a valid solution, at the same time you may just need a remodel of your existing e-commerce setup. I understand your concern about not knowing OS Commerce but a WordPress e-commerce solution is likely to have you just as confused. Don't spend thousands of Euro just so you can edit your homepage yourself.

Personally I'd be wary of moving such a large set of products to a WordPress store and I'm a fan of WordPress as a starter platform.

I've mentioned this on a similar thread, check your site stats before you consider anything. Is your site getting enough visitors? Are they converting badly? Are they leaving after viewing 1 or 2 pages? Is this a marketing problem or a technical problem?

You've described a single symptom of your problem and you've been given lots of enthusiastic 'cures' in this thread. Before you take too many of them onboard, find out what the illness is.

devildriver

Graham wrote: »

You've described a single symptom of your problem and you've been given lots of enthusiastic 'cures' in this thread. Before you take too many of them onboard, find out what the illness is.

I think that's very good advice.

Once you have identified the "illness" you can then look at the options for a "cure".

A complete rebuild may sound like the most drastic solution but could actually be less expensive than trying to patch up an old installation.

Wordpress/ WooCommerce is a popular option but as already mentioned there is still a learning curve in managing the store and site.

As you have admitted a lack of technical expertise it might be a good idea to go with a hosted ecommerce solution as that will reduce the amount of effort / knowledge you require for setting up and maintaining servers, databases, security etc.

If that's the best route then there are a number of options for hosted ecommerce platforms - and again here it would be advisable to get professional advice as to the best solution as each one has it's own costs and features.

Long story short - get some advice and assistance from a good designer / developer who can guide you to the best solution in plain English.

Hope that helps.

business bloomer

devildriver wrote: »

I think that's very good advice.

Wordpress/ WooCommerce is a popular option but as already mentioned there is still a learning curve in managing the store and site.

As you have admitted a lack of technical expertise it might be a good idea to go with a hosted ecommerce solution as that will reduce the amount of effort / knowledge you require for setting up and maintaining servers, databases, security etc.

If that's the best route then there are a number of options for hosted ecommerce platforms - and again here it would be advisable to get professional advice as to the best solution as each one has it's own costs and features.

I agree with Devil Driver - WooCommerce/WordPress is actually your best option at this stage.

It's easy to use and setup, as long as you know what to do.

We're actually discussing WordPress/Woocommerce hosting and best practices on Wednesday 12 August in Dublin.

It would be great if all the hosting experts could come over for a chat - including those who need more answers!

Graham

business bloomer wrote: »

I agree with Devil Driver - WooCommerce/WordPress is actually your best option at this stage.

Did you read a different response because I didn't see anyone suggesting it was the best option.

It's an option certainly but unless you're privy to additional info you can't seriously state it's the best option.

Fukuyama

Surely with 2,000 products Wordpress/WooCommerce will get a little clunky? It's a fantastic CMS but at that end of the scale even managing products and orders will just get annoying.

A piece of software that's dedicated to eCommerce would surely be best.

woodenwonder

So the illness it the lack of flexibility with my current site. I can't do promotions I can't add little bits and pieces. and I really don't want to spend money on it as feel it's a bit of a relic.

I will speak to a few developers and decide on best option. I'll let you know how I'm getting on.

Graham

woodenwonder wrote: »

So the illness it the lack of flexibility with my current site. I can't do promotions I can't add little bits and pieces. and I really don't want to spend money on it as feel it's a bit of a relic.

I will speak to a few developers and decide on best option. I'll let you know how I'm getting on.

Did you check your site stats? All the tinsel in the world isn't going to help if your site isn't getting any eyeballs.

business bloomer

Graham wrote: »

Did you read a different response because I didn't see anyone suggesting it was the best option.

It's an option certainly but unless you're privy to additional info you can't seriously state it's the best option.

You're right Graham! Unfortunately I added my personal opinion in there without further investigating devildriver's post

business bloomer

Fukuyama wrote: »

Surely with 2,000 products Wordpress/WooCommerce will get a little clunky? It's a fantastic CMS but at that end of the scale even managing products and orders will just get annoying.

A piece of software that's dedicated to eCommerce would surely be best.

I've worked on Woo sites with tens of thousands products. You can reduce the load time and query speed with cache and CdN, so actually that's not a major issue.

We'll discuss this on Wed if anyone is interested (the meetup is free of course, so anyone is welcome).

I've also worked with Magento sites that slower than WooCommerce, or the other way around. So I guess the best is to know what your tools and options are before you start or convert an existing website.

business bloomer

woodenwonder wrote: »

So the illness it the lack of flexibility with my current site. I can't do promotions I can't add little bits and pieces. and I really don't want to spend money on it as feel it's a bit of a relic.

I will speak to a few developers and decide on best option. I'll let you know how I'm getting on.

If I'm allowed to put my own opinion forward, there is no more flexible platform than WordPress/WooCommerce. Easy to install and manage, scalable, free to start with and potentially optimized for speed and effectiveness

Graham

business bloomer wrote: »

If I'm allowed to put my own opinion forward, there is no more flexible platform than WordPress/WooCommerce. Easy to install and manage, scalable, free to start with and potentially optimized for speed and effectiveness

There are plenty of 'more flexible' platforms but flexibility usually comes at the cost of additional complexity and maybe increased implementation times

There are plenty of easy to start platforms but they may have such trade-offs as increased costs or operating on a SaaS model.

There are plenty of solutions better optimised for speed because they don't carry the additional weight of the WordPress platform.

Don't get me wrong, Woo is a great product and it can run rings around some of its competitors in some scenarios but you are doing people a disservice if your immediate knee-jerk reaction to everything e-commerce is Woo.

You're taking a round peg and trying to stuff it into a hole of unknown size and shape.

business bloomer

Graham wrote: »

There are plenty of 'more flexible' platforms but flexibility usually comes at the cost of additional complexity and maybe increased implementation times

There are plenty of easy to start platforms but they may have such trade-offs as increased costs or operating on a SaaS model.

There are plenty of solutions better optimised for speed because they don't carry the additional weight of the WordPress platform.

Don't get me wrong, Woo is a great product and it can run rings around some of its competitors in some scenarios but you are doing people a disservice if your immediate knee-jerk reaction to everything e-commerce is Woo.

You're taking a round peg and trying to stuff it into a hole of unknown size and shape.

Fair enough, I appreciate your opinion You're right actually - there is no "best" platform - it really depends on what you sell, how many products you have and what functionalities you need I suppose.

Graham

business bloomer wrote: »

Fair enough, I appreciate your opinion You're right actually - there is no "best" platform - it really depends on what you sell, how many products you have and what functionalities you need I suppose.

Bingo

Into the mix you should also add the clients experience, budget, timescales, product mix, product types, future plans, integration requirements, target market, shipping/logistics providers.......

business bloomer

Graham wrote: »

Bingo

Into the mix you should also add the clients experience, budget, timescales, product mix, product types, future plans, integration requirements, target market, shipping/logistics providers.......

Great stuff Graham!

newdigi

Do you want to share the address of your site so I and others can give you more specific advice?

I'm currently going through a Wordpress/woo commerce build from scratch and can maybe offer some useful(or useless!) advice