How To Create Your Own Website--Web Hosting, Shopping Cart... - Page 5 - Hip Girl Boutique Free Hair Bow Instructions--Learn how to make hairbows and hair clips, FREE!

hipgirl · #41 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 05:00

Here are some pictures

After zen-cart installed (on host moster control panel, click a button to install ad it'll take care of everything), I got my website up ad running. The home page is like this (no categories and products created yet):

Then I need to upload my own banner to the server, upload my own logo to the server (I didn't use logo so skipped this step). upload my own banner image to the server (currently 10%-20% off coupon code is my own banner image). Need to edit the 'welcome' main page description (just like in MS WORD).

Then in zen-cart admin panel (all images below are copied from zen-cart admin panel. as you can see, no html code needed, just click button to insert, edit, delete...), I re-arranged the main page--keep left menu column only, set up the width of the column...

Then it's time to add categories and products. Below is the example to add a new products:
1. go to appropriate category, click 'new product' button.

2. Enter whatever info as prompt.

Then save.

Now the new product is shown on the website. Customers can browse the items and add them to the shopping cart and check out.

From my experience, the day to day job such as add new categories and products are straight forward. Anybody can do it. The setup part is a little bit complecated. You might need some help or hire somebody to set it up. (Just go to zen-cart.com forum and ask who wants to provide paid support. )

The upside is you only need to pay it once (setting it up) and do not need to subscribe a shopping cart service at $14.95 or $19.95/month. And you can upload products in bulk (I uploaded my solid grosgrain ribbon items in 1 day. That's 800 individual items).

Michelle

#42 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 08:32

Hi Michelle,
I had a site designed for me by my nephew and now we have to add the shopping cart which will be zen cart. My nephew is relatively new - graduating a year ago and is not completely familar with the software to use his template he created and put it onto the zen cart so all the pages look identical.
My new site is Loop De Loop Hair Bowtique LLC. but it is not complete yet as far as wording and such.... and of course it needs the shopping cart attached.

Thanks for your help
Linda

Children's Hair Bows, Baby Accessories, Korker Bows. Wichita Falls, TX

hipgirl · #43 (**permalink**) 02-25-2008, 11:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mehsey

Hi Michelle,
I had a site designed for me by my nephew and now we have to add the shopping cart which will be zen cart. My nephew is relatively new - graduating a year ago and is not completely familar with the software to use his template he created and put it onto the zen cart so all the pages look identical.
My new site is Loop De Loop Hair Bowtique LLC. but it is not complete yet as far as wording and such.... and of course it needs the shopping cart attached.

Thanks for your help
Linda

Children's Hair Bows, Baby Accessories, Korker Bows. Wichita Falls, TX

If you nephew is computer science graduate, I'm sure he's able to set it up for you. Just need some time to read the documents.

As I said, it's not attaching a shopping cart to your current store. A shopping cart software is the whole store--home page, shipping info, return policy, privite policy, products categories, items (same as your current website) plus customers can register and add items to shopping cart. After you have zen-cart installed, it'll overwrite your current pages (if you install at the root directory). Then you can upload your current images to zen-cart store (the free shipping banner, all the products images...) So it's like install zen-cart and then upload your current image to replace not-so-pretty zen_cart images.

I don't think I explained it clearly. check this out:

Shopping Cart Review 2008

Scroll down to the bottom of the page--
Why Shopping Cart Software?

Don't let the name fool you, shopping cart software is a lot more than just a cart. Good shopping cart software can help your [COLOR=#165db0! important][COLOR=#165db0! important]Internet [COLOR=#165db0! important]business[/color][/color][/color] in other capacities as well, including:
.......

Seems you are thinking shopping cart is a cart. You already have a website, just need a cart.

Zen-cart provides all the functions in the 'includes' listing, from website design to tax calculation...

Michelle

#44 (**permalink**) 02-26-2008, 12:02

Thanks so much for the information. I will forward this to my nephew and see what he has to say.

Linda

divaduds · #45 (**permalink**) 02-27-2008, 08:06

Hey ladies just thought I would share hostmonster is having a promo for $5.95 a month.
Candi

island_girl_bows · #46 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 09:37

Michelle do you know if I can use the Zen cart with Yahoo? thanks

hipgirl · #47 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 10:05

Yes. I saw on zen-cart.com/forum that somebody use Yahoo small business hosting. Seems that it's a little bit difficult than other hosting but doable.

Michelle

Ms. Burton · #48 (**permalink**) 07-09-2008, 03:59

Thank-You

Thank-You
I have been trying to figure out this Zen-Cart thing for over a month

Finally after reading this I went to my cart and all those buttons I was looking for just appeared

you are awsome. Now When I get my things to my cart and get ready to advertise can you give me something else to read so that when I check my cart people will have been to and purchased from my site

just joking. I do appreciate this and it was so much of a help. Oh my husband says thank-you. He says you just saved our marriage.

Thanks again

hipgirl · #49 (**permalink**) 07-09-2008, 04:06