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Step 1
The first thing you will need is a host for your site. There are countless site-hosting options out there, so choose the one that best fits your needs. For example, an eCommerce site requires a package that includes FTP services. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and is absolutely necessary for the electronic transfer of data over the Internet. Also make sure to purchase a plan with enough memory to house high-resolution photos of your products.
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Step 2
Once you have your hosting plan in order you should come up with your URL address. URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator and is the web address for your site. Your home-page's URL or web address should be easy to remember and should be related to your product. The most ideal choice would be the name of your business. Check to see if it is available and then register it on the web to secure it for your sole use.
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Step 3
Now you can begin building your home page. There are many user-friendly, web-site building programs you can use to help you design your site, including versions by Homestead, EZGenerator and Adobe Dreamweaver (see Resources). Most begin with a blank page. You can use the "Insert" tab on the top of the page to add things like photos or text boxes. Make sure your logo or a photo of your product is visible on your page. Use the text portion of your home page to give a brief description of your business or product and its features.
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Step 4
Create a menu for your site. A menu is helpful to navigate through the pages of your site. Once you think of the necessary sub-pages for your site like your shipping policy, return policy and contact information you can create these pages in the same way you created your home page above. To create your menu, simply list the titles of your sub-pages on your home page. Highlight each title and use the "Insert" tab and scroll to "Insert Hyperlink," Browse your site for the corresponding page and click it, this will underscore the title, linking it to its page.
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Step 5
To allow customers to order a product over the Internet, FTP sites use a feature called a form. To create your form, click the "Insert" tab and scroll to "Insert Form." The form will show up on your page as a set of dashed lines. Between these lines is where you create your order form. To get information from your customer, insert text boxes into your form and attach them to questions about your customer's identity and address. Include a submit button for clicking when the form is completed.
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Step 6
Be completely prepared for your shipping. You will need to package your items so that they are secure and protected. Have them weighed to figure your full cost for shipping plus packaging and decided what you will charge to your customer. Post your shipping price clearly on your site so that customers are aware of that cost before they buy.
