Building An Online Storefront

Got a product you want to sell online? Perhaps you're an artist looking to build your own Internet storefront? Perhaps you're about to launch your own line of mopeds and motorized bicycles? Oh wait, that's me. There's some things you'll need to make it work.

For starters you are going to need a website. If you plan to spend all your time seated at your computer taking orders, answering the telephone and replying to e-mails then most any website will do but if you need to spend your time making your products, eating, sleeping, and seeing you family as anything other than reflections in your monitor then you'll need to invest in a website designed as a storefront. I don't know anything about them but the folks at FastCommerce claim they will let you build your own store front for free. It appears they make their living off their more successful customers. Here's to hoping you'll become one of their more successful customers. A Google search for storefront software brings up more options.

Got a domain name? WackyCrazyZanyOnlineStore.blogspot.com might work for your blog but a store needs its own supported domain to help people remember it. BillysToyStore.com is already mine so don't bother trying to get that one unless you've got a lot more money than the average starving artist. Rather than pointing you to anyone in particular all you need do is search Google for domain names. Depending on the day a domain name will run you from 2 dollars to 10 dollars for your first year.

If you're planning an affiliate program that pays bloggers and webmasters to advertise your product based on commissions, leads or pay per click then you're going to need affiliate software. There are probably many brands available with iDev Affiliate Software being just one of them. A Google search for affiliate softare turns up many more.

And finally, if you really want more advertising bang for your bucks then cut out the middle men, skip the Google Adwords and pay-per-click schemes altogether, and pay a few dedicated "B" list bloggers to run ads based on traffic rather than clicks and you'll be much better off. Seriously, the good will can really carry you far.