Wanting to put my small business online?

Posted by on . 7 comments.

I have learned to make wonderful soy candles from home.. I want to put my candle business online (like my own website). What is a good way to build a website without html knowlege? Are there any free or cheeap ways to do this? I am also going ot have an ebay store.

Thanks!


Comments

  1. skylark says:
    August 29, 2010 at 7:25 am

    If you are just selling a few candles a day (like you make a few), then you can consider selling your candles on http://www.etsy.com too along with ebay. If you want to go for your own website, then you can sign up with a web host. They will give you free sitebuilders that you can use to build professional looking websites. You can integrate a shopping cart and paypal/credit card on your website so people can buy. Don’t forget to spread the word about your website so people can actually find it.

    If you want to know how to setup your own website, have a look at:
    http://hosting4beginners.webnode.com/how-to-host-a-website/

    There are step by step instructions on it for that. You can sign up with any of the recommended hosts there (look at the prices etc).. you’ll definitely need limited speed, so what they offer should be 10 times more than what you’d need. Chat with the web host (I’d suggest Arvix/Inmotion – around $6 a month) and see if they will help you set up a shopping cart website – but mostly you can do it yourself once you spend the time with the sitebuilders.

    Good luck! Happy candle-making! (and selling ;) )

  2. S S says:
    August 29, 2010 at 7:25 am

    how about setting up a facebook page i did and it put customers our way :)
    also its free !!
    good luck

  3. s_bunker says:
    August 29, 2010 at 7:25 am

    There are some free services like blogger etc but you end up with a domain name that goes along the line of yourname.blogspot.com which looks a little cheap to be honest.
    Its not expensive to get a proper domain name and a site setup less than $100 in fact – like this http://simonbunker.co.uk/get-blogging/

  4. Caroline S says:
    August 29, 2010 at 7:25 am

    Hi,
    The answers you previously received were very good. However if you would like to build your own Website, you can go to kompozer.net and download the program for building your own site free. Once you have messed around with it for a while, and you get things as you like, you can go to namecheap, and register the name you want for your site. This can cost you anywhere from $5.00 or more a year, then you have to have it hosted. That is how you can publish your site. I find it best to have it hosted where I purchase the name. I also find it wise to place your name in the name you request, because it is rare and less expensive. For example, candlesbymelainesmom.info or net or com. I bet you won’t find any registers and so it won’t be that expensive. Yes you can set up a free blog, or sell on ebay. But you should try building your own site. If you have proplems building it there are many places that will assist you, but beware of the prices they charge. And don’t forget to ask other owners of sites what they did to get their site up and running. I am an affiliate marketer to a women who sells home made soaps. If you do a search on this you will find so many people who sell homemade products, and most of them are so happy to help someone work on their dream. As a matter of fact I am going to do a search right this minute and see how many home made soap and candle sites there is listed..Hold on..

    Here are two I just found.

    http://www.sunriseshowers.com/

    http://www.homemadesoaps.net/

    So do a search and join one of these sites, and ask away..If one does not assist you, the next one may.
    To Your Success,
    Caroline

  5. Jenna Green says:
    August 29, 2010 at 7:25 am

    Hi! Once you get your website/company up and running, if you need help with publicity, a great resource is to join the Green Business Network (http://www.greenamericatoday.org/cabn/join/?a_aid=222&a_bid=ff7c03fa), which networks a bunch of environmentally responsible companies. Or you can join Green Affiliates (http://www.greenaffiliates.biz?a_aid=222&a_bid=839e2821), which gets a bunch of online activists to promote your company.

    Good luck with your company! :)

  6. Natalie says:
    August 29, 2010 at 7:25 am

    I know there are lots of sites like weeble and tumblr that allow you to make free sites but they are not really good for advertising and very restrictive I used unicora.com and they created me a simple website.

    It was cheap and it features well in google and I am getting good amount of visitors and sales so well worth the small investment.

    I dealt with Mark at Unicora and he was really helpful, maybe just give them a look, even if you do not use there services I am sure they will be happy to suggest some free ways as they helped me with ways to promote myself for free.

  7. Tori says:
    August 29, 2010 at 7:25 am

    Most web hosting companies have templates to help people without any programming skills or html knowledge create their own website quickly and easily. I have several websites and have tried several different companies. I’ve found Go-Daddy’s website tonight program to be one of the least expensive and easiest programs to use.

    You can also use free blogs, Squidoo, social marketing sites and message boards to post links to help you build traffic to your website,

    I’ve included some links with more information.

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