Websites

[Sunshine_Crafts]

I am trying to decide the best way in which to set up my website. I have heard of a number of different packages such as Mr Site and sites that can offer you step by step instructions and support like 123-reg but now I'm not sure.

I would be interested in seeing other people's sites and knowing how you found the packages you used.

I look forward to hearing from you all and seeing your sites.

Thanks:pc:

[swirlyarts]

My husband designed mine for me but I honestly don't know how he did it!! I'm a technical dunce really. I know some people on here use Mr Site - I'm sure some of them will be along soon to help you out!

[Pauline@weddingtreasures]

I use moonfruit (www.webeden.co.uk (http://www.webeden.co.uk)) myself and have had no complaints since starting it.

Pauline :D

[MrSwirl]

I used Namo Web Editor, which was free with a PC magazine,to design the site and put all the content in there.

It's hosted by an American company called PowWeb (http://www.powweb.com/join/index.bml?AffID=558045&LinkName=CraftsForum) who are very good and cheaper than anything I found in the UK - we paid for three years hosting and it came to less than one year with 123-reg and did more (we were with 123-reg before that).

The online shop side of things is done through Etsy, Dawanda and Tuggle - I haven't got time to build a full e-commerce site when there are others that do it much better than I ever could.

[Craft Chick]

Good thread!

I'm a real techniphobe unfortunately and know nothing about coding a website, so are all of these packages you mentioned quite straight forward to put content onto?

Thanks! :)

[deezkatz]

Hia
My website is a Mr Site and it really is very simple to use

www.deezkatzdesigns.co.uk (http://www.deezkatzdesigns.co.uk)

very easy to update, and upload photos, esp once you know your way around it.
hope that helps

[Sapna]

Hi everyone,

Iam a wholesaler & supplier of fashion jewelry, India. I have my own website online & now iam trying to grow it. Iam looking for more creative ideas in designing my website.

Regards,
Sapna.

[MrSwirl]

Good thread!

I'm a real techniphobe unfortunately and know nothing about coding a website, so are all of these packages you mentioned quite straight forward to put content onto?

Thanks! :)

Yes - they are straight forward. I've done some custom stuff for the Swirly site that wasn't from the tools, but that was only to make a data entry form for contact us less easy for spamming.

Uploading is just done by dragging and dropping from the PC to the server (the machine hosting the website), which is no harder than moving files around a PC.

[Craft Chick]

Thanks for the advice, I might purchase a Mr Site pack as that looks really good!

Thanks all

[swirlyarts]

Thanks for the advice, I might purchase a Mr Site pack as that looks really good!

Thanks all

I think you can get very good deals on Ebay for it - but that info is only gleaned from reading the forum!

[MrSwirl]

My concern about Mr Site would be who owns the registration, and what happens at the end of the year? Do you have to renew through them again, or could you move it somewhere else? How easy would it be to migrate to another vendor? What do you do if you don't like the software / can't get on with it? What happens to your email?

I prefer to use something that I have more control over - pay a hosting and registration fee separately, and then I know where it is and how it all works. I've not used Mr. Site though, as I wouldn't consider doing it like that.

[MrSwirl]

One more thing I don't like is that each page is just named (for example) page10.html

If you're editing it, how on Earth are you meant to know what it actually refers to.

And each page is branded as "Created by Mr. Site"

[just_mai]

A friend of mine who design websites for a living, did mine for me, I told him what he wanted and he went ahead and did it.

www.mai-inspirations.co.uk

he will be updating it to soon, to add my proper handmade soaps.

[DebsB]

I am trying to decide the best way in which to set up my website. I have heard of a number of different packages such as Mr Site and sites that can offer you step by step instructions and support like 123-reg but now I'm not sure.

I would be interested in seeing other people's sites and knowing how you found the packages you used.

I look forward to hearing from you all and seeing your sites.

Thanks:pc:

Hi,
i may be late with this but if you are thinking of going with Mr Site, and you want to save some extra money don't buy it from Mr Site for £34.99 go to Amazon its cheaper at £19.48 saving you £15.51 ;).
When the years up you can renew your subscription through mr site by paying £2.49 a month.

Mr Site is an ideal solution if you are not technical minded, just remember to check the small print.
But I would strongly suggest registering you web name your self so you own it and not 'Mr Site' that way you can take it with you if you decide to move hosts.
Debbie

[newcrafter24]

I just wanted to add to the discussion re Mr Site. I already had a website up and running done by my husband who is technically minded but not in the website field and I felt that I needed something that I can control and update as and when required rather than asking him to do everything. So I bit the bullet and purchased Mr Site (£34.99) from their site. Wish I'd thought to look at Amazon!!

Anyway, I have been updating my website over the weekend and I have got to say I LOVE IT!!

It does require a small bit of technie knowledge with the terminology that is used but overall its very easy to get started. the biggest problem I have is not putting the content on to the pages but actually taking good enough photos to put on in the first place.

I would thoroughly recommend Mr Site to anyone who is looking for a low cost user friendly website to get you up and running. Oh and by the way, I already had my domain name registerd with 123 and it stays there.

[yiota]

I use osCommerce which is free and I am very happy with it. However you need to know a little about html and php.

[glasskanvas]

...here's my twopennieth!

I moved my website from Mrsite and got a designer to do it for me. To be honest it was a doddle. The most difficult part was moving the name but even that wasn't too bad for a ludite like me!
Although mrsite is really easy to use I found it a bit of a pain in terms of inventory control..but I believe it made some improvements since. Basically it was a nuisence if you made 'one offs'...the product would remain live even if something was sold.
...plus whether by coincidence or design the new site has had nearly as many visitors in one month as my mrsite one had in 8.

[Debeadz]

I use Mr. site and have been quite pleased with it so far although sometimes it can be a little restrictive. But for now it does the job :)

Does anyone know what Mr. Site Pro is all about?

[beadhead]

Hi

I think with the Mr Site pro package you now have an inventory control feature. So if you sell a one off item it will mark it as sold which is much better. The only thing I don't like about Mr Site is the small pictures that you get on the shop pages.

I also think you need to get a site that reflects the kind of things you sell. I find that some sites look a bit too 'commercial' for handcrafted products.

[samsq]

I looked about for sites about two years ago, and opted for X3 Internet Solutions. They have been fantastic, and don't appear to mind my sometimes pathetic questions. Click on my signature, you'll find a link to X3 at the bottom of the screen on the right hand side.

[whassat]

Hi

I think with the Mr Site pro package you now have an inventory control feature. So if you sell a one off item it will mark it as sold which is much better. The only thing I don't like about Mr Site is the small pictures that you get on the shop pages.

I also think you need to get a site that reflects the kind of things you sell. I find that some sites look a bit too 'commercial' for handcrafted products.

i use www penguinshops . com
they have their own forum and tech help section and haven't had any probs

[JBJB]

I haven't read this whole thread, but I use www.easyinternetsolutions.co.uk (http://www.easyinternetsolutions.co.uk) and found it very simple to use their free WYSIWYG web-creation package that you download for free.

Whenever I've had technical issues they've always been very helpful via their online support desk (you never have to speak to a real person), and they have step-by-step guides covering setting up your page to publishing it.

[jonathonandtracy]

Hi I am probably a bit late with this.... but

the people who designed my website were firepages, very helpful and you don't need to have any technical knowledge

[Katianne]

I haven't read this whole thread, but I use www.easyinternetsolutions.co.uk (http://www.easyinternetsolutions.co.uk) and found it very simple to use their free WYSIWYG web-creation package that you download for free.

Whenever I've had technical issues they've always been very helpful via their online support desk (you never have to speak to a real person), and they have step-by-step guides covering setting up your page to publishing it.

JBJB - just been onto their site but can't find where you download the web-creation package? Can you give me instructions? Thanks!

[JBJB]

Try this link first (http://www.freevirtualservers.com/website-builder.htm)as it gives you the option of having a 30-day trial

If you decide to go for it, this page (http://www.freevirtualservers.com/free-hosting.htm)gives you more info about what's included

I think from memory you download the package once you have registered.

[trymydream]

Merry christmas, i am new here. happy every day!:D