1. Testing & local development
- get xampp
- get zen-cart
- get zen-cart manual
- get a credit card (any credit card)
- get a Visa eDebit Public Bank card (paypal related)
- get someone that you would return to should you dont know what to do
- and Dunhill 14s with Milo Ais (sure you will be thirsty)
Proceed with installation of xampp then zen-cart, if you can not find zen-cart manual(this will cost you alot but it is a good investment) you may proceed also. Get your self a credit card (this is for web hosting payment and paypal registration also a Visa eDebit Public Bank (this is a ATM card that let you connect your paypal account directly to a ATM machine where you will withdraw money). The rest is just optional (smoking is not good for your health).
After finished installation. Then go to setup. (1)set local host tracing to your zencart installed folder. (2)make sure the name of you zencart folder represent the same name of your coming store. Folder name = store name = setup in xampp = placed the folder in xampp main folder.
after that finish installation in zencart. DONE.
The purpose of this installation in local it to make sure you understand the movement of your coming store before making them LIVE!. Please bear in mind once your store have a visitor that means your store is already up and running (but if not please put a bold disclaimer).
--- I assumed you have completely play a lot with the locally installed zen-cart. ---
2. Exist and becoming to exist.
- make a logo of your store
- find a good name of your store (good name is all that matter+service)
- find a good website name (must the same/at least the same to your store name)-whois.com
- draft a good disclaimer statement
- draft a good shipping and handling statement
- draft a good privacy statement
- (ask someone to comment on your logo/store name/website name)
- ask a someone who is good in legal/english to verify your statements
The logo is tricky, I spend a lot of time selecting my best logo. And the sellection is still in progress. A good store name is a MUST. So do the website name. It will later represent the goodwill of your store. Lastly your disclaimer, shipping and handling and privacy statement. Please please check and recheck it. English would sometimes brings you somewhere just by thru words...
After that...
3.Tools/Cards
- make sure you have a credit card to pay for the webhosting
- make sure you have a visa eDebit Public Bank to receive money from paypal.com
4.Connecting
- get a webhosting (preferable the cheapest one if you are new to online store)
- register to paypal.com
- configure your paypal to be able to send money to malaysia via eDebit card
- configure your zen-cart store as per your locally installed store(local zencart is very helpful here)
- START UPLOADING your product as per locally installed zencart.(this would be very boring)
Pay for the webhost via your credit card, register to paypal.com via your credit card and add Visa eDebit card via profile>add card. Then proceed to configure your zencart as per your locally installed zencart.
5. Moding/Test/Correct/Add
- test "rapid page request" = to know how fast is your website to appear at your client browser
- test "image download" = to know how fast is your image (products) will apprear at your client browser
- test "script download" = require only if you installed some script to enhance appreance of your store
- test "ghost customer" = buy anything, do anything, bla bla bla. Act like you are a customer
- test "paypal payment" = very tricky require a developer acc with paypal
- test "shipping calculation" = to check correctness of your shipping calculation
- store vulnerability test = WARNING! MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A BACKUP.
- test other security testing = this is to make sure your store is secured
- ask your friend to make some testing to your store and ask them for some comments
Testing stages in (5) would take your time a lot. But it paid you a very precious price, because once your store is up and running your just need to sit back and relax and see the money pouring in (subject to you have some sales!). Please do (5)testing a lot before launching your store. I beg you...
6. Get traffic
- use google adword (a very good advertisement tools to drive traffic into your side.PAY)
- use social related website such as blog/facebook or any you would like to use
- non-internet ads, use newspaper/prints/sms???
Getting the traffic is not the main point here. But getting the right customer is the main issue. Because based on my experienced, using adword each click you have to pay for RM0.01 and likely you will be charged about RM15-50 per month and still you dont get the sales growing. Well keep trying... Improved your Click-to-Buy thru improving your sales tactic or maybe giving some discount.(but never offer it too much) Please dont spoil the market bro...
7. Are you satisfied?
- ask yourself this question alot...
- prior to launching. Should you satisfied then proceed to launching.
--- LAUNCHING ---
Now this brief information on zencart installation is end. I am going to joging. bye. cyaa.
