> I had a jeweler contact me today about setting up a web site to sell
> his work. When the site is finished, he wants to do all the updating
> (create new pages, upload pictures, etc.) through a browser himself.
>
> Is there any software/template out there that can be set up that way?
Essentially, you're looking for a CMS (Content Management System) with ecommerce capabilities. Although you don't say specifically that he wants to sell directly off the site, here are a few thoughts on enabling ecommerce.
As mentioned previously, Joomla is one candidate. Drupal is another well-known platform. Both of these have a steep learning curve, and separate the development from the content. I wouldn't recommend either of these if you're not familiar with the platforms already.
You might look at WordPress as a contender. There are an increasing number of companies that run hosted ecommerce on the WordPress platform. The major downside (or maybe it's a benefit) is that it tends to be a templatized approach. If you don't like any of the templates, you are forced to develop your own, which usually means learning a new language, like PHP. Some WordPress themes are very customizable out of the box, though, and can be extended with other plug-ins.
A quick Google turned up the following (using "wordpress ecommerce templates")
Large hosting and software providers:
Shopify.com
http://www.magentocommerce.com/
A couple of articles:
http://www.readactor.com/wordpress/15-wordpress-ecommerce-templates-for-2011/
http://www.readactor.com/wordpress/8-wordpress-e-commerce-templates/
http://getshopped.org/
Wix.com (flash-based hosting platform)
If you are familiar with WordPress, you can also bolt on a plug-in or two to get similar functionality on your own site.
For example:
http://sixrevisions.com/wordpress/top-5-excellent-e-commerce-plugins-for-wordpress/
If it's a really simple site, you can even build it with Weebly -- a hosted WordPress style CMS. (http://www.weebly.com) Weebly is almost TOO simple, though, with everything drag and drop.
This is just scratching the surface. The problem nowadays is not finding solutions, but determining which solution is going to provide the right functionality for your client. Style of presentation (list view, gallery-style, detail pages), payment options (PayPal, merchant gateway), web hosting (client's server, or monthly hosting), user levels (from administration and web-design to editor), sales reporting, traffic reporting... the list is fairly endless. Getting that list of requirements from the client up-front is going to be the key to choosing a platform and what features you develop first.
> Is anyone familiar with http://livebooks.com or
> http://aphotofolio.com/ and can the sites be built through a browser?
I haven't done any work with livebooks -- it's a hosted solution starting at $39/month and seems geared mainly towards photographers. The templated sites are accessed via a web-browser, and you edit content and upload images via a CMS. If you want anything custom, it looks as if you have to work with their design team. That usually means that the core code is proprietary, and may not be as easy to change as tweaking HTML and CSS. I built a site using Kurant's Store Sense (now owned by eBay under the name ProStores) some years back, and it was a nightmare to customize. All of the code had to be compiled online before you could see if it worked or not. It used custom tags embedded in HTML. That experience scared me off of this type of platform. Feature-wise, it looks good.
A Photo Folio is not strictly an ecommerce platform -- it partners with another company to provide commerce functionality. Even more than LiveBooks, it's geared towards presenting a portfolio rather than selling outright. If the jeweler is looking for a presentation rather than a selling site, this could work. It does have a significant setup fee, though. Again, looks like a proprietary solution. Many good features, like mobile mirrors, good SEO, integrated video.
In the end, your client's requirements will drive what you build. Many of the available platforms today are built with the end-user client in mind, with online editors and back of the store reporting features. A lot will depend on how many products he wants to feature, and how he wants to handle the rest of the site.
HTH
Jim Parker
parkerparker :: design | photography
http://www.parkerparker.info
248.229.7900
Jim Parker
parkerparker :: design | photography
http://www.parkerparker.info
@dakkid / twitter
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1 comments:
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