Which email ???

CandyB101_2

Hi, I am trying to set up a business selling my crafts.
Can anyone advise me on what site to use to create my business email address. I have only ever used hotmail. Are there any free ones I could use? My next step will be to create a web site.
Any advice would be very much appreciated.

SteveCutler

It sounds like you're after a domain.

A domain is the "address" of a website, such as google.com or moneysavingexpert.com

You can buy a domain - as long as nobody else owns it.

I personally use https://www.123reg.co.uk to register/renew domains.

Buying "just" the domain (no "hosting" packages) will cost - for one ending in .co.uk - something like £7.59 for two years (two years is the minimum).

Pretty much the only thing you'd use with this are called "email forwarders" - which, when emails are sent to an address @yourdomain.co.uk, re-send themselves to your Hotmail inbox.

So you're still getting the professional appearance, but not the expensive costs.

When you then get round to creating a website, you can use a free hosting company. These allow you to upload internet pages which you've made, and use them (for free) on the domain you've already purchased. For this, I personally use https://www.freehostia.com for their free hosting package.

switch007

http://www.fasthosts.co.uk for example can set you up with a domain (yourbusiness.co.uk), an email package (sales@yourbusiness.co.uk) and a control panel to manage everything. This is just to show you what kind of package you want really, they aren't the cheapest!

I wouldn't really recommend a free one - you need to think about what is important: a) Uptime - You don't want customers not being able to send email, b) Support - You won't get proper support (if at all) from free hosts.

Web hosting is a *minefield* and every time you ask for an opinion on a certain host and someone will have had an amazing experience and another an absolutely awful one.

SteveCutler

switch007 wrote: »

I wouldn't really recommend a free one - you need to think about what is important: a) Uptime - You don't want customers not being able to send email, b) Support - You won't get proper support (if at all) from free hosts.

This is very true, especially for my suggestion of free "hosting" packages. My old host got hacked by Lebanese terrorists promoting their religion... luckily only the "index" files got replaced, and I was able to back up all other data.

But yes, paying is the only way to secure uptime and support.

CandyB101_2

SteveCutler wrote: »

It sounds like you're after a domain.

A domain is the "address" of a website, such as google.com or moneysavingexpert.com

You can buy a domain - as long as nobody else owns it.

I personally use www.123reg.co.uk to register/renew domains.

Buying "just" the domain (no "hosting" packages) will cost - for one ending in .co.uk - something like £7.59 for two years (two years is the minimum).

Pretty much the only thing you'd use with this are called "email forwarders" - which, when emails are sent to an address @yourdomain.co.uk, re-send themselves to your Hotmail inbox.

So you're still getting the professional appearance, but not the expensive costs.

When you then get round to creating a website, you can use a free hosting company. These allow you to upload internet pages which you've made, and use them (for free) on the domain you've already purchased. For this, I personally use www.freehostia.com for their free hosting package.

SteveCutler and Switch007 ..... Many thanks for your prompt replies. Will have a look at all your recommended websites.

t-elle

Have a look at this. it is free to sign up. A .co.uk is free for 2 years and .com is free for a year and with webspace. Looks like some good advice for setting it up. I only signed up for the £5 freebie from Quidco so haven't actually used it;) . Might be worth a look.

trcooke

I currently use http://www.fasthosts.co.uk for my domain registration (£5.90 + Vat for 2 year registration of a .co.uk domain) and use http://www.1and1.co.uk for e-mail services which is about £2 a month.