Wanting to set up a website to sell my paintings

Dinah93

As regards the checkout system I'm now thinking more towards using this site as a gallery, and then linking it to something like etsy which can make use of things like paypals checkout or pay by card in a way that people might be more likely to trust.

I'm only looking to add my best pieces to the gallery, so 12-20 pieces I think, and then have a link off the page to etsy for anyone who might be interested in buying any of the current work.

Mr_Blueskies

Hi Dinah,

I'm quite familiar with your problem as I've completed several sites now for artists.

I personally use bluehost.com as my web hosting company, although I'm sure one.com are OK too.

- I use Wordpress, which in the past has been strongly connected to bloggers, but it makes for an awesome CMS (content management system) these days! Furthermore, the design, shape and feel of your website can be changed with ease, or you can simply download for free, or purchase templates for Wordpress such as; themeforest.net/item/atlantica-wordpress-premium-portfolio-template/full_screen_preview/49034

As people have already said, checkout systems like Paypal, Google Checkout are good enough for what you need it for and again, are easily implemented.

Furthermore in regards to Wordpress, it is open source and thousands of people add 'plugins' for this CMS, so there are always more than a couple of options to freely and easily install for image zooms, slideshows etc.

As a newbie to Wordpress, it wouldn't take you any more than a day to set this up and get it live. Highly recommend this as a tool to help you build your brand.

Dinah93

Thanks Mr Blueskies. I don't like any of the 20 or so templates provided by one, as they won't let me change the images to my own ones, and while I know a little tiny bit of html (went out with a web designer for 2 years about 5 years ago!) I know no where near enough to build my own from scratch. Will have a look at wordpress, that template looks excellent, but can I ask how do you get a site designed this way onto my one.com domain? Is it a copy and paste of html type job?

faevilangel

there are hundreds and hundreds of free wordpress themes available from the wordpress.org site or googling helps

wordpress has an e-commerce plugin too, so look into that too

all you would do is install wordpress on your hosting (it needs mysql) and then put the theme into the themes directory (wp-content/themes) then in the admin menu you can change the theme

i have just done a wordpress site for someone on here so would help you out if needed (help you install it etc) at no cost to yourself

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-e-commerce/
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/eshop/

PasturesNew

I use Wordpress.org software for everything. It's so easy, there are thousands of free themes (although I can never find/pick one I like) - and all the extra plugins are awesome.

I use Bluehost as one of my hosts (I actually have 3-4 hosts I use), I register all my domains through 1and1 (although for one technical reason I wish I hadn't, but with 35 there now it's tricky to move them all), it's just instant/easy for me to login and buy another domain when I dream one up. I then forward the domain name to the hosting space. No good reason for doing this except I found it easy to keep registering new domains with them, so it became a habit.

PasturesNew

To choose/change a Wordpress theme you just:
- find one you like online that will work (whether that's a free one or a premium one)
- download it/unzip it
- upload it into the /wp-themes directory on the server (using FTP software)
- log into Wordpress admin area, go to Appearance, you'll see the theme you uploaded, click on it, there'll be a link that says "activate", click that and it's done.

Dinah93

I'm guessing wordpress is one of those things which is easy once you've cracked the basics, but right now I'm at the blind panic stage of how to even fill in the 'config-sample' bit! Think I'm going to have to leave it for today and come back with a fresh head tomorrow or something.

PasturesNew

Dinah93 wrote: »

I'm guessing wordpress is one of those things which is easy once you've cracked the basics, but right now I'm at the blind panic stage of how to even fill in the 'config-sample' bit! Think I'm going to have to leave it for today and come back with a fresh head tomorrow or something.

If you choose bluehost as your host, then once you've paid up and logged in (I just paid £60 recently for unlimited domains, unlimited stuffs, er domain name ... and .... loads of things I really can't remember), you just head for the thing on the screen that says Wordpress, click that and it automatically installs it... all you have to do is come up with a couple of usernames and passwords along the way (Take screenies of those so you have a clue what you put).

Job done.

Then you log in and it's there but empty.

Then you pick a theme, upload it, activate it ... chuck in your plugins and off you go.

I reckon starting now, you could have it up and running by this time next week ... it's the techical equivalent of using MS Word to create websites. You really can't go wrong ... it's just you start to get picky about what you want and start to fiddle (or is that just me?).

Go on, do it.

Just so you know, there are TWO Wordpress things:
wordpress.com - limited/you are tied by their rules
wordpress.org - the same software, but you have it on YOUR host - this is the one you want.

I'd say to anybody: Bluehost, automatic install, job's a good 'un

P.S. there's no config-sample or anything like it in Wordpress... just nice clean/obvious pages that you type stuff onto.

faevilangel

you need to know your mysql login details, you also need to setup a database for them

dinah if you want, i can install wordpress for you, (do you have mysql hosting & cpanel?)

i have done numerous so know what im doing .... pm me if you want my help

Dinah93

Thanks feevilangel, I don't understand where you would install wordpress? Unfortunately I had already bought my domain and webspace through one.com, so I can't go to bluehost? I don't have a clue if I have mysqlhosting or cpanel! I'm sorry I'm useless guys!