Not every website needs a custom logo, or flash components or video presentations - it’s much more important to have a professional appearance and functionality. If your customers can’t find your order page, are unable to tell what inventory or products you have for sale - you have a serious problem, and your e-commerce dreams are likely to be unfulfilled.
Before you think about the options of designing your own web page, or hiring a professional web designer to assist you, there are some basic questions you need to ask yourself, and come up with the answers that fit your specific situation. If you don’t have a clue as to what you want, just a general idea, head straight for a professional designer who can turn your ideas into a solid reality.
A merchant gateway acts as an interface between your website and your bank - it allows customers to place orders using a credit card, or sometimes an e-check, or Paypal, or some similar method of transferring money electronically - the customer gets the product or service ordered, you get the money transferred into your bank account. A gateway essentially functions in the same manner as a credit card processing machine in a brick-and-mortar store.
In today’s world, businesses in particular are viewed as being behind the times if they don’t have a website - but having a poor website is almost as bad as having no website at all. Interesting graphics, flash features, videos, easy navigation - all these items are usually components of a well-designed web site. Unfortunately, most business owners lack the technical and graphic skills to properly design a functional and effective website that will promote their business and produce sales.
Are you familiar with basic programming language like HTML and Javascript? Not all website software requires that you be familiar with these protocols, but it certainly helps. Many web-hosting companies now offer free software to help you design your site, as well as technical support to help you through it, but in truth, many of these web-hosting companies offer only the basics - no fancy graphics, no video integration, etc.
The technical portion of website design includes using the appropriate programming script, i.e. HTML or Javascript, to allow the site to function properly. A professional web designer should also provide a basic page outline and easy navigation, server management, such as where file should be stored, and site maintenance and updates, since glitches occur and you will need to update your company information periodically.
Websites that could be considered strictly informational could be a news outlet whose purpose is to inform the public, or a scientific or weather channel site. The objective here is to disseminate information without consideration of selling a specific item.
A website that provides entertainment typically isn’t sales driven, meaning it is meant to amuse and entertain without being directly linked to a product or service. An example of such a website would include a movie review website, or a joke-of-the-day site. Personal websites, such as one you put up yourself with your life story or family history on it could be categorized as either entertainment or informational in nature.