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Ask HN: What is your favorite way of setting up online store in 2018?

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Ask HN: What is your favorite way of setting up online store in 2018?

#1

Post by pyeu »

I am learning Python and Web Development. I want to set up an online store for my friend who does stitching work. She needs a site where she can display her designs and take orders for stitching.

As I am learning Python, I am planning to use framework : Sale or - http://getsaleor.com/ or Oscar http://oscarcommerce.com/.

For payment, I may use PayPal or Stripe.

Budget for building online store is very low. I want to full control over it and independent?

What services and technologies do you use when you'd like to quickly build a small online store?

Re: Ask HN: What is your favorite way of setting up online store in 2018?

#2

Post by toomuchtodo »

Shopify or Etsy to MVP until there's traction. Don't prematurely optimize by thinking you need to use Django or write the shop yourself in the beginning.

> Budget for building online store is very low. I want to full control over it and independent?

Don't do this. Your time is worth something. Just keep an eye as things develop as to how you're going to get the data out of your prototype into a bespoke system, eventually.

Source: I've helped ~5 people setup online shops this way, including quilting and artisanal yarn shops. Total time to setup was 2-3 hours per store with a screen share while on the phone with the person.

EDIT: OP: To your point about learning Python; find small consulting projects that are just beyond your skill level, and take those on. Iterate along that path. This is not the path to your Python Enlightenment. I understand it's difficult to learn a programming language when you don't have a real problem to solve, I face the same problem myself.

Re: Ask HN: What is your favorite way of setting up online store in 2018?

#5

Post by pwillia7 »

dopamean wrote: post #3

It's 2018. There's almost zero reason to build an online store yourself if all that is being sold is stitching work. This sounds like a perfect use case for Shopify/Etsy/Big Cartel or any of the many sites that do this already.

There's even marketplaces for that kind of thing like craftsy.

Re: Ask HN: What is your favorite way of setting up online store in 2018?

#6

Post by pi-squared »

What is more important for you - learning experience or getting your friend up and running fast? If it's the first - go with the frameworks you have listed but expect it will take longer than you thought before you can give her anything to work with. Like 10x longer. If it's the second - shopify or other mentioned in other comments.

Re: Ask HN: What is your favorite way of setting up online store in 2018?

#7

Post by josefresco »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #2

Shopify or Etsy to MVP until there's traction. Don't prematurely optimize by thinking you need to use Django or write the shop yourself in the beginning. > Budget for building online store is very low. I want to full control over it and independent? Don't do this. Your time is worth something. Just keep an eye as things develop as to how you're going to get the data out of your prototype into a bespoke system, eventu…

This is great advice. Anyone can setup a self-hosted ecommerce shop however, maintaining that software year 2, 3, 4 & 5 can and will be a giant pain for your average small biz.

Source: I've helped ~50 small business owners setup ecommerce shops in my career.

Re: Ask HN: What is your favorite way of setting up online store in 2018?

#8

Post by josefresco »

dopamean wrote: post #3

It's 2018. There's almost zero reason to build an online store yourself if all that is being sold is stitching work. This sounds like a perfect use case for Shopify/Etsy/Big Cartel or any of the many sites that do this already.

This. I work primarily with very small business owners. Early in my career I was all about open source and rolling your own. Lessons learned over the years (maintenance, compliance, shifting standards) and I now almost exclusively recommend using a third party provider.

Re: Ask HN: What is your favorite way of setting up online store in 2018?

#9

Post by [deleted] »

josefresco wrote: post #7
toomuchtodo wrote: post #2

Shopify or Etsy to MVP until there's traction. Don't prematurely optimize by thinking you need to use Django or write the shop yourself in the beginning. > Budget for building online store is very low. I want to full control over it and independent? Don't do this. Your time is worth something. Just keep an eye as things develop as to how you're going to get the data out of your prototype into a bespoke system, eventu…

This is great advice. Anyone can setup a self-hosted ecommerce shop however, maintaining that software year 2, 3, 4 & 5 can and will be a giant pain for your average small biz. Source: I've helped ~50 small business owners setup ecommerce shops in my career.

[deleted]
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