create a summary guide for a small retailer company about the stages that are necessary in the creation of a web site & the management issues involved.
refer to the book "Access eCommerce Guide" published by University of Minnesota
1.Background Research
a. Learn about ecommerce
Pay close attention to ecommerce in action as you visit the sites in this curriculum and surf the Net. What seems to work well and what doesn't?
b. Check out the competition
Identify your online competitors. Do they have a website? virtual storefront? interactive catalog and shopping cart? How do they encourage repeat visits? What advantages does your business have off-line? online?
2. In-house Preparation
a. Develop a site concept
Decide what kind of a website you want to develop. Will it be like a book, tour, catalog, or newsletter? What level of ecommerce will it have at the beginning? eventually?
b. Select a team
Manager, writer, technical support, and graphics designer. If you are working alone, find folks who know about graphics and computers to help you. Find a proofreader! Line up your virtual consultants: on the Net or in print.
c. Create a paper plan
Use an organization chart or tree diagram to create a road map for yourself and your users. List each page's purpose, content, multi-media components, and links.
d. Create a prototype
Don't start with your homepage. Start with a few content-heavy pages or a contact page.
3. Test Site
a. Find ISP and web hosting service
Find the best Internet and/or web hosting for your needs.
b. Register domain(s)
Register at least one domain for your business. Try to make it short and memorable.
c. Create initial website
Start with pages that emphasize your products and services. Build your brand with content-rich pages intended to draw traffic. Include site index and easy means of navigation. Go easy on large graphics.
Keep in mind that the first page visitors see may not be your homepage. Make sure that contact information is easy to find from any page on your website.
d. Write a Privacy Statement
Use the Direct Marketing Association's Privacy Policy Generator to help you. Review DMA's own privacy policy to see what is covered.
e. Test the web site
Test for usability of layout and design, content, browser compatibility, server
performance. Validate all of the pages with an HTML checker. Try your pages with different computers and browsers. Ask volunteers to visit your site while you observe their actions and reactions.
4. Public Site
Going public for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience as the team at LetsTalk.com found out. Be sure to readForbes'account of pre-launch jitters in "LetsTalk.com prepares for launch".
a. Real-world testing
Pay very close attention to site logs during the first few weeks to identify bad links and missing files.
b. Promote the site
If you build it, they will only come if they hear about it. Tell everyone you know about the site - and everyone you don't know. Register the site with search engines and directories. Send out a press release.
5. Continuing Site
a. Maintain the site
Add fresh content, check links frequently, and respond promptly to visitor feedback. Study your site logs to find out what people are interested in, what pages aren't working, what's popular and what's not.
b. Broaden site promotion
Continue site promotion, seek reciprocal links, and use opt-in email subscriptions to draw visitors back to website.
In my oppinion, the management issues involved in this case is the start-up cost which quite expensive.
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