The National e-Commerce Extension Initiative
Southern Rural Development Center
Electronic Retailing
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General Overview
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Learning Lesson
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  menu_item Module 1: The Supply
      Chain

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  menu_item Module 2: e-Tailing is
      about Selling and a
      Whole Lot More

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  menu_item Module 3: How to Sell
      Online

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  menu_item Module 4: Online
      Technical Issues

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      menu_item e-commerce Goes
          Dynamic

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      menu_item Outsourcing
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      menu_item Webpage Creation
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      menu_item Doing Business Online
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      menu_item Transactions
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  menu_item Module 5: Going Digital
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Webpage Creation

Despite all of the many options available in site design, two of the most important aspects are usability (can users find information and products quickly and easily?) and site maintenance (how will you change pages and maintain an up-to-date product database?). Consider the following advantages and disadvantages about Web site design and creation:

Using a Template
Advantages Disadvantages
  • Easy to use

  • Many provide all-in-one solution with domain registration, Web site design, shopping cart and hosting

  • Relatively fast setup

  • Doesn't require extensive technical knowledge

  • You may receive a listing in online categories and directories
  • Limited flexibility in store design

  • May look similar to many other online stores

  • Additional features, storage, bandwidth, and customer support may be costly

  • You may be charged based on the traffic that your site generates
  • Usually have customizable templates to choose from, based on pricing structures
  Learn and Interact

There are many, many companies that offer these types of services, so you will need to shop around to find the right fit. Click on the "Learn and Interact" icon to the right to explore one provider of the template-type etail services offered by Amazon.com.

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Web site and all contents © Copyright SRDC 2010, All rights reserved.
CSREES These materials were developed as part of the Southern Rural Development Center’s Nationall e-Commerce Extension Initiative. They are based upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Award No. 2005-45064-03212

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Southern Rural Development Center.
 

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