domain/web host recommendations?

[Kyle]

I am looking for some recommendations on a good site that will be able to host a retail website I am building for my folks embroidery shop. I am new at this and am looking for any assistance in the right direction. There are soo many web hosts out there that it makes it tough to choose. Hoping yall can help narrow it down!

 

[mikeofcontex]

Pricing is competitive... Apache or MS IIS are available... I choose something hosted in the USA... just my choice.

Sometimes, you need to know if you have application requirements before you choose the host. What databases are offered... are you going to use a content management system and, if so, which one.

 

[LJH]

PM sent

 

[Texasjack]

I'm far from an expert, but I did help run a web site for my son's high school. It was on GoDaddy.com and they were wonderful about helping me. We had 100% up time and the price was very affordable. I couldn't have been happier with the service.

 

[Wolfwood]

how are you building it? Are you comfortable working in a linux shell environment?

if you are looking for a drag and drop site builder type thing, jsut look for the cheapest host that offers that service. most of them in my experiance do essentially the same thing.

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

If you're doing a retail website I'd do some research on shopping cart options and pricing and also how it's going to be used.

Depending on skill level, some have chosen to have purely information sites with links to both social media (FB, Twitter, etc) and to a separate online store hosted by Yahoo, ebay, etc. I don't have a whole lot of small business experience other than family/friends but they've always went with GoDaddy for web hosting / email and outsourced complex pieces like retail functionality.

I think for small businesses a key decision hings on how much time and $$ you want to spend on IT. I'd write down what you want to achieve with the site as well as time and $$ constraints. Then evaluate your options against those. Most hosting is competitive, it's the application functionality that seems to diverge the most.

Sorry for the long winded consultant speak , maybe others will chime in with specific solutions or providers they've used.

 

[Kyle]

Pricing is competitive... Apache or MS IIS are available... I choose something hosted in the USA... just my choice.

Sometimes, you need to know if you have application requirements before you choose the host. What databases are offered... are you going to use a content management system and, if so, which one.

My objective is to build complete online retail store with all of the fixin's... paypal payment systems, the ability to handle a decent amount of traffic if need be.

I'm far from an expert, but I did help run a web site for my son's high school. It was on GoDaddy.com and they were wonderful about helping me. We had 100% up time and the price was very affordable. I couldn't have been happier with the service.

We have used them in the past, maybe we need to revisit them.

how are you building it? Are you comfortable working in a linux shell environment?

if you are looking for a drag and drop site builder type thing, jsut look for the cheapest host that offers that service. most of them in my experiance do essentially the same thing.

I have had no experience with shell type enviroments. Ideally I am looking for something that offers tools and the ability to create what I need outside of their tools also. some of these hosts seem pretty sketchy...

If you're doing a retail website I'd do some research on shopping cart options and pricing and also how it's going to be used.

Depending on skill level, some have chosen to have purely information sites with links to both social media (FB, Twitter, etc) and to a separate online store hosted by Yahoo, ebay, etc. I don't have a whole lot of small business experience other than family/friends but they've always went with GoDaddy for web hosting / email and outsourced complex pieces like retail functionality.

I think for small businesses a key decision hings on how much time and $$ you want to spend on IT. I'd write down what you want to achieve with the site as well as time and $$ constraints. Then evaluate your options against those. Most hosting is competitive, it's the application functionality that seems to diverge the most.

Sorry for the long winded consultant speak , maybe others will chime in with specific solutions or providers they've used.

My skills are limited now, but I do learn very fast so starting hard isn't an issue. For starting out, I need to keep it cheap, if it looks promising, we will hit the internet sales hard and expand as needed. So I guess, if I am looking at the future, I need a host that can accomidate something fairly large and complex. We have an embroidery shop (been doing it for 13 years) and are looking to expand our business online and reach out beyond just a couple of Texas cities. For starters it will just be styled to choose your item, choose your size, choose your color, order and pay, then we will ship it out to you. I won't get into product specifics but we are looking to start a new brand for a demographic that seems to have been monopolized by one company. We can offer a superior quality for a fraction of the cost. Along with our brand we will offer other items that apply to other markets (I would like to offer personalized soft gun cases and hunting / shooting clothing.)

I just need a host that will offer the most diversity for small fee.

 

[Rum Runner]

IMO I'd pick a CMS (drupal, dotnetnuke, etc.) first, then a shopping cart, then find a host that specializes in them.