HostGator SiteBuilder vs. WordPress

[SevnSins]

What benefits (if any) does one have over the other? I'm walking through the Host Gator Site Builder process, but just found out that I won't be able to retrieve the code. When I asked HG if I could just download the code after I upload the final product, but they informed me that the code would be encrypted.

I've read through The_Cynic's tutorial, and see WordPress is a common choice among many. Does it have walk you through the process like Site Builder, and will I have access to the code when I'm finished.

Any advice would be great.

[aspkin]

What kind of website are you trying to build?

If it's a blog then Wordpress is the best way to go.

If you're trying to sell something.. then you need something else.

It all depends on what you want to do.

[SevnSins]

I'm setting the initial website up to sell products, and will use the .net & .info sites for blogging later. Just trying to get the main site up first.

[aspkin]

Go with a simple shopping cart then. Hostgator has tons of preinstalled carts you can have added to your account. Find one your like and install it.

Then for your blogging sites use Wordpress. Wordpress is very easy to use and it can be customized even easier.

[SevnSins]

Aspkin,

Thanks for your reply.

As for carts; I was just going to see if they offer one of the choices discussed here in the forum, but I'm not really that picking. Just need something that allows me to list several different sizes for each product. I assume that I will be able to upload my inventory, and the dropdowns will display the sizes currently available.

My question may have been a little vague, so let me explain a little better what I'm trying to do.
I have some HTML background, and am learning more here and there (Flash, few PHP scripts, etc.). Although; at this pace, my site wouldn't be up for months. (I'm kind of OCD with the finer details)
HG has a SiteBuilder program that walks me through the entire process, similar to a software wizard. I pick a template, add content, and they publish it to my domain.
Unfortunately; SB encrypts the published HTML code, so I can't change anything on the backend. They have some nice templates, but nothing directly related to what I'm selling, and I would like to change some of the graphics. (Example: Change a snowboarder on a mountain to a basketball player on a court)

Do you/anyone know of a similar wizard service that won't encrypt the published code, or is this how they all protect their work?

[aspkin]

I wouldn't recommend sitebuilder at all.

Really you need a simple shopping cart that you can install your self. It's pretty easy, either HostGator can do it, or you can do it your self. All it involves is uploading some files, creating a database and following the instructions.

Once you find a cart you like and that'll work for you get started with it. Most carts have tons of options that you can change to your liking, and most are not encrypted so you can modify stuff as well.

I wouldn't go with sitebuilder though or any of those step by step wizards because they make it hard to scale up and customize your website.

A simple shopping cart will do fine though.

[SevnSins]

Ok, I think I catch your drift.

I can just use one of HG's free templates, add in a cart, a database, and create each page seperately. Will take some time, but will be more flexible in the long run because I'll have access to unencrypted code.

[GREMLIN]

Seven sins, firstly I love the nick!!

Hostgator has a great tool known as fantastico - This automates the setup for many platforms which your website can run off- There is a section for shopping carts under E-commerce- you have a choice of 3 if I am correct

zencart
cubecart
oscommerce

I think they also have Joomla in it also.

The good thing about all of these is that they are open source and many users play active roles in the support forums. You can get free template downloads and many free plugins.

You might be better off learning one of these as nearly everything your require will be available.

For your blogs you should deff go for wordpress - its very easy to use and again you have many free templates and free plugins to benefit from. Ive heard you can also get a shopping cart extension for wordpress also.

You may want to look up some of the_cynics findings. I know he has a thread regarding free shopping carts which he keeps up to date and it has clear instructions how to set it up.

I think the_cynic also uses amazon for payments which also provide him with a cart. not 100% sure will need to read over his thread again.

Best of luck

[The_Cynic]

Before investing a lot of time or money, there are some parameters to consider.

1st - How many items will you have ?

2nd - Do you need the ability to do continuity, upsells, down sells and
cross-sells ?

3rd - How will you take the payments ? Do you already have a merchant
account or will you Paypal, Google Checkout Amazon Payments etc.?

4th - Will you have an affiliate program

5th - If the site fails (the vast majority of ecommerce sites fail) how much do
you want to lose?

Okay, shopping carts come in 2 forms. the 1st is really the total site cms system with the shopping cart as the basis for the site.

--- Aspkin recommends CS- Cart ( $270), Gremlin mention zencart, cube cart and oscart. All good choices, these are all total cms site systems with customize options.

-- Brass tacks - Good options, especially if are going to have a huge site or an affiliate program.
-- Drawbacks
- steep learning curve (zencart),
- limited payment acceptance choices
- no Amazon payments

--- The other choice is to use a different cms-site system, WP, Joomla, Drupal, Front Page, dreamweaver, etc.. and just use a cut and paste code add on cart.
-- Amazon payments, Paypal, Google check out and Mercantec all
offer these Free. (plus hundreds of other providers)

-- Brass tacks

- Super easy to get up and running, If you choose WP you get
all the benefits of a blog (feeds, Linking, comments,
trackbacks) and the ease of use.

- Most of the choices are free (Mercantec, Amazon paypal) to
start using ( no upfront fees)

- ease of checkout - one button push to Paypal amazon etc..
and just enter your email, then approve it.

--Drawbacks

-- Hard to integrate continuity and upsells

-- Need separate plug ins for an affiliate program

-- More time consuming to add new products

-- Need to make up a separate Google base file



See a site done on WP with a cut and paste cart

Lady Gaga Poster | Concert Poster

----http://concertposter.org/lady-gaga-posters/---

Just click the add button and observe the process





So there it is. It just depends on your needs.

Points in favor of using WP and a cut and paste cart, are the ease of checkout.

----Making customers fill out a form before checkout KILLS your conversions.

---- Amazon Payments is adds huge + to your conversions

---- Cheap and easy to get up and running

For my next site, I plan to use WP and just the straight Amazon payments cart.

[SevnSins]

Thanks for the input, and here's my answers:
1st - How many items will you have ?
-I will have several. I have~100 different SKUs/products, but most are very similar. I sell sports clothes, so I have different teams, sizes, and colors.

2nd - Do you need the ability to do continuity, upsells, down sells and
cross-sells ?
-Yes, this would be something I would like. If someone buys a shirt, they might buy a matching hat, earrings, etc.


3rd - How will you take the payments ? Do you already have a merchant
account or will you Paypal, Google Checkout Amazon Payments etc.?
-I'm working on a merch account, and currently accept Google & PayPal. I also have a CartManager shopping cart account, which I usually process my sales through.

4th - Will you have an affiliate program
-I plan to affiliate with some companies, so I can make some affiliate money, but don't plan to do my own affiliate program just yet.

5th - If the site fails (the vast majority of ecommerce sites fail) how much do
you want to lose?
-I have a little investment money, but I too would like to keep my investment down while testing the waters.

I am currently walking through Joomla setup tutorials, and it looks pretty easy. Although; you make it sound like it may be difficult for the number of products I will have. I would have to create product info for each payment method (GCO, PayPal, merch acct.).

If someone whats a product, I would like the system to remove the product from inventory.
Example:

1. I have 4 shirts, in 4 different sizes.
2. Customer A buys the Medium
3. When customer B arrives, Only the 3 remaining sizes will display in the size dropdown.

What is your suggestion, based on the info provided?

[The_Cynic]

Under 100 skus and no need to setup affiliates, I'd say go with a cut and paste cart and your Joomla cms.

I Don't know much about cart manager, I had a look at their site, they look okay.

They don't allow Amazon payments though and they seem to require a long form before checkout (that will KILL your conversions).

[SevnSins]

Thank you very much for your input. Once again; this forum has been a great help for me.

Thanks aspkin.

I will continue with my joomla setup, and try the free cart cynic mentions. This will allow me to have one inventory, and process amazon payments. I'll keep everyone posted on my stats.

Thansk again for everyone's input, and appreciate all the help.

[mdacon]

hello people
i was wondering if anyone knew how to add paypal to your website through sitebuilder from hostgator.
i just built my website and on the Payment Options it has paypal. but after testing it, it doesnt take you to the paypal website to pay for the item, just says will contact you about delivery and nothing in my inbox on how to pay either.
i went to paypal and choose my button but i dont know how to get it on my website. Anyone know how to paste the paypal html on you site??
i looked through sitebuilder but theres nothing on how to paste html to your web page

[holymoly]

sitebuilder sucks! Don't do it...