New site set-up

[Col66]

Hi,

I have just signed up for the 14 day free trial as I want to move my e-commerce site from my current provider.

I have a few questions if anyone is able to help please.

Firstly, is the 'Tabs within product pages' working yet? This is very important for me due to the information I need to show for my products.

When setting up my new site in BP is there a particular way of working that is best? I have approx. 100 products, with images and text, that I want to add. I have the images on my Hard Disk but not the text. Should I concentrate on the design first then add the products or add a few products and work with those?
I don't have an exact design in mind, but do have a few ideas. I don't know exaclty what the BP system is capable of so coming up with a design beforehand seems the wrong way to go about it?

Obviously I can read the user guide etc but would like advice/help based upon experiences of the users.

Any help/advice is gratefully received!

Regards,

Col

[icegems]

Hello.

Product page tabs are due imminently hopefully (nag, nag Rich!!).

Export your products from your old site then import them to BP - ftp your images.

Speak to Rich and he will give you a list of approved designers.

Hth.

[Neil]

If you haven't got a design in mind, i'd get yourself a good header made up and then use it on one of the custom templates. Get all your products on site and launch the store.

You can revisit the site design at a later stage when you know more about BP's abilities.

That's the way i did it with my first store. The second i just had a designer do for me, they had a free run design wise to see what they could do.

[Col66]

Thanks Neil, that seems like the way to go - have been working on the header and will take it from there!

Cheers,

Col.

[Deefer]

Hi Col, I hope you are enjoying learning about Bluepark. I am new too and not live yet as I am taking my time adding all my products, doing the design and I am putting a bit more effort into SEO this time, as I make each category and product.

I started by picking a BP template that I liked best. Then I read the manual and followed it. It gives you some good basic ideas of how to get started, at least with changing the header and how each bit works. I then added a few products and then I went back to look at blocks and how they work. Once you understand the basic concept of the header, blocks and centre/left/right columns you will know more about what design you think you can achieve and you will start to get ideas for your look. As long as you are logged into your BP admin you will be able to edit many things actually from the shop front which is a great idea and very useful. I find myself using that a lot.

[Col66]

Hi Deefer,

Thanks a lot for that info, I'll follow your advice and see how things go!

Cheers,

Col.

[Deefer]

No probs and have fun I have used many carts in the last 7-8 years and this is by far the most customisable one I have ever come across. I am sure you will love it.

[Neil]

Also once you realise what you can actually do with BP, you will probably end up changing the original design anyway, so its easier to get to know the system first, even if the first design isn't great, but usable!

That's why the 2nd, 3rd, and so on... sites are much easier, you already know what it can do and how it works!!