I started my business on Etsy in 2008, and over the last 15 years or so I’ve tried a ton of options. From the very beginning with html and PayPal shopping cart buttons. I’ve used woo commerce and open cart on my own web hosting. Dabbled with Shopify three different times and square as well and probably others that I can’t remember as well as whatever third party websites that have come and gone (11main artfire zibbet etc)
The most difficult thing is getting shoppers to your website. If you have a big social media presence you can always direct your people where to find you. Otherwise your at the Mercy of google seo or paying for ads. I don’t really have much of a social media preference I’m just not that kind of person.
In my opinion handling sales tax is a breeze compared to finding customers.
At the end of the day I just keep a static page up that directs to Amazon/Etsy.
It is renewal time, a wordpress currently hosted on Siteground, but with this year being so slow for sales everywhere for my business I’d like to find a less expensive alternative than the +$200 for one year (“starter” site and domain). It really pisses me off that all of these companies will give ridiculous deals to new clients and just continue to increase prices for existing customers.
I want to maintain a business domain email and a basic website. I haven’t sold much via my site so it really just needs to be a landing page for contact, links to where I sell, and possibly still a “portfolio”.
For us, Wordpress.org using WooCommerce for eCommerce works for us. We use 2M host since the price is low, the quality is high. They are a Hong Kong Company but the servers are based in TX. I spent a lot of time in Hong Kong before giving it to the PRC. So I get the culture. Norman is the Principal of the company, he has always been good to us.
We used to use a US based company, but they went under.
We run a handful of brand websites on the 2M host servers. Most with WooCommerce on our own home rolled WordPress sites.
2M host includes a free SSL cert, you can set up a low end site, or a high end site, or any combination that works for you. We used them as a backup for 20 years. Then went full time three years ago, when the US company disolved.
I paid for 4 years with Hostinger.com. It was around $172 for 4 years of hosting including daily backups. We use OpenCart for the site which is free and Hostinger has an install script that installs it for you if you’re not real technically inclined. I used to host it myself but moved everything to the cloud as my electric bill was $100 more every month to run my rack servers. Support from Hostinger is excellent also.
Just wanted to add I created a site for our honey business last night in about 5 minutes using their AI site generator. To be honest I didn’t expect much from the AI, but it did generate the entire site structure and basic text with placeholder photos that I can use if I want. Was easy to change and edit all that the way I wanted it. Below is the features for the plan I have (not the cheapest).
We have been with them for 2 years now with no downtime. They support Wordpress and WooCommerce as well as quite a few other platforms or they have a simple site builder that actually works quite well.
I do have a referral code that will give a 20% discount and I would also get credit if I refer someone. Want to be transparent about that. The link above is NOT an affiliate link. You would have to get the code from me. I can post it here if anyone is inerested. I don’t think there is a limit on the number of referrals.
What I need is to figure out SEO (I think??) When someone searches Modern Switch or ModernSwitch in google, I just want my website to come up first (Or even after my Etsy or amazon showing up is fine). I just have no idea how to go about doing this. In the past I have used Wordpress, OpenCart, Shopify…etc. None of them seemed to do anything for my google search results.
I’ve tried google business and editing all my stuff there.
Is SEO still a thing or do I really just need to resort to paying for ads to be at the top of google search results for my own business name? Is this just how it is now days?
So I basically still just edit my html in notepad for my ‘basic barebones’ website as I’ve been doing for the last decade. All I really need is just a place to point my buyers to my online marketplaces. I do not need another ecommerce site.
You can use plugins for SEO on various platforms, but the real truth is longevity is the answer. I have run many sites including a forum with 2000 members and it takes YEARS to get good organic traffic. Not what most people want to hear but it’s the truth. Content that changes often is also a plus.
If you use Wordpress, the .org version as we use, the Yoast SEO plugin, they have a free version and it has worked well for us. They had a training they used to offer, that helped us to fine tune what we did, from what we learned taking that course.
Went with Hostinger… hopefully you got credit Ana.
transferring my domain was an extra $9.99. Lots of “extra” charges possible so beware. I still have a “free” domain so thinking of what else I can peddle.
I should not have waited until the day before expiration (19th) to start this process.
The automated process for transferring a wordpress site takes 48 hrs or so no go on that.
Got the domain pointed to the correct nameservers no problem.
Got the domain transferred to new host OK. Fortunately my existing host sent me a message allowing “immediate” transfer rather than having to wait a week.
Because the old site was still “alive” and cached it appeared to be “OK” when I copied up a backup to the new folders…
Nope.
Wordpress sucks for transferring around due to everything being in the SQL database. I gave up on trying to “fix”. I just started over. Going to have a lot of 404 links out there.
At least I don’t have to do this again for 4 years…
Keep in mind you have full 24/7 support and they are good. Transfer is free and they will do it for you. As for the SQL database, you can save an SQL file and restore it to the new database and it should be good, I have done this many times. Get support to walk you through it.
I won’t get credit until you’re with them for 45 days, but I wasn’t concerned with that, just wanted to help someone out and I’m happy with them so there’s that. Good luck with the new site!
@joebcrafts a ton of great tips learned the hard way, thank you for sharing. Keep us updated and lean on your support options, both with Hostinger and here!
It can be done … one has to download the SQL database as an SQL file and then upload the file to the new SQL database. We access the cPanel to get to myphpAdmin where we can Export and Import the SQL file.
Lots of “extra” charges possible so beware. I still have a “free” domain so thinking of what else I can peddle. 
