If you are committed to your ecommerce strategy, I’d argue the most important factor in starting a new ecommerce website is the design.  Yes, of course, technical backend processing is critical, but it isn’t even an issue if users are not buying!  Buyers are more willing to purchase from sites with clean, professional design.  Ecommerce design can be a humbling experience and follows a path full of obstacles.  However, the process of designing your ecommerce website has essentially two challenges to overcome when attempting to save time and money.  In this article, I’ll describe these two common challenges and then offer the solution to save you time and money in ecommerce designs.

Challenge 1: Finding an Ecommerce Designer

Most people don’t know where to begin when trying to find an ecommerce designer.  Most often, they start by asking their network including family, friends and business colleagues.  This approach is fine and you have a chance to find a good designer.  Studies have shown you are more likely to trust a designer found through your contacts as well.  However, I suggest this approach is old and tired.  There’s a better way to increase your chances of finding a high quality ecommerce designer.

Challenge 2: Communication with Ecommerce Website Designer

Obviously, ecommerce design is visual – you can’t touch, smell or feel it.  So, how do you convey what visual elements you like?  or dislike?  It’s not simple like saying the smell is nasty or the object is sharp.  How do you and your designer communicate?

Maybe you expect the designer to lead you in the ecommerce design process?  If you’re like most people, you probably do.  For example, you might expect the designer to engage with you through interview questions.  Or, if you’re prepared, you might be able to share your corporate style guide, logo or color palette.  In addition, you might share some website designs you like based on your research.  But, what happens next?

Well, based on past experience, I’m guessing you expect the designer to show you their design concepts to review next.  In other words, they’ve asked their questions, received some materials from you and have created some initial designs for your review.  So finally, you’ve reached the point where you can tell the designer what you like or dislike.  Then, your designer can take your feedback and come up with some more design concepts.

Again, I wouldn’t fault you for thinking this way.  It’s a common approach.  But, it’s plagued with inefficiency and there is a better way.  Because let’s face it- a designer is going to need to cover their costs in this approach.

Solution: There’s a Better Way

Before finding or committing to a designer, research and buy an ecommerce template.  There are numerous online solutions available.  TemplateMonster has ecommerce templates for popular open source ecommerce software including magento themes and zencart templates.  ThemeForest has templates for Magento and Shopify as well.  Finally, I hope you don’t mind a plug for my site, but www.CommerceUI.com offers Shopify themes.

But, how does buying an ecommerce template solve the these two challenges?

Challenge 1: Solution: Finding the right Ecommerce Designer

If you purchase a template, you can hire a designer customize it unique and fulfill your needs.  Finding a designer for this type of customization is much more straightforward to describe and find than asking your network.  In other words, it’s easier to outsource to a wider audience of designers.  Specifically, you can post your project one of the popular service procurement sites such as vworker or elance.

But, what about the horror stories you’ve heard about using someone you don’t know?  How can you trust them?  Well, in regards to trust, many of these sites have feedback ratings on providers.  Read them.  If someone has been burned in the past, they probably gave the designer negative review.  Also, now that you have a template and design in mind, the cost to outsource will be much less than “from scratch”.  So, your investment risk of  much less when hiring for customization rather than entire new design.

Challenge 2: Solution: Communication with Ecommerce Website Designer

I’m convinced most communication problems happen when people do not know what they want.  If you don’t know what each other wants, how can you communicate what you want?  It’s a rhetorical question, but I’m trying to make a point.  By choosing an ecommerce theme, we’ve made simplified the communication process because both parties have a much clearer idea of expectations from the beginning.  Because we’ve have a much clearer, visual reference for what we want, communication between you and designer is straightword.  There is no need to read each other’s mind or be overly sensitive in communication.

Conclusion

Ecommerce design involves facing many challenges, but two critical obstacles are: “Finding an Ecommerce Designer” and “Communication with Ecommerce Website Designer” .  Both of these challenges can be met by following the solution provided in this article.  Using this solution, you will find an easier path and higher chance for success.

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1. Login in to Magento Admin Panel using the administrator details.
2. Navigate to Catalog -> Manage Products

3. On the Right upper Corner You will find a link ADD Product as shown in figure.

4. Select the Product type as downloadable and attribute set as default as shown in figure and click continue.

5. You will land on the product page.  On the left hand side you will be able to see a menu bar which used to create the products.

Now enter the product name, description and short description and product SKU. This SKU should be different to each and every product.
6. Select the Status as Enabled. If you select it as disabled then you won’t able to see the product in the front-end.
7. Rest  of the fields can left left with default values.
8. Now click the Price Tab on left hand side
9. Enter the price of the product. If you are configuring any tax classes then select the tax class else select None in the drop down
10. Go to the image tab. There you will browse files and upload files.
11. First click browse files, then upload the image of the product then click upload. You should be able to see the image in the box. Check the radio buttons corresponding to this image. Then only you will be able to see the images in the front end.

12. Now go to inventory tab and enter the quantity of the products — go to the last option which is Stock Availability set it to appropriate level.
13. Next, go to the Category and assign the product to the particular category.
14. Click Downloadable Information tab.
15. Here, set  Links can be purchased separately to  NO

16. Click Add New Row
17. Enter the Title of Product  same as Product name
18. If you want to give a sample of the product then you can enter the details here

19. Now go to File
20. Click files then up load your product and click upload files.
21. Now save the product and see the product in the front-end

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