I have been going through some of my old blog posts and came across this one regarding Bankcard. I am amazed at the amount of businesses that still advertise this as a form of payment they accept! In a recent letter from my bank they too still had Bankcard listed, amazing!

Keeping your business and website up to date is so important, it shows that you are still around, that you’re still ‘in business’. Don’t let small things like advertising out of date products, services or events bring your business down. Go through all your website pages and make sure the information is up to date. Check everything, copyright dates, upcoming occasions i.e. ensure your pages are for this year (not ‘NEW 2007 Christmas Gifts now available!!), opening times showing daylight savings (it’s now finished!), announcements - have these happened, are they no longer relevant?

So is your website behind the times?

The Oz-e-wahm blog has an article ’take charge of your website‘  which is, in my opinion anyway, a very important aspect of your new online business. Ensure that when you set up your website, whether it be a DIY program or a custom made website that you understand or are shown how to use it. The main areas you will need to be able to manage yourself, without having to call on your web host (and probably be charged for it) are:

1. Updating information - changing your home page so it is always up to date, amending contact details, delivery information and adding new faq (frequently asked questions)

2. Adding new products - if you run an online shop you must be able to change your product listings easily. You need the ability to remove products, add new products, amend descriptions, change categories etc This is an ongoing area of your website that you need to be able to do yourself and not rely on someone else.

3. Change prices - offering discounts. Another area that is a must for you to be able to do yourself. This lets you have control over when you have sales on or want to try and clear some excess or slow moving stock.

4. Add/amend photographs - again another area that is so important, especially for online businesses. 

In general you need to look at your online store as you would a bricks and mortar shop - the things you would do in a shop need to be the things you can do in your online shop.

Before hiring a designer or buying a diy program make a list of everything you want your store to be able to do and everything you want to be able to do. Have a test run, generally you can get trials of programs before deciding if it is what you are after.

My first website was made using Yahoo! Store, I then went onto osCommerce and finally (about a year ago, wow time flies!) I hired a professional web designer. All the programs that I used for my website were ones I didn’t need a third person to do all the everyday things that go with running an online store - I wanted to have control, it’s my business!