e-commerce help needed

Hi I'm just new to this site. I have been hired by a Christian bookshop to make a website so they can trade. I can make a static site using dreamweaver and I also have decent graphic skills due to useing photoshop fr 10 years.
However I need to basically set up an e-commerece site (hopfeully using dreamWeaverCS3) I need to link it up with the data base which was made for us by a local company. Can anyone give me any advice on what I should to to get this started. I know it's allot to ask, but I really need the help. It's allot harder than I thought it would be and perhaps a little crazy. I have until Christmas to prove myself an asset to the buisness. Can it be done?

There are a lot of very knowledgable people around this forum who I know would be willing to help. their first question would probably be what type of data base are you working with.

That would be fantastic. I'd really appreciate that. I have asked about the database, and I am told it's an SQL server. Hope thats correct. Thanks for the quick reply!

ok

I would advise you post your problem in the MSSQL and Access forum as they will be the people to talk to.

No need to repost ...

There's been quite a few post on the e-commerce subject. I suggest you search the forum first. If you have any specific question, just ask.

Thanks, yes I'll try that. I did look through the site because I read the rules for posting, but didn't find anything at the time pertinant to my situation. I really am a novice. i.e, I know nothing really. Thats how I need to be treated. I'm not even sure what questions I should be asking now tbh.

Maybe this one would help?

Which cart?

Just search for "shopping cart" in here or even google

If you don't know how to ask or what to ask it's very hard for to try and help you

But ... essentially, you are looking for a shopping cart application. There are tons out there.

Ok, I'll just repost this in the MSSQL thread. thanks

There's no need! I'll just delete it anyways It doesn't belong there! This thread is fine.

Doubtful you'll be using Dreamweaver ...

I did a search in google...
There is cube cart
oscommerce, may other options there.

Well, basically I already did ask, and got an answer, but did you read my initial questions? I just needed to be pointed in the right direction. I won't know what to ask until those questions are answered and I have some direction for learning.

Thanks for the help though. I think your link is dead, (at least, it won't open on my pc)but I'll google it and see what happens.

BTW ... I changed the title of thread ... Please choose a more meaningful title next time!

The links provided work fine.

Now you have a direction ... but like Lchad said, doubt you'll be using DW for the shopping cart. They usually their own setup and admin section so you won't be touching any of the html/php or whatever other language it's using.

So if I am making a website of this nature, then what software do I need to design the site?

I think what Karinne and Lchad are saying is: go for a software that is already deigned for your needs eg: os commerce, mals cart, etc, these programmes will provide you with all that is necessary to put an ecommerce shop together. os commerce has its own forum dedicated to help you if stuck.
If you want to build your own ecommerce site using dreamweaver or the likes then you would have to learn a substantial amount of language(php,mysql etc) to achieve this.

hope this helps

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...+for+database+

Look at this link (same as above)... these are the types of programs you will need to use.

Thanks guys. I understand you a bit more clearly now. I thought see, that it would need mroe than just adding a shopping cart!?

Thanks dab42pat, that makes more sense to me. Just what I needed. I won't actually buy dreamweaver at all in that case.

One more thing. Is this going to be very hard for me to achive?
I have a feeling I may only set up a catalouge site and then link the customers to emails and using paypal.

Using shopping cart software it's really easy. The difficult part is designing templates and customising the software to suit your needs.

Pete.

I guess to get going quickly you could just use the standard templates that come with the software.
Here are a couple of links to give you an idea of what can be acomplished with os commerce.
http://disciplescornerstone.com/index.php

http://wardschristianbookshop.com/catalog/index.php

Maybe this will give you some ideas if you go the oscommerce route.

Do this and I will guarentee you will loose more business than you keep. First of all you should go on the net and see how bookstores set up their sites. OScommerce has several in their list of businesses using their software. Online bookstore buyers want to be able to see the book and buy right away. Very few have the patience to put a list in e-mail and pay with paypal. How do I know? I am in the process of building a web site for a bookstore. Let me give you an idea what this owner wants...pictures of every book cover being sold online, a description of condition and general information about what the story is ( this is for a bookstore that sells mystery, sf and horror.), a shopping cart and both paypal and credit card sales. A CMS so she can update her catalog daily.
I am using sql for the database and OScommerce for the shopping cart.

This all started out with 'Can you put my catalog online?'. I made the mistake of saying sure....what's so hard about that.....little did I know....

Well I know exactly what you mean, because EXACTLY the same thing happened to me!
The database is already there though. It's SQL. Thing is I've been using a download of dreamweaver flatout for two weeks to my ignorance I've found out It be a bad idea to use that for the site. I'm going to do as much research as I can into this whole thing today. I'll let you know how I got on, later.