Actinic Design Process
It takes more than an attractive web design to make a great e-commerce site. To achieve a succesful online store you have to start with the right foundations. Here at Smart Epos, we will guide you through the steps of creating an e-commerce site that works, for both the customers and the client.
Initial Consultation Meeting
Our web projects usually begin with an initial meeting between us and the customer to get an overall feel of your products and objectives. Brief outlines of the web project will be given and discussed.
Web Strategy Meeting
We will then have a more in depth meeting to plan and discuss your business objectives and resources to run the site and give you a thorough understanding of how Actinic can help your business. At this stage we will also go through website navigation, design layout ideas, data entry, payment processing, domain name, hosting and web marketing.
Designing The Navigation
Well designed site navigation is important to guide users through the website easily and assist them in reaching your website information as quickly as possible. Our ecommerce team will give you guidance on planning, laying-out and constructing your website's navigation so we can incorporate it into the design.
Planning your website navigation can make a big difference
Creating The Web Design
Once your navigation is finalised our design team will start on your design. We will ask for any ideas you may have, colours you may prefer, etc. We also need staff, product and stock photos. A web design is created based on the ideas and recommendations previously discussed and you will be provided with proofs for your approval. You can then give us any comments you have about the design and where it is to the benefit of the site, we'll make any amendments you request. If convenient you are welcome to spend time with a designer at our office to achieve the look you require for your website. Then with the design finalised we can begin the fun part... building your website!
Building The Website
The web design layouts are then passed onto a member of our Actinic construction team. If you already have an existing Actinic website we will import it before adding your design to it.
Actinic's "Template Manager" (from Advanced Menu > Templates in Actinic) contains a list of in excess of 45 main templates which Actinic uses to build your website. Our team have the coding knowledge needed to add your website design into these templates - changing it from the default design into your custom design.
When the website is ready, we will upload it to our test server where the client can view the site as it would be on a live domain name. Testing and adjustments can then be made.
Actinic training
With the Actinic site now constructed and ready to go, if needed, this is the stage where you will have an Actinic training session with one of our trainers. They will show you how to set up shipping, enter content, customer accounts, special offers, processing orders and much more.
More information on Actinic Training
Handing The Site Over
When the site is ready to be handed over, we will pass the Actinic files over to you to import into your Actinic software. It is at this stage that you can then begin entering your content and products into the Actinic Software. You can still upload the information to our test server until you are ready to launch your website on your domain name.
More information on building your Actinic website
Launching The Live Website
If your Actinic website, chosen domain and hosting is ready to go live, then now is the time to launch your website. We will install any Actinic plugins that you have chosen to add to your site and then you are ready to move the site to your live hosting and start selling!
Web marketing
Now that your Actinic Theme is up and running, we can offer a comprehensive web marketing suite to ensure that your customers can find you. We have a range of web optimisation and Google AdWord training sessions and other advice available.
More information on web marketing
Building your Actinic e-commerce web site
The web design is complete and the Actinic templates are built. Surely you're now ready to go live with your Actinic website and start selling your products to an eager public!. What about the content of your website?.
While the website design and quality photographs provide a professional look and an excellent sales aide, if you don't have suitably well populated pages, your Actinic website will go no-where, either in the search engines or in terms of turnover.