How is Yahoo! Store?

[Dove Express]

Anybody has experience with Yahoo! Store? Is it a good choice to run an online store? How about if I mainly want to use it as a way to get credit card payment? Does the Yahoo! name help improve the "trust" factor?

[Jaiem]

I know some people who run Yahoo store fronts and overall aren't thrilled with them.

It depends what you want to sell and how much you want to put into it. There are limitations so you may be better offer doing it with your own site first of rather than starting with a mall system like Yahoo and then having to switch over.

[alexandert]

I used the Yahoo! Store solution as well and weren't too please with it especially with the customer service. It's quite slow at getting back to you... I don't think using Yahoo! Store would increase the confidence of your customers but the customer service that you provide them with.

Anyway, just to let you know that I have found this new service similar to Yahoo! Store, a WHYIWYG store builder, Instantestore, Moderator's Comments: Link removed It even gives you a free logo plus 1 month free service (limited time) and the live chat support that they provide is really good. You get things done real quickly.

You might want to try them.

Hope this helps...

[Jaiem]

That services charges $50/month!

For half that you can have good web hosting instead. And if you're serious about running an e-commerce business you really need to get hands-on yourself. Or hire someone to work closely with you to do the technical stuff.

Waaaay too many people think you can just throw up some pics and descriptions, then sit back and wait for the money to roll in.

You don't need to be a techie, but you can't divorce yourself from the technical aspects of running a net-based business. That's the cost of doing business on the net.

[alexandert]

Probably true....But then again, if I were to learn everything from scratch, then it would take more time and money to put everything together. I probably would have given up half way trying to get my store up!

This kind of service is good for those who are starting up and wants a low start-up. Of course, as you progress, you would need to reconsider it and probably get a professional to come up with customize solution for you rather than a cookie-cutter one.

[akashik]

Getting a functioning online store up and running isn't too hard anymore so building (or getting someone to build) isn't as hard as it used to be. For my own I prefer to see a store built this way when I go shopping. Yahoo stores, and their ilk usually leave me feeling as if the owner's aren't prepared to make a serious commitment to their online presence. In reality I do know it takes some time and effort (and some money) to get set up of course.. but at the end of the day I'll go to Tower Records, before I try a Yahoo store.

Greg Moore

[Jaiem]

I agree with Greg. Setting up a websit is very easy these days. Any good web development package (MS FrontPage, Dreamweaver etc) has a bunch of templates already included to help you going quickly.

The biggest issue is intergrating your site and the shopping cart system. That depends on the cart system being used, if it's supplied by your host, you buy it or your payment processor supplies one. And even that isn't hard, just needs a bit of time to get it all setup.

I speak to a lot of customers and potential customers who just don't understand what is involved in setting up an online sales website. And they don't want to know either! Many people think they can just upload the pictures of their producst, enter some description and prices via some kind of control panel, click a button and PRESTO! a fully functional professional looking E-commerce site magically appears.

Regretably, it doesn't work like that.

As I said before, if you are serious about selling on the net then you must become knowledgable in the technolog, terms, features etc of what it takes to accept sales from the net. Or hire someone who is knowledgable in the subject.

Imagine wanting to sell pizza but not having a clue how to make pizza, the kinds of pizza to offer, the equipment needed to make good pizza, etc and not wanting to take the time to learn these things. Think you're going to be successful?

[alexandert]

Thanks for sharing guys... Really appreciate all the views I can get as I am still pretty new to the business...But by far I am really happy with the service and my store seem to be doing fine....

But no doubt, I will definitely search around and try out myself if I am able to get my own site up!

Thanks again, guys...

[Design R]

Perhaps try an ecommerce product like Actinic Catalog. You should be able to put together a site with in hours. However, to modify and customise the store and to get it looking how you want, you will need to be competant at HTML. Also, if you are using a merchant account with, say, Worldpay, (or Sec pay, Data cash....etc) this is already accounted for in Actinic.

[Jaiem]

Alex,

I wasn't comming down on you. :)

My point simply is that as good as it sounds, there will come a time when you'll want the service to do something that either it can't or they want to charge you extra for it. For the $50/mo they say they charge (and that was just the basic service) I didn't see where they're doing you any favors. Sure they will build a site for you but I know designers that can make a great site just a few hundred$. And I don't think the service was providing CC processing either.

You don't have to be a techie to run an E-commerce site. But you just can't divorce yourself from the media if that's going to be your primary sales venue.

Good luck.

[martinez7990]

I used the Yahoo! Store solution as well and weren't too please with it especially with the customer service.Thanks for sharing guys... Really appreciate all the views. I am really happy with the service and my store seem to be doing fine...
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[suze902]

My two cents is that i used yahoo store and also was very displeased with customer service. Actually relieved to read similar stories here.

[martinez7990]

Yahoo! provides Yahoo! Store as a platform for merchants to sell items on the World Wide Web. Yahoo! Store Merchants should be aware that:

* They are responsible for the delivery of goods purchased on their Yahoo! Store.
* They are responsible for resolving any disputes that may arise from the sale of goods on their Yahoo! Store.
* They are responsible for researching and complying with any applicable laws, regulations or restrictions on items, or manner of sale or exchange that may pertain to transactions in which they participate.
* They are responsible for all applicable taxes and for all costs incurred by participating in Yahoo! Store.
________________________________________________________
B&B Ballina (http://www.therocks.ie)

[rickmartin]

It has always been a good e-commerce platform for beginners. Today it is great for beginners and has much to offer medium-sized companies, too.

[matthew0099]

I had tried but was not satisfied

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[dankutscher0]

You might think that because it's owned by Yahoo! that their online store system is a sparse-featured, dumbed-down version of a "real" e-commerce platform. It can be friendly for both novices and professional designers because it offers a choice of three different levels of webpage editing sophistication simple, regular, and advanced.

[rojandragon24]

It's fine , not many options available for the customers to buy

you can see it yourself.

[matthew0099]

plz dont try to experience it.
I have already tried it..
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[DonaldChris]

Hi...,

Yahoo Store will be WAY easier than doing it yourself with the openacs e commerce package, plus you would also need to pay for a credit card processing service with openacs e commerce which costs a portion of your sales, plus hosting, and all the time and hassel of maintaing it. Last time i checked it out yahoo store did not give you an ssh'able account. If your friend is a baker why would they want to complicated their lives with software development and maintenance? OpenACS Ecommerce is more flexible but most people don't need this flexibility for smaller services.

[henderson791]

They are responsible for researching and complying with any applicable laws, regulations or restrictions on items, or manner of sale or exchange that may pertain to transactions in which they participate.

[m2hmonique]

Hello,

Please explain little bit more.

[samualdany]

Yahoo Store explanation as well and weren't too please with it in particular with the customer service. Actually realize all the view. I am in actuality happy with the service and my store seem to be doing fine...

[checkerpatterson]

Really be thankful for all the views I can get as I am still beautiful new to the business...But by far I am really happy with the service and my store seem to be doing fine....

[steven_s]

When you weigh the costs of Yahoo! Store vs. its features and benefits, I see Yahoo! Store a clear winner for both small and medium-size merchants. Since they offer a free 10-day test drive, you can check it out without obligation. Yahoo! Store compares well with the very best off-the-shelf store building systems available.

I dont know about service they are providing but you can check out 10 day test drive as features sound good ;)

[robertlouis16]

Naturally, as you build up, you would need to reconsider it as well as probably get a professional to come up with customize solution for you instead than a cookie-cutter one.

[russellpeter123]

There are limits that can be offered better to do with its own Web site first instead of starting with a system like Yahoo Mail, and then have to change.

[charlii1]

I havent used it , so i cant say anything but i will try it

[ddeinass]

Yahoo, in its sole discretion, remove any product or service from Yahoo! networks that do not meet these guidelines or any other agreement or terms and may terminate the merchant account and hide from Yahoo!