WebCommerce -- Create New Store

(This page is part of WebCom's WebCommerce Help Guide.)

This page describes how to use one of the options available from the WebCommerce Online Services Menu. To access this menu, login to your account by clicking on "Customer Services" at the top of this page, and then select WebCommerce.

Introduction

The Create New Store form is used to setup a new WebCom store. This form does not create actual store pages -- that is done through the WebCommerce Back Office.) What this form does is set your store up in WebCom's system, so that you will be able to access the WebCommerce Back Office to build and maintain your store. Instructions for using this form are included on the form itself. This page exists to explain each section of the form in further detail.

Please note that after creating your store, most of the information you have provided can be changed in the Properties section of the WebCommerce Back Office.

The Basics

Enter information that WebCommerce will use to identify your store. Your login and Password will be required to enter the WebCommerce Back Office.

Store Name

Enter the name of your store. This will appear on the pages of your online store, and in order confirmations. This field is required, but you can change your store name later on if you wish, in the Properties section of the Back Office. Click here to see where your Store Name will appear on a sample store catalog page.

Store Login

Enter a login for your store. You are creating a login and password that is different than your WebCom account login and password. You will use this login to access the WebCommerce Back Office through which you can configure, manage and maintain your WebCommerce store. Your login will never be seen by your visitors. Your login may be the same as the login for your WebCom account, but is not required to be. Your login must be unique. If you have already created another store, you must choose a login that is different from the login of the other store. The login must be 6 to 16 characters long.

Store Password

Enter a password for your store. You will use your password to access the WebCommerce Back Office through which you can configure, manage and maintain your WebCommerce store. If you wish, you will be able to change your password later through the WebCommerce Back Office. Your password will never be seen by your visitors. Your password may be the same as the password for your WebCom account, but is not required to be. The password must be 6 to 16 characters long, and must contain at least one letter and one number or symbol. You are required to enter your password twice so that our system can verify it.

Store Location

In this section, you determine what URL people will use to visit your store. Your store will be accessible through a subdomain that you select, such as "store.yourdomain.com" or "shop.yourdomain.com". If you have already created the subdomain that you would like your store to reside in, use the second option (Select Store Domain Name) which is described in more detail below. If you have not yet created the subdomain that you would like your store to reside in, use the first option ( Create Store Domain Name) which is also described in more detail below.

Create Store Domain Name

Use this option to create a new subdomain which will be the location of your store. (If you have already created a subdomain to use for the location of your store, use the "Select Store Domain Name" option, described above.)

Store Subdomain Name:   In this field, type in what you want to name the subdomain location of your store. For example, if you would like the location of your store to be "http://store.bunnysbeachballs.com", enter "store" in this field.

Parent Domain:   In this field, select the domain where you want your store to be located. For example, if you would like the location of your store to be "http://store.bunnysbeachballs.com", select "bunnysbeachballs.com" from the drop-down menu. (Be careful not to select a subdomain containing "www" such as "www.bunnysbeachballs.com". Doing so would create a subdomain such as "store.www.bunnysbeachballs.com", which is probably what you do not intend.)

Select Store Domain Name

Use this drop-down menu to select the desired location of your store from a list of your existing subdomains. (If the subdomain you want does not exist, use the second option, "Create Store Domain Name" described below.) When you choose a subdomain from this list, that subdomain will become the location for your store, and the directory that this subdomain is pointed to will be the place where the files for your store reside. We recommend only using subdomains that you have created expressly for the use of your store -- if the subdomain is already in use by other web pages, any pages with the same filenames will be overwritten when you build your store.

Contact Information

In this section you tell WebCommerce basic information about your store. This information (except for the order notification email address) will be shown to your customers on store pages and order confirmations so that they can contact you if they have questions, problems, corrections, or any other need to contact you about the store or their order. After you have created your store, all of the information in this section can be changed or updated in the Properties section of the WebCom Back Office.

Store Configuration

In this section, you provide our system with miscellaneous information about your store. After you have created your store, all of the information in this section can be changed or updated in the Properties section of the WebCom Back Office.

Store Address

Location (URL) of store home page, such as store.yourcompany.com. You define this location earlier in the create store form when you select or create a domain.

Logo Address

Location of your store logo. If you do not have a store logo, your store name will appear instead of your store logo on the product pages of your store. In this field you should enter a URL such as http://www.yourdomain.com/images/logo.gif. If you have not yet uploaded your store logo, leave this field empty, as you can change this information later in the Properties section of the Back Office.

Store Navigation Style

WebCom currently offers two different navigation styles for your store that you may choose from. Category: Products are listed according to category. Good choice for stores with many products or wide range of products. List: Simple list of all products. Good choice for stores with few products.

Payment Instructions

Insert payment instructions that you would like to communicate to your customer. This information will appear during checkout. Examples might be: "Make checks out to Bunny's Beach Balls" or "No payments in pennies, please." The maximum length of this field is 255 characters. This information is shown when your customers are checking out (purchasing) items in your store.

Shipping Instructions

Insert shipping information that you would like to communicate to your customer. Examples might be: "Please wait 2 to 24 weeks for delivery" or "Product will arrive in discreet brown paper envelope." The maximum length of this field is 255 characters. This information is shown when your customers are checking out (purchasing) items in your store.

Store Greeting Message

Insert text that you would like to have appear on the index page of your store. Generally, this is either a greeting, slogan, motto, or announcement. An example might be: "Welcome to our store! Please be sure to look at our newest products which we just added last week." The maximum lenth of this field is 255 characters. Click here to see where this information will appear on a store catalog page.

Payment Options

Select the payment options that you would like your store to make available to your customers. You must select at least one option. If you have any CyberCash accounts registered with our system, you can select one now. (See our documentation for information about registering for a CyberCash ID.) After you have created your store, all of the information in this section can be changed or updated in the Properties section of the WebCom Back Office.