E-Commerce Training

e-commerce web site design

E-Commerce Building an e-commerce Web site is a challenging task. Site developers must be versed in business plans, technology hosting and site architecture, shopping carts, security and legal issues, and more.

In this 6-lesson, hands-on course, you'll learn how build an e-commerce Web site. Students learn a systematic approach to e-commerce development, covering all the issues that professional developers consider: validating a business plan, building a shopping cart, developing content and setting up quality customer service. The focus of the course is on developing the broader business knowledge that designers need for working on e-commerce development projects.

On this page: enrollment details | instructor | class projects and objectives | prerequisites

Class Title: E-Commerce Start Date: Classes start daily. Enroll today and gain immediate access. Class Length: Three months of access to class materials and instructor feedback. Instructor: Claire Boger Other details: Self-paced, online, 24 access to online learning environment
	Tuition: $803

Class Instructor Bio: Claire Boger is an interactive designer and founder of ImaginationAlley.com, a Web-based software training and design resource site. Claire has more than 15 years professional design experience including corporate identity and package design. Over the past 10 years Claire has concentrated on interactive media and was rewarded as co-recipient of a patent for CD-based technology AudioVisionCD. Claire has played a variety of roles in the development of both large and small scaled interactive projects for such notable corporations as Daimler Chrysler, Kodak, Merrill Lynch, Mutual of Omaha, and MasterCard. LEFT: Image from e-commerce with Claire Boger. Place in cart. The end game. Now let's build the store.

Class Projects and Objectives:

This online class is packed with projects and tips.  Students can expect to: 

• Learn how to define a site's intent and create a site plan.
  
• Learn general considerations for determining a budget.
  
• Learn about the traditional roles in a site development project.
  
• Learn the importance of defining a site audience.
  
• Learn general technical options for e-commerce hosting.
• Choose a course project.
  
• Research business plan writing guidelines at SBA and Bplan.com.
  
• Research technology and hosting needs an individual project, investigating at least three hosting services.
  
• Choose a hosting solution and submit an overview of technology needs, together with an explanation of why this specific hosting solution was selected.
  
• Write a site plan that includes: company description, statement of intent, products and services, technology and hosting, staffing, and general budget.
  
• Learn the differences between in-house, co-location, shared, and dedicated, and custom hosting.
  
• Learn about the all-important role of an e-commerce Home Page.
  
• Learn the three goals that any e-commerce Home Page should accomplish.
  
• Learn about content considerations for About Us, Product Page, and Contact Us sections.
• Make text modifications to the home page to adequately express a site's intent and welcome visitors.
  
• Make text modifications to an About page.
  
• Present written copy for sections.
  
• Learn about site architecture for e-commerce sites.
• Examine the problem of organic site growth and gain insight into how to avoid it.
  
• Discover why search is so important to the success of e-commerce sites.
  
• Learn to use site language appropriately and persuasively.
• Make color modifications to the site based on symbolism.
  
• Develop a full visual design for the site.
  
• Revise a navigation schemes and edit text content as needed.
• Learn what a user expects from a shopping cart.
  
• Learn how shopping carts and inventory databases operate.
  
• Learn the pros and cons of free and low-cost carts.
  
• Examine situations where hosted carts are a good option.
  
• Learn how custom cart solutions work.
• Sign up for a free shopping cart account.
  
• Configure a shopping cart to match a site.
  
• Set cart options for a specific set of users.
  
• Add the cart to a site.
• Learn how traditional merchant accounts are used.
  
• Discover the importance of alternative payment systems.
  
• Learn the pros and cons of managed solutions.
• Research traditional merchant account plans.
  
• Research alternative payment options and managed payment options, assessing the costs and features of each plan.
  
• Write up a strategy for a site.
• Learn about the concept of order fulfillment.
  
• Learn the kinds of order fulfillment options that are available.
  
• Learn how to formulate a return policy that works for a business and its customers.
  
• Gain some insight into how to keep and retain customers.
• Add customer service content to the shopping cart.
  
• Update a cart and submit it for final review.