E-Commerce

Duration: 24h

COURSE INTRODUCTION

This course provides a user with the fundamentals of analyzing, designing and building an E-Commerce website. The course is taught from the viewpoint of a web developer working with a small business client and covers such topics as proposals, contracts, site design, marketing, financial and security considerations, shopping cart technology, billing, order processing, shipping, confirmation and much more. From beginning concepts to final site setup, this course is essential for anyone wanting to build an E-Commerce website. Work Files are included.

COURSE OUTLINE

Introduction
Welcome and Course Overview
System Requirements / Prerequisites and Caveats
Introduction to Callalily and the Sample Site

E-commerce Overview
First Generation E-commerce
Second Generation E-commerce
The Next Generation
E-commerce Terminology

First Steps With Our Client
The Design and Development Process
The Sales Call and First Analysis
Detailed Description of the Client Company
A Close Look at the Customers
Detailed Description of the Products
Client Goals Financial Expectations
Reviewing the Competition

Details From the Client
Past and Future Customer Purchases
Customer Expectations of the E-commerce Site
Supporting an Internet Sales Channel
Supporting Internet Customers
Justification and Challenges for E-commerce With This Client

Choosing the Type of E-commerce
Hosted Stores
Shrink-wrapped E-commerce Plugins
Enterprise E-commerce Server Software
Custom E-commerce Development
Application Programming Language Choices

Contracts and Specifications
Specifications: Before or After the Contract?
Estimating Timelines for E-commerce Sites
Proposal to Callalily
Sample Contract and Possible Issues
Specifications: Design and Content
Specifications: E-commerce Functionality

Site Planning and Flow Diagrams
Location, Location, Location
Mapping Product Browse and Search
Mapping Purchase Flow
Site Map and Navigation Elements

Design
Colors, Logo, and Look and Feel
Home Page Elements and Layout
Product Search Results
Product Detail View
Administration Area Home Page
Using Design to Reinforce Credibility
Three Comps for Client Review

CFML Mock-up
CFML Mock-up: Images
CFML Mock-up: CSS Part 1
CFML Mock-up: CSS Part 2
CFML Mock-up CSS Part 3
Header and Footer Files

Financial and Security Decisions
Payment Processing Overview
Credit Card Options
Live Credit Card Processing
PayPal
Accepting Checks Online
Making the Transaction Secure
Other Security

Sales Tax and S&H Charges
Charging Sales Tax
Charging for Shipping
Shipping Charge Options
Other Shipping Questions
Drop Shipping
Charging Handling Fees

Data Elements and Integration
The Chasm Between Inventory and E-commerce
Data in Two Databases
Exporting and Importing E-commerce Data
Data Storage Requirements
Maintaining Records and Proving Sales Approval

Data Structure
Choosing the Database
Basic Table Schema
Reviewing the Products Table
Reviewing the Contacts Table
Reviewing the Orders Table
Reviewing Order_Lines and Order_Shipping
Table Relationships

Development
Coping With Statelessness
Development Methodologies
Directory Structure and store.cfm Router
Add Item to Cart Part 1
Add Item to Cart Part 2
Add Item to Cart Part 3

Shopping Cart View
Cart Router Template
Cart View Part 1
Cart View Part 2
Cart View Part 3
Cart View Part 4
Change, Delete, and Product Detail
Add Item Count To Navigation

Checkout Billing
Checkout Billing Part 1
Checkout Billing Part 2
Checkout Billing Part 3
Checkout Billing Part 4
Validate Billing Information

Checkout Shipping
Checkout Shipping Part 1
Checkout Shipping Part 2
Checkout Shipping Part 3
Validate Shipping and Sales Tax

Order Summary
Order Summary Part 1
Order Summary Part 2
Confirm Order

Order Processing
Process Payment Part 1
Process Payment Part 2
Finish Processing Part 1
Finish Processing Part 2

Conclusion
Recap and What is Left

Credits
About the Author