jdg

I have something to say on this point. If someone is running a business (either a side business or as their main enterprise) and they are dependent on internet sales, they need to make the effort to have a solid website! I can't even count the number of webpages I have tried to look at in a search for reptiles where I literally can not read the content - it simply does not show up because of programming errors. In most cases, the text will show up if I use Netscape/Mozilla or IE, but not the lesser-known browsers. I've also come across tons of websites that are usable only with a good deal of work on my part - all because someone didn't program the JavaScript correctly. Any decent website will be viewable in any browser, that should just be basic.

There is a simple solution to not being able to put together a solid website yourself: Hire someone!

I know that for someone who sells the occassional animal, a professionally done website may be out of reach. But for someone who sells animals online regularly? I asked a couple of quick questions of my husband (who is a programmer/web designer) and got confirmation that a basic website for a small business would start at about $300 and a more complex one would be about 3-4 times that cost.

I'm not going to say that everyone in this business can afford that - I've seen plenty of people say that if you are going to get into the reptile business, you better be plenty prepared to lose money. But I will say this: I don't care how good your references are, if I can't manage to navigate my way through your site - with a minimum of hassle - you've lost my business before you ever had it. Might it not be worth the investment in presentation?

And here's my disclaimer: I do not have an internet business of any type. I am simply a reptile-loving pet owner who is comfortable conducting lots of my business online.