Recommendations for an itsy-bitsy ecommerce / blog site?

Question

A friend/neighbor creates some stunning quilts. Seriously they're absolutely gorgeous, and I'm not a quilt guy. What guy is? Anyho...

I created a WordPress based site for her. She's not technically proficient, but is able to do some basic stuff using WordPress, e.g. change themes and create blog entries. However, WordPress is more of a blogging CMS than an eCommerce platform, no?

Here are some of the basic requirements:

1. Easy to use. I can provide some technical assistance and training. But she needs to be able to manage the site herself.

2. Allows her to post thumbnails and large photos of her quilts and provide text descriptions - basic content management stuff.

3. Allows her to categorize her products - quilts, embroidery, custom stuff.

4. Allows the end user to purchase an item. Volume would only be one or two items a month.

Wordpress easily handles the first three items. But what about #4? Does Wordpress have a payment plugin? Would you recommend integrating with paypal payments? Some other payment gateway perhaps?

We thought of hosting her stuff on etsy.com, but she likes having her own domain and some control over the look 'n' feel. She didn't have much luck posting her stuff on eBay. Her items are expensive, handmade items that aren't appreciated in the sheer scale of eBay.

Answer 1

I'd point her at Shopify.

Answer 2

You could look into http://www.oscommerce.com/

You'll need to find hosting and a payment gateway though (Paypal is pretty easy to setup). The only real downside is the template system. It can be a bit of a pain to get everything looking just as you'd like it.

Answer 3

Try the Shopp plugin for WordPress: http://shopplugin.net/

I've used it on a couple of sites to sell both digital downloads and physical goods and I've found it easy to use and fairly customisable -- it has a template system that you'll be at home with if you've already dabbled with Wordpress theme development.

Answer 4

Hey, I think the Verb might be a good solution for you to check out too. It's a good system for smaller sites, and meets all your criteria.

Answer 5

Use wordpress with an ecommerce pluging wordpress.com