Products
A clear product catalogue
Organise products, variations, images and categories in one place.
Custom e-commerce websites
Online shopsbuilt aroundhow you sell.
Give your customers a clear way to browse, choose and buy online. We build online shops around your products, your customers and the way your business needs to operate.
From product discovery to checkout
Your online shop
The pieces that makeselling online easier.
Your shop can include the tools and functionality your business needs, without adding features simply for the sake of it.
Checkout
A straightforward checkout
Give customers a clear path from their basket to payment.
Orders
Keep track of orders
See what has been ordered and keep fulfilment organised.
Customers
Customer information
Keep useful customer and order details together.
Stock
Manage stock
Keep product availability easier to monitor.
Promotions
Promotions and discounts
Create offers that fit the way you sell.
Platform approach
The platform should fit the way your shop works.
We generally use WooCommerce for PalmHost online shops where it suits the project. It gives us a flexible foundation for products, payments and delivery requirements without forcing every shop into the same setup.
The right approach depends on what your shop needs to do. Product volumes, payment methods, shipping or collection rules and external integrations can all affect the work involved.
We scope the shop around the requirements rather than assuming every project needs the same combination of features.
Discuss your online shopOnline shopConnected setup
StorefrontProducts
PaymentGateway
DeliveryShipping or collection
OptionalIntegration
Modules are connected around the requirements of the shop.
Local integrations
Connect the parts that keep your shop moving.
Depending on your requirements, your online shop can connect with payment, delivery, email, product and reporting tools that make running the store easier.
Payments
Payment gateways
Connect your shop to a suitable payment service where supported.
Delivery
Courier and shipping
Add delivery or collection options around how you fulfil orders.
Notifications
Email notifications
Send order and customer notifications through your shop setup.
Tax
Tax settings
Configure applicable tax rules as part of the shop setup.
Product data
Product imports
Bring existing product data into the shop where the format allows.
Insights
Analytics
Connect suitable reporting tools to understand shop activity.
Our online-shop processFrom first requirements
From first requirements
to a shop ready to sell.
We work through the practical parts of your shop in stages, so the catalogue, design, payments and delivery setup come together before launch.
- 01 · Requirements
Understand the shop
We look at your products, customers, order flow and the practical requirements your shop needs to handle.
- 02 · Catalogue
Prepare your products
Product names, descriptions, images, prices and variations are organised into a catalogue that is ready to build from.
- 03 · Design & build
Shape the storefront
We build the storefront around your products and brand, with clear navigation and a shopping experience that works across screen sizes.
- 04 · Configuration
Connect payment & shipping
Payment and delivery options are configured around the way your customers need to pay, receive or collect their orders.
- 05 · Test & launch
Check it before launch
We test the key shopping journey, check the storefront across devices and make sure the agreed setup is ready to go live.
What affects the quotation
Your shop ismore than aproduct page.
The amount of work involved depends on what your shop needs to do. A straightforward catalogue can be very different from a shop with hundreds of products, complex variations and several connected services.
We use these requirements to work out the scope before preparing your quotation.
Discuss your online shop
01Product countHow much catalogue content needs to be added?
A small product range generally requires less preparation than a large catalogue. Existing product information and the condition of that data can also affect the work involved.
02VariationsDo products have sizes, colours or other options?
Products with multiple variations can require more catalogue setup and testing than simple products with one price and one configuration.
03ContentWhat needs to be prepared for the storefront?
Product descriptions, images, categories, policies and other content all form part of the shop. The amount of preparation required can affect the project scope.
04Payment gatewaysHow will customers pay?
Payment requirements vary between businesses. Gateway selection, account requirements and configuration can all affect the work involved.
05ShippingHow will orders reach customers?
Delivery zones, collection options, shipping rules and the services your business uses can change how the shop needs to be configured.
06IntegrationsDoes the shop need to connect to other systems?
External tools for products, orders, email, reporting or other business processes can introduce additional configuration and testing requirements.
Preparing your product content
Give your producta clear startingpoint
Good product information makes the shop easier to build and easier for customers to understand. Before we build the catalogue, it helps to have the core information for each product ready.
You can provide the information in a format that works for your business. We can discuss the best way to prepare larger catalogues.
Product informationCatalogue entry
Ready- Images
- Descriptions
- Prices
- Categories
- Stock
- Shipping information
Storefront content
Real shops,built for selling.
A couple of online shops we've built for South African businesses, each shaped around its products, customers and way of selling.
Featured project
Elula Living
Online shop for children's playmats
Elula Living needed an online shop that made it easy for customers to explore its playmats, understand the products and shop from desktop or mobile.
Visit online shopelulaliving.co.za
blossombloom.co.za
Online shop
Blossom Bloom
Online shop for perfume
Blossom Bloom's shop presents its perfume range in a clear, product-focused storefront designed to work across desktop and mobile screens.
Visit online shopYour shop cankeep moving forward.
Launching the shop is one part of the journey. Once it is live, you can choose the level of support that makes sense for your business.
Web Hosting
Keep your online shop hosted with PalmHost so your website has a place to run after launch. Hosting is a separate service from ongoing website maintenance.
Explore Web Hosting
Website Support
If you need help with changes, updates or occasional website work after launch, support can be arranged when you need it.
Explore Website Support
Future improvements
As your shop grows, you may want to add products, refine the customer journey or introduce new functionality. These can be discussed as separate pieces of work.
Discuss an improvementOnline-shop FAQ
Questions arepart of buildingthe shopQuestions arepart of buildingthe shop
Every online shop has its own requirements. Here are some of the questions that often come up before we start.
How many products can my online shop have?
The number of products can affect the scope and cost of an online shop, particularly when products have many variations, categories or other catalogue requirements. We can discuss your catalogue before quoting so the build reflects what you actually need.
Can you connect my preferred payment gateway?
Payment options depend on the gateway, its available integration and your business requirements. We can discuss the payment methods you want to offer and confirm what can be included in your shop before the build begins.
Will my online shop use WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is generally our starting point for online shops where it is suitable, but we do not treat every shop as the same setup. Your products, payment methods, shipping requirements and any external integrations can influence the final approach.
Who owns the website and online shop after it is built?
The website is built for your business rather than being a temporary demonstration shop. The exact arrangements for domains, hosting, third-party services and other accounts should be clear before the project starts, and we can discuss these requirements as part of the quotation.
Do I need PalmHost hosting for my online shop?
Hosting is a separate service from the website build. If your existing hosting meets the technical requirements, we can discuss using it. If you need hosting, PalmHost can provide hosting for the shop as a separate service.
Do I need to provide all my product content?
You will need to provide the product information that belongs to your business, such as product names, prices, descriptions, images, categories, stock information and relevant shipping details. We can discuss how to prepare larger catalogues if you have many products.
Will you show me how to manage my shop?
We can discuss training or guidance as part of the project. The aim is to leave you with a practical way to manage the parts of your shop that you will be responsible for after launch.
How much does an online shop cost?
There is no single price for every online shop. The quotation can be affected by factors such as the product catalogue, variations, content preparation, payment gateways, shipping requirements and external integrations. We will discuss the requirements first and quote accordingly.
Ready to build your shop?
Let’s turn your products into a shop.
Tell us what you want to sell, how you want customers to buy and what your business needs from the shop. We’ll discuss the requirements and prepare a quotation.
