I’m looking to host a site that will sell products, so it needs e-commerce capabilities like product catalog, billing, email, and some decent ready-to-use templates. It also needs to host a database, preferably Postgres or MySQL, and support web services written in .NET or Java. Any suggestions? Thanks!
What’s your budget? Initially under $100/month but should be able to scale.
Where are your users located? Worldwide.
What type of site are you hosting? E-commerce plus REST services with a database. Open to using a WordPress template or something similar for the e-commerce site.
Estimated traffic? Low to start.
Do you have experience with server administration? Some.
It sounds like you’re looking for an all-in-one solution that doesn’t exist, or you’re not entirely sure what you need. The best bet might be Shopify! Don’t try to build something from scratch unless you have a lot of money to spend and know what you’re doing.
Or, if you need something custom-made, find a good developer. I’m not trying to be rude, just being honest—it’ll save you a lot of headaches to use a good store template and focus on business-related tasks instead of tech.
@ginahearns I appreciate your input, and I understand what you’re saying. Shopify can’t handle everything I need, though. I might need to manage parts of the system outside the e-commerce platform. I’m hoping to find a flexible host that allows custom development and e-commerce integration. But I’m okay with starting with just the e-commerce site for now.
The business will eventually need to handle royalty payments, so I’m concerned about integrating billing and accounting. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I thought it was worth getting some advice.
@ginahearns If you’re even considering WordPress as a possible solution, then Shopify can definitely handle most of what you need, especially with the apps available. It’s much more than just a basic shopping cart.
It can handle external database support and middleware development too.
Alternatively, WebFlow might be a good option. I’ve used it for complex projects, and it’s fast to get going. But the problem still seems to be that you’re expecting a turnkey solution for something custom or niche. You’ll likely need a professional to help you figure out the best approach.
@ginahearns Yeah, I’m not a fan of being locked into Shopify as a vendor. I’ll probably start with hosting the e-commerce site and worry about scaling the rest later. Thanks again for your input!