Making a an e business with user accounts

[newone]

Hi, everyone! I am hoping to make a website where customers can register their own user accounts and post ads with pictures (similar to ebay)etc. And where they payments are dealt with externally by the customers! (my profit will lie in advertisements!)
So my big problem is the whole technical aspect of this! Is it possible to to this with any templates, dreamweaver, firstpage, and without having to study web design for several months? Or even better do any of you know of companies that will do this professionaly but very cheap for me?

Thanks for any replies!
Alex

[bobdog]

You're going to have a hard time with that.

First, if there are several vendors on one site, that would mean each payment gateway is different. So the shopping cart is no good.

Second, all the vendors are responsible for setting up their own products. Each vendor would need admin access. That's a problem.

Hotscripts might be able to help you... see link:

http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Scripts_and_Programs/E-Commerce/Online_Malls/index.html

Sone of the listings do what you want, but you have to pay for the script. If that is OK, then go for it.

Another alternative is for you to handle the payment gateway. Then release funds when you get them minus your commission. But you will have to be the admin person for setting up the products/categories.

At least this way, you have total control of layout, terms of service, etc.

I make my living setting up shopping carts and websites for people. So I'm well versed in exactly what needs to happen. So any way you slice it, there will be almost nothing that will "Do everything for you" and all you do is get advertising revenue.

Consider this- setting up a shopping cart. Zen Cart is the best. Now, have everybody send you their marketable goods. Set up the category and item yourself. Then make the "seller" a vendor or manufacturer. When the item sells, cut a check to the vendor minus your commission. This is also known as "consignment."

The shopping cart I mentioned will handle banner advertisments too. And lots of other goodies. Worth looking in to. Aside from setting up the website store, your only out-of-pocket costs will be the merchant bank account and payment gateway. That's about $30 per month.

There is one other way to go. Use Drupal (A CMS) with a few modules installed, and then grant specific permissions to vendors. The vendor will be responsible for setting up his own PayPal account to receive funds. From there the vendor will be responsible for uploading products and images, descriptions, price, etc.

I did something similar to this with a site some time back using Drupal. Took me awhile and some custom coding.

Bottom line- I'd rather run the shopping cart and have vendors submit items to me.