Inspiration
Our project is inspired by the success of Shopify, a platform that empowers business owners to build their own websites. However, we recognize the unique challenges small shop owners face who may not have substantial budgets for website development. Our mission is to streamline the process and provide a user-friendly solution tailored specifically for them. By simplifying the website creation process and offering affordable options, we aim to enable small business owners to establish a strong online presence, even with limited resources.
What it does
Our platform serves as a dedicated space for small business owners to easily provide their details and product information. They can also select a personalized subdomain of their choice. Once they have filled in the necessary information, we take care of the rest by creating a fully functional website for them. The website will be hosted on our domain, with the format [subdomain].shoping.us, providing a professional and distinctive online presence for their business. Our goal is to simplify the website creation process, ensuring that small business owners can establish their online presence quickly and effortlessly.
How we built it
Our platform is built using Express.js as the backend framework, providing a robust and efficient foundation. For the frontend, we utilize simple HTML and Bootstrap for the styling, ensuring a clean and modern user interface. As for the database, we employ SQLite, a lightweight and reliable option that seamlessly integrates with our platform. By leveraging these technologies, we create a seamless and user-friendly experience for small business owners to showcase their products and manage their online presence effectively.
Challenges we ran into
During our initial foray into website development using Express.js, we encountered several challenges that helped us grow and improve our platform. Here are some key hurdles we faced:
The majority of our time was spent grappling with the intricacies of implementing the subdomain functionality. It required thorough research and experimentation to ensure seamless integration.
Another obstacle we encountered was working with EJS (Embedded JavaScript) templating engine. However, through dedicated learning and practice, we overcame this challenge and successfully incorporated EJS into our platform.
One significant hurdle that proved to be particularly difficult to solve was efficiently handling the product list within the database. Despite our efforts, we were unable to find a satisfactory solution at that time.
While these obstacles presented valuable learning experiences, we are committed to continuously refining our platform. Our team is actively working to address the product list handling issue, seeking alternative strategies and exploring new possibilities. By striving for innovation and addressing the challenges head-on, we aim to provide an even better user experience for small business owners leveraging our platform.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We take great pride in the accomplishments we have achieved thus far. One of our major successes is the successful hosting of websites and the implementation of the subdomain functionality. Overcoming the challenges associated with setting up and configuring subdomains required dedicated effort and problem-solving skills. We are thrilled to have accomplished this milestone, as it allows small business owners to have their unique online presence through personalized subdomains.
By achieving this feat, we have made it easier for small business owners to establish their brands and showcase their products or services effectively. Our platform offers a seamless experience, allowing users to create their subdomain effortlessly and have their website up and running in no time.
We continue to build on this achievement and remain committed to further improving and enhancing our platform to empower small business owners in their online journey.
What we learned
We have successfully learned and implemented Express.js, a powerful backend framework, in our development process. Additionally, we have gained a solid understanding of subdomains and their functionality. This knowledge has allowed us to integrate subdomain capabilities into our platform, enabling small business owners to personalize their website URLs and establish a unique online presence. These learnings have been instrumental in enhancing our technical expertise and providing a valuable solution for our users.
What's next for Shoping With us
Our next focus for Shoping With Us is to continue providing a seamless experience for small-scale shop owners, helping them establish a robust online presence and effectively sell their products. We aim to enhance our platform's features and functionalities, ensuring that it remains user-friendly and tailored to the needs of small businesses.
In the future, we have plans to join the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), which is a government of India initiative. By becoming a part of the ONDC ecosystem, we aspire to connect local shopkeepers with a wider customer base across India. This collaboration will enable small-scale shop owners to benefit from the digital commerce revolution, expanding their reach and increasing their business opportunities.
Our vision is to empower small local shopkeepers and contribute to the growth of the Indian economy by bridging the gap between traditional retail and the digital marketplace. We are committed to continuously evolving and adapting to the changing needs of our users while leveraging strategic partnerships and initiatives like ONDC to unlock greater opportunities for small businesses across India.
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