What Web tools to use for my online wine store?

Hi Everyone, I'm really new to web development (no experience) and hoping to get some advice from you all on which web tools to use for my project. I have very little experience with HTML, VB and SQL. I'm planning to build an Online Wine Store web site, there will be a lot of table query on my current wine stocks and very often I will need to update my wine stocks, qty and prices. Your advice will be much appreciated .

I would recommend Magento, the industry leader in ecommerce software and having been acquired by eBay, it's pretty well endorsed, etc. Older versions were and are a bitch to work with, but though still annoying, it's easier, a lot easier. It's flexible too, very flexible!

I'm going to have to agree with Jack here, Magento is probably the most powerful ecommerce platform that's free. you can download different themes set up payment option easily import mass amounts of stock in one file. I use it for my clients all the time. There are still some hassles with it with certain parts but I is the best tool at your disposal.

Thank you JakClark & krymson very much for you kind and prompt reply. I will definitely do some research on Magento and do my best.

Krymson & jak,

Is the Magento 'Community' (free) version appropriate for a business? The Enterprise version is wayyy out of price range! I am building for a client with a private business, selling outdoor & patio products. After I am finished building it - will it be easy enough for them to log into their website on their own to update products or change any info? Would I be able to link their already existing blog?

Thanks very much!!

Absolutely, some of the best things in life are free. now the only downside to the community version is that there is no support from magento as a company, if you break it learn to fix it.

I just finished a website for a client using the community version, there is a learning curve but with anything new there always it. It is easy for them to log in and change and update products, even uploading mass amounts of products is easy through the use of a csv file. Now it gets complicated for say clothing then you have to have "configurable" products with sizes colors and stuff i wrote out some tutorials for them on that.

Now I have also worked with the enterprise version for a company i used to work for and there really is no big difference in features you just get support from magento. Thats it.

You can link their existing blog I dont remember how to change the nav off the top of my head but it is possible and I believe it's fairly easy

You can take a look at my clients magento store here

******NOTE THE PRODUCT IMAGES ARE TERRIBLE BUT SHE LIKES THEM AND DOES NOT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM REFLECT THE QUALITY OF MY WORK*********

Haha...no judgement passed on those images. I, too have clients like this and have been forced to create some very embarrassing work.

Thank you soooo very much for sharing your site and all the info. That helps tremendously. And also, writing out a tutorial for them is a great idea! I'll use it They'll be very happy.