Set up an e-commerce site in the Star challenge

SCOTTISH SMEs are invited to create their own e-commerce websitein a day, or get their money back.

Star Internet, the Cirencester-based internet solutions provider,announced yesterday it is staging a Star Challenge aimed to provethat e-commerce needn't be complicated.

Star claims Tradestar, its e-commerce package specificallydesigned for growing businesses, provides users with a complete e-commerce solution, including store-building software, templates,secure payment processing, firewall security, round-the-clocksupport, and a full training course.

The company is inviting up to 20 firms to spend a day at Star'straining centre in Cirencester. There they will receive a half-day's training, and then design their own site under the supervisionof Star's team. Star will then support the site through itstechnical help desk.

Prices for the service start at pounds 950 for the initial set upand a GBP 150 per month retainer fee. The company promises to returnthe money of dissatisfied participants.

Joss White, the director of Star Internet, said: "A major problemfor growing companies has been the cost of creating an onlinepresence. We discovered businesses are deterred by the belief thatyou have to spend at least GBP 50,000, and devote huge amounts ofresources to get online. That isn't true, and we've developedTradestar to prove it."

SMEs with no more than 500 products are encouraged to registerfor the challenge by the end of December at www.star.net.uk/challenge.