After you've sold a customer their own web space, try making it as easy as possible for them to build the site they want, a vendor suggests.

by Alex Goldman ISP-Planet Managing Editor [February 28, 2005]

Los Angeles-based SQL Fusion has been building database and related software since 1996. Founded by a French team, the company is based in the U.S., which it wants to make its biggest market.

"We have been building tools for webmasters since 1999," says Philippe Lawicki, the CEO. "Our first product was a form builder, and we evolved into offering software for web designers and web developers. Now we're focused on our full solution for web authoring for websites for companies from small businesses up to large enterprises."

The product is called Drag & Drop Sitecreator and is available now in the U.S., with a multi-language version designed for Europe available later this year.

It features an intuitive, word processor-like interface (there's a demo available here). The back end control panel, designed to enable webhosts to serve resellers, features browser-based access to account creation, among other basic admin tasks.

The advanced version features access to databases and shopping carts using payment processors like paypal and authorize.net.

The interface, which uses resizable frames for images and text, works like desktop publishing software, and the frames affect the look of the websites in a good way. Real websites that use the software include that of Clinton, Calif.-based Jon Lin Foods and of Shea Butter (whose web operation is based in Los Angeles), a product of Paris-based Codina.

The sites seem to have minor issues, and software appears to be in continuing development, but it is easy to use.

Already, the company is developing its next product, built on top of Drag & Drop Sitecreator, but with even more features. "It will be targeted at web designers. We'll have a beta version by the end of March," says Lawicki.

Right now, the company is focused on marketing Drag & Drop Sitecreator. The target audience is clear. "It's targeted at webhosting providers whose customers are non technical users. It's very easy to use," says Michael Frappier, the company's Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).

Pricing and availability
The product is available now.

Pricing is posted in the website FAQ here. Pricing starts at $750 for 50 users. Volume discounts kick in quickly (500 users cost $5,000, for example).

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