Pure Homestead Store: Revolutionizing Online Shopping with Natural, Family-Owned Products

In an era of mass-produced goods and corporate giants, imagine a marketplace where every product is crafted by a small, family-owned business using only natural ingreidents. Sounds like Etsy, except for household consumable items. This is the concept of the Pure Homestead Store, a revolutionary online store platform inspired by the investigative work of OSINT journalist Ian Carroll.

If you’ve ever watched Ian Carroll on X or TikTok, you’ll know where the idea for this store comes from – his Cancel This Clothing Company.

The Pure Homestead Store is born from a simple, yet powerful idea: provide consumers with a one-stop shop for genuinely pure, natural products. Unlink major retailers filled with items containing artificial ingredients and backed by profit-driven corporations, our platform exclusively features goods from small, family-owned businesses committed to natural production methods, and a lot of hard work.

The Pure Homestead Store follows a specific criteria for its offerings:

  • Curated selection: All products and vendors are hand-selected to make sure they meet our strict criteria:
    • Offered by small, family-owned businesses
    • Made with simple, natural ingredients
    • No lab-created or artificial components
  • Transparent Marketplace: Inspired by Ian Carroll’s “Cancel this Clothing Company,” we provide full transparency about product origins and ingredients.
  • Online-first approach: We are starting with online sales with plans for phyiscal locations in the future.
  • Discount Model: Similar to sites like GovX, we will offer exclusive discounts for direct online purchases.

To bring this idea to life, we have selected a modern, secure, and scalable technology stack that will be developed on a local server with plans to launch in a cloud environment. This is so we can develop securely by applying the standards of the Payment Card Industry (PCI-DSS) and follow cybersecurity standards like the NIST Risk Management Framework, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, and ISO 27001 for Information System Management Standards. This is to protect all user and vendor data at rest and in transit from the beginnning.

If we do not begin development of this concept, we hope Ian can take this plan and run with it.

Category Option Description Purpose Ease of Use Secure? Free/Open-Source
Front-End Framework React.js A JavaScript library for building user interfaces, with excellent support and compatibility on cloud platforms. Build dynamic, responsive user interfaces (UI). Easy Yes Yes
Back-End Framework Node.js (Express.js) JavaScript runtime environment with a fast, event-driven architecture, highly compatible with GCP and other cloud platforms. Develop the server-side logic and APIs. Moderate Yes Yes
Database PostgreSQL An open-source, SQL-compliant database. GCP offers fully managed Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL, making it highly scalable. Store product info, user data, orders, etc. Moderate Yes Yes
Authentication JWT (JSON Web Tokens) Token-based authentication, which works well in cloud environments and provides stateless user authentication. Secure user authentication and authorization. Easy Yes Yes
Encryption bcrypt Hashing algorithm for securely storing user passwords, works in any cloud or self-hosted environment. Secure password storage and user data protection. Easy Yes Yes
Payment Gateway Stripe Popular payment gateway with simple API integration. It works across multiple cloud environments, including GCP. Securely process payments from customers. Very Easy Yes Partially (fees per transaction)
CI/CD Pipeline GitHub Actions Free, cloud-compatible CI/CD solution that integrates well with GCP. Automates testing, building, and deployment pipelines. Automate testing and deployments. Easy Yes Yes
Web Server Nginx A lightweight, open-source web server. It integrates well with GCP and provides high-performance reverse proxy capabilities. Host the web application and API. Easy Yes Yes
Dev Environment Visual Studio Code A free, open-source code editor with GCP plugin support for deploying and managing resources directly. Develop code locally and manage cloud environments. Very Easy Yes Yes
Version Control Git Widely used version control system for tracking changes and collaboration. Compatible with GitHub and GCP repositories. Track code changes, collaborate, and integrate CI/CD. Easy Yes Yes
Containerization Docker Container platform for packaging applications, highly compatible with GCP’s Kubernetes and other services for easy scaling. Package and deploy applications consistently. Easy Yes Yes
Monitoring & Logging ELK Stack (ElasticSearch, Logstash, Kibana) Open-source tools that work well with GCP for logging and monitoring app performance and security. Monitor, log, and analyze application performance. Moderate Yes Yes
Static Security Testing Snyk Free for open-source projects, integrates with GCP to scan and fix vulnerabilities in dependencies. Identify and fix security vulnerabilities in dependencies. Easy Yes Yes
Cloud Hosting Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Offers services like Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL, Cloud Run for containerized apps, and GKE for Kubernetes clusters. Scalable cloud environment for the entire application. Easy Yes No (pay-as-you-go pricing)

Purpose of Each Element:

  • React.js: For front-end user interface development.
  • Node.js (Express.js): For handling server-side logic, APIs, and back-end processes.
  • PostgreSQL: As the primary database for storing user data, product info, and orders. It is scalable using GCP’s Cloud SQL service.
  • JWT: For stateless user authentication, ensuring scalability and security.
  • bcrypt: For securely hashing user passwords and sensitive information.
  • Stripe: For handling secure payment transactions.
  • GitHub Actions: For setting up automated CI/CD pipelines that integrate with GCP.
  • Nginx: For hosting and reverse proxying the web application and backend API.
  • Cursor+Claude: Your main development tool with integrated support for cloud operations.
  • Git: For version control and collaboration.
  • Docker: For containerizing applications to ensure they run consistently across different environments.
  • ELK Stack: For logging and monitoring the performance and security of your application.
  • Snyk: For static analysis and dependency scanning to ensure code security.
  • Google Cloud Platform (GCP): Your cloud environment, chosen for its pay-as-you-go pricing, ease of migration, and secure infrastructure without locking you into difficult contracts.

Why These Selections?

  • Compatibility: GCP has excellent support for Node.js, PostgreSQL, and Docker. It’s highly scalable and secure, with good tools for migrating or exporting services if needed.
  • Cost Control: GCP’s pricing model is pay-as-you-go, so you only pay for what you use, and the services you selected have strong free tiers for development and small-scale deployments.
  • Security & Compliance: GCP is fully compliant with major security standards (PCI-DSS, NIST, etc.), and the tools you’ve selected are secure, widely supported, and reliable in production environments.

Sitemap

Front-End Pages (User-Facing)

These are the pages that customers will interact with on your website.

  1. Home Page
    • URL: /
    • Purpose: Display featured products, promotions, and categories. Provide easy navigation to all main sections.
  2. Login / Register Page
    • URL: /login / /register
    • Purpose: User login or registration via email/password or OAuth (if needed). Includes “Forgot Password” functionality.
  3. Product Categories Page
    • URL: /categories
    • Purpose: Show a list of product categories (e.g., “Health & Beauty,” “Food & Drink,” etc.).
  4. Category-Specific Pages
    • URL: /categories/:categoryName
    • Purpose: Display all products within a selected category. Include filters (e.g., family-owned, ingredients).
  5. Product Details Page
    • URL: /product/:productID
    • Purpose: Show detailed information about a product, including ingredients, brand (e.g., family-owned), and pricing. Add to cart button.
  6. Search Results Page
    • URL: /search?q=product_name
    • Purpose: Show search results based on user input.
  7. Shopping Cart Page
    • URL: /cart
    • Purpose: Display items in the cart, allow users to edit quantity or remove products. Display total cost and taxes.
  8. Checkout Page
    • URL: /checkout
    • Purpose: Allow users to enter shipping and payment details. Display order summary and provide confirmation before purchase.
  9. Order Confirmation Page
    • URL: /confirmation/:orderID
    • Purpose: Show order confirmation details after a successful transaction.
  10. User Dashboard Page
    • URL: /account/dashboard
    • Purpose: User account management, including profile updates, order history, and saved payment methods.
  11. Order History Page
    • URL: /account/orders
    • Purpose: Display user’s previous orders with details and status (shipped, delivered, etc.).
  12. Product Review Page
    • URL: /product/:productID/review
    • Purpose: Allow users to write reviews for products they’ve purchased.
  13. Contact Us Page
    • URL: /contact
    • Purpose: Provide users with a way to contact customer support via form submission.
  14. About Us Page
    • URL: /about
    • Purpose: Share the company’s mission, values, and information about family-owned businesses featured on the platform.
  15. Privacy Policy / Terms of Service Page
    • URL: /privacy / /terms
    • Purpose: Display legal policies and user agreements.

Back-End Pages (Admin-Facing)

These pages are for managing products, orders, users, and other admin-related tasks.

  1. Admin Dashboard
    • URL: /admin/dashboard
    • Purpose: Display key metrics and provide quick links to manage products, orders, users, and reviews.
  2. Product Management Page
    • URL: /admin/products
    • Purpose: List all products with options to create, edit, or delete products. Include product details like name, price, ingredients, category, and brand.
  3. Product Creation/Edit Page
    • URL: /admin/products/new or /admin/products/:productID/edit
    • Purpose: Form for adding a new product or editing an existing product’s details.
  4. Category Management Page
    • URL: /admin/categories
    • Purpose: Manage product categories (add, remove, or edit categories).
  5. Order Management Page
    • URL: /admin/orders
    • Purpose: View, update, or cancel customer orders. Include order details like user info, product list, and shipping status.
  6. User Management Page
    • URL: /admin/users
    • Purpose: List all registered users, view profiles, and edit user access levels (e.g., admin, regular customer).
  7. Review Management Page
    • URL: /admin/reviews
    • Purpose: Monitor and manage product reviews, approve or reject reviews.
  8. Discount/Promotion Management Page
    • URL: /admin/promotions
    • Purpose: Create and manage discount codes, seasonal promotions, or exclusive deals for specific products or categories.
  9. Payment/Transaction Management Page
    • URL: /admin/payments
    • Purpose: View and manage payment records, refunds, and transaction statuses.
  10. Shipping/Logistics Management Page
    • URL: /admin/shipping
    • Purpose: Manage shipping methods, rates, and track shipping statuses for customer orders.
  11. Analytics and Reports Page
    • URL: /admin/analytics
    • Purpose: Provide detailed reports on sales, customer behavior, and product performance.

API Endpoints (Back-End for Data Handling)

These endpoints will support both the front-end and back-end by managing interactions with the database.

  1. User Authentication API:
    • /api/auth/register
    • /api/auth/login
    • /api/auth/logout
  2. Product Management API:
    • GET /api/products (fetch all products)
    • GET /api/products/:productID (fetch product details)
    • POST /api/products (create new product)
    • PUT /api/products/:productID (edit product details)
    • DELETE /api/products/:productID (remove product)
  3. Category Management API:
    • GET /api/categories (fetch all categories)
    • POST /api/categories (create new category)
    • PUT /api/categories/:categoryID (edit category)
    • DELETE /api/categories/:categoryID (delete category)
  4. Order Management API:
    • GET /api/orders (fetch all orders)
    • GET /api/orders/:orderID (fetch specific order details)
    • POST /api/orders (create new order)
    • PUT /api/orders/:orderID (update order status)
  5. Payment API:
    • POST /api/payments (handle payment processing)
    • GET /api/payments/:orderID (fetch payment details for an order)
    • POST /api/refunds/:orderID (initiate a refund)
  6. Review API:
    • GET /api/reviews/:productID (fetch product reviews)
    • POST /api/reviews/:productID (submit new review)
    • DELETE /api/reviews/:reviewID (remove review)
  7. User Account API:
    • GET /api/users/:userID (fetch user details)
    • PUT /api/users/:userID (update user profile)
    • DELETE /api/users/:userID (delete user account)

Summary of the Structure:

  • Front-End Pages: Cover customer interactions, such as browsing products, viewing categories, and managing orders.
  • Back-End Pages: Admin tools for managing products, orders, promotions, and users.
  • API Endpoints: Backend routes that handle all data transactions between the front-end and the database.

Project Plan for General Store Website

This is a high-level project plan for developing the Pure Homestead Store website. It includes phases, key tasks, milestones, estimated timelines, and goals based on the sitemap and technology stack. The timeline is based on individual development team availability and team size. This schedule assumes the development by one person supported by Cursor and Claude.

Phase 1: Planning and Requirements (1-2 Weeks)

Tasks:

  1. Define platform goals and finalize the feature list.
    • User roles (customers, admins)
    • Core functionalities (product listing, cart, payments, etc.)
  2. Finalize technology stack (already largely done).
  3. Draft technical architecture (front-end, back-end, database, API).
  4. Design database schema (e.g., tables for users, products, orders).
  5. Create wireframes and basic mockups for the UI/UX using Figma or a similar tool.

Milestones:

  • Finalized feature list and technical requirements.
  • Wireframes/mockups of key pages (e.g., Home Page, Product Details Page, Checkout).

Phase 2: Setting Up Development Environment (1 Week)

Tasks:

  1. Install and configure Cursor as your primary development tool.
  2. Set up the local development environment:
    • Install Node.js, Express.js, PostgreSQL, Docker.
    • Configure JWT for user authentication.
    • Set up the front-end framework (React.js).
  3. Integrate GitHub or another version control tool for managing code.
  4. Set up a basic CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions.
  5. Choose a cloud provider (e.g., GCP) and prepare for future deployment.

Milestones:

  • Fully functional local development environment.
  • Version control and CI/CD pipeline established.

Phase 3: Back-End Development (3-4 Weeks)

Tasks:

  1. Set up the PostgreSQL database:
    • Design tables for users, products, categories, orders, and reviews.
    • Implement basic relationships (e.g., users to orders, products to categories).
  2. Develop the API endpoints for:
    • User authentication (login, registration, etc.).
    • Product management (create, update, delete products).
    • Order management (view, create, update orders).
    • Review management (submit, delete reviews).
  3. Implement JWT authentication for secure user sessions.
  4. Set up bcrypt for hashing passwords.
  5. Add basic logging using ELK Stack for error tracking.

Milestones:

  • Completed API for user management, products, orders, and reviews.
  • Database structure is fully set up and integrated with the API.
  • Secure user authentication working.

Phase 4: Front-End Development (4-5 Weeks)

Tasks:

  1. Set up React.js for the front-end.
  2. Create the core user-facing pages:
    • Home page with featured products.
    • Product listing and product detail pages.
    • User account page, login, registration, and order history.
    • Shopping cart and checkout page.
  3. Connect front-end with back-end API for:
    • Displaying products and categories.
    • Handling cart operations and checkout.
    • Displaying user orders and profile details.
  4. Implement form validation and error handling for user inputs.
  5. Add basic search functionality to filter products.

Milestones:

  • Core front-end pages completed and connected to the API.
  • Cart, checkout, and user login/registration are functional.

Phase 5: Payment Integration and Testing (2-3 Weeks)

Tasks:

  1. Integrate Stripe for payment processing.
    • Set up payment forms on the checkout page.
    • Implement test payments using Stripe’s sandbox environment.
  2. Implement order confirmation and transaction handling in the back-end.
  3. Set up security features, including SSL with Let’s Encrypt.
  4. Thorough testing:
    • Unit testing for back-end API.
    • Integration testing for front-end/back-end interaction.
    • Test for cross-browser compatibility (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari).
    • Test security (use OWASP ZAP or Snyk for vulnerability scanning).

Milestones:

  • Fully functional payment system with test transactions.
  • Security features implemented and tested.
  • Front-end and back-end tests completed.

Phase 6: Admin Panel Development (3-4 Weeks)

Tasks:

  1. Build the Admin Dashboard with functionality for:
    • Managing products (create, edit, delete).
    • Managing orders (view, update status).
    • Managing users (view, promote to admin, delete users).
    • Reviewing product reviews and handling approval/rejection.
  2. Set up basic analytics using ELK Stack or another tool.
  3. Add permissions and access control for admin users.
  4. Implement logging for admin activities.

Milestones:

  • Fully functional Admin Dashboard.
  • Admins can manage all aspects of the store.
  • Basic reporting and analytics in place.

Phase 7: Final Testing and QA (2-3 Weeks)

Tasks:

  1. Conduct comprehensive end-to-end testing.
    • Test entire user journey from browsing products to completing checkout.
    • Test all admin functionalities.
  2. Perform load testing to ensure the site can handle expected traffic.
  3. Finalize security audits and vulnerability scans.
  4. Create detailed documentation for future reference (setup guide, API documentation).

Milestones:

  • Passed all functional and load tests.
  • Security audit completed with no critical vulnerabilities.
  • Full documentation ready for launch.

Phase 8: Deployment and Go-Live (1 Week)

Tasks:

  1. Prepare the cloud environment on GCP or another cloud provider.
    • Set up database hosting with Cloud SQL (PostgreSQL).
    • Deploy front-end and back-end using Docker or GCP Cloud Run.
  2. Configure SSL certificates for production.
  3. Final pre-launch testing in a staging environment.
  4. Go live! Monitor traffic, security, and performance during the launch.
  5. Implement automated backups for the database and key files.

Milestones:

  • Website is live, accessible, and functioning as expected.
  • Backup and monitoring systems are in place.

Phase 9: Post-Launch Maintenance (Ongoing)

Tasks:

  1. Monitor site performance (use GCP monitoring tools or ELK Stack).
  2. Regularly apply updates to dependencies and security patches.
  3. Monitor for any reported bugs or issues, and deploy fixes as needed.
  4. Start planning new features based on user feedback.

Milestones:

  • Platform runs smoothly with ongoing monitoring.
  • Bugs/issues resolved promptly.

Estimated Timeline Overview:

  • Total Duration: ~16-20 weeks (4-5 months)
  • Main Milestones:
    1. Planning and design: 1-2 weeks.
    2. Back-end and front-end MVP: 7-9 weeks.
    3. Payment integration, testing, and security: 2-3 weeks.
    4. Admin Panel and QA: 6-7 weeks.
    5. Go-live: 1 week.

The Pure Homestead Store represents more than just another e-commerce platform; it’s a movement towards transparency, sustainability, and support for small busiensses. We will create a marketplace that benefits customer health, their bank accounts through lower prices, fast ordering and shipping, and a lot of support for small businesses through a direct market just for them.

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