Thinking about having a website...

cherylsart · #1 2011-08-24, 9:32am

I used to have one with Pappashop, but I couldn't afford to keep it up. But I'm wondering if I should get one again to help with sales. I need something that's drag-and-drop style with templates, so that I don't have to write code. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

guaranteed · #2 2011-08-24, 11:11am

I would suggest Word Press. Be happy to host it for you as well 35.00 year. Can help you in getting it installed and set up. You can make all your chages from an easy control panel so you wont need a drag and drop editor.

Jazarra · #3 2011-08-24, 11:17am

weebly.com FREE and EASY

fawnheights · #4 2011-08-24, 11:32am

You can set up another wordpress blog for your business. Since you use it, you're already familiar with how to use it. Easy peasy.

cherylsart · #5 2011-08-24, 12:33pm

I have a Wordpress blog for my art, but I haven't done much with it except write a few posts. Is there a way to sell product from a Wordpress blog? I have been using Facebook with a separate page for my art, but that can be problematic if I'm trying to sell from there. I'm just looking into other marketing venues.

Reenie · #6 2011-08-24, 12:37pm

Cheryl,
zen cart is easy and free and I have a So. California based company that charges approx $6 a month for hosting services. Paypal, creditcards, you name it!!!

loribeads · #7 2011-08-25, 11:09am

Just my opinion...website shopping carts help with costs, not with sales. I thought of it like this:

If Etsy/Ebay/Artfire fees > website monthly cost then it makes sense to get a website and drive customers to that website for their purchases.

Lisi · #8 2011-08-26, 1:42am

I think having a website and/or a blog is good to channel potential buyers to your shops. You can put anything you want on it, even non-lampworking things, like about your garden, your pets, your cooking and recipes, other hobbies. Just some little things about you so people can get to know the person behind the beads. This is the place where you can pack it full of many of your photos of past works, have drawings for a free bead(s), and oh yes, pictures of customers jewelry made with your beads.

I decided I'm going to need one again since Etsy changed their search default. I did have Pappashop too, but now I'm looking at Hostgator, which has a pay by the month plan starting at $7.16. I can use that to get me started and then when I have the $$$, I'll opt for the 3yr plan which is $3.96 a month, but paid in full.

cherylsart · #9 2011-08-26, 6:28pm

I have my Wordpress blog, so maybe I just need to utilize that more than I have been. I have links to my Etsy and Artfire shops on the blog.

Thanks for the advice, everyone!

Anne Ricketts · #10 2011-08-28, 12:59pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazarra

weebly.com FREE and EASY

Do you have a website through them, I'd like to see it if you do! I have used Homestead for years but I would like to cut down on my costs.

nevadaglass · #11 2011-09-08, 6:50am

I agree Lori about the costs versus sales comment.

Just an fyi but I have had my website for over 8 years. Its hosted by Yahoo. I think I pay like 9.95 a month and I use their sitebuilder tool - its free and it allows you to publish directly to Yahoo. Its drag and drop and you don't need to write code. The shopping cart used to push to paypal. I currently turned off the add to cart functions because:

In that 8 years, I have had approximately 5 sales from the website. One of those sales was actually a pretty big production job for a resort that I don't think I would have gotten if it werent for the site so perhaps I shouldnt comment at all. I just thought I would share that there isnt any gurantee that your sales will go up from having a website.

I probably suck at marketing and currently the glass business isnt my full time job so I don't market and promote the way I should. I keep the site but no longer offer sales directly from the site. I refer customers to contact my gallery reps. As I continue to push to get my work into galleries, the list of galleries will go up. I am hoping to go full-time on my glass business in January and will be giving up my big income job so I suspect my perspective and marketing strategies will change in the next 4 months.

I personally keep the site up and try to be current so people can see what I offer but to be honest, the amont of money I make off of internet sales is way less than what I pay out to maintain a site in time and money. I will say that this may NOT be the case for anyone else - could be the way I approached the whole thing and my lack of any real focus on marketing...but thought I would at least provide my perspective on it.

speedingpullet · #12 2011-09-08, 9:06am

Quote:

Originally Posted by loribeads

If Etsy/Ebay/Artfire fees > website monthly cost then it makes sense to get a website and drive customers to that website for their purchases.

My thoughts exactly. I've had my own website for a few years now, and was wondering about the security aspects of having ppl buy directly from it.

When I re-vamp it (which is immanent, promise...) I'm tempted to have all the info on my site and have the actual sales and exchange of digital money directed to etsy or ebay.

As for website editing, I know enough HTML to design it myself. Its actually quite good fun to figure out. What can I say, I'm a freak...

maren · #13 2011-09-17, 1:00am

Cheryl,

how about putting a link to your blog in your signature here, not just the Snaggletoothchronicles, and if Wordpress has a way of putting an Etsy Mini like Blogger does put one up?

I only have a website without shopping cart ... (I started selling on Etsy for a shopping cart

)

Alaska · #14 2011-10-01, 2:18pm

If you have the skills, design a website using Drupal and a shopping cart. The costs are low if you are in a do it yourself mode. Open source free software.

Hosting is in the range of 5 to 10 dollars per month. The only other fees are those required by PayPal (30 cents per transaction and 2.9%). And no dealing with credit cards.