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08-20-2013
| Junior Member | | Join Date: Jun 2013
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Activity: 0% Longevity: 62% | | Anyone run a retail website?
Right now Im only selling on ebay but the fees are getting to be ridiculous as well as dealing with scamming customers. I've pondered opening a retail website to sell to alot of my repeat customers but I need something very simplistic and easy to use with little cost and that I can link paypal too. Any ideas?
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The complete step-by-step guide to get back to selling today!
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08-20-2013
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You can't use paypal on an Amazon Webstore. It only accepts Amazon Payments.
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08-20-2013
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I dont see the relation of Amazon for the OP in anyway - he just wants his own retail website....that's allowable by PP
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08-20-2013
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Sorry, I read Anyone as Amazon somehow. Haha
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08-20-2013
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What % of scammers are you getting? If its much above 1% (which is very high IMO) you need to reasses the items you are selling, and how you are posting them
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08-20-2013
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Activity: 99% Longevity: 83% | | http://www.aspkin.com/forums/shippin...ilers-3-a.html
Interesting by jeffweico OP for you to evaluate the scams/returns aspect
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08-20-2013
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Originally Posted by JamesNorth101 What % of scammers are you getting? If its much above 1% (which is very high IMO) you need to reasses the items you are selling, and how you are posting them | I used to get maybe 1 for every 50 items I sold, now its more like 1 out of 25, I sell clothing and I specifically state in all my listings that I dont accept returns for sizing and to ask if you need measurements.
Alot of it is cases of the item not fitting, and knowing I wont accept a return for that they will open a case and claim its damaged or that I sent the wrong item but then when I get the item back I discover that they've lied and its not damaged or its the exact item as listed. Which that makes me mad but usually unless its seasonal I can resell it but lately I've been getting more and more women buying NWT items, keeping them a few weeks then opening a case claiming some defect etc and they return them to me and they've been worn tags are gone and they have deodorant stains and smell like perfume, this is especially the case with nicer dresses or formal wear, they just want to wear it for one night then return it.
It's getting pretty old. The trouble with ebay of course is its the seller vs buyer in these situations and ebay always sides with the buyer when the item has already been sent back to the seller, I've never known them not to, even when the buyer is pulling a fast one. I'd like to have a website that I could direct my repeat/good customers to and not deal with ebay as much. The only thing I have found so far is shopify, has anyone dealt with them?
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08-20-2013
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I have a website...Its very easy because I made it easy...Not really any programming involved.
I use Fatcow as my host, when you signup you can use some of their templates and different services...I chose weebly because its pretty easy. Its a drag your pics into a square and bam...you are done...I dont use paypal, but i use google checkout(which i know is stopping their service).
it was just like paypal to where it creates the code and all you do is copy and paste the code into the section where you want it...but I just got done trying wepay(same type of coding with the buy it now buttons)...and despite the reviews...it worked fine for me.
I did a couple test purchases...that i set myself...where i would buy the item...wait for the purchase to complete(which was realy quick despite the reviews) and it only took a few days for it to hit my account...so it looks like I am leaning towards that service..
i think i got off topic..sorry
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08-20-2013
| | Executive [VIP] | | Join Date: Sep 2007
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Activity: 0% Longevity: 96% | | Quote:
Originally Posted by acreech41311 Right now Im only selling on ebay but the fees are getting to be ridiculous as well as dealing with scamming customers. I've pondered opening a retail website to sell to alot of my repeat customers but I need something very simplistic and easy to use with little cost and that I can link paypal too. Any ideas? | Have I got news for you!!!!
Please read the below thread..... http://www.aspkin.com/forums/ebay-di...-business.html
This may well be the door opening to your new venture.
Keep in mind scammers can happen anywhere.
That said, look over the thread. It's very exciting |
08-24-2013
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Traffic is the problem, you're gonna have to spend $ on getting customers to your website which is the advantage eB has. Unless you have some really loyal customers who would be willing to purchase from your website. Even if they would you would still be missing out on a ton of potential customers if you don't advertise. Everything in business cost money or time....
__________________ “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”
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06-29-2014
| | Junior Member | | Join Date: Oct 2013
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Activity: 0% Longevity: 60% | | Re: Anyone run a retail website?
you have to market before you sell a product. marketing is key
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06-29-2014
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Jun 2011
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Activity: 0% Longevity: 74% | | Re: Anyone run a retail website?
just search for e-commerce platforms in google and you will get all of your questions answered.
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06-30-2014
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I know if a site you can sell on and they advertise on Google, you choose the amount your willing to pay them and they will advertise up to that amount, if it cost them less then they pass on the savings to you, if your interested send me a message.
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06-30-2014
| | Administrator | | Join Date: Jan 2007
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Activity: 4% Longevity: 100% | | Re: Anyone run a retail website?
It's much easier to do it on your own but as another member pointed out, while you control the platform (your website), you're in charge of driving traffic as well and while eBay drives a lot of buying traffic to your products, the good thing about your own website is you can capture your traffic (capture emails) and market to your customers over and over again (repeat business) that is much cheaper and stable in the long run. I started with my own eCommerce websites before I got into eBay. I use eBay differently than most people.. it's not a center piece of my online marketing (I don't rely on it entirely). Its simply another traffic source like Amazon, Google and social platforms. Make sense?
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07-03-2014
| Junior Member | | Join Date: May 2014
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Activity: 0% Longevity: 57% | | Re: Anyone run a retail website?
With the site I'm talking about about you can import listings from eBay, Amazon, and etsy. I agree that eventually you want a site and spread out your eggs.
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07-04-2014
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Nov 2012
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Activity: 0% Longevity: 66% | | Re: Anyone run a retail website?
Selling on eBay is like renting a store in mall when there is a lot of traffic. The day you open, customers show up. But one day, you can find your store gone with a MC999 notice on the front door.
Building your own website is like building a store on deserted street at first. You have to do marketing to get customers to find your store and come back. Once the site is aged and known, you will get regular customers.
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07-12-2014
| | Administrator | | Join Date: Jan 2007
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Activity: 4% Longevity: 100% | | Re: Anyone run a retail website?
I wouldn't suggest services like 'BIG Cartel', it's better to use something like WordPress + WooCommerce (or any of the other WordPress based shopping carts) because there are no monthly fees and you control everything where with services like Big Cartel, they control everything. I mean what's the point of having your own website if you don't control it?
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07-15-2014
| Senior Member | | Join Date: Oct 2011
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Activity: 0% Longevity: 72% | | Re: Anyone run a retail website?
I like the idea of Wordpress. It's done wonders for professional sites, including for our company. Haven't used a cart plugin with it though..
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07-15-2014
| Senior Member | | Join Date: Jul 2013
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Activity: 0% Longevity: 62% | | Re: Anyone run a retail website?
i have wordpress woocommerce reatail clothing just finished the site 4 days ago. was thinking of selling on ebay aswell maybe its not worth !!
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07-16-2014
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Activity: 0% Longevity: 66% | | Re: Anyone run a retail website? Quote:
Originally Posted by aspkin I wouldn't suggest services like 'BIG Cartel', it's better to use something like WordPress + WooCommerce (or any of the other WordPress based shopping carts) because there are no monthly fees and you control everything where with services like Big Cartel, they control everything. I mean what's the point of having your own website if you don't control it? | You have a good point. These services look interesting. In my post I said it was for some basic items. Basically tech dummies like myself.
The sites you suggest might be out of the grasp of some people. Even if they aren't that technology challenged. The site I suggested is simple for those whom have products who fall within the category.
Maybe a starting point and later jump to other endeavors as you have alluded to. We all must start somewhere. I always like to give people the easiest option to get off the ground. Then they can make their own decisions once they get the momentum and the ball rolling. I encourage people to follow their dream and step out and get in the game and see what happens.
With any business venture or anything you want to do in life. The most important thing is to get people to take the leap or the plunge. Get in the game and then you can see how things develop. Until people take that plunge, it is a huge barrier for the majority.
Last edited by vogeltron; 07-16-2014 at 05:02 AM.
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07-16-2014
| | Administrator | | Join Date: Jan 2007
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Activity: 4% Longevity: 100% | | Re: Anyone run a retail website?
It's a BAD starting point.. as a person who has done it for the past 10+ years.. stay away from sites like that.. there are MUCH better and easier options out there as I pointed out. Heck I installed a SFB member's shopping cart last night.. it took less than 5 minutes and their website looks very professional. They're able to manage their website easily without any instructions and all it cost was $5 a month web hosting.
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