Case Study- Free E-commerce site w/cart- step by step

[The_Cynic]

--- The first <title> will be the name of your site
--- <link> is the page your item is on
--- <description> self explanatory
--- The Shipping and Tax codes are also eveident
--- <g:image_link> the .jpg url of the item pic
--- <g:id> This your personal SKU, whatever you use
--- <groduct_type> For this, go into Google base and find the code for your product .Example-
- Entertainment Memorabilia &gt; Music Memorabilia
the --- &gt; -- is simply code for a -- >

When you are done adding you items, save the document as a .xml (not .txt) with UTF-8 encoding. Then upload it to your site and upload it Google base.

I hope this helps. sorry about the smiley face thing, I could not find a way to turn it off.

The take away from this is that, for Google base a .xml feed is better than a Excel converted .txt

Upload it to the MAIN directory of your site.
ex. - ---www.YourSite.com/yourGbasefeeed.xml--

[The_Cynic]

I just thought of an easier way for you to get the code. Since this code is public, you could just copy it direct from my site

ConcertPoster.org Google Base XML

When you get to the page, click "View Page Source" on your browser and copy that code.

to get the "View Page Source" just right click anywhere on the page

[The_Cynic]

a little update.

I finally scored in google. I am on the first page for my keyword. No big traffic jump though, it's a crappy ketyword.

Google base feed is the stuff, they gave me 300+ clicks on about 35 items for free.

Alexa rank 523,000
PR 1
Yahoo backlinks - 167

- around 40 sales for the last month, most of that for just one poster.

- the vast majority of my traffic comes through Google images

_ I am setting up an email program to push my poster of the month club.

(Got to have a continuity option!!!) - using amazon simple pay subscriptions

Overall not bad. I may post separate on the steps it takes to set subscription payments and an email program.

Cheers!

[The_Cynic]

A little update. I finally figured out how to work out a monthly subscription/continuity option for my site.

Right now my cart uses Amazon payments, Paypal and Google Checkout.

The problem was that the cart did not allow for a monthly payment option. So I had to set up buttons directly from Amazon payments, Paypal and Google checkout.

I was able to setup a monthly payments buttons very easily with Paypal.

#1 login into Paypal
#2 click the merchant Services Tab on top
#3 look for the 'Create Button" header and then just click "Subscribe"

With Amazon it was a bit more involved, but after I found my way it was easy.

#1 Log in to Amazon payments,
#2 Click the Business tab
#3 Click the Simple Pay link in the sidebar
#4 click the "Create button" in the upper right hand corner.

-- But with Amazon you want to set one up in their "Sandbox" first,so you can test it.
-I recommend doing this because in testing, it takes you through each step exactly as your customers see it.

With Google, their monthly payment option is in beta - only available through their API. That was bit beyond my skill level to implement.

anyway, the page is up.

Monthly Concert Poster Special » ConcertPoster.ORG

I made a video showing the goods. I have high hopes.

The Continuity/Monthly payment business option is really a true game changer right now. because instead of having to sell to new people every month, you get a steady stream of income from your past customers. If you can convert even a small percentage of your new customers each month, over time, the income stream from the monthly payments should transform your business.

In fact, many firms will lose money on their initial sales just to get customers into a monthly charge plan. That's how powerful the monthly payment option is.

___________________

The next step :

Setting up an email program so I can email all my past customers and try to convert them into the monthly plan.

Right now my choice is between Aweber and Constant Contact

Any thoughts?

[aspkin]

Good stuff cynic.

About email software, aweber is considered the best. But Constant contact does a good job as well.

I've used constant contact for about a year.

[The_Cynic]

Just found out about a Facebook feature. A few months ago they they allowed businesses to set up Fan Pages. The beauty thing about these fan pages is that you get links (no follow) + for facebook members who become a fan, a fan of that page gets every update you make in their main newsfeed.

see the one I set up, become a fan if you are on facebook, to see how the updates feature works.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/concer...s/124796251096

Aweber says that you can also insert html in the info panel to set up an email sign up for your main list. Nice!!!

Also, they give you demographic data through their insights feature.

One of the keys to getting traffic to the page for me is to upload pics.

These pages are visible even if you are NOT signed into facebook, so the SE spiders will count them.

[aspkin]

Profile pages Cynic.. profile pages are a gold mine for easy backlinks.

[GREMLIN]

Thats right Aspkin

If you see the list of urls that ive posted here in the past you will notice that I mention about using domains with high page rank but placing your backlink in the profile page which doesnt hold a page rank as a page itself but the domain still does.

These backlinks are allowed in your profile page and hold great value. Much authority from these sites will pass down to yours.

I see that Senuke have a great new automated feature for these kind of backlinks. The automated link wheel is great-

I have to agree with you Aspkin Senuke is great and worth every penny.

Cynic i would recommend you take out the 7 day free trial and test it for yourself.

[aspkin]

Yep, I'm working on web 2.0 profile nuke now... getting all my accounts created.

If you want to try SEnuke, here is the 7-day trial.. it's pretty nice.

[proudpapa4]

cynic i love you posts! Have you tried Google Analytics and implement there code on your pages. i've found in the past that by placing that code on your pages it gets the attention of the google bots and helps your rankings. Just a thought.

[The_Cynic]

Hey There ProudPappa .

From my own experience. Having Google analytics or adsense on your site makes NO difference whatsoever in your google serps ranking.

However,

When you are signed in to your google account and you search you will see that you can re-order search results and add comments. see this post This actually does have a small effect on the Google results, from my own experience.

Just like you should Bookmark all the pages you want to rank with the keywords you want in Google bookmarks. These are the only 2 ways to effect the google results easily.

Everything other so called "Strategy" is a waste of time.

Oh and buying adwords ads does not help your site either.

[The_Cynic]

On the Profile pages being good link dumps.

I think the reason they work so well is that you can get your keywords into the
profile URL, a link from a url with your keywords in it may count for more than a generic link.

Any Ideas on this?

[The_Cynic]

Hello all,

An update.

The site is going well, but no thanks to the Google SERPS. I am dying in Google search. However, I am #2 and #4 in Yahoo and Live/Bing for that term.

Note - before I developed the site, it was top 10 in Google search for the term --Concert Poster-- then, I started to build back links and it fell outof the top 10 then back in, then poof! For the last few months, Google search, hates the site.

I think I got a penalty for a reciprocal link program I entered into. Oh well, I will just take that off and see what happens.


Google PR 0
alexa - 686,00
Compete-776,00
yahoo site explorer backlinks - 518 (but a WIDE variety, and a few relevant high PR)

Past 30 days sales - 53 posters

Most sales were of a single poster, but I am starting to get sales on the other stuff.

for payments :

of the 53 posters :

36 were paid throughAmazon payments
12 - Paypal
5 - Google payments

Analysis of my trafiic shows majority from Google Images (40%), followed by Google base (30%), then Yahoo, Bing and Digg, etc....

On the continuity option. So far a bust, but I just started my email program.

---On Email marketing.


Hassles!!!!


--1st I tried Aweber,

Major problem -- I am a ebay and Amazon seller with a huge log of email addresses from my past customers. Okay, I want to email all my past to let them know of my new site.

In Aweber, Forget about importing an email LIST!!!

-- they want you to pay months in advance and they do not allow the import of lists of customers. (Well, they make it very hard to import)

NOTE -- The CanSPAM law says you have you have the right to email your customers.

UGhh!!

So I wasted a few hours and $20 on setting up an aweber acct.

--------------- Note, aweber is the gold standard and all their email servers are "Whitelisted" but they require DOUBLE OPT IN. Which is a hassle, but I would put up with that if I were building a new list on a different site. On this though, I just want to email my customers from ebay, etc.. (which CanSpam allows me to do)

So I dumped my Aweber acct. and tried ConstantContact.

They allow list importation and give you the option of a soft opt in on imported lists.

Soft opt-in is just a paragraph at the top of the email specifying why they are getting the email giving the ability to opt out.

The problem with ConstantContact is that their list gathering form box and page SUCK IT! big time. If someone enters their email from a box on your site, CC directs them to their site for the opt in page and a next welcome page on their site with NO NAVIGATION back to your site. WTF? It's awful.

So far My experience with email providers has been hell.

All that said, you NEED to have an email program. The benefits far outweigh the cost and hassles.

Sending an email to your list results in sales and traffic. Plus, it builds relationships that make for repeat customers over time. You NEED that

Email marketing just flat out works, and you need to have an email program to have a real business.

So far many hassles implementing it. I will report back on the results though. I'm hopeful.

[aspkin]

I've been saying it for awhile Cynic, glad you got an email program up and running.

I need to get one for aspkin.com. On my other sites it does pretty well though.

[Joer]

Do any of these intergrate with ebay?

Thanks

Originally Posted by aspkin

I see, I do believe there is a Google Base feed, and other shopping comparison feeds for cs-cart, I haven't mesed with it in awhile I'll have to check.

Here are some other free carts you might want to checkout then:

·Presta Shop
·Open Cart
·Magento
·Cube Cart
·Agora Cart
·Zen Cart
·OSCommerce
·Store Sprite

[The_Cynic]

Joer,

I think there only two ways to have a website/cart that integrates with ebay, #1 a Ebay Prostores will automatically monitor your inventory and you can send ebay items to your prostores site. The other way is through Channel advisor. Either way you give a %.

To update the site news.

FINALLY !!!!!

about a month ago I started scoring in the Google serps. I am on page 1 for my keyword (#5) the word has 19 million competing pages with monetary intent.

-- I noticed a nice bump in traffic but not anything to write home about.

alexa rank 476k, compete 406k Page Rank 2

I have my email program up now. That has been a bigger boost to my sales than being on page 1 for in Google for my keyword.

I have about 2k on my email list. every email I send out gets about 900 opens and from that I get about 600 clicks through to my site. Those clicks REALLY convert well over 5%.

So if you are on the fence about an email program, Get off it, and get going on it.

Anyway, Cheers! good Luck all.

[ddda88]

Thank you Aspkin and The Cynic for this great post and info you shared here.

I have two questions regarding shopping cart:

1. why shopping cart has to be SEO friendly when I'd like to no follow it anyway?

2. wouldn't third party shopping cart like e.g. Romancart be a better/safer/easier to implement solution to e.g.mercantec.com?
Romancart can be integrated with PayPal and Google Checkout, not Amazon Payments though (for now).

Many thanks
ddda88

[kabatzas]

Originally Posted by Joer

Do any of these intergrate with ebay?

Thanks

old post buy be advised Magento is owned by ebay

[The_Cynic]

WARNING !!! this an OLD OLD thread

Just giving you guys an update.

After setting up my site here, my Amazon sales took off.

I neglected the site to focus on Amazon. In 2013 I was booted
from the river. But I had made enough to walk away for awhile.

I bought some land and I built on it, a mini farm with orchard.

Love the lifestyle, but it doesn't pay well.

So I'm back.

The site is till up and it had about $1500 in orders this Christmas.

The orders were divided evenly with Paypal and checkout by Amazon.

I have done zero promotion or link building since 2010 on the site.

Did get my Google merchant set up again in Sept- Oct. The problem is that Google incorporated it into adwords. I was paying 30 cents a click and it did not pencil out so I pulled my product feed from google.

I did try pintrest paid pins. Paid about 100 bucks for 3k visitors but could not convert them. So I pulled that too.

My current outlook on the site is that having your own place to sell which you control completely is awesome. My problem is getting the traffic to convert.

For now my time is better spent getting going again on Amazon.

But I am still looking for a way to make this pay.

I think email campaigns maybe the way forward.

The idea is to take the customers from ebay, add them to my email list and market to them for basically nothing.

Any ideas?

[yankee]

You got it! Farm your ebay and amazon, etc...buyers onto your own site.

Works well if you have a consumable.
Example:
Sell coffee makers on ebay.,
Send them a promotional code to your website in the package along with a FREE sample of your consumable, AKA Coffee.
You then TEXT and email them every few days.

So, simply put, model redbox. Make sure they add a number and email at checkout when possible(paypal email address) and you can require a number before they can pay.

SMS marketing is going to outperform email by hundreds to one. In my experience, thousands to one.

[The_Cynic]

That's a great idea with the consumables.

I have seen the SMS stuff and you are probably right that going forward that will be the place to be.

On my ebay accts this Christmas 40% used phone or ipad to buy from my ebay seller stats.

Amazon does not give you the email address of your buyers but they do give you their phone #s.

HMMM....