Forum Moderators: buckworks
So I have had to update and start manufacturing and supplying products for the new (more densly populated) alternative to my once easy niche market. With lots more competition.
To say the least, it's hard, hard work, for rather meagre rewards (which I'm sure most of you experienced at the start of your e-commerce lives). I've had to start from scratch with things you are all very familiar with, and there's so much to learn I just wanted to find out what you all thought was THE most important thing of all.
You see, from working very hard, I have managed to get my old flow of traffic back to my web site. However, the percentage of e-mails and purchases as a result of this is practically negligible. Only perpetual Ebay auctions are keeping me afloat (all linked to my pages)while I try to make the web site profitable. I bet if I posted my site (in it's current state) you could find a MILLION things wrong with it. I'm changing it all but I'm trying to work out what my ABSOLUTE PRIORITY should be? Is it maximising traffic (just for customers to find limited products) is it maximising products (just to find no traffic to sell them to) is it forgetting the whole web site and sticking with Ebay (and always getting bottom dollar for new products) or going through merchant accounts and paid advertising to sell new products through my web site? Or should I just wrap myself in toilet paper, hold my breath and prepare to be flushed into oblivion?
Phew, that's a lot of basic questions, and I'm not asking anyone to do my thinking for me, but I realise there's an awful lot of experience up here and I have probably overlooked something MASSIVELY obvious.
So, I just wanted to post this warning, that there is a newbie with very poor e-commerce experience on this site (I.E me) and I'll probably be asking a lot of basic questions, that may make me sound either lazy or just plain stupid. Or just obsessed with toilet metaphors.
sounds like you need to do a lot of planning and a lot of work to get things moving again.
personally, i'd take a step back stop worrying about making sales right now, and plan to make real sales in a couple of months time. the time you spend organising a few ebay sales etc (with low profits) could be better spent organising your business properly, building your website properly, generating traffic, working on conversions etc etc etc. taking a hit for a month or two could give you the chance to rebuild your business and give it firm footings for the future.
absolute priority? work with the products you have right now. maximise traffic, work on converting that traffic into sales. (you mention merchant accounts - do you not sell online already? if not, why not?). after a few weeks, you should start making sales at sensible profit margins.
when you have the traffic and sales coming in, work on new products. maximise traffic for each new product, keep working on conversions.
it can be hard to take that hit for a couple of months, but if you can live on bread and butter, you'll get by, and you'll appreciate it later.
others will no doubt have different opinions, so take your pick :)
Regarding merchant accounts, make sure you've got the best one for the number of products you offer, ease of checkout, elegance of design, and clarity in how to order.
Another thread here mentions posting a separate shipping information page, and I agree on that. Let folks know in advance what the shipping fees will be.
Christi
