Could web page templates be marketable?

[Marcia]

I've got a number of page templates tucked away, pretty much simple, straightforward plain vanilla HTML, nothing fancy. I've had requests about SEO for some sites that were so bad I couldn't go near them. Either the HTML and design were impossible, or they just plain couldn't possibly convert. In those cases doing a redesign for them wasn't an option, and the site owners couldn't re-do because they're home-grown jobbies and if they could've they would've in the first place. In a couple of cases they were done by web designers and it would be a very touchy situation to suggest a redesign.

It occurred to me that offering site templates could be very helpful to some people, but I'm afraid to even consider it because of the possibility of an onslaught of email afterward asking for help.

Has anyone dealt with offering templates, and if so how was it handled so they were self-explanatory? Is there any kind of market for this type of thing?

[Liane]

Yes there's a market ... particularly in the "design" end. I am a terrible artist and would love to be able to just buy a good looking blank page design. I can do the rest.

[GWJ]

Hi Marica,

I actually subscribe to two sites (yearly fee 10.00 US dollars). I have noticed both of these sites setup a UUBoard for support help. They seem to check in twice a day. From first post to last post reply it seems like they are spending arpound two hours a day answering questions. Most questions are

1) Newbie- How do I do this with yor template.
2) Browser issues.

I am a graphics challenged person (GCP, I think there is a telethon for us once a year :)). By signing up for a year membership I knew I would have plenty to choose from no matter what client wants are. I love just using a template, then create the pages, SEO and done :).

On my own ecomm sites I actually went to the next level, IMHO, I had a template made for exclusive use.

Even with templates though I find myself modifying the heck out of it so really I am only paying for the images but for me this is worth it.

Brian

[Marshall]

I've been offering templates for about a year. Some time I license them - others I sell flat out. I doubt I could make a living from that alone, but it brings in a few dollars and isn't bad PR either.

[Crazy_Fool]

marcia
i was looking at a couple of template sites last night. i've stickymailed you the urls. maybe they'll be useful for planning how to market your templates.

i've also got a few templates of my own which really need a bit more work done to them with CSS. fancy swapping when i've done them?