Forum Moderators: LifeinAsia
Last night I got a very kind email from them telling me that they have decided that they want to take it down and temporarily cancel their services due to analyzing the expense of the web site vs. sales. They feel that it isn't cost effective for them, but later on they plan to move into a store front and want to start their site back up. They also complimented me on what a great job I've done for them, which was nice to hear.
I don't know how long they want to 'put their site on hold', so I know that's something I'll need to find out when I call him today. -- I've suspended web sites before due to an overdue account, but haven't had a request like this yet.
Normally, when a client cancels services, and they are not paying for their web space, then their web site is not saved. I would save the site and files to cd/backup drive in case he does to want to relaunch the site, and I would charge a modest reactivation fee. Right now I have plenty of web space, but don't want to host/suspend the site forever. Should I just keep it as is and temporarily redirect the domain to a page on my site? I am wondering how you would handle this?
Thank you!
If cost is the only consideration then keepng it online could work in your favour if he generates business from it.
If it costs you nothing then leave it sit but disconnected for a while.
Don't know what you're charging them monthly, but if it's not outrageous then the site couldn't be doing much business if they can't cover the cost of keeping it online.
In any case, I'd most definately copy it down and burn a couple CD's.
Work a deal with him to keep the site up ...but not updating it.
Taking an entire site down is only going to hurt his existing sales. You have to get him to understand completely taking down the entire site is a BAD idea.
Figure out a deal that makes sense for your clients needs...and so that you can retain him as a client on some level for now.
If you take it offline for a long time, I think you will find yourself starting over with the search engines. If they want to start a storefront later, they should at least maintain a presence, even if it means reducing the amount of content being displayed for a period of time.
You might even consider taking over ownership of the domain if they do plan on using it for a while.
I talked with my client today - although the site has pretty good traffic, the biggest problem is that people, even after spending a good amount of time on the site, end up emailing them to request a printed catalog, which they don't have. They keep referring people to the web site (which has secure ordering capabilities), which was one of the primary objectives of the site.
I told my client that in that case, the biggest problem is the quality of the photos. They take them their selves, and some of them are very dark and unprofessional looking. I have told him before that this is a problem, and will cause many people to click out of the page faster than they clicked onto it. Periodically they would send me pictures of products that I wouldn't post due to quality.
At any rate, they want to take the site down until they open their physical storefront, then reactivate the site within a year or less. They're currently looking at commercial property. Of course I would like for them to keep the site online, but understand that if you have more money going out than coming in, it makes it difficult, and the web site is going to go before the majority of their other bills.
After going over everyone's comments I've decided to temporarily suspend the web site and redirect the domain to a page on my web site, instead of deleting the site, at the end of the month. I can't afford to keep it up with them not paying for hosting. I have plenty of space right now and it won't hurt me to save his web space for the time being. I did offer a lower monthly fee for the time being, and although very appreciative, they want to put it on hold and get their store going. After I'd suggested that better photos would help he said that before they reactivate the site they would have professional photos taken or buy a better camera.
THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!
Thanks again! I'll let you all know what he says.
-d
Just because my picture is so dark you can't tell what it is should be no reason you won't order massive quanities of the product and pay me hundreds of $ for it.
With reasoning like that - I wouldn't even burn a CD.
There are lots of potential clients - don't waste time with idiots. If such a basic principle of marketing is so far beyond them, they are hopeless.
Getting business online is based on 'cause and effect'. You have to provide the incentive and facilities for anyone to buy online.
Let's face it, it's certainly easier than filling out a page order, finding an envelope and stamp ... and braving the elementsto post it.
Why not offer to do a post-mortem evaluation to put the site right, without giving too much away that he may use your ideas as specification for quotes.
Can you find out if there is a third-party involved. It wouldn't surprise me if the paperboy his opinion in too.
Our web site generates the same question, so I would offer the following potential "answer"
On your web site, add a large button/banner/flag whatever for 'Order our free Catalog' - then have it direct them to select the items they would like to see, and then have it send those items to their printer :P
Seriously, we invest a huge amount of money in our product database, and putting 3.5Gigabytes of images into a print catalog.
Anyway, just make it clear on the web site that it IS the catalog they are perusing. It mediates it somewhat for us
