Hi from Newbie, Great Site, Few Questions !

[No-Posh-Bag]

Hi, I'm glad I have come across this site it looks like it has some really good information.

My online store went live in March of this year and I am becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress. I do spend quite alot of time trying to exchange links, without much success, and adding myself to directories.

Is there anything else I can do without paying out fortunes ? It's giving me the hump now, and I am probably being very impatient ! Please talk to me like an idiot as I am not very well conversed with the IT lingo !

Ooops ... forgot to add my site ! www noposhbag co uk

Thanks :D

[Millionaire]

Hi again, I've just checked out your website, like you I'm not an IT genius but it seems pretty well designed, professional and accessible. Another good thing is that you are advertising with google, however you don't seem to be maximising this. Your potential customers will be looking for childswear, when you type this into google your company doesn't appear. In fact I had to search "noposhbags" to find your website; a customer will not think to search noposhbags for childrenswear. Maybe that's worth consideration? Secondly, when customers do actually find your website there is little to entice them, maybe you could consider increasing your product range. I know that this is easy to say, but I'm sure that it would be worthwhile your efforts to contact a few more suppliers and give the customers more choice. You should increase your product range and choose a less obscure name for your company. Marketing will also be a worthwhile investment, even if it's just leaflets, newspapers or in directories.

Good luck

[No-Posh-Bag]

Thanks for your reply. I am increasing my range slowly but surely. All the money that has come in so far is going on new stock.

How else can I entice customers ? I do send out monthly Newsletters normally with a discount for regular Customers, but not everyone subscribes to this.

[Millionaire]

Enticing customers will be very difficult because you do operate in a very competitive market, the subscription idea is brilliant, mentioning it on your website, if you haven't already is definitely worthwhile. Product range, great prices and ease of use for an e-commerce childswear company should be a vital combination. Add someting unique to your site, something which will seperate you from your competitors. For example, allow parents to design clothes for their own children, this would be cost effective if all they got to choose was colour, size, pattern and the position of any badges etc. In this way, customers will benefit from a more enjoyable, hands on, shopping experience.

Realistically, your first priority should be promotion, promotion, promotion! Increase your product range, and then publicise your website, use local radio, newspapers, leaflets, etc. This will help you to build up your client base.

Chris

[No-Posh-Bag]

Thanks Chris, I do appreciate your help. I really have no idea when it comes to marketing, hence me asking for help on the forum.

I have racked my brains for unique ideas, but they do not come readily I'm afraid ! I will have to keep thinking on and will let you know if I come up with something !

Robyn x

[Millionaire]

It's no problem, you could also consider selling more products, and not necessarily clothes, rather than focusing on childrens clothes, maximise your market and focus on everything children, such as child toys and gifts. This will not only increase product range, but also the market you will appeal to. Keep me informed and feel free to ask any more questions.

Chris

[No-Posh-Bag]

Well I have already thought about that, gifts, toys etc. Some of my other competitors already do this and I personally think it looks naff !! When you go onto their sites your not really sure what it's all about ? So I thought sticking to clothing only would define my site more and give more of a definate image, if that makes sense. Maybe my judgement isn't too good and that is where I am going wrong !

You can visit alot of sites that sell toys and gifts, I really need to find that something little different. I thought it would be a good idea to have an "exclusive" item to sell ie a particular brand that is hard to get hold of ordinarily (sp). But finding such items are hard in themselves ! There is a woman on Ebay that sells fab clothes that are direct from the US. I have contacted her (well if you don't ask you don't get !) she was very nice but obviously didn't wish to reveal her source, quite understandably. I have spent hours upon hours trawlling the web to find some "different" items but no luck as yet. I will keep going though and don't want to give up, it just gets dissapointing at times.

Robyn x

[Millionaire]

I understand completely, wanting to speacialise in one area is normal, but it's a common error. Selling toys and gifts maximises product range, market and therefore sales figures, this all equtes to profit. Selling more than one item can sometimes seem naff, but when done professionally it's a brilliant idea.

I admire you for continuing with the determination you have, and I can sympathise with you entirely; before 1993 I was declared bankrupt on three seperate occasions. It was all worthwhile though as I learnt from my mistakes.

[No-Posh-Bag]

Thanks for pointing that one out to me, I will squish my brain into thinking that way !

I presume when you say professionally, you mean the quality of the site already, images etc ?

[Millionaire]

Yes that's right, section it all properly so that you effectively have individual "departments", make sure it's accessible, easy to use and that the design is appealing. For some ideas maybe you could visit the websites of some retailers in the same market, Woolworths, Argos etc.

Chris