Computers and Software > Online Stores

Do you charge to make an online store?

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CSports:
That's all we really do anymore, is online stores. We don't charge to set up the stores, what we do is add a $1 or $2 for each item, to help offset the cost of setting up and then sorting the orders.  We used to set up the stores on our own but switched to OMG a couple years and never looked back. We try to stay consistent across the board in our pricing, so a short sleeve is around $14 online. Now, depending on how many were sold, we figure out what to charge the customer. So, if it's not a lot then we charge them $14 a shirt and they don't make a profit. If they sell a lot then we would charge them $13 so they get a profit of $1 an item, and so on for different items. The more items sold the more profit they would make per item.  It works good for both sides because they like getting a profit check without having to do a whole lot, and we don’t get burned if it’s not a big order because we just don’t give them any profit if they don’t hit a minimum. It also helps if they know they could make a profit for their group/team, so they push it more for people to order. Our clientele is mostly high schools, so all sports, booster clubs, staff, fanwear, etc.  We have gone the transfer route if the order is not worth printing, but we have figured out what stores/groups sell better than others. So, the ones we think won’t sell great we keep to a 2-3 color job, so we don’t get a small order with a 5-6 color design. Hopefully that helps.

Homer:
Problem is I don't want to spend time creating a design and building a store for a chance to sell something. I need a guarantee. Sourcing all the items is better now, but it can still take time to locate. We do have templates set up but they still require changes. Not every store wants the same stuff, sometimes it's faster to start from new.

Taking a deposit is a guarantee, but I highly doubt the coaches would front the money. I know I wouldn't pay a 250.00 deposit. If the store sells X, you get that money back. It puts the burden to sell on the coach and not me, which is what I want but again, who would take that deal? It might help the coach remember to send out the link though...

I charge a flat fee for products and whatever the coach / organization wants to make I just tack it on. I don't give volume discounts. Order in bulk and you handle the back end, then I can do a bulk rate but in a store, no thanks. I'm doing all the sorting, packing, shipping etc. OMG fees, credit card processing fees.... PITA all around if you ask me. But you can make some serious coin if marketed properly. I have to sort this out, there's gotta be a way...

whitewater:
Also, does anyone keep track of the true profit of the stores they do?

Cost of the apparel, labor in decorating, labor in separating and / or shipping, the fees involved..and labor in setting up the store.

Tacking on $1 or 2, and you sell 30 items....$30-$60 bucks for the time, doesn't seem worth it to me.

And I keep it at no more than 2 designs, I push 1 design on everything offered though.

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