As meals go, Thanksgiving dinner
Is always a feast---a five star winner.
Here comes the salad, dressed just right,
The golden brown turkey--a savory delight;
The stuffing now, and then the gravy,
The Jello mold, all wiggly and wavy.
Take some cranberry sauce and candied yams;
Is there room for fresh made rolls and jams?How pumpkin pies are made ; )
More dishes tempt me; ah, but I
Must save some room for pumpkin pie!
There are more than 350 online shopping carts out there and each week Practical eCommerce features one. This week their pick was Cartfly and they interviewed us and one of our customers, Dani Campbell. "Cart of the Week"
is not a review or an evaluation, but rather an opportunity to learn
about a shopping cart from the people who build it and use it.
Cart of the Week: Cartfly
"This week, we'll hear from Joshua Manley, president and co-founder of Cartfly,
a hosted ecommerce solution created by Ustrive2 Inc., and headquartered
in Phoenix, Arizona. Cartfly is an ecommerce widget that works as a
portable, mini-storefront across social networks, blogs and personal
websites. Cartfly is currently in use on more than 8,000 websites and
personal pages."
Here at Cartfly we just love when merchants discover inventive and creative ways to use our product.
FANSHOES, providing fans worldwide with a comfortable and casual shoe featuring licensed sport/university logos, just released a great video on their blog showing their fans how to share the FANSHOES Cartfly store to Facebook.
They're doing a great job out there growing their network as well. You can become a FANSHOES fan on Facebook, a friend on MySpace, follow them on Twitter and subscribe to their blog.
Good luck G, Nick and Britt!!
Check the video out here...
If you are doing something you think would benefit other Cartfly merchants, email us at info[at]cartfly[dot]com to be a featured Cartfly merchant and we’ll do a story about you!
Some of you may have noticed your mini-shop was unreachable over the weekend.
We
were well aware of the delay you may have encountered and wanted to
inform you that the issues have been resolved. We had an extremely high
traffic weekend and have been working continuously to make sure this
does not happen again.
Please feel free to contact us at GetSatisfaction,
24 hours a day, if at anytime your mini-shop isn't loading properly or
you are having issues. Someone will get back to you in a very timely
manner.
Cartfly has a new sister site called Sellit.com that works with your shop. Sellit has a new feature called "AdPAKs" which turns your Cartfly shop into an interactive advertisement and places it in at least 15,000 different locations. Sign up now to receive FREE advertising for your Cartfly shop during the month of August.
There is only one step to start using it... Simply visit Sellit and enter your Cartfly store address (e.g. www.cartfly.com.bunkyboutique or www.cartfly.com/bunkboutique) where it currently states 'Add CafePress Section URL here'...don't be scared, it will work ; )
Features and Benefits (Again Free in August) * Sellit will place your Cartfly shop in at least 15,000 different locations monthly. * All ads distributed lead directly back to YOUR shop. * We market your shop’s products throughout Social Networks and across the web. * We turn your shop into an instant advertisement. * Proven to increase traffic and visibility.
If you like the sound of this, please join us for a quick webinar on the benefits of AdPAKs on Friday, August 14th at 11:00am PST and feel free to consult our AdPAK FAQ for more information.
"I saw a radical increase in traffic to my shop with the addition of the AdPAK and an increase in the sale of items I advertised in my shop." - Jennifer A. Owner of the Mr. Puggle Brand
A few stats if you’re interested: By using Sellit, Mr. Puggle saw an 18.62% increase in total unique visitors. When compared to the same time period exactly one month prior, Sellit contributed to a 33% growth in page-views and a 43% growth in total visits.
Over the course of 10 days AdPAKs allowed for 220 customer interaction experiences with potential Mr. Puggle customers outside of the Mr. Puggle domain. Out of those 220 interactions, a full 64.09% of them converted to direct traffic driven to Mr. Puggle's shop, allowing these potential customers to fully interact with the shop and all of its products.
We wanted to share a Cartfly success story about one of our merchants and her ShopBOT.
She held a sale over the 4th of July holiday weekend and got a slew of additional sales!! This was all done by updating her status on Facebook and Twitter a couple times a day with a link to her new ShopBOT. Within one hour, she set up her ShopBOT, pushed the word out for the first time alerting her existing network and the sales started rolling in.
You might want to have your own "Post 4th of July Sale", drop the price on a few things and get the ball rolling for your shop!
If your Cartfly account is already set up... 1. Write a short, custom message about your shop or sale to use on Facebook and Twitter along with the "link" to your ShopBOT. Get your link easily by clicking the "Share" button on your ShopBOT and clicking the "Email" button. ***************************************************************
Blowout sale on prints and calendars http://www.sellit.com/shopbots/1994.html
New lowered prices on my products! Check them out here: http://www.sellit.com/shopbots/1994.html
Here are some of my favorite jewelery pieces for sale http://www.sellit.com/shopbots/1994.html
Help me spread the word by adding my ShopBOT to your profile http://www.sellit.com/shopbots/1994.html Good karma for the day ; ) *************************************************************** 2. Add the message and your ShopBOT link to your Facebook status box and Twitter (Don't forget, Twitter requires 140 characters or less so use a URL shortener if need be). 3. A couple times per day/week, tweak your message just a bit to keep it fresh (for those actually paying attention) and post it again to all your networks.
We got the following question from a Cartfly user and thought we would share the info in case anyone else out there was having the same issue.
Question: "My Cartfly is not working as per Amazon Payments. I
am receiving the following message:
Invalid Request Error Message: The recipient
email does not correspond to an Amazon Payments Business account with a
verified email address and credit card.
For further information on error codes please see the Integration Guide.
Answer: 1. Log into your Cartfly administration page 2. Click the "Payment" button 3. Make sure the email you have for Amazon is correct 4. Click the
"Enable Amazon Payments" button underneath it 5. Accept the "Amazon Terms of Service" 6. Create a "Seller" account through Amazon
Follow these steps and you should be back in business!
If you have any Cartfly questions, please feel free to reach out to us via comment or email and we'll be sure to answer it as quickly as possible. It's all about making you successful ; )
Kay Renfro, owner and operator of KaysKrafts, is a full-time retail store manager, a parent, a grand-parent and a wife to a husband that supports anything she gets involved in. Kay has always been "crafty" making things like quilts and baby items, but her true love is fabrics and buttons. That is exactly why she statrted a memory board business. She puts a lot of time and love into each board she make and still gets excited about each board she designs, even if she has built it many times.
What prompted you to get your official website(s) or blogs started? As I started making boards for family friends, they began telling their coworkers, who told their family and friends and I had to have a way for people to find me. I decided I should set up shop on line and have a better way for all these people to see my boards.
Who are you going after in terms of customers? My customers are all ages, male and female. Memory boards can be enjoyed from the nursery to the nursing home, and there are endless combination of possible customizations. My memory boards fit to any and all walks of life...all you need is a wall and nail ; ) What advice can you give people who want to start an online business? Go for it!! Just don't expect immediate results. To be successful online, takes lots of time and promoting. Make something unique and offer something that others in your market do not. Unlike many of my competitors, I offer customization options, choice of sizes and the most durable memory board around.
How many different products do you sell? My main offering is my memory boards, but I have recently added a couple of jewelry display boards to mix things up.
What are some of your best sellers? My best sellers are my Amy Butler fabric boards. Check them out! What can you tell me that people might want to know about you/your company? KaysKrafts memory boards are the toughest, most durable memory boards being made. Many of my competitors use cardboard, foam board, styrofoam and other flimsy materials. I use Uvjr wood frame and canvas systems to increase the durability to last for years to come. My customers have had boards for 10 years or more now and they are still in great shape.
Why should people do business with your company? I offer exactly what people are looking for in a memory board, customization and durability. What my customers ask for they get.
How did you find out about Cartfly? My daughter-in-law, Lacy Renfro owner of CupKake Artillery, showed me her Cartfly store on her blog and I was immediately sold. She showed me that potential customers see an item on my blog or social networks, and can buy it immediately. That is what I needed and exactly what Cartfly delivers.
How has Cartfly helped you? By being able to add my Cartfly store to my blog, customers can see what I offer the minute they find my site. They see my memory boards options, the prices, and can easily shop easily, all while reading my blog.
Kay's Network: Kay has done a great job getting her boards out there for all to see. Check out her blog, follow her on Twitter, and check out her wares on Flickr and Etsy. Good luck Kay and great job making an easy and beautiful way for people to display thier treasures!
HappiNest is an online home furnishings and accessories store offering fine furnishings for your nest and was the brain child of Charisse Marie Colbert. The initial concept of the store was to be a place with six different lifestyle vignettes all if which can be seen on the banner of her Cartfly store.
Charisse is a passionate interior designer that is delirious about all aspects of design. Her official business name is CMC Design Studio and clients flock to her as she considers herself a problem solver; she finds solutions you cannot solve or do not want to solve yourself. It is up to Charisse to create the kind of interior that best meets her clients needs and enhances their environment. Her mission is to serve her clients by enhancing their surroundings with beauty.
What prompted you to get your official website and blog started? Two years ago I was going to open HappiNest, a lifestyle home furnishings and accessories store at a retail center in North Scottsdale. I did a lot of research, hired retail consultants, had a business plan, drafted the space plan and knew where everything was going to be placed in the store according to vignettes, and I even knew how much I had to sell per hour to pay the bills. When I finally got the lease from the leasing company, I just could not sign it. One of the things in the lease specifically said they could move me anywhere in the center. The only place I wanted to be was in between the busy women’s hair salon and the busy women’s clothing boutique. They would not take that verbiage out of the lease. In 2008 six stores closed in the center I was going to lease in, however, the two women’s shops were still there. I am relieved I did not open the store but I still had the dream and the desire to start a site online. I am still receptive to having a physical store someday but think the online store will always be a viable and smart way to present and offer products.
Who are you going after in terms of customers? I don’t have a particular customer in mind and think it would be anyone looking for something unique and affordable. Some of the items are recycled from interior design projects. Right now I have some lovely fabrics on there that are about 75% off of retail. I typically always have extra fabrics since beautiful fabrics are a personal addiction of mine!
What advice can you give people who want to start an online business? If you are passionate about something and there is a continual yearning within you to see your dream come true, then it is what you are suppose to do. Listen to your heart; it will always guide you to your highest self. The online Happinest store on Cartfly was a very easy business to set up in comparison to opening a physical store.
How many different products do you sell? I probably have 20 different types of items on my site right now and will continue to add inventory. My sister makes and sells jewelry on a popular and successful site for crafters. I would like to put some of her pieces on my site.
Why should people do business with your company? I am an inherently conscientious person and will always strive to exceed other’s expectations of me.
How did you find out about Cartfly? I read about a business in Arizona Women Magazine a few months ago called Bunky Boutique. I typically will visit businesses that I am interested in especially if they sell darling clothing and furnishings. After visiting the physical store, I went on the store’s website and saw the Cartfly store there. I called the owner, Rachel, and inquired about it. She was quite helpful and encouraged me to open a store for my business. I have to say, it was so easy. I am grateful I found out about it.
How has Cartfly helped you? Opening HappiNest online enabled me to finally see my dream come true and has given me a tremendous sense of accomplishment.
Charisse's Network: Charisse started blogging six months ago and needless to say is enjoying it. She has her On the
Porchblog where she talks about
anything including inspirations, design, color, pets, and personal
stories. Her CMC Design Studio
blog is strictly interior design business information where she writes about
colors, design styles, fabrics, furnishings and entertaining. Charisse is also on Vox, LinkedIn, and you can also follow her on Twitter. The HappiNest Cartfly store is
accessible on all of her blogs, her website and on Facebook.
Home
You may live in a box, a tee-pee, a cabin, a shanty or a shelter.
You may live in an abbey, a convent, a monastery or a cloister.
You may live in order, utter chaos, austerity or lavish luxury.
You may live in vogue, outdated surroundings, fashion or stylishly.
You may live on the beach, on a cliff, on a stream or the 18th tee.
You may live in the desert, the mountains, the city or the rural country.
You may live with your family, your servants, your butler or your cook.
You may live in seclusion, isolation, or with your head in a book.
You may live with canaries, snakes, turtles, horses, cats or dogs.
You may live where the sun shines, in the rain, or a blanket of fog.
You may live in an apartment, a mansion or a geodesic dome.
You may live in Chicago, Santa Fe, Manhattan, or Rome.
Wherever it is, anywhere that you go, you make it your own.
Throughout your travels, there always will be no place like home. By Charisse Marie Colbert
Biography: Michelle Tichota started creating jewelry and hair flowers a couple summers ago but it was strictly for her and her closest friends. She would give a flower as a gift or maybe even a necklace. After a while, she was convinced she needed to set up a store online but only had a few items to share with the world. Jennifer Attaway, a good friend of Michelle's, is in the popular New Orleans rockabilly, surf band The Unnaturals. She took a sneak peek at Michelle's wares, loved what she saw and asked for a few custom pieces for shows & photo shoots. In return, Jennifer would make sure that she promoted Michelle and also gave her the opportunity to set up tables at all of their shows across the city. Thanks to Jennifer, Michelle has a great following in the New Orleans area and Jennifer was forced to started making more pieces. Today she now operates Red Hot Kitten's Rockin' Boutique and has three different online stores on Cartfly, Ebay, & Etsy—all offering different merchandise.
What prompted you to get your official site started? I really wanted to make beautiful yet affordable offerings for others who are also into the rockabilly lifestyle. I strive to make people happy. I love getting a thank you email or picture from a customer showing off my goods. I’ve always wanted my own business in which I could show my creativity and passion and now I finally do.
Who is your target customer? My jewelry and hair flowers have a definite niche with the rockabilly/psychobilly, retro horror, and pinup influences but I think that anyone can appreciate and enjoy it. It’s really fun!
What advice can you give people who want to start an online business? Never give up, persistence pays off…learn to be patient…remember that you are only human…be smart when it comes to stocking inventory...oh, and a biggie—don’t take feedback personally because you can’t please everyone!
How many different products do you sell? Throughout my 3 stores…I carry about 130 different types of items.
What are some of your best sellers? I’d say some of my best sellers are my beaded knuckle duster necklaces and my red hair flowers with skulls. I make the knuckle duster necklaces with all different kinds of glass beads or faux pearls…so cute. The skull hair flowers feature a realistic mini skull in the center.
What can you tell me that people might want to know about you? That I’m extremely passionate about what I do…a lot of love goes into each piece that I make. I’m a perfectionist. I can’t send something to a customer that is not my best work.
Why should people do business with Red Hot Kitten? I never take shortcuts! There are no shortcuts to excellence.
How did you find out about Cartfly? I randomly found Cartfly on another Myspace profile. I thought it was a really cool idea and was ready to give it a-go. I’ve only had my store for about a week but I am super excited about it.
Thanks for your help Michelle and good luck stylin' all the Bettie's out there!! If you would like to check out Michelle's network, feel free to visit her official MySpace page and follow her on Twitter.
