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.
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.
Biography: Rolfe Bautista launched Rolfe Art in March of 2009. He has been an artist for many years and finally decided to take it to the web. He creates all his artwork at his studio in a little place called The Gallery Underground in Fort Collins Colorado. He is currently in the process of transitioning from working a full time job to becoming a full time artist. Bautista is always focused on his artwork and making sure that it is very accessible to the public.
What prompted you to get your official blogs started?I started my blog, Rolfe Art, in order to reach more people across the world. I live in a relatively small town so I do not get much exposure around here. It would be a shame to be confined to such a small space so naturally going electronic was the way for me.
Who is your target customer? I am going for absolutely anyone who is interested in my art. It seems that the people who like my art the best are the ones not constrained by the classical notions of what art is and should be. I attract a younger more urban crowd but I find that there is also some people who are a bit older who are fascinated by my work.
What advice can you give people who want to start an online business?Be extremely patient and determined. You will get beaten down to the lowest of the low before you can see any success. Just keep doing what you do and really that is what it takes.
How many different products do you sell?I sell many different things in order to make the artwork as accessible to the customer. I sell really cheap prints and drawings of my original work. I do this so that anyone can afford artwork.
What are some of your best sellers? Well I haven't experienced much activity online yet but in my studio I find that the prints are extremely popular. It is a great way to have a piece of the artwork on a limited budget. The original drawings are also very popular and are priced low.
What can you tell me that people might want to know about you? I am a classically trained artist that is breaking free and exploring fun new ideas. I make art that people can enjoy simply for its aesthetic values but it is also infused with symbolism and metaphors. If one cares to look past the surface they will be pleased to find a whole other world waiting for them.
Why should people do business with Rolfe Art?People should do business with me because I make art that is unlike any out there. I am always trying new techniques and styles out so there will always be a surprise when you step into my store.
How did you find out about Cartfly? A world re-known artist by the name of Bryan Collins referred me to this site. See Bryan's Cartfly store and "Featured Merchant" blog post here.
How has Cartfly helped you? Cartfly has helped me greatly by allowing my business to take off from the ground up. Since I am doing all the artwork and also the business side, I do not have the time to set up everything. Cartfly has made it easy and convenient for me to sell my art and to reach many people.
Thanks for taking the time Rolfe and good luck out there on the web!! If you would like to checkout more of Rolfe's work, feel free to visit his official MySpace page and follow him on Twitter.
There are so many new shops popping up and people following us on Twitter, so why not show them some love?? If you are on Twitter, feel free to follow @Cartfly and some of our new friends...
@OrganiDog Purveyor of organic dog treats and hip handmade collars for dogs, plus eco friendly gifts from re-purposed fabric. Check out their Cartfly store here.
@NoisyPlanet An online music community helping artists in every corner of the world to connect with fans and colleagues. Check out their Cartfly store here.
@yardese A caribbean based clothing company providing alternative apparel and design to the international community and the caribbean isles. Check out their Cartfly store here.
@inklinedfashion Proud to offer super savings on authentic brand names on hard to find Tattoo clothing. Check out their Cartfly store here.
@elrolfo Rolfe Bautista is an artist at the Gallery Underground. He is a painter, photographer and graphic designer. Check out his Cartfly store here.
I stumbled upon the E-Commerce Trends for 2008 and 2009 article by Michelle Megna, managing editor of E-commerce-Guide.com. Anyone selling anything out there on the web should for sure take the time to read the full article, but here are some highlights...
Trying to Cash In on Social Sites - Members seem to want to communicate more than they want to shop. - Consumers continue to share — and trust — information about products they gain through social networks.
EBay Undergoes Huge Changes - From Meg Whitman's departure, to unprecedented boycotts, to significant changes in the feedback, payment and shipping policies, it seems eBay is hardly the same company it was in 2007. - eBay has instituted a new Power Seller program for high-volume sellers, and it appears the "Amazon-ification" of eBay is in full swing. - "eBay alternative" sector is showing signs of life, indeed success, with snappy upstarts such as Bonanzle gaining traction — and traffic.
Shipping News - Is offering free shipping is a smart marketing choice or a death knell for the bottom line? - Are shoppers expecting free shipping, and does not offering it mean you're losing sales? - Instead offer delivery discounts that won't eat up profit margins. Customers are actually more willing to swap free shipping for other types of incentives.
Customer Reviews and Video Ads/Marketing - Customer reviews are now becoming mainstream as consumers increasingly expect them as a standard feature. - Start-ups such as Jivox offering small online business owners affordable D.I.Y. video ad making services showed up. - Video is now place in targeted ad networks that you can track with analytics as you would a pay-per-click campaign. In 2009 we should see if this becomes more mainstream as opposed to a trend for early adopters.
International Sales on Tap -
As the market matures, it appears many e-tailers are more willing to go after the foreign customer base.
We all attend multiple Holiday Parties for family, work
and for our friends. Look at each of these as opportunities to network.
We all know how taxing these get after the 3rd one, but if it increases
your bottom line, then it's worth it.
1. Events to think about attending
Friends/Neighborhood parties
Corporate events
Industry get-togethers
Year-end Chamber mixers
2. Networking advice
First and foremost, you need to attend these functions to get in front of people.
Take business cards and a pen and don’t be afraid to use them! Remember to ask others for theirs as well.
Don’t be embarrassed to wear a name tag. Always introduce yourself and use your new friends name in conversation to remember it.
Don’t be a wallflower. Approach people and go out of your way to meet new people.
Find tactful opportunities to tell people what you sell online.
Actively listen when meeting someone but remember to move on, there are a lots of new people to meet!
Follow up via email with everyone you meet! It is professional and you never know what may come of it.
3. Keep The Momentum All Year Long
Remember
to take advantage of all this hard work you are doing. Now that you
have built a customer base and a network, leverage it. You should reach
out to customers and fans a couple times a year and keep the
conversation going. Keeping these connections alive will increase
customer loyalty and increase your bottom line.
Tip: Creating Customer Loyalty Loyalty
is not about short-term promotional strategies or appreciation programs
that are launched today and forgotten about tomorrow. It needs to be
about ongoing customer interactions that consistently exceed the needs
and expectations of your customers, even if they are online. Build
loyalty through engaging your customers and winning their commitment.
This can be measured in customer satisfaction, retention, referrals,
sales and profits.Read more here.
We had the pleasure of attending the SanFran MusicTech Summit on Monday to help further establish an ongoing, Northern California based music and music technology marketplace. This was a convergence of "the best and brightest minds in the music and technology industries" according to event producer Brian Zisk of BuzzMakers. Since we know a lot of you out there are musicians, we thought we would take this time to share a little of what we learned, who we met and where we see this industry going.
There were 15+ sessions to attend throughout the day with over 60 speakers. Sessions included Leveraging Data to Generate Revenue, Building Social Networks Around Music, Live Entertainment Services, Licensing, Funding, Open API and Innovative Companies. There was so much going on at the same time, the moto of the day for our group became "Divide and Conquer" (not to be confused with the moto of our company which is "never leave your wingman").
Things We Learned About:
The importance of a Community Manager
As a musician or a band, you need to give your fans the opportunity to gather and communicate with each other via forum or some other platform they feel comfortable with. This may include many of the social networking platforms such as Friendster, MySpace, Facebook, etc. In addition, it may include many blogging and microblogging utilities such as our very own TypePad, Twitter, Pownce, Blogger, and many more. In order to manage all of this communication and really establish multiple avenues of communication with your fans, you need at least one person to handle this and speak with a consistent voice and message. Thus, the importance of a community manager.
The importance of Marketing
Like it or not, a band is a business. Just as in any business, you need to market your product in as many ways possible to as large an audience possible within your particular demographic. One of the ways available to you is to give your products away at a discount... if not free. Give away some free MP3s or tickets to your shows. Find ways to interact with your community and gain their trust. Make your fans your evangelists and make them feel as if they're a part of the revolution.
The importance of Diversification
While MySpace and Facebook are the go-to social networks, make sure you are on other sites like iMeem, Buzznet, Friendster, and LastFM. This is something that your community manager will be managing, but the direction you give your community is important. Understand that there are multiple ways to interact with your community outside of just the big two. In fact, you may discover that your fanbase is more prevalent on Friendster than Facebook. Don't be afraid to expand your horizons. Or as our mother's always said: don't put all your eggs in one marketing basket. Ok, so maybe mom didn't have the word "marketing" in there.
Who We Met and Had To Mention:
Charles Feinn, President & CEO of MixMatchMusic - The new music community created by musicians, for and about musicians.
Jeff Roberto, Director of Marketing at Friendster - The grandaddy of social networks is making a comeback. Don't count them out just yet.
Sean O'Connell, President of MusicAllies - Marketing, promotion, design & strategy.
Matthew Gonzales, Biz Dev Director for Zvents - Discover things to do.
Jon Luini, CTO of VirtualVenuesNetwork - Artist to audience distribution platform bringing the show to a small town near you.
Carnet Williams, CEO of Sprout - The quick & easy way for anyone to build, publish & manage widgets, mini-sites, mashups, banners and more.
Deva Santiago, VP of Talent for SearchMe - See what you are searching for.
Stephen Weisz, Founder & CEO of InTicketing - Premiere technology company providing ticketing & e-commerce solutions for bands, venues & festivals.
Matt Goldberg from Volume11 - Music management trends & tools in the digital era.
Theda Sandiford, Founder & CEO of ThedaDOTCOM - Blog about technology trends, the entertainment industry & how we consume media.
Corey Denis, Co-Founder of ReapandSow - Planting music in your mind.
Chuck Fishman, Manager of Media & Ent. at Cisco - Media solutions group.
Greg Ruff, Founder of WhiteSpace - A market innovation strategy focused consulting firm.
Rachel Masters, VP of Strategic Relationships from Ning - Create your own social network.
The day came to end with a great cocktail party sponsored by SeeqPod, Friendster and LyricFind with DJ KnowOne spinning for the crowd. It was a great day and we are very happy with all the new friends we made. See you all again next time!
Coming Up Tues: Featured Cartfly
Photo by: mona@monalong.com includes Katie Fox, Justin Brommel, KnowOne, Kurt Collins
The Crave hails from Brighton, UK and are bringing classic rock into the 21st century in a big way. They're an international act taking advantage of the internet, so Cartfly is the perfect tool to sell their merch and reach their fans near and far.
The Crave really gets this social media stuff. Each member of the band has a Cartfly store on their personal pages in addition to The Crave's Official MySpace page. Then consider how many fans, friends and family can help the cause by sharing their store on their profiles and websites too. They've also got some very cool widgets by Youguys Media that integrate Cartfly technology. Bottom line, more chances to reach your audience, increased number of stores, equals increased chances at sales. It's definitely worth checking out how these guys are doing it. Everywhere your fans go to read about you is a chance for them to see your store and buy something. Think out of the box and don't miss those obvious opportunities!!
We’d love to hear about your Cartfly Store success. Email us at info[at]cartfly[dot]com to be a featured Cartfly merchant and we’ll do a story about you!
