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Starting New Business - Questions... Please Help

FLGalFLGal subscriber Posts: 1
edited October 2006 in Business Planning
I`m starting a new business and have some questions... I`ll be selling higher end merchandise to a very specific demographic via a webpage and my network within this community.
I have a few unanswered questions, and just found this board and hope someone may be able to help.
-What are the best manufacturer/distributor webpages you`ve found? Does anyone have any experience with "drop shipping" sites? I doubt they would have the products I`m going to be selling, but the concept interests me.
-What web hosting company do you recommend for a professional place on the internet with excellent resources? I currently have another site hosted by Yahoo Small Business, but haven`t found their tools particulary helpful...
-How much should someone starting a business like the above invest into their products to start?
-Is there any formula to know how much lower end merchandise to purchase vs. the higher end items?
I appreciate your time reading this and any help you may be able to provide.

Comments

  • CandeeCandee subscriber Posts: 0
    I am getting info from www.productsourcer.com</A> but haven`t had the opp. to read it all yet. if you want to check it out. If anyone is familiar with it please let us know.I`m going to research it today so I can get started on a future website.
  • davennydavenny subscriber Posts: 2
    Q:What are the best manufacturer/distributor webpages you`ve found?
    Does anyone have any experience with "drop shipping" sites? I doubt
    they would have the products I`m going to be selling, but the concept
    interests me.A:  Your best is to go to store that sell similar product that you are going to sell and learn who the big suppliers are...just ask the manager.  I use to own a wholesale t-shirt company and knowing who the big players where saved us thousands of dollars.
    Q:What web hosting company do you recommend for a professional place
    on the internet with excellent resources? I currently have another site
    hosted by Yahoo Small Business, but haven`t found their tools
    particulary helpful...A: I can tell you a couple good companys, the best are 1&1 and godaddy, dont use ipowerweb, they really hurt us on one of our websites.
    Q:How much should someone starting a business like the above invest into their products to start?A: Not counting inventory, you are probably going to need to invest 2-5k in graphic design, (logo, brand etc) 2-5k in the website, 2-5k a month in marketing & advertising budget. I did not know if you were going to have an office of any employees but these will be your staple start up exp.
    Q:Is there any formula to know how much lower end merchandise to purchase vs. the higher end items?A: please refraise this question so that I can understand what you asking.  Not having any idea about what time of products you are selling I was assuming all your products were high end...keeping your brand consistant.
  • FLGalFLGal subscriber Posts: 1
    I checked out the site, but there seemed to be a lot of dead links.
  • FLGalFLGal subscriber Posts: 1

    Q:What are the best manufacturer/distributor webpages you`ve found? Does anyone have any experience with "drop shipping" sites? I doubt they would have the products I`m going to be selling, but the concept interests me.
    A:  Your best is to go to store that sell similar product that you are going to sell and learn who the big suppliers are...just ask the manager.  I use to own a wholesale t-shirt company and knowing who the big players where saved us thousands of dollars.
    Q:What web hosting company do you recommend for a professional place on the internet with excellent resources? I currently have another site hosted by Yahoo Small Business, but haven`t found their tools particulary helpful...
    A: I can tell you a couple good companys, the best are 1&1 and godaddy, dont use ipowerweb, they really hurt us on one of our websites.
    Q:How much should someone starting a business like the above invest into their products to start?
    A: Not counting inventory, you are probably going to need to invest 2-5k in graphic design, (logo, brand etc) 2-5k in the website, 2-5k a month in marketing & advertising budget. I did not know if you were going to have an office of any employees but these will be your staple start up exp.
    Q:Is there any formula to know how much lower end merchandise to purchase vs. the higher end items?
    A: please refraise this question so that I can understand what you asking.  Not having any idea about what time of products you are selling I was assuming all your products were high end...keeping your brand consistant.

     
    Thanks for the answers, I particulary like the just ask! Makes sense. As far as the last question, we`ll be selling jewelry to a specific market. Of course there are lower end-high end pieces and then you have the high end. What ratio of products should I purchase of each? Hope that makes more sense.
    Anyone else?
  • kate1040kate1040 subscriber Posts: 0
    Regarding web hosting..... I am a very happy GoDaddy customer.
  • dalexdalex subscriber Posts: 4
    I do web design, I have used godaddy and lunarpages.com I like lunarpages better if it is for ecommerce try something like monstercommerce.com good luck on your quest.
  • DefMallDefMall subscriber Posts: 2 Member
    I hate to be a rain bringer instead of a rain MAKER, but let me share with you 2 BAD experiences I`ve had, so that no one repeats my mistakes:
    1) I built an online store using NetFirms. They were SO inexpensive. Well, now I know why. You really DO get what you pay for. Their tech support is terrible, and if you don`t know anything about HTML you are dead in the water. They are nice enough people, but this is NOT the template for someone who is just learning e-commerce...unless you have a friend who can re-tool the basic format for you!
    2) I was using Universal Banner/Get-e-Store as my wholesaler for a while. Again, they must have ahad a change in management or someting because they simply do NOT return phone calls or e-mails! Perhaps the worst customer service ANYwhere! They even tell you outright that their phone nnumber is ONLY for billing questions, and they want you to e-mail Customer Service questions. (Which they do not respond to!).  Example - on 10/23 Universal Banner promised me a $50.00 refund for their lack of service...As of this writing, I have yet to get it.
    Sorry to be a crybaby..but if you are considering using either of these firms you need to have this info. I have been a Sales Manager for 20 years, and I have NO respect for firms that do not return phone calls, answer e-mails or attempt to QUICKLY solve customer problems!
    As far as High End merchandise is concerned, my `day` job is wholesaling high end Office Products here: www.NPSG.com/products.html</A>
     
  • infiniqueinfinique subscriber Posts: 0 Member
    You should get a store and Yahoo Store. It comes with hosting. It's really suitable for beginners like you.
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