# For those of you selling online. . .



## jillian (Nov 6, 2007)

How much of your business comes from online sales? Do you have a website? Or just sell on ebay/etsy/etc? 

Any tips for an online soap selling newbie?


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## Tabitha (Nov 6, 2007)

My personal online website never did diddly for me. IMHO, you can not compete w/ the big guys (etsy,ebay,amazon) and will never get enough traffic directed to your personal site when they are the top 4 search pages no matter what you search.

I did OK on ebay & am REALLY pleased w/ my results on etsy. To me it is like this, having your own personal website is like building a brick & moratar shop in the boonies with only has 1 little dirt road that goes to it. Unless you have a ton of time, money & experienec to reroute the highway to your shop, you are better off renting a space at the Galleria that is already packed w/ shoppers everyday & has been for years?


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## jillian (Nov 7, 2007)

Thanks for the advice.

Do you ever have any of your "real world" customers buy from you online? Or do they usually continue to deal with you in person? I thought maybe i could give out my website to my existing customers to give them an easy option for ordering online.

How much of your sales come from etsy in relation to the sales you make outside of the internet?


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## Tabitha (Nov 7, 2007)

A webiste makes for a great online catalouge.

About 1/2 of my retail sales are walk in's at my B&M & about 1/2 comes from etsy.

What generally happend is I get a sale on etsy & then when the customer chooses to return, they custom order via email & by pass a website or etsy or ebay.

I have a good little bit of wholesale regulars too. In general they order full size samples through etsy & after they decide they like the product they ask for a wholesale brochure & order via email again.


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## moonbeam (Nov 7, 2007)

I do 4 Farmers Markets/week, so a lot of my on-line orders come from customers that were visiting one of the Markets from out of town. It's always funny to get an order from Kanses or somewhere (I'm in CA) and I always have to ask how they found me! So my site does OK, but it could always be better!


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## leansoapqueen (Nov 25, 2007)

*Tab---*

are you anywhere near Friendswood? Who are you on Etsy?
Danni


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## itsmeroro (Jan 4, 2008)

moonbeam said:
			
		

> I do 4 Farmers Markets/week, so a lot of my on-line orders come from customers that were visiting one of the Markets from out of town. It's always funny to get an order from Kanses or somewhere (I'm in CA) and I always have to ask how they found me! So my site does OK, but it could always be better!



Hey Moonbeam - I noticed you are in CA - have I asked you where before?  I live in central (coastal) cali!  

  roro


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