# Question for those who sell online- Marketing Related.



## Guywithsoap? (Aug 31, 2011)

I don't sell soap but have been reading alot of these threads and the material has been very interesting.

If you maintain a web presence is it mainly:
*
A. Your own site.

B. ETSY or something similar. If something besides ETSY, what is the site?
*

Did you have real world customers/customer base first? If not how did you get a customer base online?


In another thread someone mentioned the benefit of ETSY is that the customers are already there. If you create a web presence independent of ETSY, are you doing lots of SEO? 


How difficult is it to setup an online shopping experience. I read some threads about Zencart, etc... If someone has little/no experience with this should they look to using an ETSY style site (one that provides the design/payment options)?



Thanks


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## Davika (Jun 15, 2012)

I use both etsy as well as my own site. On my own site, i haven't done a ton of marketing and seo yet and many of the people who purchase from it are people I've sold soaps to previously from farmers markets that like the convenience of being able to order online.


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## Bigmoose (Jun 19, 2012)

I do both as well.  My etsy store out sells my dot com site but the orders I get on the dot com site tend to be much larger.

Bruce


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## new12soap (Jul 3, 2012)

Sorry, I don't sell but I have been looking at etsy and possibly setting up a site, what is SEO?


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## Lindy (Jul 4, 2012)

I have my own website as well as an Etsy account.  The Etsy account is just to have a presence there, I've not worked it at all and I think you really do have to work it to be successful.  My own website store does well although most of the orders there are from men wanting shaving products.


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## Hazel (Jul 4, 2012)

new12soap said:
			
		

> Sorry, I don't sell but I have been looking at etsy and possibly setting up a site, what is SEO?



Search Engine Optimization


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## new12soap (Jul 4, 2012)

Thank you, Hazel

The more I learn about selling online the more complicated it sounds...


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