tjturner
Active Member
Just wondering how does everyone go about selling their products, I sell mine on my website and through Facebook but would like to get more sales through my website this year
How does everyone sell their products
- Thread starter tjturner
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Help Support Soapmaking Forum:
If you're looking to increase sales through your website you really need to look at the stats in detail -
Are you not getting enough visits in general? SEO, marketing and so on will help there.
If you're getting enough visits but no one is buying, at what point do people tend to 'drop out' of your path (homepage, categories/items, purchase review, payment). If there is a point where most people tend to drop out, look at what the reason might be and try to find ways to make it easier or more likely for people to carry on through to the end and buy something.
Are you not getting enough visits in general? SEO, marketing and so on will help there.
If you're getting enough visits but no one is buying, at what point do people tend to 'drop out' of your path (homepage, categories/items, purchase review, payment). If there is a point where most people tend to drop out, look at what the reason might be and try to find ways to make it easier or more likely for people to carry on through to the end and buy something.
On a related note, when I click the link in your signature I get a 404 error - things like that are often a "1 strike and you're out" issue with users. If they struggle to find your site once, they'll put you in the memory bin and buy from a website that they can find - and then why would they change to use you in the future?
QueenBeeSoap
Well-Known Member
tjturner - The link you have in your signature is not working. It's linked to http://www.scentaliciousbytanja.weebly.com/ instead of the web address shown, and shows an error message that says the website hasn't been published. I was able to find your website at http://scentaliciousbytanja.com.au/ through a quick Google search of your business name.
One thing that stood out to me when looking at your website was that with a name like "Scentalicious," there are no descriptions of the scents or the products in general except for usage instructions in some cases. As a shopper, I'd need more to go by before buying, since I can't pick up and sniff the product and see how passionate you are about your handmade products in person.
Good luck!
One thing that stood out to me when looking at your website was that with a name like "Scentalicious," there are no descriptions of the scents or the products in general except for usage instructions in some cases. As a shopper, I'd need more to go by before buying, since I can't pick up and sniff the product and see how passionate you are about your handmade products in person.
Good luck!
Ravenscourt Apothecary
Well-Known Member
1) I'm going to chime in with everybody else who said the link you provided doesn't work, but I found you at http://scentaliciousbytanja.com.au/
2)If you want better sales at your website, you need better product photography. The pictures are very small, even when I click to zoom in, and most of them poorly lit. Product photography is PARAMOUNT when people cannot physically see your soap/etc. So is the product description.
3) Website design. Frankly, it's garish.
You can try selling on Etsy and ebay as well as facebook and your website, but I think your sales will improve when you improve your product photography.
jcatblum
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IMO word of mouth brings more sales than anything else you do. On a side note, if you are determined to sale more online, try Instagram.
Lots of big soapers post daily on Instagram. Watching shark tank last night a lady said 10% of her Instagram followers are customers. A few thousand followers could make many new customers! Got to be able to take some awesome photos daily to keep your Instagram account interesting.
Lots of big soapers post daily on Instagram. Watching shark tank last night a lady said 10% of her Instagram followers are customers. A few thousand followers could make many new customers! Got to be able to take some awesome photos daily to keep your Instagram account interesting.
SoapMakingTommy
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Yes i noticed a lot of people selling on etsy, i took a look at what the cost is to list something on there site and basically it comes out to a little under 40 cents for a $5.00 item, 20 cent listing fee and %3.5 sale witch is 17.5 cents.
The instagram idea is great suggestion, try and pitch you soap to small business's or try and show your spirit and determination and try and find someone to advertise you for free.
I also would not add in side bar categories that have no product. It just makes it look to much like you are just starting out. You M&P picture, not trying to hurt your feelings, it horrible. I would put a description of the soap, and save the ingredient list for smaller print. Web sales are brutal when it comes to selling soap. We sell from out site, farmer markets and craft fairs.
Promote your website however you can. Start a blog in which some of the posts highlight your products and explain why people should pick your products over others. Promote the blog. Make videos demonstrating how to use your products. Promotion can happen on facebook, twitter, emails to current customers, youtube, other people's blogs (as a guest blogger), and probably a lot of other ways I don't even know about.
Once you get people to your website, your pictures and descriptions are the only things that will convince them to buy anything. I agree with a lot of other people about the photos. They should be the highlight of your website, but they are badly lit and not appealing. The photo of the bar soap makes it look like a slimy lump of flesh, even though in person it is probably gorgeous. The giant fonts of the product titles are disproportionate. The lack of descriptions regarding scents and qualities of the products are sorely felt. Invest in a light box or hire a professional photographer to improve your photos. Write descriptive product information or hire a copywriter to do so.
If you are really serious and committed to this endeavor, you will hopefully come to realize it is going to take a lot more effort to succeed than what you've got going so far. But, also know you have overcome a great hurdle just by getting a website up and running! That is a huge endeavor and I congratulate you on making that happen. I hope to have a website myself someday. Everything I am telling you are notes I've made for myself when I finally feel like I've tested my soaps enough to feel confident about selling them.
On a more personal note, the ingredients list on your soaps scare me. Propolene Glycol??? Ew. You may want to look for a less chemical M&P base. Here's one that looks better: http://www.bulkapothecary.com/soap-...all-natural-glycerin-melt-and-pour-soap-base/
Good luck! You've got a great start. Keep it up! :-D
Once you get people to your website, your pictures and descriptions are the only things that will convince them to buy anything. I agree with a lot of other people about the photos. They should be the highlight of your website, but they are badly lit and not appealing. The photo of the bar soap makes it look like a slimy lump of flesh, even though in person it is probably gorgeous. The giant fonts of the product titles are disproportionate. The lack of descriptions regarding scents and qualities of the products are sorely felt. Invest in a light box or hire a professional photographer to improve your photos. Write descriptive product information or hire a copywriter to do so.
If you are really serious and committed to this endeavor, you will hopefully come to realize it is going to take a lot more effort to succeed than what you've got going so far. But, also know you have overcome a great hurdle just by getting a website up and running! That is a huge endeavor and I congratulate you on making that happen. I hope to have a website myself someday. Everything I am telling you are notes I've made for myself when I finally feel like I've tested my soaps enough to feel confident about selling them.
On a more personal note, the ingredients list on your soaps scare me. Propolene Glycol??? Ew. You may want to look for a less chemical M&P base. Here's one that looks better: http://www.bulkapothecary.com/soap-...all-natural-glycerin-melt-and-pour-soap-base/
Good luck! You've got a great start. Keep it up! :-D
Totally agree. There should be a way for you to hide the empty categories.
ilovesoap2
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Lots of good advice from everyone. Thanks guys! Good luck op.
Cutter
Member
1. Hire a professional graphic designer or group to do your logo, cards, and website. Amateur websites such as yours come off as cheap and unprofessional. So how on earth could I trust you to make a good product? If you're serious about doing business then the investment to hire professionals is worth it. Otherwise it'll never go anyway.
2. As previously mentioned, photography. A product shown in a poor light will be recieved as such. Again, if you can't manage it hire someone who can.
3. You don't accept credit cards? That's probably 99% of your lost sales right there. Find a portable credit card plan. Talk to your bank. Search the web. Use something like Intuit's GoPayment. There is zero reason not to accept CCs. Also keep an eye out for the best shipping options for your customers. That's something that's constantly ongoing. I can't tell you how many US websites have lost business from me because they're too lazy to provide me with options in shipping or to source out better rates. The people that do are the ones that get my business.
4. Your ingredients are larger than the copy for your products. Fact is you're not actually "selling" anything. You're just displaying some products and hope people will buy them. Advertising is "selling". It's not taking orders. Hit the library, get some books on sales/advertising/marketing and learn. ----, watch Mad Men.
5. Forget search engine optimization and all that crap. What drives sales is word of mouth, always. That means hitting farmers markets, craft fairs, malls, etc. everywhere and anywhere ALL the time. Meet and greet, press the flesh, give out samples and business cards, network. As you start to build a loyal base, they'll tell two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on.
Most of all you really have to want to succeed. You have to be really driven to take it to the next level. If you're not then you'll remain a hobbyist. And there's nothing wrong with that. Lots of people want to be successful but lack the drive and ambition for it and that is paramount. Wishing for it won't make it happen.
Even with the points I've given you there's a ton more to do. Sit down, make a plan, put it all on paper, set schedules and goals. If you can't even commit to that much then once more stick with it as a hobby and figure out something else you can be really passionate about if you want full-time self-employment.
I hope none of that came off as mean, because it's not my intent. My intent is to provide you with some cold hard facts as well as get you to take a long hard look in the mirror and see if this is what you really want to do. It's a long hard slough. Doesn't mean it can't be rewarding and fun, but self-employment really isn't for most people.
2. As previously mentioned, photography. A product shown in a poor light will be recieved as such. Again, if you can't manage it hire someone who can.
3. You don't accept credit cards? That's probably 99% of your lost sales right there. Find a portable credit card plan. Talk to your bank. Search the web. Use something like Intuit's GoPayment. There is zero reason not to accept CCs. Also keep an eye out for the best shipping options for your customers. That's something that's constantly ongoing. I can't tell you how many US websites have lost business from me because they're too lazy to provide me with options in shipping or to source out better rates. The people that do are the ones that get my business.
4. Your ingredients are larger than the copy for your products. Fact is you're not actually "selling" anything. You're just displaying some products and hope people will buy them. Advertising is "selling". It's not taking orders. Hit the library, get some books on sales/advertising/marketing and learn. ----, watch Mad Men.
5. Forget search engine optimization and all that crap. What drives sales is word of mouth, always. That means hitting farmers markets, craft fairs, malls, etc. everywhere and anywhere ALL the time. Meet and greet, press the flesh, give out samples and business cards, network. As you start to build a loyal base, they'll tell two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on.
Most of all you really have to want to succeed. You have to be really driven to take it to the next level. If you're not then you'll remain a hobbyist. And there's nothing wrong with that. Lots of people want to be successful but lack the drive and ambition for it and that is paramount. Wishing for it won't make it happen.
Even with the points I've given you there's a ton more to do. Sit down, make a plan, put it all on paper, set schedules and goals. If you can't even commit to that much then once more stick with it as a hobby and figure out something else you can be really passionate about if you want full-time self-employment.
I hope none of that came off as mean, because it's not my intent. My intent is to provide you with some cold hard facts as well as get you to take a long hard look in the mirror and see if this is what you really want to do. It's a long hard slough. Doesn't mean it can't be rewarding and fun, but self-employment really isn't for most people.
Last edited:
paillo
Well-Known Member
I took just a quick look, but you definitely need better photos, and DESCRIPTIONS of your products. I looked at the soaps, and the ingredients scared me off right away. I think it would help enormously to have thoughtful, unique descriptions of each product. I don't like chemicals in my soaps, and as a buyer, there's nothing to tell me that these soaps are good. Agree also with the poster who said that with a name that implies wonderful scents, you really need to name and describe the fragrances.
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