PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS AND
COMPULSORY DETAILS.
You will need to have a full description of each of your products
for inclusion on the pages for the information of the buyer.
for example
Medium Length Strappy Dress
Cool Cotton medium length casual dress, comes in floral blue or floral
pink with adjustable straps on the shoulder
Has splits up the side and comes in a variety of sizes up to
size 20
to view this example in a Online Shop visit http://www.hazybaybazaar.com.
YOU WILL ALSO NEED TO HAVE FOR EACH PRODUCT.
Your Price. Is your price inclusive of GST or does GST have
to be added. This is Important.
(Also see notes and comments on Shipping Options in page No.)
Your Product Code No... (The item number you will use to invoice
the product)
Products Manufacturers Name (if required.)
The weight of the Product (if required for postage shipping,
purposes)
UNIQUE, ONE OFF PRODUCTS.
Include a full detailed description of the product, the size,
and colour if applicable, along with what details are mentioned
above.
NOMINATING THE SIZES,
SIZE RANGE OF ALL PRODUCTS
If your product range is going to include sizes ... lets say ladies
shoes for example, then you will need to provide a list of all possible
sizes you will be using or think that you might be going to use to
cover the whole range of shoes on the Online Shop.
And what countries size you are using, for example US sizing or Australian
Sizes as sizes vary from country to country.
It is common practice to include in the Online Shop a Size List page
for the buyer to compare.
So you might have a range listed from Womens US Size 4 through to
US size 16.
Same with childrens sizes, Boys Sizes, Girls Sizes, and Mens Sizes
It is the same with clothing i.e. mens shirt sizes .... small, med,
large, X-Large, XX-Large, XXX-Large.
"We" need to cover all of our bases.
NOMINATING COLOUR SELECTIONS
OF ALL PRODUCTS
(If Possible)
If your product range is going to include variants of colours ...
lets say ladies shoes for example,
you might have
red,
red patent,
red leather,
red leather - black heel,
So instead of just listing "common" red you would need to
list the four (4) red options.
I know it is time consuming compiling the colour list but all possible
colour combinations of all your products should be listed - honestly
it will make for a lot easier work for you when it comes time to change
or list new products "down that road".
Perhaps you can go through your suppliers hard copy catalogue or website
and make a list from there.
LIST MANUFACTURERS
NAME ?
ARE YOU, OR DO YOU WANT TO LIST THE PRODUCTS MANUFACTURERS
NAME.
If you intend or even think that you might want to include the name
of the Manufacturer of your Product within the products listing then
you should make a list of all Manufacturers names that will go with
each respective product.
i.e for shoes...
Shoes by Williams,
Pleaser Shoes,
Studioquigs Shoes, etc etc.
I can help and gladly advise you.
..... POSTAGE AND SHIPPING .....
HOW DO YOU WANT TO GET
YOUR PRODUCT TO THE BUYER ?
Let me lead you through this - it can be slightly confusing.
BUT IT DEFINATELY HAS TO BE DECIDED ON BEFORE WE CAN START.
'WE' HAVE TO MAKE AN EXECUTIVE DECISION.
First things first. Do you wish to sell only within
Australia, or Australia and Overseas ?
YOUR CHOICE OF STYLE OF SHIPPING (postage -delivery) FEES.
COMMENT FROM STUDIOQUIGS -
I'll just say this first.... where I live and for me to go to
"big" retail shops it cost me $15.00 in fuel before I even
open my wallet to make a purchase. So me as a consumer, I am $15.00
behind before I even start.
Please remember before you decide on what Shipping style would suit
your Online Shop the best -
REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE NOT EMPLOYED BY AUSTRALIA POST -
you are running a business selling your product online.
Australia Post has set prices to send items... they work by size,
by weight, have set price parcels and envelopes, and differect options
to send, i.e. standard and express.......
They can give you THIER COSTS ..... But don't forget
you should include YOUR COSTS ALSO.....
It will cost you for packaging, i.e the parcel itself, the insulation
i.e. bubblewrap etc etc. Getting that parcel to the Post Office -
how did you get there? Drive your car ( Petrol cost money, believe
it or not, wear and tear on your car) Pay someone to take it for you?
Now I don't know about you, but MY TIME IS MONEY
to me... and this should be considered in working out a price for
your Shipping. SHIPPING IS POSTAGE AND HANDLING.
Handling covers your time and expenses.
Okay, you have been given my food for your thought ....
WORKING OUT
NEXT THING .... YOU WILL HAVE TO DO SOME WORKING OUT.
Check your goods itinery and see what sizes and weights they are -
work out which item/s you think are going to be your most popular
sellers. You will more than likely find that there are common denominators
within your lists.
Most items will fall into certain groups.
i.e. weigh under 3kg.
i.e. shoe example again. all products fit in a same size parcel under
a certain weight.
Visit your local Post Office and ask questions. Arm
yourself with your common products. Take some of your bulkier, heaviest
products with you.
Ask the counter person.
"What is the best way for me to send this?"
Using the shoe sample again - "Is it best to send them in a shoe
box inside a parcel or to send the shoes in a padded, prepaid, secured
envelope / parcel."
The shoebox adds weight to the total weight - total weight adds to
costs
"How much will it cost to send it to Perth, How much to Melbourne,
How much to Cairns, etc etc.."
You will find that it is a matter of ONLY a few dollars
between the most expensive and the lower fee.
Your objective really is to obtain a common price where you can be
happy to send "X" group of products at "Y" price.
REMEMBER YOUR POSTAGE AND HANDLING
If it was me and it costs $11.00 to send an item to Perth, and $9.00
for the same to Melbourne then I would make all P&H $11.00. The
$2.00 I pick up in the Melbourne transaction could go into my Handling
expenses.
YOU DON'T WANT TO AND NEED TO LOOSE SLEEP OVER MAKING THIS
DECISION...
you are not ripping anyone off...
you are running a business...
with business expenses ....
and you are trying to sell a product...
remember it costs me $15.00 in fuel to drive to the nearest big
retail shops...
whats a few Dollars difference in postage going to mean to me when
it is delivered to my door.
I recommend that you have a look at several Online Shops and note
how the price for the same product varies.
Example of Price Variants
okay check this out.
A Product for Young Children - Bazoongi CIRCUS TENT - One of my clients
listed this on their online shop.
It is a light weight product but bulky to ship.
My Clients price.... (was originally) $129.95 current agreed postage
$8.90 = $138.85
..... Other online shop selling the same product (Dec 2006)
GR8TOYS
http://www.gr8toys.com.au/?m=catimaginative&c=cubbies&id=995
$144.95 plus $15.00 postage ..... Total $159.95
---------------------------------
IQ TOYS
http://www.iqtoys.au.com/site/page=item/item=1116
$159.00 has free postage over $150.00 ..... Total $159.00
-------------------------------------------
EVERYTHING BUT FLOWERS
http://everythingbutflowers.com.au/ebf/product/978/53/
Great value at $109, save $30.95 off the normal RRP $139.95! Postage
$16.95
.... Total $156.90
-------------------------------------------
On ebay $120.00 plus $18.00 postage.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/New-CIRCUS-TENT-Cubby-House-A1-Quality_W0QQitemZ250056215638QQihZ015QQcategoryZ19181QQcmdZViewItem
..... Total $138.00
---------------------------------------------
The above samples show how the P&H can vary and also the
Items listed price varies...."remember that"
---------------------------------------------
What "we" finally settled on re postage and Handling
was to have a flat rate postage of $8.90 australia wide, and
if the postage came to say $25.00 then we would increase the
listed price of the item to compensate any loss incurred in
P&H
As you can see from the samples above, that it is a practice
used by others.
What Options of Shipping we can offer
you
01 - OVERSEAS SHIPPING -
It is advised that you obtain a "happy" cost from
your local Post Office for sending items overseas. i.e. Shipping
to the UK is $45.00. You cannot have varients of prices per
individual countries.
Sending to different countries with different fees will incur
additional cost in the set up of the Online Shop.
If you are intending to sell overseas please note the information
re overseas payments above, in particular bank fees.
02 - FREE SHIPPING - Sounds Crazy but This
is a very popular method with Online Shop Operators. You simply
include your P&H within your Item listed price - and the
incentive of FREE POSTAGE is there.... it works very well -
Remember it is the figure at the end that the customer is
really concerned about - what is it going to cost me all up?
03 - FLAT RATE POSTAGE - This means that if you send one
item or ten the postage rate is the same. i.e. you have a flat
rate postage of $10.00. It cost $10.00 to send one item or $10.00
to send five items. Again you need to allow for this in your
item costings. I guess it is a case of "what you loose
on the Merry-go-round you pick up on the Ferris Wheel.
04 - TABLE RATE POSTAGE -
cost figures used are just as examples
Shipping on one item cost you a set fee i.e. $10.00
Shipping on two or more items - up to a designated number is
$18.00. (lets say two up to ten items = $18.00)
Once the order exceeds the designated 10 items - i.e. 12 online
orders then shipping is FREE.
Again you would need to consider your listed price for the items.
05 - ZONE POSTAGE AUSTRALIA
-
# The Aust Post table and additional Handling expenses....
NOTE: To set this Module up in the Online Shop will incur an
additional expense.
06 - OTHERS OPTIONS -
# .....
any others to be added.
NOTE: To set this Module up in the Online Shop will incur an
additional expense.
HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR
ONLINE CUSTOMER TO PAY?
THIS STAGE IS VERY
IMPORTANT
HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR ONLINE CUSTOMER TO PAY YOU ?
As your customer proceeds through to
the Online Checkout he/she will be required to nominate the way they
are going to pay you (now that is very important) therefore in the
set up you must nominate your preferred systems of payment.
The following options are available. You can nominate as many of the
selections as you desire.
01 -
Direct Bank Transfer into your account -
BSB style: Can either use internet banking, go to their
bank branch, or telephone banking - recommended
02
- Use PayPal Online Payment System:
Is the worlds most popular online payment system,
allows the buyer to use credit cards, is secured by Paypal
- recommended - see notes on PayPal
03 -
Cheque, Money Order:
When cheques are cleared you send the product. Decision
is yours..
remember if cheques are dishonoured then you incur a penalty
- that depends on your bank
04 -
Credit Card - You will be required to set
up a merchants account with your bank and could incur substantial
bank setting up fees and ongoing banking fees.
It is up to you but not recommended unless you
already use such a system in your business or existing shop
PAYPAL NOTES: If you wish to include a choice
of payment by PayPal you have to ensure that you have set up
a PayPal account.
You will need a business account, which is free to set up.
Once your PayPal account is operational then you can start to
receive payments.
The only PayPal information Studioquigs will need about your
PayPal Account is your PayPal email address. When a buyer clicks
to nominate your PayPal as their preferred payment system then
the page transfers to your PayPal Account and it allows for
them to use their credit cards as a form of payment
also. PayPal takes the responsibility away from you when a buyer
uses PayPay to pay with their cards.
PayPal is recommended for all overseas - non australia
buyers. It can be very costly having your banks accept
overseas cheques and money orders - transfers etc etc, PayPal
has options for such transactions...
Not Sure about Paypal then please visit www.paypal.com.au
Summary
The previous
11 pages of this information guide are there to assist you.
Just to let you know what decisions you must make prior to starting
your eShop Online Business.
What is required from Studioquigs to undertake your job.
It is very important to have this information prior to commencing
the site as it expediates the completion of the job and makes for
ease of handling your end when the finished product is handed over
to you.
The Online Shops are simplistic to use and are a great tool to sell
your products.
Online Shopping is the future, now you can become a part of it.
I encourage you to contact me if you have anything to discuss about
your Online Shop.
Just telephone
Jeff @ Studioquigs - (07) 49 396 587
or drop me an email using the Contact Link at the bottom right of
this page.
THE NEXT FEW PAGES COVER OTHER INFORMATION THAT WILL BE REQUIRED IF
YOU ENGAGE STUDIOQUIGS TO DESIGN AND CREATE YOUR WEBSITE WITH FACILITIES
FOR YOUR SECURED ONLINE SHOP
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