Professional Input on My Niece's Website?

[TaxGuy]

Hey everyone!

I just wished my niece a Happy 13th Birthday yesterday and I got an email from her today asking to judge her website and noticed that it's a free site hosted through Webs(dot)com.

My initial impression is it's a great first Fastlane step for a 13yr old, however, I'm not sure how customizable the site is as well as who has ownership since it is hosted by and has webs(dot)com in the URL. In fact, I might be willing to host it on my Hostgator account, however, it's a Baby plan which has unlimited sites/space, but as I found out the other day is limited to 25 processes and if too many email clients are up I will get a dreaded "Internal Server Error 500".

Here's the link

A few more observations:

-She needs to price them much higher than $2.50/unit

-She needs to make sure that items are shipped in a bubble wrapped package which will add to her total costs

-She plans on using a Paypal account for payment and should probably look into an actual merchant account.

 

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[Bozigian]

Looks cute.

I dont know how you would break even if you were to ship it with the package. Again I am inexperience, it is just an opinion.

And I dont know about using paypal, after all they did freeze an account on a game developer who had over $700,000 in his paypal account. And they couldnt give him a reason why the froze his account

 

[FDJustin]

Mmhmmm buuut, if she sells them for 2.50 / 3 / 5 dolla's, she would still need a lot of sales to cover a merchant account. So if she wasn't going to use a merchant account, I would advise against accepting credit cards, unless there was fraud protection. That might cost you a few extra points.

Google checkout makes it a point to offer said protection.

 

[alainn]

I like the website. I like the idea of her selling her work through it. Cute art work too.

I'm no professional but I have been looking into web design for a while and if I can make 2 suggestions, it would be:

1. the way the website looks can be improved - there are loads of free templates out there that look better than the one she is using now
and
2. I did not like the ad that was on the website. I think she should find a different ad or ad network because this one seemed a little scammy - "YOU WON A PRIZE" type of ad.

But overall, I think she did a great job and I'm impressed that she set that up at 13 years old!!!

 

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[TaxGuy]

I told her that she should be pricing them around $20 after her COGS which would be at the very least $10/unit considering the supplies, merchant or Paypal fees and shipping, not to mention if she does do her own domain and hosting which adds $5/yr and probably $8/mo to her costs.

The ad does need to go. The site should be focused on just selling her product and not minuscule AdSense revenue.

 

[biophase]

There's no need for a merchant account, that would be just wasted money. If anything, get a domain and shared hosting. Paypal should be fine. I don't see those selling at $20 a pop. Maybe $5-$6.

 

[AJ.]

I think it is awesome that she set this up!!

Even if she does not sell to Google for 400 million in 3 years, she's learning SUPER good lessons.
I wish *I* had done something like that so early in my life.

Kudos for helping her out!


My thinking:
-- Get some better pictures (maybe snap the pics outdoors, with green/plants as background. Plus the outdoor light will make a better quality pic).
-- If she doesn't raise her price... I think that's fine. Better to be swamped by orders and think "Dang, I need to charge this higher." than to get no orders, and then drop the project

Good for her and you!!

-- AJ
.

 

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[TaxGuy]

There's no need for a merchant account, that would be just wasted money. If anything, get a domain and shared hosting. Paypal should be fine. I don't see those selling at $20 a pop. Maybe $5-$6.

What about all the horror stories of Paypal accounts being frozen without warning? Would a Google Checkout account be better?

As far as $5-6/unit, what should her shipping costs be- actual(have a shipping calculator based on location/service)? or fixed(i.e. $5.99/unit)? I know you said that you have a basic and premium(i.e. overnight).

 

[LightHouse]

Paypal wont be worrying about her account. I would say don't over complicate things, shes 13 so she is learning the very first few lessons of entrepreneurship. I imagine she sold these prices at a craft fair or somethnig, i think she could move them up to $5 or so. Also, one of her advatages is that she is so young, so have a BIO/about me page up. People love to read about stuff like that.

Webs looks like they are handling her checkout, can you point a domain name to that page? or what about doing it on etsy or something?

 

[John Rogers]

What about all the horror stories of Paypal accounts being frozen without warning?

Don't violate the Paypal terms of service, and if you expect an unusual surge in activity, call and tell them ahead of time.

I've been using Paypal since the late 90's and have never had a problem with them. Ever.

 

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[John Rogers]

Paypal wont be worrying about her account. I would say don't over complicate things, shes 13 so she is learning the very first few lessons of entrepreneurship. I imagine she sold these prices at a craft fair or somethnig, i think she could move them up to $5 or so. Also, one of her advatages is that she is so young, so have a BIO/about me page up. People love to read about stuff like that.

Webs looks like they are handling her checkout, can you point a domain name to that page? or what about doing it on etsy or something?

This is very good advice. I too would immediately look at hosting the site somewhere else. I assume the ads on the right hand side of the page cannot be removed. (?) Very distracting!!

From what little I know about the artsy craftsy stuff, I would also recommend taking a look at Etsy.

How fragile is the product? Does it take much to knock a head or an arm off? I'd be concerned about them holding up during shipping.

The cost of shipping is also a concern for me. My opinion is that if the shipping cost to the buyer is equal to or more than the product itself, that is going to be a tough obstacle to overcome.

 

[BrandonAg]

The first thing I was able to spot was her needing better photos. All it would take is someone with a decent SLR, some flash knowledge, and some white boards as a platform and backdrop. Some really quick editing and you have a product shot that looks like it was shot in a studio :eusa_clap:

I wish at 13 I would have been starting something!

 

[kwerner]

-- Get some better pictures (maybe snap the pics outdoors, with green/plants as background. Plus the outdoor light will make a better quality pic).

+1 on taking better pics.

One of the best ways to take pics for something small like these is to make your own light box, this is how sellers on ebay take such great pictures of jewelry and small items like that. You should be able to make one for less than $10, plus the cost of the light(s).

Another suggestion if you decide to go the light box route, be sure and use the clear GE "Reveal" lightbulbs in your lamp(s); they produce a better light, waaaay better and clearer than the "soft white" bulbs.

 

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[cobwab]

There is no privacy policy which Google requires.

I would get a free wordpress.org website but you need a domain name and hosting.

How about using free Web 2.0 porperties:

1. WordPress.com — Get a Free Blog Here
2. Weebly - Create a free website and a free blog
3. Home - wetpaint.com
4. clearblogs.com
5. Squidoo : Welcome to Squidoo
6. HubPages
7. http://www.blogger.com
8. LiveJournal: Discover global communities of friends who share your unique passions and interests.
9. http://www.vox.com
10. Create Your own Quizzes, Stories, Polls, Lyrics, Poems, Journals and More at Quizilla
11. Weebly - Create a free website and a free blog
12. http://www.blogger.com
13. New Year's Resolutions on 43 Things
14. Zimbio - Interactive Magazine
15. Topix: Your town. Your news. Your take.
16. http://www.knol.google.com
17.Gather | Gather
18.Xanga.com - The Blogging Community
19. 9rules
20. eHow | How To Do Just About Everything! | How To Videos & Articles
21. Sign up | Tumblr[
22.wikiHow - The How-to Manual That You Can Edit
23. Create a Social Networking Site with Ning, the Best Social Site Platform
24. http://www.360.yahoo.com
25 Build a Website - Create a Blog - Squarespace
26. Blog.com

 

[cobwab]

There is no privacy policy which Google requires.

I would get a free wordpress.org website but you need a domain name and hosting.

How about using free Web 2.0 porperties:

1. WordPress.com — Get a Free Blog Here
2. Weebly - Create a free website and a free blog
3. Home - wetpaint.com
4. clearblogs.com
5. Squidoo : Welcome to Squidoo
6. HubPages
7. http://www.blogger.com
8. LiveJournal: Discover global communities of friends who share your unique passions and interests.
9. http://www.vox.com
10. Create Your own Quizzes, Stories, Polls, Lyrics, Poems, Journals and More at Quizilla
11. Weebly - Create a free website and a free blog
12. http://www.blogger.com
13. New Year's Resolutions on 43 Things
14. Zimbio - Interactive Magazine
15. Topix: Your town. Your news. Your take.
16. http://www.knol.google.com
17.Gather | Gather
18.Xanga.com - The Blogging Community
19. 9rules
20. eHow | How To Do Just About Everything! | How To Videos & Articles
21. Sign up | Tumblr[
22.wikiHow - The How-to Manual That You Can Edit
23. Create a Social Networking Site with Ning, the Best Social Site Platform
24. http://www.360.yahoo.com
25 Build a Website - Create a Blog - Squarespace
26. Blog.com

 

[alpapa23]

You could also skip the website altogether and have her sell them on etsy. This would eliminate the costs for a site and give more exposure to her products right of the bat. To market these, she could also start a blog and characterize her clay monkeys by writing stories about them and taking pictures of them going on "adventures".

If she's really ambitious, she could just create her own etsy to sell only stuff hand made by kids ... but that may be a couple years down the road.

 

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[austinjeff]

You could also skip the website altogether and have her sell them on etsy.

Bingo. Just what I was gonna say. Etsy is definitely the way to go with this. They have tons of buyers, looking for exactly this kind of stuff.

Also, great idea on using a blog to market.

I highly suggest she look up the history of Cabbage Patch dolls. That guy took a cute little hand made product and turned it into a fastlane phenomenon. If I remember correctly, it didn't turn out so well in the end, but there's much to be learned from that as well.

 

[Boo Blizzi]

As was mentioned...better pix...but also capitalize all the words in the title "Clay Pet Monkeys" instead of Clay pet monkeys!...get rid of the "!"...theres no need...have her fill in the about us page and put a cute pix of herself and how she wants to start a web business at the tender age of 13 (that will move people)...raise the price to 5 bux...have her fill out the shipping info or remove the tab...theres nothing more annoying than having blank tabs...paypal is more than enough for this project...give her my best wishes

 

[WhatamanJackson]

Great job for a 1st start.

- Second the better pictures comments.
- I'd also add more about her,...customers aren't just buying the monkeys, they are buying her and her story.
- You're limited to what you can do with this layout, so I'd spend the dollars on hosting but that's just me.

Kudos for what she's doing at her age.

 

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[Deege]

She has that entrepreneur's blood! Looks great for her age. Young start could have outrageous dividends.

 

[account1234]

13-year-olds shouldn't be worrying about making money. Making websites is nice and creative, but let's not make kids emulate our own one-track minds. There are so many more fun, healthy and worthwhile things to do at that age that worrying about sales data.

 

[mtnman]

Well you know what I'd normally say, but for a 13 year old, that is fricking awesome!

Buy her a 10 dollar domain and forward it blogger or wordpress.com so as she becomes more involved she can learn and change platforms without moving sites all the time.

Whoever is injecting fear of using paypal paypal into a 13 year old because some douche lost 750k is paralyzing progress. Get started, that's all that matters. (can only imagine what she'll be doing in 7 years if she sticks with this and morphs into bigger things)

 

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[MCD]

Well you know what I'd normally say, but for a 13 year old, that is fricking awesome!

Buy her a 10 dollar domain and forward it blogger or wordpress.com so as she becomes more involved she can learn and change platforms without moving sites all the time.

Whoever is injecting fear of using paypal paypal into a 13 year old because some douche lost 750k is paralyzing progress. Get started, that's all that matters. (can only imagine what she'll be doing in 7 years if she sticks with this and morphs into bigger things)

Agreed, she shouldn't worry about paypal and should definitely have a domain. If I were her I would probably host it and install wordpress instead of using blogger.com or wordpress.com but thats just me. I don't know if buying her the domain is a good idea, paying for the domain herself would make her much more vested in the venture. My parents made me pay for my website and overall it came out better than if I was just given it.