I've always wanted to have a bookstore/knitting store, and
having one online is so much easier than a bricks and
mortar store. However, there are pros and cons to each, and
I'd like to share them in the hopes that my story can help
anyone interested in opening an online bookstore in their
own carefully researched niche.
Finding your carefully researched niche is important for
several reasons. With the likes of Amazon and Barnes and
Noble as competition, you have to carve out a very specific
small piece of the online bookstore pie and serve it with
whipping cream. By that I mean, you have to create a very
focused smaller bookstore that offers something that bigger
websites don't have - a very warm, personal touch.
The Pros of Owning an Online Bookstore
I have chosen affiliate programs as the basis of my
bookstore because I don't have to deal with receiving
payments, accepting credit cards, processing orders,
storing inventory, taking back orders, shipping, and so on
and on.
I have my own website, customized and under my control, I
don't have to dress up, do my hair, makeup etc. to go to
work, my store is open 24/7/365 to customers around the
world, I never meet cranky people face to face (just
sometimes in emails!) and my store is private and always
peaceful (no cranky kids!).
I had two options for running my online bookstore, I chose
the first. I can simply fill my site with quality, relevant
content pages and encourage visitors to click through to
the merchant's website to purchase, or I can use a data
feed to create a carbon copy of the original store on my
website. I still have to write original copy, to make it
unique and not be penalized as duplicate content, but I can
have a huge site instantly, automatically updated. Visitors
then don't need to leave my website to make their purchases.
The Cons of Owning an Online Bookstore
Of course there are always arguments against shopping
online; the cons are that bookstores are lovely places to
visit. There are book signings, readings, and the joy of
finding a few interesting books, taking them to a
comfortable chair, and giving them a good look before
deciding whether to purchase. And of course, online sites
malfunction more often than stores have to unexpectedly
close.
As an affiliate marketer there are some things that can
make online shoppers annoyed, reluctant and skeptical that
you won't have to deal with personally, but you will have
to be convincing enough to overcome their hesitation.
If your customer knows exactly what they want, no problem,
but if they want to "window shop" the process can be
painfully slow as they move from page to page. If they like
to "scan and let something pop out at them", they can
become frustrated at only being able to view what fits on
one page at a time.
When it's time to pull out the plastic, they may question
the security of ordering with their card online, wonder if
they want to pay high shipping costs, and what happens if
they need to return an order?
How I Made My Decision
Most of the cons can be compensated for or avoided by
careful choosing of affiliate programs. Few online book
companies simply offer books. They also offer reviews,
contests, coupons, and ways to participate in what feels
like a community.
Website design with care taken to make navigation clear and
simple can make browsing and comparison shopping easier,
and of course stores with great track records,
testimonials, and security in place make all the difference
with consumer confidence.
For me, love of my niche combined with love of books
convinced me that I'd made a great choice, and success is
almost assured as my next love, writing, makes it easy to
write book reviews. If this all makes sense to you, then
you must might want to try an online bookstore.
----------------------------------------------------
Tired of waiting for your first Amazon affiliate check?
Learn about what's been called the "world's best
bookstore", and also "Amazon with soul."
http://favorite-free-knitting-patterns.com/data/html/resourc
es/36.cgi
No comments:
Post a Comment