Help me start an online store
September 17, 2009 1:07 PM Subscribe
I have an idea for a commercial website.
To help me get it right, I have questions for webmasters, photographers, print shop owners, entrepenaurs, and most everyone else.
1) What online art, photography, and/or t-shirt stores do you think have a great design, are easy to use, and want you to part with your money? (Links are good, but it would be even better if you articulated why they rise above middling.)
2) The store will be selling physical (prints/posters and t-shirts), only within the US, with a flat S&H. Inventory will be created on an as-needed basis. We get the order, we create the product. So, no need to keep track of what's in stock.
I'm familiar with wordpress. What's the best plugin to accomplish this?
I'm not familiar with Expression Engine, but its cost isn't a problem. Pros/cons?
Aside from those two options, is there another one you would recommend? Budget no more than $500 for this, and preferrably much less.
3) Photographers, this one's for you. Some of the prints for sale will be generated from shooting a high-res picture of a finished work of art with a low distortion lens.
I assume these pictures need to be lit by high CRI bulbs. Which specific lightbulbs do you recommend? Any lighting tips? Emphasize ways to accomplish near-perfect results on a budget (I want to spend less than $100 on lighting equipment).
4) What is the cost of a used direct to fabric printer? How much does replacement ink cost? I invision a printer that will reproduce complex images with fidelity on any color, including black and white. What specific models or lines of printers will fit the bill?
Are my expectations for the pritner unrealistic? Do you know a print shop that's closing down and has a working printer up for sale anywhere in the US? How often do these things break down? How expensive are they to fix?
Most importantly, can such a printer be purchased for no more than $2,000?
5) Any sort of general anecdotes, stories, reading lists, etc. that might be relevant are welcome.
1) What online art, photography, and/or t-shirt stores do you think have a great design, are easy to use, and want you to part with your money? (Links are good, but it would be even better if you articulated why they rise above middling.)
2) The store will be selling physical (prints/posters and t-shirts), only within the US, with a flat S&H. Inventory will be created on an as-needed basis. We get the order, we create the product. So, no need to keep track of what's in stock.
I'm familiar with wordpress. What's the best plugin to accomplish this?
I'm not familiar with Expression Engine, but its cost isn't a problem. Pros/cons?
Aside from those two options, is there another one you would recommend? Budget no more than $500 for this, and preferrably much less.
3) Photographers, this one's for you. Some of the prints for sale will be generated from shooting a high-res picture of a finished work of art with a low distortion lens.
I assume these pictures need to be lit by high CRI bulbs. Which specific lightbulbs do you recommend? Any lighting tips? Emphasize ways to accomplish near-perfect results on a budget (I want to spend less than $100 on lighting equipment).
4) What is the cost of a used direct to fabric printer? How much does replacement ink cost? I invision a printer that will reproduce complex images with fidelity on any color, including black and white. What specific models or lines of printers will fit the bill?
Are my expectations for the pritner unrealistic? Do you know a print shop that's closing down and has a working printer up for sale anywhere in the US? How often do these things break down? How expensive are they to fix?
Most importantly, can such a printer be purchased for no more than $2,000?
5) Any sort of general anecdotes, stories, reading lists, etc. that might be relevant are welcome.
This post was deleted for the following reason: this is several very very big questions in one question. Either space these out or focus or let us know when you've gotten partway there. -- jessamyn
I think this may be too many questions for you to get a really successful series of answers.
posted by Think_Long at 1:21 PM on September 17, 2009
posted by Think_Long at 1:21 PM on September 17, 2009
You seem to be asking for an entire business plan via AskMe. This won't work very well.
Also "Some of the prints for sale will be generated from shooting a high-res picture of a finished work of art with a low distortion lens." makes me wonder about legal and copyright issues. But we don't know what your products are, so maybe I'm wrong on that.
Anyway, how about one of the above questions per week in detail?
posted by rokusan at 1:31 PM on September 17, 2009
Also "Some of the prints for sale will be generated from shooting a high-res picture of a finished work of art with a low distortion lens." makes me wonder about legal and copyright issues. But we don't know what your products are, so maybe I'm wrong on that.
Anyway, how about one of the above questions per week in detail?
posted by rokusan at 1:31 PM on September 17, 2009
Response by poster: [quote]A lot of broad questions here. What have you figured out so far?[/quote]
The prototype site will be designed in Wordpress just because I'm familiar with it. After I have the looks gelled some, I'll be trying Expression Engine 30-day trial, port the look, and see if it functions better. Help picking the current best wordpress shopping cart would be helpful in comparing the two functionalities.
[quote]All I can say for question 1 is that it has to look professional, even if there are unnecessary flash-type formats being used, it will at least make me consider it.[/quote]
What websites do you consider to look professional? I am not going to use any flash; just text and photos to show off the art/products.
[quote]Also "Some of the prints for sale will be generated from shooting a high-res picture of a finished work of art with a low distortion lens." makes me wonder about legal and copyright issues. But we don't know what your products are, so maybe I'm wrong on that.[/quote]
No legal or copyright issues.
[quote]Anyway, how about one of the above questions per week in detail?[/quote]
Too late, and I hope it's not actually a problem. If you have knowledge or experience with part of the question, then I'd like to have the input. If you don't, segmenting the post wouldn't make a difference.
posted by Number Used Once at 1:41 PM on September 17, 2009
The prototype site will be designed in Wordpress just because I'm familiar with it. After I have the looks gelled some, I'll be trying Expression Engine 30-day trial, port the look, and see if it functions better. Help picking the current best wordpress shopping cart would be helpful in comparing the two functionalities.
[quote]All I can say for question 1 is that it has to look professional, even if there are unnecessary flash-type formats being used, it will at least make me consider it.[/quote]
What websites do you consider to look professional? I am not going to use any flash; just text and photos to show off the art/products.
[quote]Also "Some of the prints for sale will be generated from shooting a high-res picture of a finished work of art with a low distortion lens." makes me wonder about legal and copyright issues. But we don't know what your products are, so maybe I'm wrong on that.[/quote]
No legal or copyright issues.
[quote]Anyway, how about one of the above questions per week in detail?[/quote]
Too late, and I hope it's not actually a problem. If you have knowledge or experience with part of the question, then I'd like to have the input. If you don't, segmenting the post wouldn't make a difference.
posted by Number Used Once at 1:41 PM on September 17, 2009
Response by poster: (sorry for the BBCode reflex)
posted by Number Used Once at 1:42 PM on September 17, 2009
posted by Number Used Once at 1:42 PM on September 17, 2009
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All I can say for question 1 is that it has to look professional, even if there are unnecessary flash-type formats being used, it will at least make me consider it.
posted by Think_Long at 1:21 PM on September 17, 2009