Adding ecommerce

[Kim Stevenson]

For 2022 we're looking to update our website and add an element of ecommerce. I recognize that a lot of money can be spent on these things, which is okay with a good ROI, but are there any recommendations on web/ecommerce developers for small businesses?

TIA

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Well...what are you selling?

 

[Kim Stevenson]

Could be anything we make as a Signs & Graphics company. Decals, magnets, banners, window/floor/wall graphics, wraps. Lots of options.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

It's hard to order such a customized product online... and the ones you can order online, you'll be competing with the likes is Vista Print and Sign Builder.

 

[gnubler]

You're going to need to incorporate an online design tool like the big players if you're selling to the general public. No way do you want people uploading their own art files for products like this. Guarantee that 99.9% of them will be wrong.

 

[Kim Stevenson]

It's hard to order such a customized product online... and the ones you can order online, you'll be competing with the likes is Vista Print and Sign Builder.

You're going to need to incorporate an online design tool like the big players if you're selling to the general public. No way do you want people uploading their own art files for products like this. Guarantee that 99.9% of them will be wrong.

Yes, we need to understand those aspects of the web design/tool. We already spend entirely too much time with garbage files. lol.

 

[gnubler]

I went through this with my last employer before they folded, wanting me to "build a website for ecommerce". I almost choked, it's such a massive project to put together. My first question was "why?" They'd never be able to compete with Vistaprint or Sticker Mule, etc. There's so many online printers now, what would make you stand out from all the rest?

 

[Kim Stevenson]

I went through this with my last employer before they folded, wanting me to "build a website for ecommerce". I almost choked, it's such a massive project to put together. My first question was "why?" They'd never be able to compete with Vistaprint or Sticker Mule, etc. There's so many online printers now, what would make you stand out from all the rest?

I appreciate your questions and they are reasonable, but it’s not really the point of the post.

 

[Pauly]

Ok ignore the "to hard can't do it" posts. as it's very doable.


Before i go recommending platforms. Do take note of this.
It does take some time setting up.
You'll need to have a price list of everything and every variation possible at minimum so you can set up your products.

What you want to look for is a "web to print / Web 2 print / w2p" product

you can have a look here for some. they may not all be there. Almost none list pricing either. https://www.capterra.com.au/directory/30946/web-to-print/software

We've been using wp2print with wordpress. https://printscience.com/ They have a demo site you can look at.
We're looking to move to Onprintshop - https://www.onprintshop.com/ They also have demos you can look at.

Do note, a lot of them require live demos and you need to ask for pricing etc. So you'll probably spend some time looking around.
The reason they require live demos, is that every platform is different. and they'll ask you what your needs are so they can help you to the right solution.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Sometimes "too hard don't try" can be good advise. Does anyone on here (with exception of wholesalers) have any luck with such an investment?

 

[Christian @ Visual Graphx]

Yes, we do. We use it for specific clients and have run over $250,000 in sales since inception lasted year.

 

[Pauly]

Sometimes "too hard don't try" can be good advise. Does anyone on here (with exception of wholesalers) have any luck with such an investment?

We also do. We've scored some big clients just by having a robust system.

 

[Stacey K]

On a small scale, I have WIX for selling apparel and other print items with a lot of local success. Clearly, you need something more than WIX.

A few of the items I've sold or do sell - fire department apparel, school spirit wear, select school items like fat heads and "conference champs" type apparel and signs. Graduation banners, signs, apparel. I'm working on adding small items like registration/dot sets, magnets, standard banners and signs. I'm working on setting up more "client stores" to include apparel, small signs, decals and cornhole board decals.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

There are a bunch of fill in the blank shopping cart setups and ways to add customization to signs without having a sign builder. I feel like those sign builders are a PITA and attract the cheap asses but I could be wrong. That is fine for a wholesaler but not ideal for a smaller operation. I will say that it is a lot of work to keep up with the site in terms of adding products, changing prices etc. It could easily be a full time job for someone. I have shied away from it lately, it's too much to keep up with and there is plenty of local business to keep a small place busy right now.

 

[Pauly]

There are a bunch of fill in the blank shopping cart setups and ways to add customization to signs without having a sign builder. I feel like those sign builders are a PITA and attract the cheap asses but I could be wrong. That is fine for a wholesaler but not ideal for a smaller operation. I will say that it is a lot of work to keep up with the site in terms of adding products, changing prices etc. It could easily be a full time job for someone. I have shied away from it lately, it's too much to keep up with and there is plenty of local business to keep a small place busy right now.

Once it's set up, you generally leave it.
Only time you need to update price is if the price of material changes or you've changed printers.

Depending on the complexity of your products too.
Say you sell simple products like posters and they're all set sizes only. A3, A2, A1, A0. and other similar products. You can just export the product data to a CSV file Change the prices and import it back in.

If you have a site like wordpress, you'll have more maintaining to do as plugins and themes have updates etc.

As for the "designers" or "sign builders" i think they're great.
1. your customers don't need to bother you to design their sign.
2. your customers what to add or change a phone number. they can easily do that.
3. your customers will probably never follow artwork guidelines, so having a cropbox that will show crop/bleed & safezones are helpfull.
4. everything that comes out from it will be a print ready PDF.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Once it's set up, you generally leave it.
Only time you need to update price is if the price of material changes or you've changed printers.

Depending on the complexity of your products too.
Say you sell simple products like posters and they're all set sizes only. A3, A2, A1, A0. and other similar products. You can just export the product data to a CSV file Change the prices and import it back in.

If you have a site like wordpress, you'll have more maintaining to do as plugins and themes have updates etc.

As for the "designers" or "sign builders" i think they're great.
1. your customers don't need to bother you to design their sign.
2. your customers what to add or change a phone number. they can easily do that.
3. your customers will probably never follow artwork guidelines, so having a cropbox that will show crop/bleed & safezones are helpfull.
4. everything that comes out from it will be a print ready PDF.

I think we have about zero customers that would ever go through the hassle. They cant even be bothered to sketch something out on a napkin. I am also constantly adding products and that takes time. There are 2 types of customers, those that just need someone with the equipment to make whatever they want and the other that want to hand off the entire job so they can concentrate on their business. I prefer the latter because it is more of a service rather than a commodity.

 

[Pauly]

I think we have about zero customers that would ever go through the hassle. They cant even be bothered to sketch something out on a napkin. I am also constantly adding products and that takes time. There are 2 types of customers, those that just need someone with the equipment to make whatever they want and the other that want to hand off the entire job so they can concentrate on their business. I prefer the latter because it is more of a service rather than a commodity.

It’s obviously not for everyone as everyone has different business models.

But there are tools out there that are relatively simple enough for most people to use to create an e-commerce web 2 print website.
And they’re not all designed for wholesalers.

There are solutions available for those who do DTG. or Canvas prints (Designers that can put out PDF files with the right bleeds, folds etc for the frames you use. )
I’ve even seen some solutions for personalised products like photo mugs, pens, notepads, stationary etc.

 

[GB2]

I am very inspired by this discussion and would very much like to develop an ecommerce website but it is not my fortay. I'm still not quite clear on, for example, what the difference is between trying to setup and ecommerce site on Wix or using a Web2Print solution like Print Science https://printscience.com/. Also, I'm just curious if anybody has anything to say about unbranded web sites that distributors can provide or how that works into the ecommerce philosophy.

 

[Stacey K]

I am very inspired by this discussion and would very much like to develop an ecommerce website but it is not my fortay. I'm still not quite clear on, for example, what the difference is between trying to setup and ecommerce site on Wix or using a Web2Print solution like Print Science https://printscience.com/. Also, I'm just curious if anybody has anything to say about unbranded web sites that distributors can provide or how that works into the ecommerce philosophy.

Using something like WIX just places the order, the customer has to upload the file or email it to you they can't just upload and design a banner right on your site cleanly. A Web2Print option the customer can cleanly design something with clipart, different fonts, their own artwork etc. I just use WIX since most of my products are pre-designed and the customer just chooses color and size and types the info in an info box. If needed I create a proof and email it to them. The Web2Print the customer is in charge of their own proof, you just print it...that is my understanding, someone else can chime in more on that.

 

[GB2]

Thanks Stacey! I'm also wondering now, do any of those solutions allow customers to have an "account" where they can login, check their past orders, reorder something again or pay multiple open invoices, or do you have to have that type of ecommerce set up with something like Square or Quickbooks or do they integrate together somehow?