Threadless - Custom T-Shirt Designs Done Right
April 16, 2008
For those of you who have never heard of Threadless - let us introduce you to one of the more creative, revolutionizing, and simply genius ideas the Internet has afforded us. The business model is simple and the execution is near flawless.
- Create a website that allows users to submit custom t-shirt designs.
- Allow the community to choose which designs they feel would make the best t-shirts.
- The top designs go into production and are sold on the site.
- The designers get a cut of the t-shirt sales (up to $12,500).
- Rinse and repeat.
The community skinnyCorp has created around Threadless has grown into a collection of designers and avid t-shirt wearers that exceeds hundreds of thousands.
Below is a video of the founders. As young entrepreneurs ourselves we thought it was interesting and have nothing but respect for the guys.
Tags: custom t-shirts, nude no more, ThreadlessWeatherHomeStations.com Launches!
April 15, 2008
Local weather conditions can vary from block to block and change from minute to minute. Also, during severe weather or power outages you will want the latest most precise weather information. Be aware of weather conditions and always be prepared. Up to the minute weather information means you can plan with confidence.
Site Features:
The demand for home weather stations, atomic wall clocks, and thermometers inspired us to develop a site built for the market. This version of our platform includes all the features of our other sites with the addition of product videos on the product pages. See for yourself how helpful a video advertisement is (La Crosse WS-9035U). Attention to Search Engine Optimization was also paramount as most of the traffic to the site will be long tail model number searches. Check out the site and leave us feedback!
MarineBoatSupplies.com Launches!
April 14, 2008
With over 9,000 products in stock, you will surely be able to find the boating supplies you are in need of. This site features all the top brands - from Garmin, Raymarine, Shakespeare, and more! Electronics from GPS navigation to fish finders are the focus but we also have everything from anchors to life rafts. You should be able to find most any
Site Features:
When creating a site with over 9k marine boating supplies it’s important to help customers find what they are looking for. In most cases we send customers directly to the product they are in need of, but in other cases the customer will use the site navigation and search feature to find the most appropriate product for their need. The category pages on the site also allow you to drill down by manufacturer or brand. The product pages eliminate the left navigation and feature two “add to cart” buttons – one in the top fold of the page and one below the product description. This version of our platform also allows you to know what you have in your shopping cart no matter what page you are on. Simply add a product to your cart and scroll over the cart in the top right. Ahoy!
eFireplaceSupplies.com Launches!
March 27, 2008
With over 30 years of experience in the hearth, fireplace and woodstove industry, our supplier was the perfect company to partner with on our newest niche site dedicated to fireplace supplies and accessories. The site features over 300 fireplace supplies that have been hand crafted in
Site Features:
A fireplace can make a dramatic impact on a room but can often be overlooked when upgrading your home. This site is aimed toward the home owner looking to improve the look of their fireplace or those in need of fireplace tools. The color palette is easy on the eyes and gives the feeling of a cool relaxing atmosphere–on fire. This version of our platform comes equipped with a mini cart dropdown that displays your cart contents and cart total to avoid shopping cart sticker shock and allows the customer to know what they have in their cart at all times. This site also has the ability to cross promote between our other sites via the checkout confirmation page and a banner manager. Our product pages also allow the customer the ability to calculate their product arrival date via a link to shipping estimates. Check it out and feel free to critique.
Customers Can be Wrong
March 20, 2008
Here’s a great article by Alexander Kjerulf called “Top 5 reasons why ‘the customer is Always Right’ is wrong.” In our industry customer service is extremely important and we try to do our best. Sometimes–no matter what you do–there will be a “demanding jerk” who is absolutely hell-bent on being dissatisfied. The best thing really is to cut ties with the customer in a respectful manner. Let them know why they’re not a good fit for you and vice versa. It’s not worth demoralizing your loyal employees to save a customer who is anything but loyal.
Tags: customer service advice, customers can be wrongOne woman who frequently flew on Southwest, was constantly disappointed with every aspect of the company’s operation. In fact, she became known as the “Pen Pal” because after every flight she wrote in with a complaint.
She didn’t like the fact that the company didn’t assign seats; she didn’t like the absence of a first-class section; she didn’t like not having a meal in flight; she didn’t like Southwest’s boarding procedure; she didn’t like the flight attendants’ sporty uniforms and the casual atmosphere.
Her last letter, reciting a litany of complaints, momentarily stumped Southwest’s customer relations people. They bumped it up to Herb’s [Kelleher, CEO of Southwest] desk, with a note: ‘This one’s yours.’
In sixty seconds, Kelleher wrote back and said, ‘Dear Mrs. Crabapple, We will miss you. Love, Herb.’”
DiscountCanvasArt.com Launches!
March 14, 2008
Unless you are an avid art collector who takes pride in owning rare high end works of art, you most likely want pieces that look more expensive than they really are. Art that makes a statement, exudes your personality, and matches your décor. DiscountCanvasArt.com is a shopping outlet for original hand printed –get this– discount canvas art on an art gallery frame, ready to hang. Our collection includes vintage prints, animal, floral, and beach themes to name a few. Whatever your taste, we believe you should be able to find sweet art and save money doing it.
Site Features:
The design of this site is reflective of a retro modern appeal. The site features many of the new additions to our ever growing platform including the Thickbox JS image effect on product pages, a fully (finally) integrated PayPal module, and the ability to up sell other brands on our checkout success page. We are pleasantly surprised at how well the platform is evolving (and converting). We would be thrilled to receive feedback–try to be gentle–and any suggestions you have. It’s always good to have an outsider’s perspective.
Made in the USA and eCommerce Strategy
March 9, 2008
The ever-growing problem of Americans losing jobs to outsourcing will continue the consumer movement towards buying domestically made products so they can support local jobs. Several of our properties offer products Made in the
When it comes to eCommerce, it’s easy to focus on technology, trends, and marketing thus causing you to lose sight of your customers. People want to buy from companies they like and values they can get behind.
“In our experience we’ve found that not only do people shop online to find the lowest price, they also search for products that support causes.” - Chad and Jon, simultaneously
When developing your eCommerce strategy make sure you don’t loose focus on the customer’s needs and wants as a whole. Low prices and efficiency isn’t always the best approach. Often times the website becomes too much of a focus and we can overlook these buried gems. Make sure the foundation of your online marketing strategy is giving people as much value as possible while meeting their needs. It’s why your website should exist in the first place.
TeamFlagShop.com Launches!
March 3, 2008
Sports fans love to show off their team pride and we are here to help. TeamFlagShop.com has a collection of over 700 flags, pennants, mailbox covers, and accessories of teams from the NFL, NCAA, and MLB. We also sell the only premium quality Applique and Embroidered mini flag on the market. So whether you want to hang sports team flags outside your home, on your car, or on your wall – we have the flag to fit your decorating and team spirit needs.
Site Features:
As time rolls on our platform continues to grow and our ability to manage and display more products becomes a necessity. Our left navigation needed to be tweaked so that it doesn’t display all sub categories at one time. The nav will now only display sub categories when you select a category. The ability to cross sell products within the sub category on the product pages was also important because odds are that someone looking for a Tar Heels flag probably isn’t interested in a Duke flag. This site also features our most current checkout process modifications and the ability to cross sell on the shopping cart page. Check the site out and let us know what you think!
TwoPillows.com Launches!
February 19, 2008
Don’t be fooled by the name–we have more than two pillows, promise. Decorative throw pillows, accent pillows, couch pillows, or whatever you want to call them – TwoPillows.com has the pillows you need to transform the look of your favorite relaxation place. Our site allows you to select the fabric you feel best matches your atmosphere and choose the size and style you are looking for. Our pillows are categorized into a variety of collections including faux leather, denim, microfiber, and many more. Sizes range from 18″x18″ up to 24″x24″, however, we can make custom pillows to whatever size you desire. We also have popular bolster pillows in 9″x20″ size.
Site Features:
This site was developed to offer a variety of pillows without having so many products that our customers get confused. The product pages allow our customers to get an idea of all the various styles and options before placing their order. The product pages also feature a “learn more” button to provide customers the ability to easily find additional information and for those who don’t need the option to skip right over it. Attention to product naming was also important. The product names needed to include descriptive keywords for not only SEO but our sites advanced search ability. For example, if you are looking for a blue pillow, you need only type “blue” into the search bar and hit “Go” to view all our blue pillows. This also allows us to have better landing pages for our PPC campaigns. This site features our latest updates to the 3tailer platform’s checkout process. Let us know what you think about it.
Tags: accent pillows, throw pillows, TwoPillows.com launchesOnlyFountains.com launches!
February 15, 2008
The sound of water droplets trickling down, slowly merging with a pool of crystal clear water has been proven to relax the body and comfort the mind. Our unique gemstone fountains are each hand made using the finest materials and craftsmanship. Our collection includes indoor tabletop fountains, geode fountains, ocean fountains and the ever popular wall fountains. We even have accessories like fountain pumps. Our Zen fountains are sure to please those seeking the more balanced lifestyle.
Site Features:
The site was developed using our most recent platform. The ability to drill down into products via “Shop by Price” and our advanced search tool were necessary to allow customers to find the product they are looking for. The search marketing competitiveness around water fountains was not overlooked. Our attention to SEO details ensures that we have presented our site in a way that allows all search engines to properly index not only the top tier pages of our site, but the product pages as well. This attention to product page SEO allows us to target long tail keywords often overlooked others.
Tags: indoor fountains, OnlyFountains.com, tabletop fountains, water fountains, zen fountains
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