tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88351325737445522392012-01-12T14:34:31.238+02:00eCommerce Start - Tinker.roOn 7th of December 2009 a new Online Shop went live! My Online Shop.
This blog is its story from the idea up to now.
All the steps we passed you find in my posts. Our stumbling blocks, conclusions/lessons learned you find here.
My next OnlineShop for sure will be easier ;)Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.comBlogger211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-34923831579754193422010-03-02T13:51:00.003+02:002010-03-07T19:12:45.596+02:00Goods receiptxFirst delivery entrance
230 different napkins arrived in a huge, in a very huge parcel. I thought about the different steps which need to go through, and organize it, so that it doesn't take to much time, but I must admit - first time, it didn't work perfect ;) But only the first time.
Steps which are needed:
- check order against delivery
- find own defined product number
- make photo of eachTinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-72819644075719451322010-02-28T13:07:00.001+02:002010-03-07T13:11:33.021+02:00Which price ?How much should it cost?
The decision is clear - product prices are in Lei. But how much? Fixed costs, one time costs, running costs ... And I am neither a bookkeeper nor a controller. I know that I have to take into account:
- purchase price
- delivery costs
- cost of packaging
- currency fluctuation
- ...and for sure some more, which I didn't
Can you imagine how much it takes to calculate theTinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-47343460801459915272010-02-24T14:29:00.010+02:002010-02-24T15:35:20.290+02:00Which currency?Euro or Lei or both?
Here in Romania, a lot of companies have the product prices in Euro. And makes sense ... you don't have risks regarding currency rate fluctuation. On the other hand, for me it's very strange to see and buy not in local currency.
It's clear, a lot of discussions followed to this topic, and a couple of ideas came up:
- to show both: Euro and the calculated Lei price (on Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-79104010623513042632010-02-18T15:45:00.017+02:002010-03-07T11:22:31.731+02:00List of ArticlesHow lucky - we have Excel !
The list whith the products planne for the OnlineShop, I have for a couple of time. Now I have to put into the Excel all other informations, which are needed, so that after the upload everything fits. And it's a lot of work. A lot!! Days and nights I had to work on it, starting screaming because it didn't want to end. By the way, the upload of the articles and photosTinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-30628503407933798132010-02-13T18:49:00.022+02:002010-02-24T15:37:51.622+02:00Storage placeWhere to store? How?
When you start thinking of an OnlineShop, do you think immediately also of the storage place? Fantastic! I myself didn't. And if you've 500 different products you need a lot of place or you organize it perfect. I've chosen the second alternative. To rent somewhere a place for the stock, was out of discussion.
We have a small mansarde using it for shoes, tools, hoover and Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-85460088775807343192010-02-12T14:12:00.006+02:002010-03-07T19:14:30.280+02:00First stock orderWell stocked / Out of stock / Overstock
I know what to order, I know where to order, the BIGGEST question now: How much from each product? To be well stocked is the idea, not to run out of stock immediately but otherwise not to get an overstock, thinking also of the money I have to spend and the storage place, which exists.
How much Window Color do you order? 67 different colors, and each of Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-53629667310006450482010-02-07T19:07:00.021+02:002010-02-15T13:55:31.035+02:00Blog versus ForumBlog, Forum ... which one?
At this part of my famous project I felt out-dated. And I didn't like this feeling at all. Who likes it? I had no blog and didn't read any blogs, so I've been automatically against an OnlineShop blog . I had "to fight" against all around me, people from the marketing company didn't accept my opinion and to cut a long story short, I lost the fight and we have a blog Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-82425055841210082022010-02-01T13:48:00.029+02:002010-02-14T03:57:39.188+02:00Distribution possibilitiesHow do I send the parcel?
Post, clear. But only with the post? No. Also with the courier service. Which one?
Next investigation started. Which courier exists? Which is their delivery area? How expensive are they? Distance price, weight price, delivery time, reputation ... variables which I should take into account, and there are a lot of companies driving around. At least I've chosen one, NEMO Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-55818529541572786072010-01-30T19:04:00.032+02:002010-02-14T03:54:31.938+02:00The Article numberOwn ID for products
From the beginning it was very clear, I will define new ID's for my products. It's much more easier to take over the article number of the supplier, but if you have different suppliers for the same product? What do then?
I started thinking, how to define the ID's. It's more sophisticated than you can imagine.
First question: "With business logic, yes or no?" I've chosen the Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-46979112527427413482010-01-27T13:51:00.010+02:002010-02-11T14:21:38.879+02:00Site navigationWhat happens at each click?
At least for me, this was not a very easy task. To imagine and to write down, where to go, when clicking on one of the items. Once again brainstorming hours were needed, thinking how the whole OnlineShop should work.
When I click on Techniques, chosing one of them, what should happen? When I click on WindowColor, in the navigation bar, the different categories Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-60260598445419093672010-01-24T18:50:00.011+02:002010-02-15T13:00:37.554+02:00How want the people pay?Payment, which type?
This is very clear: Credit card, Bank transfer and Cash on delivery. It is not very common here to pay with credit card, but for me it's unimaginable not to have this possibility. So it is part of the application functionality list and has to be done. What I didn't know - it is not cheap. You've to pay for each transaction at least 4% of the transaction value. I never Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-26928416818348389812010-01-22T19:06:00.018+02:002010-02-06T18:59:52.316+02:00Which Hosting company?There are so many hosting companies! Which one?
For this decision I had help. My IT colleague took over the task. The website technical requirements defined CANDOO. Linux Operating system, Appache web server , PHP compatibility, Magento know how, MySQL version and server hosting setup where on the list.To these points we added, storage space, support, SLA, backup type, monthly traffic, Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-55355095274595125982010-01-18T19:05:00.001+02:002010-02-06T03:31:41.743+02:00Layout of my OnlineShopHow should it look like?
I am sure that no day passed, without thinking about that. I know exactly what I don't want, but it was not really clear what I want. And than it becomes difficult. You are sitting in brainstorming meetings, looking at almost hundreds of online shops, at the colors, the navigation bar, the product descriptions .... and there are thousands of posssibilities and thousandsTinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-34003392782805782642010-01-17T19:06:00.005+02:002010-02-06T02:29:18.101+02:00Which Supplier?From where do I get my products?
The decision which products I would like to sell is taken, now the next big question - From where? Who sells? To which price? Delivery conditions, payment conditions?
Talking to different suppliers and producers, getting offers, having long discount discussions, signing contracts - it was really nerve-racking. One product cheaper here, but with 500 Euro minimum Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-71176277386763151662010-01-13T13:49:00.013+02:002010-02-06T03:36:14.527+02:00A Logo is requiredLost in space
How do I let everybody know, that a new OnlineShop is in "town" . With great things which they don't know that they exist and which they must have starting with tomorrow. Absolutely no idea!
So help is needed. A marketing company is the answer. And they must believe in my idea, otherwise it will not work! I found this company and also the perfect person. Sometimes you just need aTinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-42194536647935248712010-01-12T01:15:00.006+02:002010-02-11T17:18:17.518+02:00My shop needs a name"Tinker" is born
I know that the name has to be a word which is easy to remember. Perfect would be one word. Not two or three where it's not clear if you write them together, or with a hyphen. I'm looking for the perfect word. It's important! It's very important!
"Hobby" - the domain is not free
"Creativ" - domain not free
"Creative" - domain not free
"Bricolaj" - I connect this word with Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-23700368463927872222010-01-09T19:05:00.021+02:002010-02-11T17:19:03.499+02:00Which eCommerce Software?Frontend & Backend is needed
Meaning I need a Web designer for the site and an application behind for the whole adminstration and configuration stuff. That is clear. But which one? Thanks god we have the Internet! My second "investigation phase started".
There exists companies, which make you believe, that with 250.00 Euro you can have a complete Shopping cart software. There exists also Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-37688694251726880202010-01-08T18:02:00.011+02:002010-02-11T17:20:56.396+02:00Which functionalities?Do you know exactly how the shop should work?
"No, I don't"
That was a clear answer. I had no idea how this online shops are working. I had to find out. My OnlineShop investigation phase started.
Looking at a lot of online shops, writing down the funcionalities which I came across, analyzing if I like them, if I need them, if they are a must or not. You can't imagine how much of them exist Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-3983825458035613372010-01-05T16:05:00.008+02:002010-02-03T16:28:47.442+02:00What do you want to sell?THE main question and not very easy to find the answer.
"I want to sell Window Color (WiCo). That's my hobby, and I am sure there will be interested people somewhere who will like it and buy it. And I want also to introduce the napkin technique"
This is an answer but far far away to be enough!
One brand or more?
Which WiCo colours?
Which producer?
What do you need for these techniques?
What Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-66496541142492525722010-01-03T14:52:00.003+02:002010-02-03T16:23:43.982+02:00It starts always with an ideaWhy not try?
Question I put myself for more than 3 years. Try to make business out of my hobby. A small business. Not a big one. As a hobby of my hobby.
That's how it started. August 2009, the idea became my new project. And now my hobby of my hobby is running for one month (her you can see it www,tinker.ro) and I start thinking about the famous lessons learned. And all the hundred's of steps Tinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835132573744552239.post-58346804969579018772010-01-03T13:25:00.003+02:002010-02-06T03:35:19.636+02:00OnlineShop - Tinker.rohttp://www.tinker.ro/
... is the name of my OnlineShop.
We are selling all the stuff you need for two different tinker techniques: WindowColor and Napkin Technique. In case you are interested in them, just follow the links to the different descriptions (romanian language)
And this is now my "logbook" of the last 6 month.
If you plan to do something similar - perhaps it helps you a little bitTinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16959040061300272617noreply@blogger.com0