ShoeMoney:

Huber Chevrolet told me about how they had a separate sales division that did nothing but answer phone calls and emails from internet leads and they valued each of those at XX (they asked me not to reveal the specifics).
I told them I would charge them $10 per internet lead (a small fraction of what they are currently paying) but with the condition I could publish a lot of the data on my case study (what your reading). I also told them I wanted to exclusively use MySpace for this test because in past ones we mainly focused on Facebook for driving social network traffic. I really like the super advanced targeting features of MySpace MyAds. They allowed us to target not only cities but specific zip codes. In addition to the geographic targeting we could also target people who were interested in cars or whatever else we thought would convert well.

They were pretty excited to get started. That night I registered hubercash4clunkers.info and had our designer make 4-5 different versions of the landing page rotating through Google’s Website Optimizer to see which one converted the best. Here was the winner converting at 74% (not to bad):

From Business Opportunities Weblog.

Sometimes the Internet messes up. Here are some ads that don’t really fit with the article next to it.

Photos by BuzzFeed.

From Business Opportunities Weblog.

Imagine walking into your local store, picking out a cart full of items, and going to the check out line just to tell the cashier what you will pay for each item. Feels like a dream, doesn’t it?

Anyone who has bought from Shoppers Rule knows that it is a reality. Through an innovative system they have in place, shoppers are allowed to pick the price they are willing to pay for a product. While not all prices can be accepted, any price that isn’t instantly accepted will receive a counter offer. Then it is up to you, the shopper, to decide whether you are willing to pay the price. The automated purchase by offer system makes them unlike any other shop that can be found on the web.

We’ve had the opportunity ask Jim Murphy, the president of Shoppers Rule Inc., a few questions about this innovative system, the quilting/sewing supplies they sell, and about his own inspirations.

Tell us a little about Shoppers Rule and your purchase by offer system.

Shoppers Rule opened in 1999 with the goal of being the place to shop for sewing, quilting and embroidery supplies. We developed a unique way to shop by allowing our customers to make offers for the products they wish to buy. When customer’s comes to our site they have usually shopped around and they already know the market value of the products they want to buy. Because of our volume we are able to get the best possible pricing from our suppliers. We also do direct sourcing and in recent years have started manufacturing our own products to meet our customer’s needs. This allows give great value to our customer. Customers are able to enter an “Offered Price” for each item they place in their basket. When they checkout, our software compares the offer on the basket of goods against the cost of the basket. If it meets our minimum, the offer is accepted and the order is completed. If the offer is too low, we let the customer know that we appreciated the offer but it is a bit low. A counter offer is calculated and the customer can either accept our offer or delete the order. It’s that simple! This system allows the customer to interact with us and gives them a measure of controlling their cost. It’s a win-win for everyone.

What inspired it?

It’s hard to believe but when we opened in 1999 the Internet was just starting to catch on and we had to find an innovative way to attract customers. We simply asked ourselves why would we want to buy on the Internet. The reasons that came to mind were, to get a better price, to find products that are not available locally, and convenience. We looked at the websites that were then online and found that most were going after the price motive and were heavily discounting. Others were modeled after brick and mortar stores without any compelling reason to buy from them and without any customer interaction.

We already had strong connections within the sewing industry so we knew we could offer a large array of sewing and crafting products and could compete with anyone on price. However, we wanted to offer more to our customers than the lowest price – we wanted to offer great values and even better service. One thought led to another and we decided that the best price shouldn’t be based on one item; we wanted to give the best value based on all the items the customer was purchasing. This led us to “You Pick The Item, Then Pick The Price”. The system offers value to the customer and they become part of the process.

What are some of the products that you have available in your online shop?

We offer a wide variety of sewing, quilting and embroidery supplies. We also offer a huge selection of garments such as Tee Shirts, Sweat Shirts Golf shirts, Towels and other textile items to embroider. We are one of the largest suppliers of embroidery thread and embroidery backings in the country. We have also expanded and offer many gift and kitchenware items in our shopping mall section.

Which one seems to be the top seller among your customers?

That’s a hard question as it changes everyday. We cater to all types of sewers and each group buys different product lines. For example: Embroiderers buy embroidery thread and embroidery backings and buy all types of products to embroider and embellish. Seasonally, Tee Shirts and golf shirts are hot in the summer and Sweat Shirts sell in the colder months. We also offer the Shoppers Rule Thread Club to our embroidery customer’s. The Thread Club is very unique and very popular. Quilters buy quilting thread and templates. The Hot item for quilters is a Go-Cutter that dye-cuts pieces for quilts.

While you will accept any reasonable offer that someone might give for a product, what happens if his or her offer is below what you will accept?

We never intended that Shoppers Rule become an auction site or for that matter a barter site so we keep it simple. If the offer is too low, we inform the customer of how much we are able to save them through a counter offer. If the customer accepts the counter offer they get a great deal. If they don’t accept the counter offer, the order is cancelled from our system and is never seen again.

Be honest, does anyone ever go through and offer just $1 for something so they can see how low you will go?

Absolutely! Everyone’s definition as to what is reasonable is different so offers are all over the board. We expect that and don’t mind one bit. We feel that if a customer is a serious buyer our world-class service and value will win the day.

How has Shoppers Rule changed/grown since it first launched?

Oh – we have changed – oh my yes! Our “Make an Offer System has been refined throughout the years to make it easier for the customer to use and understand. When we first started, most of our systems were manual and labor intensive so they could not keep up with our volume. We automated the system and have refined the software to make it work seamlessly with our inventory, order entry, and shipping systems. Our Club Special Rewards program was introduced five years ago and membership in this program has grown every month since. Club Member’s are able to purchase selected items at prices far below our normally accepted price. Club Special Member’s also receive reward points for each purchase made and these reward points are redeemable for discounts on future purchases. We just recently shipped our five millionth product. We continue to expand our services as we launched our Shoppers Rule Blog just over a year ago. It now contains volumes of valuable information for our customers and it is our goal to make it the place to go for answers to all your sewing questions.

Do you have any goals that you hope to accomplish over the next year? What are your long-term goals?

We are continuously looking to make the buying experience more enjoyable for our customers. We are constantly on the lookout for new and innovative products and are currently in development of several products that fill needs in the marketplace. We have taken a steady-as-you-go approach to growth so that we can maintain our service level as that is truly the key to our success. Having said that, we do have some very aggressive plans for the future that should result in substantial growth.

Will you ever expand on your offer to buy system and start online shops that cater to needs outside of craft supplies?

Yes! In fact we have already done so. We opened up Shopperstools.com 18 months ago. Shoppers Tools offers an extensive line of shop and mechanic tools to the automotive trade. This site also uses the “You Pick The Item, Then Pick The Price!” system. We are also developing a new site, OurOneLove.com “ A Wedding Store”. Our One Love will offer all types of wedding supplies. This is a great area for us as we are able to use many of our current suppliers for much of the merchandise. We have also been in discussion about licensing the system to other merchants. We are studying the idea and have yet to make a final decision.

What are some of the lessons you have learned from your business?

We have learned that no matter how much you know there is always more to learn. You can never assume that all your customer’s needs are met and that you must always be changing or you will not succeed. We have had to reinvent ourselves ten times in ten years. With the “You Pick the Item, Then Pick The Price!” system you learn to expect that a few customers will be unreasonable. You also learn that in the end, most customers are fair-minded!

From Business Opportunities Weblog.

Razor blade refills are one of those purchases that tend to irk many consumers, primarily for the frequency with which they’re needed and the relatively high prices at which they’re often sold.

Aiming to salve irritation on both points, Raz*War offers subscription plans for home delivery at prices beginning at EUR 27.50 per year.

Launched late last month by Brussels-based Growth Bridge, Raz*War sells blades by the box—priced at EUR 1 per blade—as well as a starter kit including razor, blades and travel bag.

Deliveries are made in installments every four months, and a starter kit with razor and travel bag is included in the first shipment.

Similar in many ways to Alice, which aims to take the pain out of shopping repeatedly for basic household necessities, Raz*War currently ships only within the EU.

Photo by Raz*War

From Business Opportunities Weblog.

Buying something online can be a frustrating process. The shear numbers of websites offering the same product can lead to endless hours of surfing to try to find the right deal.

Prashant Nedungadi has been one of those people and decided to use that frustration to launch IMshopping.com, a website that utilizes a combination of software and sales experts to direct buyers to the precise product they’re looking for. What Nedungadi has dubbed “human-assisted shopping” is a network of retail experts, or guides, and the broader community of IMshopping’s more than 30,000 registered users.

IMshopping leverages Twitter to help allow consumers to pose shopping-related questions around the clock.

The Twitter part works by submitting your shopping query to @imshopping, which spits back a response to your Twitter account, usually within 15 minutes, with a link to the answer of your question. Photos of the product and other recommended products may also be included in the response.

Photo by IMshopping.

From Business Opportunities Weblog.

The Game Crafter is a new company that lets you build your own, fully customized, table-top games. Board games, card games — you name it, there’s a good chance these guys can put it together for you, with fully customized art assets and text.

From Business Opportunities Weblog.

ViewLike.us is an online application that lets you quickly test website in different resolutions. You simply need to enter website URL into provided field and click on the “Submit” button. Once the page loads, you can click different resolution tabs to view how the site looks.

Currently the app allows to preview te websites in almost all popular resolutions: 320×396, 800x 600, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1400×900, 1600×1200 and 1900×1200.

You might also want to try BrowserShots, to test your site in different browsers.

Photo by ViewLike.us.

From Business Opportunities Weblog.

Now with her own personal button to push, SWCreations continues to expand. Beyond the button collection is a wide range of pieces to choose from. Within the 900 or so pieces of jewelry that Stephanie has listed, you’re likely to find something that will inspire you.

What inspired you to create SWCreations?

The initial inspiration for creating SWCreations was to find a creative outlet for all my extra mental energy after sleepless nights with a baby, and later running around all day after my toddler (I was a stay at home mother). I decided to call my company SW, which were are my initials. I decided on Creations because that left me open to create other things besides jewelry if the mood struck.

How many pieces do you generally have listed on your website at one time?

My store typically has about 900 pieces listed at one time. Every item is handcrafted, and most pieces are one of a kind, so when sales are brisk it is not always easy to keep my store stocked up with new items.

Tell us a little about your button collection.

I found my first jar of buttons at a local antique store. Inside this jar I found my first pendant sewn together with antique shell buttons and Swarovski crystals. My second purchase of buttons was on eBay. At that time, I was talking to a friend about how a particular competitor was really trying to “push my buttons”, and I came up with the idea of using these buttons as a symbol of my mental resolve to not allow people to “push my buttons”. Ironically, the eBay seller I was purchasing buttons from at the time had the type of personality that gave me another opportunity to practice what I had decided – to not allow “other people to push my buttons” Some people with whom I have shared my story that frequent estate sells began to gather even more buttons, and now I believe I may have a lifetime supply of buttons!

What inspired it?

The jewelry button design collection, ‘My BeadLoved Buttons’, was inspired by a really horrific event in the recent past. A competitor copied my web design and my jewelry designs, and then turned around and filed a false claim saying I had actually copied from HIM! I am sure you can imagine my emotional response to such a betrayal, and that greatly interfered with my creative “muse”. The entire situation was so unbelievably stressful that I found it was sabotaging my ability to be as creative. A long time friend, Shirley from www.GemstoneGifts.com suggested I find something creative to put all this extra energy into, and I found myself telling her over and over…this guy REALLY pushes my buttons!!!! So I began creating these new very intricate designs (translate that as something that required my full attention) and these darling little artistic creations were born from all that turmoil. I am a big believer in trying to make something positive come out of a negative situation.

Did you ever imagine your business would grow like it has?

I never imagined my business would thrive like it has, but I hoped! This company has given me the ability to raise my daughter while staying home as a single mother. Spending my day doing the two things I love most, taking care of my daughter, and creating things with my own hands, has been quite a blessing.

How has your business expanded/changed since it launched 10 years ago?

As my business grew and evolved I had to grow right along with it. I learned many different software programs, editing techniques, image processing shortcuts, SEO, HTML programming, etc, that have saved me a lot of time and money.

What goals do you hope to accomplish over the next year? Any long term goals?

I would love to have more time to be creative and design some new art pieces. I think one of my long term goals for my business is to hire some employees, and possibly a business manager.

What lessons have you learned from your business?

I believe, now more than ever, that I can truly do accomplish anything my heart desires.

Do you have any advice for anyone that might be interested in getting into the handmade jewelry business?

Do what you love, be yourself, and discover what you can create with your own imagination.

From Business Opportunities Weblog.

Four Leg Identity allows you to buy products for your pet that fit its personality. They search out the best, and most unique, pet products for you to choose from.

Inspired by their own search for the best pet accessories, this mother/daughter team, Linda Niemiec and Kari Raderstorf, took what they found and have created a one-stop shop for everything your dog or cat could want.

Tell us a little about Four Leg Identity.

Four Leg Identity is an online Couture Pet boutique for the pet that’s Anything BUT Average. We strive to help create that identity for your pet while offering products and ideas that may stimulate your pets inner self. We (Linda Niemiec and Kari Raderstorf, co-founders of Four Leg Identity) started the concept while searching for our own dogs. I wanted something cool and hip for Archie (my 4 yr old Labradoodle). I was looking for dog collars and dog beds for him, but couldn’t find the ‘right’ style or construction from the local pet stores or even boutiques for that matter. Therefore, I was on a hunt, which inspired my mom to start the hunt as well. After doing research for our own dogs, we felt the urge to share our findings and launch Four Leg Identity.com. Currently, we’re internet-based only, yet have goals to launch into a storefront within the next several years.

What inspired you to start your business?

I (Kari) grew up in an entrepreneurial family (my parents, grandparents and great grandparents all had their own businesses) I’ve always been inspired by their independence and abilities to be self-employed. After graduating college and working in the corporate world for the last 11 years, I felt the need to make the plunge and start my own company. My parents and brother currently run a safety company, yet my mom and I have always discussed working together. As of January this past year, our dream became a reality when Four Leg Identity.com finally launched.

Have the two of you always had an interested in pets and pet supplies?

We’ve always had an interest in pets as they have always been part of our family. Our pets are part of everything we do, therefore style and fashion has been important as well. When we were younger, we were able to dress them and beautify them with items we had in the house. Now we have an outlet to purchase great dog collars, dog beds, clothes and more to help create their identity.

What pets are currently covered by the products you offer?

Currently we offer products for dogs and cats. At this time we do not have plans to expand to other animals as there is an enormous amount of product and ideas that we have yet to incorporate. We are focused and are trying to create brand awareness for our products and concept ‘Four the pet that’s Anything BUT Average… Create an Identity for your Pet’.

Would we recognize any of the brands?

Yes, we carry brands that have a recognizable name, such as Crypton, West Paw Design and 26 Bars and a Band… We also carry brands that are not as well known, such as Elizabeth Smith Paige, One Form and Eloise.

What are some of the goals you hope to achieve before you reach your one year anniversary in January of next year?

We want our customers to recognize our brand, to recommend our brand and we want them to come back for future purchases. We’d like to see our incoming links increase and to be ranked on the first page of google and yahoo for dog beds and dog collars. We want everyone to find something useful and price-fitting for their lifestyle. We want to be the one-stop shop for all your pet needs.

It is said that parent/child partnerships are some of the toughest to keep together. What has your experience been like?

We have a great relationship. We don’t work in the same office or in the same state, yet we do communicate via telephone daily to bounce ideas, brainstorm strategies, website design, article ideas, etc. Luckily we have a great working relationship. The key is listening to the other person’s ideas and thoughts. We don’t always agree, yet have a mutual respect for the each other.

What are some of the positive aspects to running a mother/daughter business like yours?

I think an advantage is that we know each other, we know what gets each other excited, what the likes and dislikes are and have respect for one another. We don’t always agree, but at the end of the day, we have the same goal and want to see our business take off, therefore, we’re able to communicate effectively and keep an open mind as our relationship is extremely important to the success of the business.

Everything is a learning experience and a business is no exception. What has your business taught you?

To be focused and consistent. To be open-minded and to think outside the box in marketing to our current and future customers.

Do you have any advice you’d like to share with other parent/child business partnerships?

Be open, be honest and have empathy for the other person’s ideas and concerns. Business with family can be somewhat challenging, yet if all parties respect each other and can communicate clearly, the partnership has the potential to be a force in their industry.

From Business Opportunities Weblog.

Threats by retailers to cut off affiliate marketing relationships in states that are trying to tax sales generated by affiliates have had an effect.

The governors of California and Hawaii have vetoed legislation that would have imposed such taxes in those states.

The governors acted after such major online retailers as Amazon.com Inc., Blue Nile Inc. and Overstock.com Inc. began this week cutting off affiliates in states that adopted laws requiring collection of sales taxes by e-retailers with affiliates in those states.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called Overstock CEO and chairman Patrick Byrne to say he was going to veto the sales tax legislation. “We couldn`t be more pleased to have been directly told that the governor is going to focus on balancing the budget via cost cutting and not by jamming consumers and small businesses with new taxes,” Byrne says. “I compliment Governor Schwarzenegger on getting it right.”

Overstock reinstated relationships with its California affiliates following Schwarzenegger’s call, and resumed relations with affiliates in Hawaii today after getting news that Gov. Linda Lingle had vetoed that state’s sales tax law yesterday.

Photo by svilen001.

From Business Opportunities Weblog.