New to selling online,soaking up information like a sponge.

[ashtraygirldesigns]

I just created my own online store on Ecrater to primarily sell "alternative" style fashion items that I make myself and also secondhand items. I haven't listed any products yet because I want to make sure I have my site set up perfectly and have done all my research on how to run an online store..etc.

I've read all the Ecrater tutorials,and a few other tutorials ,and other types of research as well. I still have tons of questions though. I sold a few items in online auctions when I was a teenager, but things were a little different then. From what I've been hearing about Ebay, I definitely don't want to set up shop there.

I've created a few blogs, and I plan on joining some sites for networking like Facebook and Myspace. I know a big part of my customer base will be teenagers, and I wish I could get my items on to Polyvore, but of course, Ecrater has a block.

I'd really like someone to give me some feedback on my site, and what I've done so far.

Also anyone who has information on what I need to know about selling fashion items, especially handmade and thrift items, I'd love to hear advice from.

Oh, and a big concern I have is that I registered a free domain name from cz.cc, and I know url masking is bad and I should just forward it, and cz.cc didn't even seem to have an option to mask so I assumed the one option they had was just for forwarding so that's what I did. I'm worried that my url is masked though. I really don't want to edit my site image, but I want paypal to work correctly. Any advice?

Sorry for the long introduction. I just want to know as much as possible.

[zickit]

WELCOME!

[ashtraygirldesigns]

Thanks, I'll fix those things before start selling.

It must be a recent thing,because I tried to use the polyvore clipper tool on the image on my site to test it out, and it says "you can't use images from ecrater"

[usedit]

Welcome to ecrater

You might want to edit the categories you featured and upload images for them. They look strange on your homepage without any images.

Good luck

[ashtraygirldesigns]

I wasn't sure I could upload images without having products first,but I will look and see what I can do. Thanks

[maggiethehousecat]

Welcome to ecrater.

I'm assuming you changed the print size on your logo or else Big Tall
has really bad eyesight.

What you have done so far looks good.

I realize you don't have room to define alternative clothing on your home page but I'd do it on your about page rather than send them off to another site. When you have a shopper in your store you don't want them to leave. Wikipedia doesn't sell stuff but if they go there, they'll probably never return.

This next suggestion is made not knowing how many items you plan on keeping at any one time. In your store descriptions you state you will have used and reconstructed items. If you think there will only be a few of each at any given time, your categories are fine. If you plan to load up the store, I'd break the categories down into, for example
all items>apparel>new
all items>apparel>used
all items>apparel>reconstructed

Good luck. Make sure you reactivate this introduce yourself topic when you get items listed. That is where people make their grossest errors.

[acread]

[Americasprice]

I don't think there is such a thing as "a perfect site" from my experience in the business I learned that a website is "never" perfect or finished. That is the last thing you want your site to be. You site should always be changing with new product and information.

The most annoying thing to see on the web is a bunch of "dead sites" where you content and products never changed...truly boring. So, don't worry that your site is not completly finished. A website is a work in constant progress.

Good luck.

P.S. Please stop by and check out our store and let us know what you think.

[hobhollow]

I just recently opened my store and found it was really simple to do. As long as you just follow in step by step format, you should find that it is super easy.

I know when I started my first store (on Ebay) it was a very daunting task that seemed to require all to much time and effort for the end result. I didn't feel like that with ecrater at all. Smooth and if you have specific questions, they are really good about giving answers super fast.

Good Luck - it looks like it is coming along really nicely.

http://hobhollow.ecrater.com