Indiemade Questions

[#1]

Do you have a question about your Indiemade site? Post is here.

Stick to topics like SEO, marketing, blogging, social media..... you know!

If you have questions about your bill, site performance.... that kind of stuff... contact Indiemade: http://www.indiemade.com/contact

[cuddlebugkids]

Wow...great job Tressa! I especially love how you've used the customized options such as larger photos for the "about me" part and having categories on your welcome page which link into store categories. Very cool! Can you tell me how you linked to the categories? I'd love to try something like that!

[Former_Member]

Do you guys heavily promote your indiemade page?

I just sent an email to get items listed. I can't wait!

[Former_Member]

Thanks to Tim for guiding me to indiemade, it is really easy and nice. I have also been reading what everyone on here has posted and learning from everyone. A big thanks to all of you. One question I have a domain name "larrysleatherwork.com" when I type it in it reads in the address box "http://larrysleatherwork.indiemade.com/" Can I get it to read my domain name instead of the indiemade address? Thanks

[designsbyegs]

Hi Tim,
Been struggling so far, waiting for the A-ha. Think I may have hit it with these
discussions. Started out with google analytics, not the best way. Think I'll
shelve that for later and just get set up with indiemade for now.

Thanks for all the informative tips, Tim, you're the greatest. peace, elizabeth

[designsbyegs]

Hi Tressa,
Outstanding! Hope I can do mine justice. elizabeth

[handmadeologybiz]

Elizabeth ... I have a video ready to post all about setting up google analytics ! will be posting in the up coming week.

[Puppycatmeow]

Maria- I will try to explain how I made my welcome page but you need to know how to do make a photo collage with pictures - I used Picassa which is a free program.

What you do is make a page- I labeled mine "Welcome." I have not decided if I am going to make it my landing page yet. What do you think? Any how here it is to refer to:
http://puppycatmeow.indiemade.com/content/welcome

I have 9 shop sections. So I took my favorite pictures of each section and I made them into a button. I made a collage with the picture and the shop section name in Picassa so it will be a whole picture.

Once you have your pictures made begin to make a new page - go to content - pages

then
+Add a new page

to get 3 pictures across I sized the pictures to "242" with 2 spaces in between
I made 3 rows of pictures to have the 9 pictures.

The hardest part was making the picture buttons. Making the page is really easy once you make the pictures.

All you do once you have your pictures on the page is click on the first picture.
To link it to the page you go to the shop section in your store and copy / past the link.

Click on your picture and then in the window you will see a little "globe" icon with a tiny "chain" in front of it. Click on that.

There will be a pop up window where you can add the link to your section. From now on your picture button will link to your shop section. Do that for all of your pictures and Viola! You are done!

:)
Tressa

[Former_Member]

Tressa I may have to "steal" your welcome page idea; ill tweak it though to make it my own. I already have a welcome graphic but id love to link to sections too! I have a lot of work to still do to my shop listings...once im done ill post my page here.

[cuddlebugkids]

Tressa - you're awesome! Thanks so much for taking the time to explain that! Yes, I know how to do the basic photo stuff but what I didn't know what the "button" making part. Thanks so much for sharing how! I'll try to work on it some more this week! REALLY love the categories with buttons. It helps people get where they want to be faster and visually which hopefully translates into more sales! Great job!

[Puppycatmeow]

Any time! If I come up with something new I will let you know. Right now I am thinking about having a "testimonial" page with customer photos and having the pics link to my items. But that is a lot of work- I am still working on my listings to make them un duplicated. But it is in my head to do it some time soon.

:)

[Former_Member]

One thing that always bothered me about my Etsy shop is that I never had a way to mark and item as "sold" without it actually selling on Etsy. By far my largest sales are at shows. After taking the time to take photos and write the descriptions and do some promoting of my on-line item, it sells at a fair and then my only option is to delete it. Arghh!

On indiemade, I created a gallery of "Sold Items". I got the idea from looking at other indiemade shops. Problem solved! Check it out at www.aShareeDesign.com

[handmadeologybiz]

ooo nice idea Sharee!!

http://www.ashareedesign.com/gallery/sold-items

[cuddlebugkids]

Great idea Sharee! I also like the testimonials page idea Tressa. What if you started with just one or a few collaged people photos at the top and text testimonies under to make the start up less work?

[DamnGoodDoormats]

Tim- How do you add one item to multiple shop sections? Thanks!

[handmadeologybiz]

When you are editing your item look for the category box.

Hold Ctrl while clicking to select multiple categories.

[Former_Member]

Thanks for the multiple categories tip!

Is there a way to make your indie made shop searchable?

[handmadeologybiz]

Searchable where?

[Former_Member]

Within the site. Maybe I am missing something. Right now it looks like shoppers have to be prepared to browse through all my listings, with only the categories to help them narrow the field. Is there a way within my shop for buyers to search for "blue feather clip" or "woman's large knit hat"?

[Former_Member]

Another question-- I have my own domain (www.elephunkstrunk.com) which I have linked to my Indie Made site. For things like google analytics or even the Indie Made Summary page, are www.elephunkstrunk.com and elephunkstrunk.indiemade.com the same thing? If someone comments on a blog post at elephunkstrunk.indiemade.com/blog does it show up on elephunkstrunk.com/blog or am I effectively running two parallel websites?

[Former_Member]

I made my first sale on Indiemade but the product stayed active. I make one of a kind items, so when something sells, it must be removed from active status. I wrote to Indiemade and asked. Here's their response:

"Products do not automatically become inactive after they've been sold. If you don't want to offer it anymore, you need to explicitly delete it. (In the upcoming version, you can simply click to hide it.)

We do have plans for a more sophisticated inventory control system but that's not likely to be live until early-to-mid summer."

[Former_Member]

Good to know Sharee.

[Former_Member]

Is there a way to limit product availability? Like Sharee mentioned, if I have a one of a kind item or only have one item available I don't want my customer to be able to order several in check-out. I just had my first sale last night and noticed that a buyer can order into the double digits when I only have one available. I read through the handbook and the Q&A but don't see this addressed anywhere.

[Former_Member]

ALl of you have great looking shops!

I was just getting my IndieMade shop started, but there are a few things that are keeping me from moving ahead.

1) is just what Sharee posted about the items not deactivating when sold. I only make one of each item (usually, unless I have similar stones available).

2) I was hoping there would be a way to create a dropdown menu so buyers can add what size or color they wanted when they purchase.

[Puppycatmeow]

Celeste- I thought for sure there was a search box on my store and now it is gone. That is weird - I wonder if they modified it.

[Former_Member]

I tweeted IndieMade asking about search and they said they are working on it. Maybe late fall it will show up.