On-Line Sales

[GeoSpectrum]

I was wondering what the view of the forum is regarding on-line sales of ready-mades, mounts etc and combing them with the bespoke traditional approach via the home based workshop or shop outlet?

I am setting up a website to promote my framing business and am considering including a product line with shopping cart or the ability to pay via PayPal. I have the skills to do the set-up, I was just wandering if the effort will be worthwhile?

A good trawl around the net shows that plenty of framing companies of all shapes and sizes have the ability to sell on line. But just how effective is it and what are the pitfalls?

I’d appreciate your thoughts.

GS

[prospero]

Thought 1. You would have to cut your prices to the bone to compete. Shoppers would be buying mostly on price, not being able to inspect the quality of the goods. Frames are notoriously difficult to represent photographically. The way people have their monitors set up varies enormously. People may not always get what they were expecting.

Thought2. Frames/mounts are delicate items. Lots of packing involved. Large frames with glass+ carriers = nightmare. Possibly lots of hassle with returns.

Thought 3. Setup/running costs minimal. If you only got a few orders here and there, it's all extra trade.

[Gesso&Bole]

On-line is undoubtedly the future.

As a small start-up business it would be challenging to compete on prices and service with the big boys on line. Particularly if you are offering photo frames or mounts (pointless without a CMC) etc. My suggestion would be to look for a specialised niche where you can supply something unusual to a market not directly served by "picture framing". This may be a particular interest of yours, or an area where you have knowledge or contacts.

An example of this would be making frames for antique gun collectors. My brother in law has a huge collection of old flintlocks and muskets - and within the antique gun framing fraternity there are a couple of people who make frames. This type of specialised market could well create an excellent opportunity for an online shop.

If you want specific advice on this PM me, I have been working on these type of issues for a couple of clients.

[Jonny2morsos]

IMHO people who buy ready mades mostly buy on price alone. Can you compete with this?

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60167742

I would look for bespoke work that commands a higher price.

[Graysalchemy]

I know a framer who has built a phenomenal business from selling ready mades and on the back of it gets a lot of bespoke contract work as well.

[stcstc]

95 % of my work comes from social media, online & refferals

BUT

I have a very specialised niche of photographers. I am a photographer myself so can talk to talk with them

I also do the photographic printing for them.

[holtons]

We set up our online business at the end of November and it has gone far better than expected with revenues ahead of plan BUT the effort to get there has been massive, far greater than we ever imagined. We have a tech specialist who has bespoke written the site architecture, thought very hard and invested huge amounts of time to provide a high quality customer experience, spent many hours refining the price offer to get it right and a fortune on daily google advertising to drive potential customers to the site.

Please do not, as we did, underestimate the massive cost and time effort it requires to do it well. And, most importantly, the Return on Investment relies heavily on daily volume but with a sensible margin (tricky to do!). We do not sell cheap ready made frames, low quality mouldings or anything like that. All our frames, apart from swept frames, are made to order in our workshops. We want to offer a quality online service.

Has it been worth while? A resounding 'YES' but:

• The business won't be profitable for at least a year whilst we generate that daily volume

• ... despite two of us are not taking any money such as a salary until the business has sufficient scale to support it

• ... and the fact that we designed, wrote and created the web site between us (thankfully we have the skills!) saving the £15-20k that this bespoke site would have cost

There is another thing to think about too. As I have said, you need the volume to make it pay. This means your workshop operations have to be extremely efficient and that means having the right kit. We have realised this and are about to sign up for a CMC at this weekend's FF. That's another financial outgoing that we didn't plan on having to make so early.

I don't want to put you off, if you are keen you should do it, but have your eyes wide open before you start! We are doing it as an investment with long term returns in mind and not short term gain. Good Luck!

[GeoSpectrum]

Thanks all for the feed back, plenty of food for thought. Jim I have PM'd you.

[Steve Goodall]

...bit late into the party...

Forget glass - which means forget frames with "coloured cardboard - with holes in" - love that phrase...

You can't ship glass for internet sales economically!!!

If you look at what is popular on the web - you quickly see that the "internet sales" trend is for - canvases / acrylic blocks / float frames / mdf block mounts - and guess what??? - no glasss & no coloured cardboard!!!

Shopfront selling is completely different to internet selling - live with it & make money - or make sure you use the internet to get folks through the door of your "real shop"

[GeoSpectrum]

Steve,

Thanks, a couple of handy hints there. While shipping glass can be a pain, although there are people on ths forum who claim never to had a problem in doing so, I was thinking more along the lines of styrene.

I could also offer mounted and/or laminated prints...might need a hot press?

[Steve Goodall]

... or a cold laminator...

[stcstc]

or both,