Setting Up an Online Shop/Website for People Who Thought They Were Quite Good With Technology but it Turns Out They Have a Lot to Learn.

 Please excuse the excessively long title for this post, I'm a fan of long titles. One of my favourite bands has album rather wordily titled I Oughtta Give you a Shot in the Head for Making me Live in This Dump so let's say it's a homage to them.

 This post is all about the different ways to go about setting up a website for a small business, specifically a small craft business but I suppose much of it applies universally. As you may have gathered I am not the most technologically proficient of souls. My expertise in computers peaked back in the Windows 3.1 days when no decent programs actually ran through Windows anyway and it was all about DOS prompt. Back when Microsoft Word was called Write. Back when my monitor was approximately the same size as my kiln...Below I have gone through a few options for how to go about getting your lovely crafts online and available for people to actually buy and I've tried to keep the guide as simple as possible for those as equally technically challenged as myself.

CRT Monitor

Paragon SC2 Kiln

1.Pay a clever computer boffin to do it all for you

 I shall start with the most obvious, professional-looking and all-round easiest method. There are more website-building companies out there than you can stick a shake at. They will  be able to sort out all your pesky HTML and hosting and domains for you and you just sit back and wait for it to be done. Better yet, you may have a friend or neighbour or cousin that knows enough about these things to do it for you. Perhaps your local college has some computing students that will help you out for a smaller fee.

 I must confess I did the least research into this method when setting up my own website purely for the biggest negative point of paying a professional: the cost. As a new business you may not have the cash to splash in the beginning but of course you must weigh the cost against the benefits of a superior site (hopefully). Sometimes if you take this option you may also find that you have less control over updating the site yourself which, if you're wanting to list new products regularly, may be a bit of a nuisance.

2. Learn to Build Your Own Website

 Ok, so not necessarily the most practical of options for most people but learning some HTML and CSS may well pay off in the future. Apart from your main website, other sites (including blogging sites like Blogger) allow you to tinker with the HTML to give you more flexibility over customisation. I'm currently (and very slowly) teaching myself using Ian Lloyd's book Build Your Own Website the Right Way Using HTML and CSS. It's good and basic for a simple soul like me but there's plenty of online tutorials or real-life classes you can go to if that's more your thing.

3. Use Established Online Marketplaces

 This is often the first port of call for most crafters looking to sell. It's a very reasonably priced and user-friendly way to get a few things online and see how they sell. When it comes to craft it is best to stay away from general sites like eBay and go for those specifically for crafts like Etsy and Folksy. Generally with this kind of approach you'll be charged a listing fee and a small percentage when an item sells. This can vary massively so make sure you understand all the fees before listing anything.

 The main negative to this approach is the fact you are selling, for example, a pair of earrings on a site that has potentially thousands of pairs of earrings for sale. Make sure you keep your descriptions clear so it is easy for people to search for and  find your items.

4. Use an E-commerce Shopping Platform

 Sites like Shopify, Big Cartel and Supadupa allow you to have your very own, fairly professional looking online shop with very little technical knowledge. They handle the hosting and website-building and allow you to change the look of your website and list items with just a few clicks. Generally these sites offer different levels of flexibility and features for different price tiers, usually on a pay-monthly basis. They usually also allow you to link your site to a custom domain name. Simply put that means you can have your website address be whatever you want as long as it is available to purchase from a domain registrar.

 This is the option I went for (to see the results go to www.startledhare.co.uk) and so far am pretty happy with the results. It's incredibly easy to update, the only downside is that there is only so much that you can customise if you cannot manipulate CSS (hence the reason for me learning).


 Of course, when it comes to selling online, getting your stuff out there in as many places as possible is a good plan. I'm going with a multi-pronged approach with my own site created through Big Cartel as well as products listed on Etsy and Folksy and in the meantime teaching myself a little bit of DIY along the way.

I'd love to hear from anyone that has used any of the above options for setting up a website or indeed any that I've missed out. Please let me know what experiences you've had, what's worked for you and what was utterly useless and never to be tried again.

The Trouble With Too Many Choices

 Those of you that may know me are probably aware how overwhelmed I become when too many choices are put in front of me. Yes, I'm one of those people that goes to an all-you-can-eat carvery and has a bit of every meat and one of every vegetable and then wonders why I feel fit to burst after eating it all.

 You could blame my indecisiveness on my star sign or even my parents (Mum, Dad, no one's blaming you, it's just an example) but the truth of the matter is I'm mortally afraid of missing out on trying something. Serious missed opportunities are a terrible thing and can haunt you for life but I sometimes think I take it to extremes. If I have the pork and the beef is actually much nicer how will I know anyway if I haven't had it (well, that's assuming one's dining partner doesn't keep telling you how very incredibly nice the beef is)?

 You're wondering how this relates to setting up a jewellery business aren't you? Don't deny it, I can see it in your confused face. Unfurrow that brow, dear reader, and I will attempt to guide you to the point I am trying to make within the murky depths of my ramblings about beef.

 Something I wish I had been told when I first started making jewellery for the website I am setting up next month (quick plug there, couldn't avoid it, keep posted for more details of that another day), is that I need to make jewellery in 'collections'. It's a rather obvious thing really. It was staring me in the face during all of the market research I performed yet I remained largely and merrily oblivious.

 Designers generally make pieces following the same theme in order to create a brand. So simple, so effective, but for me, given my difficulty with choices, it is a hugely challenging concept for me. I naturally want to try a bit of everything. I want to use copper and bronze and steel and silver (least of all silver, there's a LOT of silver jewellery out there). I want to make moulds of all differents textures and incorporate them (I spent one morning pressing silicone molding compound into the bark of all the trees in my garden, made some lovely jewellery but properly confused the neighbours). I want to make necklaces, earring, rings, bracelets, codpieces...well, ok, not the last one but you get the idea.

 After a lot of experimentation I've decided to keep things simple for my first collection. I'm going to stick largely to white bronze which is a metal I've recently fallen in love with (gushy but true). It's a similar colour to silver but doesn't tarnish as easily and is a pleasure to use. I'm going to keep the actual designs nice and uncomplicated too. I won't lie, it's killing me. The moulding putty is looking at me and I in turn am looking at the woodchip wallpaper and marvelling at what a fantastic texture it is and wouldn't it just make the most darling pair of earrings?

 So there is a light at the end of the tunnel for Little Miss Indecisive. I'm not really missing out, I'm just focusing. One major consolation to me is I can change my collections every season if I want to. Yippee! Autumn/Winter is all about woodchip!

My Worst Enemy

 Well, here we are, my first ever blog post. I'm here to document the trials and tribulations of trying to set up my first ever business. Not just any business mind you, but a creative business. I'm toiling away making handmade jewellery from base metals (I'm well into steel at the moment but perhaps I'll go into that more on a later blog). I thought I would kick off, hopefully on not too much of a negative note, with something that is a big obstacle for any person looking to set up their own business, particularly selling something they have created with their own hands.
 This thing of which I speak  is my worst enemy. A huge grey presence that lurks over my shoulder, just out of sight but very much there. This terrible and dreadful monster is my own self-doubt. Let's call him Kevin, I find naming things helps. Kevin doesn't tell me that I'm unable to do things or that I'm not good enough. Oh no, he's much cleverer than that.  He just asks question after question until my certainty dissolves. For example, I've just made something I'm really pleased with, let's say it's a necklace, here's the conversation I have with Kevin:

Me: Wow, that's a really lovely piece, I'm so happy with it, I bet somebody will snap this up!

Kevin: Is it that good though, really?

Me: Of course it is, I love the shape.

Kevin: Do you? Do you think it's a straight as it should be?

Me: It's supposed to look a bit rustic you know.

Kevin: Is it? Are you sure it doesn't look a bit messy?

Me: Of course not, it's really nice.

Kevin: Really? Are you sure?

Me: Ok, you're right, I'll start again...

 You see? Terrible. He is both insidious and persistent.

 When I first started looking into setting up my own business I attended an excellent Prince's Trust Exploring Enterprise course. It caused three very conflicting reactions in me:

1. "I have learnt so much, I now know what I need to do in order to get the ball rolling".
2. "These other people in the room are so very inspirational and so very together, I'm a long way off being as organised and ready as they are" (that was, in case you haven't gathered, the Kevin response). 
3. "Free lunches are great but in future avoid unlabelled quiches". 

 It has since become clear to me that these other brilliant young people in the room, with their upcycling businesses and mountain bike wheel making businesses and garages and boutiques and immersive film-screening (I know, how good does that sound?), have found a way to suppress their Kevins.
 Now I know it is possible I am determined to do the same with my own self-doubt. I'm launching my own Slap Down Kevin Campaign and am looking for hints and tips from anyone who has managed this. As long as it doesn't involve looking at myself in a mirror and repeating "I am a strong, confident woman", I'll give it a go.

 As I said, I hope this isn't too much of a negative topic for my first blog, next time I'll write about setting up a website from the point of view of someone who misses Windows 3.1 and dot matrix printers and can't understand when technology got so complicated. Am I old before my time? Am I too young to be nostalgic? Will I ever figure out hosting and domains, not to mention online payment gateways? Find out soon!