Are You Ready To Blog For The Long Haul?

This is it. This is the main question you should be thinking about answering if you want to make money from blogging.

The internet is full of abandoned blogs at every turn. More often than not they are started by people who read about bloggers who have made a fortune from what they do. They get started with their own blog and then realise that it doesn’t all happen overnight. No matter how successful your own blog might come to be, it will take time to build it up to that level.

So if you are about to start your own blog, make sure you give this a moment’s thought before you start. The main work obviously happens at the beginning, as you consider your domain name, hosting and layout. Once that is done you need to focus your energies on providing worthwhile content and experimenting with what works and what doesn’t.

Trial and error is part and parcel of any website, blogs included. You need to work out where your best traffic sources are so you can tap them for all the traffic you can. You also need to see what kind of content your audience is most receptive to. You might get lucky and start bringing in some streams of revenue almost from the start, but it is far more likely that it will take time to do this.

So you need to ask yourself whether you are determined enough to put in all the work and wait for the income to catch up with you. If you keep at it and you are prepared to learn, then the chances are good that it will. But if you give up before you get to that stage, then all your work will have been for nothing.


Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing

Niche Ecommerce Sites-Less Competition Equals More Profits

The easiest way for the average person to make money online is with an ecommerce site that sells unique and hard to find products. If you have thousands of dollars to stock a wide variety of products, and a practically unlimited budget for advertising, then a niche ecommerce website is not for you. If you are looking to start an ecommerce site with low start-up costs that can compete with large established online retailers, a niche ecommerce site is your best chance for success.

Your first step is to find a niche that you are familiar with and can capitalize on. Think about your hobbies, what items you collect, or your passions. For example, if you enjoy a particular type of craft, are the supplies you require easy to find at a local store? If not, consider selling them on a niche ecommerce website. It will be easy for you to decide which supplies to sell and how much people are willing to pay for them. If this is not feasible, try selling the finished product. Your goal should be to sell a unique product that is not available in local stores. If your passion is animal rights, consider selling health and beauty products that are not tested on animals. Having pride in what you sell should be reflected by your website and it's products.

It may be tempting to offer a wide variety of popular products to appeal to a majority of online shoppers. This does not work well for new ecommerce websites. Compare Google's search results for “children's clothing” vs “girls handmade denim skirts”. Top online retailers such as Walmart and The Gap dominate the search results for children's clothing. These companies have spent millions in advertising dollars to build their brand. An ecommerce website will not be able to compete by offering just “children's clothing” without spending a fortune on advertising.
While “children's clothing” may be a much more highly searched keyword, long tail keywords like “girls handmade denim skirts” convert visitors into buyers more often than popular searches. A person searching for children's clothing may be looking for nearby stores that having a sale this week or a clothing size chart. A visitor who arrives at your site by using a specific, long tail keyword search is more likely convert into a sale. Short tail keywords are broad generic search terms while long tail keywords are narrow, specific searches. A new ecommerce site will have an extremely difficult time ranking high in a search engine for highly competitive, short tail keywords. It is far easier to achieve a high search engine ranking for a long tail, specific keyword.

A profitable niche website is run by someone who knows the subject matter inside and out. According to Google, content is king. It is easier to write fresh, new content if you are knowledgeable about your product. Your ecommerce website should not only sell products, it should reflect your knowledge and experience about your niche. Articles about your niche and highly detailed product descriptions will convert more customers into buyers. Your website will appear more trustworthy and informative.

Niche websites have another added bonus that can bring free traffic to your site, forums. Join online forums and discussions about your niche. Make sure you have something useful to contribute, and follow all the rules about posting your link. You will find many other people online who share your interest and may become potential customers. Forums can also provide excellent free market research. Pay close attention to which products people who share your interest are buying, and which products are hard to find.

A niche ecommerce website can not only be more profitable, it can be more rewarding. You will be dealing with products you enjoy and customers who share your interest and value your products and knowledge. This should encourage you to add fresh new content and new product lines. This is the best way to keep your customers coming back for more products.


Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing

Hot Wholesale Tips You MUST Follow!

Here's are some great wholesale tips I found from SaleHoo.com.  These folks offer the best wholesale guide and resources available anywhere!

1. Thorough market research is the foundation for success

Meticulous market research doubles your chances of making a tidy profit from the wholesale goods you buy. Start off with a list of 5-10 different ideas. Then check completed listings searches on eBay to see what the item generally sells for and the sell-through rate for each one. Use Yahoo's free keyword tool http://inventory.overture.com to find out how many people are searching Yahoo for your product per month. You can double this figure for Google. Add the numbers together. If there are ten thousand or more searches per month for an item, this indicates a healthy market.

2. Calculate the REAL cost of your item

One big reason why people fail at the wholesale game is that they don't do the numbers. In other words, they don't treat wholesale like a real business. To accurately discover your true profit potential on an item, you need to add the shipping cost and insurance, eBay fees (or equivalent for other advertising), Paypal and/or credit card fees (these can be a real profit killer), packaging costs and labor involved packaging, and any storage costs to the cost of your item.

3. Verify ALL suppliers found on the Internet

Getting caught out by scammers is a common stumbling block for people new to wholesale. If you are searching for suppliers off your own bat (rather than using a wholesale directory like SaleHoo), it is CRITICAL to check authenticity before making a purchase.

Always take the time to:

Check that the website gives a full business name and a registration number.

Check for a legitimate contact telephone number - this will involve ringing the number. Do not accept a mobile phone number alone. All real companies should have a land line number.

Go to http://www.whois.sc/ and search for the name of the website. A legitimate company will have a domain expiration date in several years time. Most legitimate companies reserve their domain names for 3-5 years or more at a time.

AVOID suppliers who won't agree to use secure payment methods such as Escrow.com, Credit Card and Paypal Verified.

Still uncertain? Ask other sellers what their experiences have been with the company you are interested in on eBay forums.

4. Chinese suppliers give the competitive edge

Chinese suppliers are an essential source for anyone wishing to make money selling online. Manufacturing costs are currently extremely low in China, thus it is the secret to gaining a competitive edge. Dealing with China does have risks, but these can be alleviated if you place a small order first, use secure payment methods, get shipping insurance for 110% of the cost of the items, and use suppliers with a good reputation.

5. A common stumbling block for liquidation and closeout

Always obtain the reasons for liquidation and closeout sales before you buy. Liquidation and Closeout sales can be a fantastic source for cheap products, but you usually have to buy by the pallet load and these can sometimes include broken or returned goods that aren't in saleable condition. To be safe, ask specifically whether broken items and returns are included before you buy.

6. Negotiate on shipping and save

Shipping economically is critical to importing success. Profits can easily get swamped in shipping costs, so take time to get a good deal on shipping. If possible, negotiate CIF (Cost, Insurance & Freight) or DDP (Delivery, duty paid) shipping terms with your supplier as this takes much of the risk - not to mention organization - off your shoulders. FOB (Freight on Board) is the most common shipping term, but don't be afraid to negotiate for better.

7. Drop shipping - can you really afford it?

Drop shipping sounds great in theory - someone taking care of packaging, wrapping and postage - but it can be difficult to profit from this method. Think about it, drop shipping can add another $2-10 to your costs - sometimes even 10% of the cost of the item. By the time you add in eBay fees and any other costs, you may find it is not worth it.

8. Warehouse storage checklist

Asset management is the most important consideration when locating warehousing to store your items. Believe it or not, items can go missing while in storage, causing massive disruption for you. When comparing warehouses, ask questions specifically on how you will authorize the release of stock (by phone or fax?), what will happen if you need to cancel an order, frequency of damage claims, dust management, and whether there is an area you can use to photograph items.

9. Powerseller wealth

It's a fact - eBay powersellers are able to command higher prices for their items than ordinary eBay sellers. To get the best profits on your wholesale items, you need to aim to get and maintain powerseller status.
10. Growth with a website and eBay store

The way to increase profits from wholesale is to build your own website and/or open an eBay store. This allows you to cross sell items plus it also makes it easier for people to find what they are looking for. For example, if you sell shoes, then customers can easily navigate to browse all black shoes in size 9 and so on. Always include a sentence at the bottom of your descriptions encouraging visitors to check out your other listings - most people will.

If you are looking for genuine and trusted wholesale suppliers then look no further than SaleHoo! SaleHoo's directory contains over 4000 drop ship, wholesale and closeout suppliers that are independently reviewed and rated by eBay Powersellers and Industry experts. SaleHoo also purchases off them and reviews each supplier in depth afterwards.

Join SaleHoo Today by clicking the link below for their Special Startup Offer!

http://www.salehoo.com/?aff=kidscorner

Written by SaleHoo.com © All Rights Reserved

About the Author: SaleHoo is one of the fastest growing product sourcing portals on the internet. It contains a database of drop ship, wholesale, closeout and manufacturing suppliers offering thousands of product suppliers to consumers! Located at http://www.salehoo.com, visitors are allowed to sign up for unlimited and lifetime access to the completely searchable database of products and suppliers. The database is regularly updated, ensuring that the latest retail products are always available for purchase and SaleHoo carries the BBB Reliability Seal!

 
Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing

Finding Your Niche in Ebay Selling

Does the thought of selling on Ebay entice you? Are you wondering where to start? This article will help you answer these questions.

Research market trends before setting up your Ebay business. Many sellers begin with a large number and variety of items and soon find that they are very successful at making sales with some things while having difficulty with others. Give yourself some time to see the progress of your sales, making note of what things are hot sellers and what things aren’t moving at all. Do not overstock your inventory until you know which items are generating sales.  Hammertap is the BEST tool I have found to research what to sell on eBay.  Click on the link below to get your FREE 10 day trial.

Be creative when choosing a name for your Ebay store. The name says a lot to the buyer about what kind of store you have. You want the buyer to remember you and the name itself can sometimes do just that. Make sure it reflects the image you want your store to have.

Take flattering photographs of your inventory. Use proper lighting and be sure that the pictures are not blurry and are flattering. If selling clothing, take pictures of it hung. Better yet, use a manikin to display your clothing.

Choose vibrant colors with your font. A consumer can easily leave your site if your font is too light and illegible.

Be accurate in your descriptions. Honesty is still the best policy.

Check out your competition. Meet or beat his prices, especially on key items.

Know your product. Be prepared to answer any questions that come your way.

Set reasonable shipping and handling charges. Do your homework. Check with the postal service and other couriers to determine shipping costs for your items. Include a few options for shipping fees in your listing.

Ask the opinion of others. Have someone else read your description and give you an honest opinion of whether they would consider buying from you. Ask for suggestions. Accept constructive criticism.

When you find your niche, add stock that complements your inventory. For instance, if you are specializing in vintage Nintendo games, you might also sell vintage Nintendo systems and accessories such as power gloves and price guides. You could also have a few related items on hand, like Nintendo t-shirts, stickers, key chains etc. A buyer interested in vintage Nintendo games would likely be interested in other Nintendo items. A happy buyer is a buyer that is likely to return.

Don’t expect overnight sales success. It will take a while for your site to become known and appreciated.

Always include a personalized note of thanks with your shipment. Be polite and respectful. This may be the one thing that separates you from your competition.

Remember to give yourself time. It takes time to build up clientele and to show a profit. With wise planning and careful researching, you could come up with a very successful venture. Why wait? Today is as good a day as any to start to develop your Ebay business plan.


Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing

Children's Clothing Wholesale Suppliers UPDATED 5/13/2014

Lately, many folks have been asking me where they can find children's clothing wholesale suppliers.
Last month I posted a great list of several wholesalers I use frequently.  I want to share this post again for anyone who missed it...

If you're an eBay seller like myself that specializes in children's clothing, you've probably spent HOURS trying to find quality wholesalers. I've done everything from searching online to spending lots of money on wholesale guides, all leading nowhere.

After years of experience selling on eBay, I've decided to put together a list of wholesalers that I currently use or have used in the past. These are all reputable wholesalers that are very honest and great to work with! I hope this list helps you as much as it has helped me!

Kids Resource
http://kidsresource.com/
This is a great wholesaler with competitve pricing, fast shipping and quality name brands. They use to require a Tax ID Number however they typically will accept eBay sellers with a Social Security Number instead.

The Children's Wear Outlet
http://www.thechildrenswearoutlet.com/shop/
This company is one of the best! They aren't necessarily a "wholesaler" however their pricing is often better than wholesalers and I can order in bulk with them. They ship very quickly and are wonderful to work with!

SaleHoo Wholesale Sources
http://www.salehoo.com/?aff=kidscorner&type=apparel
This is one of the biggest and best wholesale sources around!
This site does require a one-time fee however it is one of the BEST wholesale guides I have EVER received. Plus, they offer a 56-day money back guarantee - no questions asked. One of the best investments I've ever made!!!

Children's Wholesale
http://www.childrenswholesale.com/
This is another one of my favorite sites. They offer free shipping specials so be sure to check their website often for promotions.

eBoutique Online
http://www.eboutiqueonline.com/
This is wonderful site that offers numerous vendors and individual wholesalers that you won't find very easily on Google. You will receive emails from vendors when new inventory is available or when items go on sale. You do have to pay a member fee for this site (approx $29.99 bi-yearly) but can cancel at anytime. I've purchased inventory from individual sellers at rock bottom prices - it was well worth the investment. I highly recommend becoming a member!

Kids Wholesale Wearhouse
http://www.kidswholesalewearhouse.com/
Another great wholesaler! Be quick to order if you see a great name brand as these items tend to sell out fast! I know by experience. :-)

I hope that you find these resources helpful. As I find new wholesalers, I will be sure to add them to my blog. Be sure to check back soon!

Happy eBaying!


Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing

Huge ONE DAY ONLY SALE at Taylor's Corner!

Today ONLY, I am having a HUGE 20% off sale at http://www.taylorscorneroutlet.com/.  I have tons of girls Mis Tee V-Us children's boutique clothing sets for a fraction of retail cost!  I also have Nike Golf clothing and accessories, Titleist golf hats & more!  All at 20% off.  But they're going to go fast so don't wait long.  

Post a comment below and I'll ship your order for FREE!!!  This is an amazing deal so don't miss out!

Happy Holidays!

Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing

Ten Ways To Publicize Your Blog

How do you make a blog stand out? There are so many blogs and so much competition that it can be difficult to attract readers. However, there are simple ways to gain publicity for your blog. Here are ten tips to help you market your blog.

1. Blog Frequently

Readers like to see fresh content. It is very annoying to click on a favorite blog only to discover that it hasn’t been updated for a long time. It’s a good idea to tell visitors if you are unable to blog for a while so that they will still come back to check if there are new posts.

2. Relevant Content

Content should be relevant to the topic and helpful, especially if you write a business blog. Posts shouldn’t be about fairies if the blog concerns gadgets, for example. Readers may forgive posts that are off-topic occasionally but they are likely to get irritated if these are written too often.

3. Include Photos

Attractive photos that accompany the topic will improve the look of your blog. Photos that you’ve taken yourself may add a personal touch, although this may not be professional if you write a business blog.

4. Use Social Networking Sites

Social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, can provide excellent publicity for your blog. Some writers create a page on Facebook just for their blog. These sites also provide ways to form and join web communities, such as groups interested in a particular topic.

5. Use Forums

Many forums, such as the Digital Point Forums, allow users to post signatures. These are links to your website and blog placed at the end of your post. Many users of forums like to click on to these and see different websites. It is also a good idea to write posts to the forums which include links to relevant posts on your blog.

6. Your Website

Karen Bryan, the author of Business Blog Boost, writes that placing the titles, date and the first line of her 3 most recent blog posts on the home page of her travel website is an excellent way to publicise her blog. She states that: “It means that any visitors to my website notice that the site has a blog and they can click on a post title to read the full post.”

7. A Virtual Tour

Many owners of blogs go on virtual tours to gain extra publicity. This means contacting writers of blogs who are interested in your subject, scheduling the tour, and publicising it on your website and blog. This is especially useful for authors who want to attract readers for their books. It’s a good idea to have the tour so that it ‘ties in with your other marketing efforts, e.g. a multi-city book tour or reviews in print publications’, according to the article, ‘Blog Touring 101: Around the Blogosphere in Eighty Days’, at Future Perfect Publishing.com.

8. Start Or Join A Blog Carnival

Blog carnivals are weekly or monthly lists of blog posts about a particular topic. This is another useful way to attract readers to your blog and network with other writers. You can join one or start one yourself.

9. Links and Comments

Provide many links to blogs that you think are useful. Write to the owners of these blogs to request that they link back to your site. Also write comments on as many blogs as you can. These are two easy ways to generate awareness of your blog.

10. Keywords

Don’t forget the importance of keywords, i.e. words that are relevant to your topic and reflect what your post is about. These make it easier for search engines to find your blog.

These ideas should be enough to start with. Even if a blog is excellent, it’s unlikely to be an overnight phenomenon. It takes time to attract readers and comments so remember not to give up. Writing and marketing a blog is hard work but it is well-worth it, especially if you need more publicity for your business.


Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing

How to Turn Your Ebay Customers Into Lifetime Customers

Would you like to increase your Ebay auction sales? In the business world, it’s far easier to sell to an existing customer than it is to go out and recruit a new one. The same holds true in the auction world. A happy Ebay customer will keep your auctions bookmarked so that he can come back and see what you’re offering again and again.

What are the best ways to turn an Ebay buyer into a repeat customer? Here are some suggestions:

1. Always give the customer a little more than is expected.

When you describe your item, underplay the condition rather than making it sound better than it is. The customer will be pleasantly surprised when they receive it and will make it a point to keep you on their radar screen.

2. Include a quick thank you note with the buyer’s purchase.. Have some little cards printed up thanking the buyer for their purchase. Simply sign each one and place it in the package with their auction item. You’ll receive wonderful comments about this practice and it will result in many repeat customers.

3. Give the buyer useful information relating to their purchase.

For example, if he purchases a piece of jewelry, include a sheet on how to care for his jewelry in the package with the item. Make sure your auction I.D. is listed somewhere on the sheet.

4. Consider publishing a monthly email newsletter that keeps

the buyer informed about the items you sell. You can include a link in the newsletter to your current auctions. Be sure to get the buyers permission to be on your mailing list before sending out any correspondence.

5. Ship items fast and respond to all questions in a timely manner.
Show off what good customer service you’re capable of practicing. Impress them so they don’t want to purchase anywhere else.

6. Give your customer the gift of convenience. Offer as

many payment options as possible. Always offer Paypal as this is usually the most convenient payment method for the buyer to use. The simpler you make the auction payment process, the more repeat customers you’ll have.

7. Survey your current customers to find out what they want and then offer them more of it. Try to offer new and exciting auction items relating to your buyer’s interests. They’ll keep coming back for more.

Why not use these ideas to turn your customers into loyal, long term customers? Now that you know the secrets of pleasing your customers, you’ll soon be reaping the rewards in the form of increased Ebay sales.


Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing

Making Money With Google Adsense

One of the most popular ways of making passive or residual income online is through the use of Google Adsense. Adsense is a free-to-join program that matches paying advertisers with website or blog owners who wish to earn a small amount of money for ad clicks. Since it is so easy to implement, making money with Google Adsense is not an unreachable goal for even those small online business owners who know nothing about website design or advanced marketing methods.

Making Money With Google Adsense - How it Works

Google Adsense is a very passive way to make income online. All a website or blog owner has to do is copy and paste a small snippet of code from the Google website to their own. This piece of code will display a block or list of advertisements where you place it on your website. Other business owners who want more traffic to their own sites pay for these advertisements. The ads will be automatically configured to match the subjects matter that your website or blog covers.

When a visitor to your site clicks on one of the ads in the Google Adsense ad block, you will earn a small amount of money. The amount is based on how much the advertiser paid for the ad to begin with. Most ad clicks will earn you several pennies though some in hot topics can be worth several dollars. Over the course of time, and if you have sufficient traffic to your website or blog, though small amounts will add up to the one hundred dollar cash out amount.

Making Money With Google Adsense - Tips and Tricks

Copying and pasting the Google Adsense add codes to your website or blog is relatively easy. With the vast variety of ad block shapes and sizes that Google offers, you can find one to place at any location on your site. However, to maximized earnings there are several tips and tricks that you should adhere to.

Place Google Adsense ad blocks above the fold on your website or blog. Above the fold comes from an old newspaper term that means on the front visible side of the paper. Above the fold on a website is the area that a visitor sees without scrolling in any direction.

Match the colors of the Google Adsense blocks to the colors on your website or blog. Visitors are more apt to click on the ads if they appear to be part of your website and not an extra ad on. Besides, matching the colors to your website theme makes the entire thing more attractive.

Making Money With Google Adsense - Other Methods

There are other methods of earning with Google Adsense besides placing ad blocks on your website or blog. There are blogging platforms and article writing sites on the Internet that can earn you a percentage of site wide aid or user specific ad clicks. On these programs, you simply input your Google Adsense publisher ID and the company takes care of ad placement and configuration.
I hope you enjoyed these tips!  See you next time!


Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing

Girls Mis-Tee-V-Us Giveaway!!! And the winner is......

The Harmony Collection!

Congratulations to The Harmony Collection - you are the winner of our adorable Mis Tee V Us giveaway!

Thanks to everyone who submitted entries.   Keep an eye out for our next big giveaway coming soon!

Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing

Emergency Cash Generators

I just got finished reading a very interesting and fun new
eBook today. It shows you how to make extra money when
the unexpected comes up -- like when your car breaks down
or an unexpected bill pops up.

The eBook is called Emergency Cash Generators. It doesn't
just give a bunch of ideas but also tells you HOW to do them.

For example, one idea shows you how to make money fixing
spelling errors on other people's websites. It goes into a lot
of detail to show you how to find the websites that need
fixing, how to easily find the spelling errors and how to get
the website owner to pay you. It even includes a link checker
that gives you a report of broken links on the website -- it is
really cool and a great idea for making money.

Here is another one -- how to make money with eBay without
having to stock or ship products. This is really neat and it
even includes a downloadable video which takes you step
by step though a live auction that shows exactly how to do this.

I could go on and on. There are just loads and loads of ideas
that you can do.

You'll learn about a 17 year old girl who earns $500.00 a week
during summer vacation -- all the while doing something she
loves to do.

Or how about the woman that makes $1000.00 a week with a
special 14 word classified ad she runs in her local paper.

There is something for everyone here.

Do you have a plan for making extra money when you need it?

To find out more click here:

http://hop.clickbank.net/?kidscorner/extramoney

This eBook has my highest recommendations.

Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing

What to Sell on eBay

On many of my blogs, I talk about little tips that can help you gain advantages on others.  Using many of these tips together can make a huge difference as we try to maximize our profits.  Today I want to show you another that has helped me make a lot of extra money and it takes very little extra time out of your day.  I spend a few minutes a day looking for misspelled auctions that gets over looked by most everyone searching for items.  The trick is finding a way to do it in a time efficient manner.  Here is one of my favorite eBay experts, Jim Cockrum.  In this video, he shows you step-by-step how to use misspelled auctions to increase your profits tremendously.  I use this tool daily and you will too!

If you want to learn all the ways you can profit from eBay, go to My Silent Team.

I signed up with My Silent Team three months ago and within that time period, my eBay profits have doubled!  They have  provided me with so much valuable information - I am so thankful I found them!

Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing

Girl's Mis Tee V-Us Outfit Giveaway! Retails for $72.00!!!

I have a darling winter outfit from Mis Tee V Us to give away! This outfit is a size 7/8 and is brand new with tags.  It has a cute long-sleeve striped cotton shirt and teal knit pants with orange stitching, flared legs and an elastic waistband. This set retails for $72.00!!! Wow!

To enter, just leave a comment below. For extra entries, help me promote this giveaway by doing any of the following:

(Please remember to put an email address in your comment, or make sure it links to a place where I can easily find your email! I need a way to contact you if you win.)

Post on your blog
Post on Twitter
Post on Facebook
Post on a forum or group (Facebook, Yahoo Groups, etc)
Stumble this post
Digg this post

Be sure to leave a comment for each extra that you do, and your email address so I can contact you if you win!

You have until Friday, November 13th at midnight Eastern to get your entries in! A winner will be selected randomly and announced here on Saturday, November 14th.


Good luck!

Sarah Shipley
Taylor's Corner Children's Clothing