FAIR SHAKE

Making a website probably isn't for everyone. If you're a casual seller you may just not want to go through the expense, or even the bother of a free site.

So why not team up? We've all made lots of friends throughout this saga - There are probably many people who only sell seasonally, or just a few items here and there. Maybe it's just for enjoyment.

I add people's links to my site if they have anything to do with handmade items, antiques or collectibles. I'll add your link and give you your own page - sort of like a mini mall. It's good for me and good for you. I'm going to add a search to this so that shoppers can search all of my linked friends at once (different from the aggregated search).

Of course, it doesn't have to be my site. Why not get a few people you know - one of you has to be able to make a website. All you need is a home page and one page each. Then link your items to your stores which are probably on auction sites, or sites like Etsy, ecrater, blujay, etc.

This can work out well because buyers don't want to go to a site that only has a few things for sale - but if you can offer a wide variety - they'll come back. Think about it - this is what Ruby Lane, Tias and other sites have going for them. That and the fact that they monopolize Google Base (but I'm not sure what to do about that yet, because it costs money). But once buyers see that there's one place with lots of stuff, they'll bookmark it.

This also give more validity and creates more trust in you as a seller than if you are just standing alone out there.

Maggie, what a great idea! Huh....kind of like a "strip mall" concept, of pulling a few more people in because maybe they'll come for one thing and stay for another. It's an interesting idea--kind of like when a like-kind business moves in across the street from one that's already established--it increases the traffic of both more than it increases the competition. And especially for unique items like antiques or handmade things, you aren't really competition. I guess more simply put, it's the same concept as an antique mall with a lot of sections for different vendors...but I never thought of transferring that idea to websites. Is this commonly done, or a new idea?

Does the linking also help the search exposure? I still don't completely understand how the search works. Is it the links themselves, or the number of times they are "clicked"? Or does anyone really know the search criteria of places like Google? I know it changes--and it almost seems like they want to keep it secret, perhaps to keep it more honest. That's understandable, but obviously something everyone wants to be able to work at.

Maggie, I know you have a lot more knowledge than most of us about all this, and I certainly appreciate you putting these ideas out here for us to consider. Thank you!

Laurel

Maggie---you've definitely started the "wheels turning" for me. Do you know if an entire (large) network of sellers' websites was started, if it would be possible to combine them into ONE search? I know there are problems in aggregated searches among the various auction sites, but I don't understand enough of it to even know how to ask for the problems to be clarified---but it occurs to me that networking like this that started small could be HUGE, if it all consolidated into one big search.

I guess what I don't understand about the searches is this: If an auction website is "picked up" by the search, new items are automatically added, right? So, what (if anything) would keep those searches from including items on individual websites? Please be patient with me--I suspect these are questions with obvious answers for those who know about it--and I am definitely not one of those people, but would like to be a bit better informed about this.

Do you know if it would be possible to create a search that would find (updated) items on individual websites? Maybe to start with a more immediate question---do you know if the Google Product search includes items from individual websites?

But to address your idea at the more immediate level, I would also like to suggest that anyone who would be interested in linking their websites with others might post a response here!

Google Product Search is not the same as the aggregated search we've all been talking / arguing about. I believe that searches Google Base items, which are fixed price items.

When you make a Google Custom search - you put in which sites you want to search. Then it spits out a code which you can place on a website and when someone searches in the box it will search according to the criteria you set.

It also offers filters - like Search stores in the US, or stores in the UK - or you can set it for categories - whatever you want.

I am going to do a custom search of those linked to my store and then I'll post it so you can see how it works. - I'll have it done tomorrow.