Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I feel I owe so much of my inspiration and ability to launch this business to Startup Nation.  The resources, enthusiasm, energy of the Sloans and of the whole Startup Nation Community has been a big part our ability to get this far!  As a special thank you to I`d like to offer the Startup Nation Community a special discount of their own.  When making a purchase on www.sterlingpear.com just enter the promotional code "startupnation" and we`ll give you an additional 10% off your purchase." 

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Melissa Yamello
Owner/Designer
Storybook Studio
www.storybookstudio.net

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How cool is this!! :-D I looked at the site, and think it`s really excellent! Be sure to keep selling those ornament boxes after Christmas, when people start taking down the decorations.

Another thought: We don`t have (or want) and eBay store, but we use the site to advertise. You can put up an auction, say, within a dollar of your actual price. If you have enough feedback, you can also do a "Buy it Now" for the same price as you normally sell it on the Web site.

Just be sure that you don`t direct people to your Web site from the eBay auction. Otherwise, they`ll come after you for "fee avoidance."

But the advantage is that eBay is crawled constantly! So if you put an auction up and title is something like "Christmas ornament high-quality storage box," it`ll be picked up by people shopping for "christmas" and words along that line. That`ll help you get noticed in the search engines.

Here`s another thing. In the "alt text" for your images, you have their product name, but not the word "Christmas" or "holiday" in the text. If you want your site images picked up in Google Images, you`ll have to include keyword text in the alt-text, see?

For example, on your product page for the "Keepsake Ornament Storage Chest," think about it. Who would search for that phrase? "Ornament storage" is good, but it could be better with "Christmas ornament storage box for decorations."

Nobody usually sees the alt-text, unless there`s a problem or they`re using a text reader, but Google and search engines see it, and use it in the indexing process.

Congrats on the business idea, though. Great idea! :-)

I really like the site - I think that picture on the front page really sets the mood.

That being said:
1) No search button!
2) The e-mail signup looks really unfinished. I`d like to see it neater and with a custom button. You have custom buttons for add to cart, why skip it on the front page right at the top?
3) I`d like to see that front page have some kind of headline. Look at potterybarn: "Shake up your gift giving" and "Decorate Stylishly". Give me a good call to action!

And, most importantly of all ...
CONGRATS ON YOUR LAUNCH!