StoreStudio - e-commerce for collectibles

Frequently Asked Questions

What is StoreStudio?
StoreStudio allows merchants and dealers an easy and affordable way to build their own website to sell their merchandise online. StoreStudio includes all the functionality required to conduct a successful e-commerce business, plus additional functionality such as Ebay integration not found in other programs.
What do I need to have a StoreStudio account?
A Macintosh or Windows computer with an Internet connection, recent versions of Netscape or Internet Explorer, and a scanner or digital camera if you wish to include photos in your listings.
How do I set up a store?
After signing up, you control, create and run your store from your 'Control Panel'. You enter your category and product information, choose your colors, and select payment options.
How long does it take to set up?
You should plan on as little as 24 hours to 30 days depending on how complicated you want your store to be and the number of products you offer. You can always start small, add to your store as time goes by.
Once my store is online, how will people find it?
We will submit your website to various search engines (like Google) on a regular basis. You may also provide us with a list of keywords and a description (meta-tags) to better help Search Engines target your site. We cannot guarantee high search engine ranking - that depends on your keywords and content text. SearchEngineWatch is a great resource for learning about how search engines work and how to optimize your site for maximum results. We also suggest promoting your site through various other methods, such as Google AdWords, WebRings, paid advertising, exchanging links with other sites, and utilizing the built in StoreStudio Newsletter mailing list feature.
Can I accept Credit Cards?
StoreStudio allows two options for processing credit cards. The first requires you to have a merchant account where you can process cards manually. If you do not have a merchant account we can help you aquire one. The other option is Paypal. Our shopping cart system is integrated with the Paypal system so customers are brought directly to Paypal from your store Checkout page.
My inventory is listed in a spreadsheet/database. Can it be integrated into my store?
Yes. As long as your inventory is in a file format that we accept, we will import it into our system for free. Accepted file formats include Excel, Access, CSV and Tab-Delimited. Most database programs should export data in at least one of these formats.
What do you mean by 'collectibles'?
Collectibles are essentially anything that people collect. Stamps, record albums, sports memorabilia, baseball cards, comic books, coins, and antique toys are all examples of collectibles. We have built the StoreStudio system to better suit the selling of these types of merchandise.
What does Storestudio offer for collectibles dealers?
Storestudio includes collectible specific item fields such as 'Condition' and 'Date', as well as Ebay integration. We also offer solutions to help customers find just what they are looking for, such as a Search Engine, buttons for New Arrivals, Rarities and Bargains, as well as the ability to create Custom Buttons based on search criteria you specify.
My merchandise isn't 'collectible'. Can I still have a StoreStudio storefront?
Yes. We welcome websites that sell just about anything within the law. StoreStudio does not allow the listing or sale of weapons, controlled substances or bootleg recordings. Such items will be removed from your site without notice.
What does 'Certified By Ebay' mean?
Storestudio is one of the few store builder programs on the market that has been approved by Ebay. This gives us a direct link to the Ebay Programming Interface. Please visit developer.ebay.com for more information.
How does the Ebay Integration work?
With StoreStudio there is no need to list items through the Ebay website. You simply press the 'List on Ebay' button on any of your items in your inventory, fill in some Ebay specific details about your item and press 'List on Ebay Now'. Your item is listed immediately to Ebay. You can list your items as an Auction, or to your Ebay Store. Auction items will still appear on your website, but with a link to the Ebay auction page for that item. You may also view all your current and past auctions as well as relist items from the Control Panel. Storestudio even supports the Ebay program Turbo-Lister which allows bulk listing of items to Ebay.
What does StoreStudio offer for Music Dealers?
We have added some great features for selling music with StoreStudio - GEMM integration, MusicStack catalog export and music-specific fields such as Genre, Condition, Composer, Label and Matrix Number.
What is GEMM?
GEMM (www.gemm.com) is the Global Electronic Music Marketplace. It is a multiple listing service for music sellers. If you are a music dealer you will want to take advantage of this feature.
How is StoreStudio integrated with GEMM?
With a single mouse click, your entire catalog is saved as a file on your website. You provide the web address to this file to GEMM. Every day GEMM checks the web address to see if the catalog has been updated and if so, automatically updates your catalog on GEMM. So you get double the exposure utilizing this feature.
What is MusicStack?
MusicStack (www.musicstack.com) is another multiple listing service for music dealers. With StoreStudio you can export your inventory into a file format that is compatible with MusicStack.
Do you offer custom designed interfaces?
Yes. We can create a completely custom built website designed to meet your needs. Please contact us for rates.
What is a Domain Name?
Your Domain Name is the Internet address you would like to use for your website. 'mystore.com' is an example. If you need a Domain Name, we can register one for $15.00 per year.
What is a Secure Certificate (SSL)?
This enables a safe and secure Internet connnection between the customer's web browser and the server hosting your website. This is used when transmitting sensitive data over the Internet, such as credit cards. If you process your own credit card orders then you should be running a secure site. Is it an additional $75.00 per year.
What is an HTML Editor'?
Websites are programmed in a language called HTML (HyperText Markup Languange). With StoreStudio you don't need to know HTML to build your web pages - we include a built-in editor that allows you to format your text just like a word processor. This feature is currently only available for Internet Explorer on Windows computers. Macintosh users can use our HTML tips help page to assist them in adding HTML to their pages.
I'm not computer savvy. Can you do the work for me?
For additional fees we can scan and optimize your photos for your listings, perform data-entry, or completely build your store for you. The fees depend on the amount of work you would like us to perform. We charge $1.00 for every photo to process. Data-entry is $25.00 per hour. Entering in all of your supporting page text and configuring your store settings is $100.00.
Can I cancel service at any time?
Yes. You have 60 days to be eligible for a full refund of your hosting and setup fees. After that period the remainder of the yearly total paid will be refunded. There is no commitment period.
Are there any hidden charges?
There is a $50.00 setup fee, as well as additional charges if you choose any optional features. We do not collect any commissions on sales.
Is technical support included?
Yes. Email support is preferred, but we accept phone calls as well.