GoImagine

[kmmcrafts]

On 10/14/2023 at 7:34 AM, BadBob said:

The only thing I use the beta dashboard for is to access their analytics. I have tried it several times and have never successfully been able to post a listing.

I don't use the new Etsy dashboard either.

Just curious if your views are any good on GI. I figure in your category they may be pretty decent since you really don't have a lot of competition yet. However that said GI isn't a very popular site yet either so.. might be worst. I can't remember exactly when I opened up shop but I currently only have about 50 listings and it's been slow going getting things on there.. but I've only had 125 views since being on there. Probably close to half of those views was just me looking at my listings to double check things, LOL.. I get that much in a day on Etsy, LOL.. But I know if I mention the site on some of my social following I can get some views going an orders coming in. Really want to get most of my items listed before I push people to a mostly empty site though, LOL

I've not had many page views at all but to be honest I also have not really mentioned / promoted it either... I think I want to point my domain to the Mosaic site and start promoting it but I want to also get a sale or two before doing that just to be sure it's going to work well for me. I'm thinking I'm not going to get any orders if I don't push some sort of promotion towards it though, LOL.. Stripe is new to me too so I need to know how all this is going to work before going all in.  

You had any orders from it yet? 

[BadBob]

I have not sold anything yet, but I have not tried to promote it to amount to anything. I do not think any of my page views in the analytics are me. I look at a 30-day sliding window every day, and I don't see a great change in the stats, even when I do a lot of page views in a day. However, I am logged in with the dashboard open while testing. I have 365 listings up there now, with more coming. Many things have been sitting idle on Etsy, waiting for me to make more when I have time. I'm posting all of these as made-to-order.

I figure it will take at least a year to know for sure if it is going to work.

[rjweb]

Bob, post your link of your goimage site, would like to check it out, Thx RJ

[kmmcrafts]

On 11/3/2023 at 7:13 PM, BadBob said:

I have not sold anything yet, but I have not tried to promote it to amount to anything. I do not think any of my page views in the analytics are me. I look at a 30-day sliding window every day, and I don't see a great change in the stats, even when I do a lot of page views in a day. However, I am logged in with the dashboard open while testing. I have 365 listings up there now, with more coming. Many things have been sitting idle on Etsy, waiting for me to make more when I have time. I'm posting all of these as made-to-order.

I figure it will take at least a year to know for sure if it is going to work.

It'll work if you want it bad enough and put in a lot of effort to "make it work".. these smaller marketplaces is a lot like running your own site.. Until you build a online following and build up a social media following.. and one big mistake I made for many years was promoting the items on the marketplaces I sold on rather than promoting things to my own dot com links..

I built up quite a following on artfire and then again on indiemade, then started again on zibbet.. artfire and zibbet both went under and closed up.. all those backlinks I created are now dead links.. effort wasted.. Then I finally got smart to make most backlinks to my dot com.. while the actual item link may not be there anymore it still takes you to my website.. Doing this has helped me alot.. because I can point my dot com to any site I want.. if someone sees something of mine on pinterest and they click on it.. even though I've moved from different hosting sites over the years and the one they click on is no longer there it at least takes them to my site and then they could search the item from within the site.. I try to not put effort to build backlinks to etsy or other marketplace sites.. because if I was to remove that particular item it just takes them to etsy.. sometimes you get lucky and it'll say that item from said seller is no longer available and it'll take them to your shop.. BUT 99% of the time it just says no longer available but here is a list of similar items from other sellers.. So your work just went to "etsys other sellers" and not yours other items.. 

I don't think GI is going to be a site for that person that doesn't want to "put in the work to bring in your own traffic" .. maybe 4-6 years from now it'll get known more and they'll be bringing in more shoppers as they grow as a site. Don't think they'll ever get to a point like etsy is now.. and don't think they want to anyway.. Etsy is huge.. just think about how many sellers are there.. how many of those sellers promote their products to bring traffic back to etsy.. If that seller leaves the backlinks they spent years doing still helps etsy with traffic.. Etsy encourages you to post your items on pinterest and other sites.. they have the sellers as their "worker bees" bringing traffic to grow " their site " ... IF I'm going to build backlinks I want my effort to benefit me wherever my dot com is... so the customer can still find me.. from my effort. 

When I moved off of etsy's pattern website as my host and went to shopify I brought those backlinks with me so backlinks I did 4-5 years ago is still growing and going to "my site" and when I move that dot come to any new site.. I'm not starting all over from the beginning again. IF I shut down my shopify site and move to the goimagine mosaic then the backlinks follow me there.. site clicks boost your site in google searches plus it'll boost me within the goimagine marketplace site so I'll have a jump start from building the backlinks over the years to my dot com.. 

I didn't join GI for the marketplace.. I joined to possibly use the mosaic site as my website host.. I'm in the grandfathered locked in price for life at $10 a month... my shopify website host is $30 and maybe going up to 40 a month.. big savings.. already have page views going to my dot com that I've been building up slowly for a few years.. I don't have to start from scratch.. I just need to be sure the site and its functions is going to work for me and then just point my dot com to them if it will do what I need. Looking pretty good so I might be switching soon.   

 Pointing a domain name to a marketplace like sending it to etsy is almost worthless for you.. because it's only pointing to etsy and you do not build backlinks from it to help you. If you post a item to pinterest or anywhere really.. that item link just goes back to etsy.. If you post it to a website ( even etsy's pattern site with your domain going to it ) it makes that item listing have your domain name in it.. so later on if you switch from etsys pattern site to any other site.. that backlink goes to your new site.. won't go directly to the item but at least it goes to you instead of going to etsy or where ever.. Not much point in having a domain name honestly if it's not going to your own dot com wherever that might be hosted from outside of those popular marketplaces that are benefiting from it instead of you benefiting from it.  

Dang I think I wrote a book, lol.. Have so much more I could say.. 

[BadBob]

7 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Dang I think I wrote a book, lol.. Have so much more I could say.. 

Been there, done that. It's probably a good thing that I can't type very well, or I would do the same.

So, where is your website hosted?

Are you doing your own or using software to create your site?

 

[kmmcrafts]

19 minutes ago, BadBob said:

Been there, done that. It's probably a good thing that I can't type very well, or I would do the same.

So, where is your website hosted?

Are you doing your own or using software to create your site?

 

Currently it's through shopify.. I've moved around a lot.. some of the sites back in the day I built from scratch via coding.. Don't think I could remember even how to do that now, LOL Amazon is old school and some things I have to use HTML codes to manipulate my listings descriptions so they can have paragraphs.. 

I think I started my first site through wix.. which was free back then.. but you had to either pay for software to build the site or build it through code.. I then went through indiemade.. back then they had a listing limit and I outgrew the site so I then moved to zibbet... zibbet was a site and marketplace much like goimagine however they got bought out by another company and shut down for site renovations and has never restarted back up, so then I moved to etsys pattern site hosting.. now I'm on shopify and thinking I'm going to move to goimagines mosaic due to price of site hosting.

The organic traffic I would bring to the goimagine site would likely put many of my products very close to first page on the marketplace.. so if I host the domain there it would also boost me on the marketplace and as they grow with foot traffic would likely help me be a top seller there too.  

Too much time involved to maintain a home built site and try to make a product to sell.. many hosting sites now to choose from and they have built in templates.. it's much like setting up on the marketplaces.. you just get to use your domain for the website rather than pointing it to a marketplace which will benefit you for long term.. but takes years to build traffic etc.. and a lot of work or money for advertising.. IF you just want to be retired and not put effort into selling.. then etsy and amazon is likely the best choice. Building a online store is very easy now days... however selling from that store without much traffic is a different story. If you're not getting any views and sales on etsy you likely won't get anything from a small site like goimagine, however as they grow.. being there early and let all the worker bees build up the site you could end up doing quite well as there is not a lot of competition..  

[BadBob]

Since 1993, I have maintained and supported web servers. I know from personal experience how difficult and how much work it is to do this from bare metal. I have avoided it for that reason. I have a place I can host for free until my traffic goes above a certain level. It is a completely bare virtual host. I would need to install the operating system and software—lots of work to take advantage of this.

I think I am going to go with Mozaic for now. Thank you so much for the feedback.

[BadBob]

18 hours ago, rjweb said:

Bob, post your link of your goimage site, would like to check it out, Thx RJ

https://goimagine.com/odinstoyfactory/

[BadBob]

I'm working on my Mozaic site and waiting for them to create a custom DNS. I want to start promoting Christmas items and want to link to my Mozaic site.

I've built websites from scratch before, so I am not inexperienced with this. I find the instructions a bit lacking. They look like they were written by a programmer who knew what everything was and not proofed by someone who didn't.

 

[kmmcrafts]

4 hours ago, BadBob said:

I'm working on my Mozaic site and waiting for them to create a custom DNS. I want to start promoting Christmas items and want to link to my Mozaic site.

I've built websites from scratch before, so I am not inexperienced with this. I find the instructions a bit lacking. They look like they were written by a programmer who knew what everything was and not proofed by someone who didn't.

 

Think they just give you a set of numbers to input on your domain host.. I haven't set up my domain to go to GI just yet.. while the site is pretty much up and running anyway. 

BTW, just got my first sale on GI this morning.. just now seen it as I don't have the app to inform me of any sales yet.. from my phone and I was out scroll sawing a big batch of bulk ordered custom order.. I'll have to see how this process works later today or in the morning when I try to print and package this for the mail.. already missed today's mail so at least I have a full day or so to figure out how this works, LOL

[BadBob]

GoImagine will configure custom name servers for me, and when it is done, they send me the IP addresses for the server that I add to my Google Domains as custom servers. You need at least two.

I'm very interested to see how the shipping works.

 

[BadBob]

I got four names instead of IP addresses, which Google domains wanted in the configuration. I did the configuration, and now I am waiting. It can take as much as 48 hours for things to propagate throughout the system.

[kmmcrafts]

Every time I've switch where my domain goes they say up to 48 hours but it's been pretty instant.. I purchased mine through QTH.com I have two domains I've purchased from them and do 5 year blocks.. I have to renew / update my business license every 5 years for my local so the 5 year block on the domain is sort of my reminder to update that as well.. plus it's cheaper the more years I buy.. 

[kmmcrafts]

5 hours ago, BadBob said:

GoImagine will configure custom name servers for me, and when it is done, they send me the IP addresses for the server that I add to my Google Domains as custom servers. You need at least two.

I'm very interested to see how the shipping works.

 

I watched this video several weeks ago but had to just watch it again to refresh my brain, LOL

Figured this might be helpful to you and others that I know have opened up a shop on GI...

 

[BadBob]

4 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Every time I've switch where my domain goes they say up to 48 hours but it's been pretty instant.

It depends on where you are and how the DNS you are using does it caching. If it is your DNS and you use it yourself, it is instantaneous, but not for everyone. If a DNS has your old address in its cache and the time to live is 48 hours, it will not update until it expires and someone tries to use it. At that point, the DNS will update. After 48 hours, everyone in the world can find your site.

[kmmcrafts]

SO, if you have connected Shippo to your GI account it's supposed to transfer your orders to Shippo to process your shipping label etc. and it also is supposed to automatically enter your shipping info back to your GI page and send out the tracking info to your customer... HOWEVER, they ( Shipopo ) are having an issue with this and it's not working so I'll have to manually do this. 

It's a bit confusing how they worded the connection button on GI.. After you connect it shows a button that says " ReConnect " so it makes you feel as though you got diconnected but really it just means you're connected.. weird.. especially when on Shippos end it's showing me I'm not connected.. which is why I'm having to manually do things.. I hope I don't get too busy or to many orders during the busy holidays and have to manually do all this, LOL This was one of my concerns and one reason I didn't want to point my domain here yet because they don't have a easy way to process the shipping within the site. Then I learned that shippo would connect and make it easy.. but it's not working either, LOL.. Hopefully they get it sorted out.

Checkout how the button says to reconnect, then you'd understand my frustration when I go to shippo and it says to connect to a store, LOL.. spent over an hour last night trying to get GI to connect my store before finally posting in the FB group.. turns out they say I'm connected but there is a issue with Shippos end.   

[GrampaJim]

Kevin, I was following your thread on their FB page last night.  Never get that kind of support from ETSY!! 

[kmmcrafts]

Etsy has a "okay" customer service so long as you can "call the number within their working hours" The issue is they do not display the customer service phone number where it's easily found.. sending an email ticket in is worthless.. I'm still waiting on an answer to a question I messaged them at the beginning of the year about the pattern site, LOL. I could just call the number but it wasn't super important anyway and I have since closed my pattern account.

That Sandy lady on the GI help group is always on it.. I'm wondering if that lady ever sleeps... I see her responding to questions all times of the day, LOL.. one of my fears about this top quality customer service is burnout or job change. This is what happen to Artfire years ago.. the main person ( I suspect got burnout ) left and in turn everything just fell apart and they eventually closed up... Kind of the same happen to Zibbet.. Both places had pretty good customer service.. especially over what Etsy has. LOL

 

[kmmcrafts]

Just to update the shippo shipping experience..

I waited to do my packaging and shipping until afternoon, I typically do my orders first thing in the morning but I had some errands etc to run. Though maybe shippo would get to working by afternoon maybe, LOL.. No luck with that. I have a 4 day window to get things mailed out on GI so i could have waited a few days.. I kinda have doubts it was going to be working in a few days and I'd rather get my order processed and outta my hair, LOL. Plus I want the customer to be impressed with my timely shipping. 

Anyway, entering the shipping manually and shippo not connecting on their end.. I didn't get any discounted rate. Probably should have just shipped through PayPal which I think might be Shippo, LOL.. and it would have given me the discount. I was quite tired of messing around with it.. have probably 1.5 - 2 hours putzing around trying to get it all to work and I had already manually entered the info so I just went ahead and paid the full shipping price.. but something needs to get squared away with shippos connecting to GI.. I seen comments in the group about this a few weeks ago.. 

Anyway, just a heads up if you are having issues with connecting store to shippo and you need to do some orders.. you might just do it through another source that offers a discount.. a 3oz ground shipping cost me $5.37.. GI charged $5.05.. shippo showed a customer protection or insurance? charge and I didn't see a way to click / unckeck out of it.. I believe Ground Advantage comes with shipping insurance included.. Maybe that's just on Etsy and Amazon? I don't know.. Typically that same package going to the same general location Etsy would have charged the same for shipping but with discount usually my cost to ship is $3.75 - 4 range so I figured I would get close to that cost.. Again- if you have a place to get discounted shipping do that if shippo isn't connected.. because you won't get a discount on shipping without being connected. 

[BadBob]

My mosaic site is live. It took about 12 hours before it propagated to enough DNS servers for me to access it. IT works now but I need to tweak some of the images and I guess need make logo.

 

[kmmcrafts]

Your site looks great!! I see you made a text navigation bar instead of the stupid 3 lines thing they call hamburger..  The featured items thing changes the picture aspect ratio so yeah you'll either need to select some photos that work with it or change the photos. Just note that whatever you do will affect the Marketplace photos as well.. In yesterday's "office hours" on makers circle they talked about separating the site listings from the marketplace listings so you could list non handmade items.. This would allow me to sell my clock inserts etc.. craft supplies etc. that I sell or would like to sell..

Just also want to clarify that your site has always been live.. it's just a copycat page of any goimagine site who has the plan the cost $10.. The biggest thing with it for anyone else is that it can be tweaked and personalized slightly.. BUT it tracks inventory across both.. sell something on your mosaic site it removes the inventory on GI or vice versa..  One thing I like about the Mosaic is you can set up a email list.. This way you can tell people that sign up about new products, what's happening, and sales and deals OR if you do local events you could send out a thing about that too.. however many online folks may be too far to go but it's a newsletter..

Etsy sort of has its own built in email list.. if you favorite a shop it shows customers you new listings or sales you run.. many don't know it but you can also do the "shop updates" which does that.. most folks don't do it or understand it.. It does help with sales on etsy.. I recommend setting up a newsletter for your site at some point.. It's very slow going to get a list of emails but it is nice to be able to gain that following and be able to send out emails to that list.

Glad you got it all set up... now it's time to spread product links all around the web.. all the social sites.. If you have many followers that are buyers and not other woodworkers you could post about your new website.. This will get a few people coming to check it out... that's traffic and that traffic pushes your ranking in searches..

Good luck!!  

Hopefully I'll be sending my domain to the mosaic site soon.. Just like to get more products set up before I do.. BTW.. I think even if you do promote your mosaic site before pointing a domain to it.. even though the promoted links have a different address they'll still take you to that item.. Those links still work in the background somehow.. Just like I got to your site to look by typing in the link to your Mosaic site like this..  https://odinstoyfactory.goimagine.com/ since I wasn't sure what your domain name was.. Click the link and it takes you there but it also changes the address in the address bar to your domain name. 

[BadBob]

11 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Just also want to clarify that your site has always been live.

Yes, I knew that, but it was a blank page for the most part. They had to know to click on the stupid hamburger to see anything.

 

 

13 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

One thing I like about the Mosaic is you can set up a email list.

I watched a video yesterday where they demonstrated how to do this and plan to do it soon.

 

15 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

you can also do the "shop updates" which does that.. most folks don't do it or understand it.. It does help with sales on etsy.

I used to do shop updates but could only post them from my phone. I had to transfer the photos and use the Etsy app to post them. The Etsy app was painful to use and sometimes did not work, I finally uninstalled it completely and never returned.

 

21 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Those links still work in the background somehow.

It's a DNS thing, most likely. CNAME records in a DNS point to A records, so you can have an alias where multiple hostnames go to the same location. There are probably other ways to do this, especially if they somehow customize their DNS. There are books written on how this stuff works. I;ve used the CNAME record many times in the past.

[kmmcrafts]

It'd be nice if GI could incorporate it's money processing and shipping within the site but I imagine it needs a lot more growth to get to that point. My order showed it was delivered Monday.. I received my payout from stripe to my bank this morning so all is working as it should. 

There is just a lot to keep track of with all these 3rd party sites for bookkeeping.. you have whatever shipping payment then stripe's payment and fees.. then the GI fees.. I haven't found where they have any record keeping data on the old dashboard.. though to be honest I haven't looked super hard yet.. been quite busy making and processing orders all of a sudden.. Amazon is kicking my behind with orders currently, LOL

[BadBob]

4 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

haven't found where they have any record keeping data on the old dashboard.. though to be honest I haven't looked super hard yet.. been quite busy making an

I looked, but I don't see anything that looks like any record-keeping I can download. Since I have not sold anything there yet...

[kmmcrafts]

8 hours ago, BadBob said:

I looked, but I don't see anything that looks like any record-keeping I can download. Since I have not sold anything there yet...

Only thing I can find is just the vendor statistics on the old dashboard.. I searched around both dashboards tonight and I'm not seeing anything that gives any sort of breakdown of my income and what the fee was they charged etc.. I might look around within stripe tomorrow and see.. maybe there is something in that.. But it seems like GI should have something on the site for our records..