candlecrazyinwv Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 I am wondering how those of you that have a site charge people for shipping. I love how easy it is to ship things in a $8.10 priority box but how do you figure up shipping for everything? Im totally in the dark about this! Anyhelp or advise about a web site would be great~TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJay_23 Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Depending on the shopping cart you use, you can offer "real time" shipping with UPS, and I THINK USPS. It all goes by the weight of the product, and there's a way to link up to UPS so it does the calculating for you. We had used PayPal for our shopping cart, but it is very limited in shipping options so we're in the process of switching and I don't recommend them.I hope that helps. Kellie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlecrazyinwv Posted February 23, 2007 Author Share Posted February 23, 2007 I have no idea what REAL TIME means or anything about choosing a shopping cart... seems so confusing LOL Can anyone recommend a easy first time startup web site for me to begin with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJay_23 Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 LOL I know exactly what you mean... when I first started looking at building a website, there was a whole lot of head-scratching going on! Everyone was talking about HTML coding and all kinds of other technical stuff that had me saying "HUH?!?" lolSeriously though, if you want to build your own, I sincerely recommend VodaHost. They offer 2 different website builders - both free - and are ridiculously easy to use. (If I can do it, anyone can! lol)Their hosting fees are extremely reasonable - $9.95 per month for an online store, $7.95 per month for just a personal site.They also offer all kinds of tech support, as well as a forum where others can give ya a hand with everything from just starting to build a site, to search engine submission, to PC problems. They also offer shopping carts, or you can choose anything that they don't already offer.We started with a PayPal shopping cart because it was free, easy to use, and I didn't understand any of the others. lol It's a good starter tool, and reliable, but as I said early, it's just limited with your options.Anyhoo, if you're interested in VodaHost, and/or want to play with their builder(s), you can check them out here: http://www.vodahost.com/partner/idevaffiliate.php?id=2599If you have any questions, or if there's any other way I can help, please let me know. Kellie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlecrazyinwv Posted February 23, 2007 Author Share Posted February 23, 2007 Wow! Thanks for taking the time to help me...I am soooo grateful! Me and my husband will look into it this eveing! If I need any help I will PM you! Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJay_23 Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 You're very welcome. Believe me, I know how daunting it can be to start on a website, and I would have given my right arm for some help when I first started. lol Again, if there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to give me a shout! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tivelegance Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Hi Kellie, (and everyone else!)I just signed on to post an inquiry about vodahost........lol.....coincidental? I downloaded their software (not the sololaunch or whatever it's called, but the other one I downloaded) I'm very website challenged and even with the ease of this software, I still had problems but I must say, if I'm getting it, as slow as I may be, then anyone can do it. Okay........here's my dilemna.....I thought I purchased there hosting services but somehow, I purchased hostmonster's services......don't ask me how I did this, I'm not sure myself.....geeeesh....the blonde is coming out.....lol.....anyhoooo.....when I went to publish my website......low and behold, I discovered my error. Hostmonster has a 30 day money back guarantee which I thought about cancelling and sign up with vodahost but I'm concerned about not being able to reach anyone by phone......I have questions I would like to get answers to before switching. Like, their shopping cart-is that included and what about accepting credit cards and do they have the tracking so you can see how many times your site gets visited? On a scale of 1-10....10 being excellent, how would you rate their services? Any input you could give in helping make my decision would be greatly appreciate! Thanks a bunch!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpowell Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 I used to use table rates based on total price to determine shipping, but that was not a very good way. Two days ago I got the USPS API account set up and I couldn't be happier. The shipping quotes given to customers come straight from USPS based the total weight of their order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 I do the flat-rate $8.10 shipping (my shopping cart adds that on -- I use mals). This price covers almost ALL my orders just right! However, once in a while, someone wants just a couple bars of soap. In that case, I just charge actual shipping.Sometimes folks want a huge order, and then I have to bill them for the extra shipping because it all won't fit in a flat-rate box. That rarely happens, though. And that policy is stated on my site so there are no surprises. Well hopefully, anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJay_23 Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 Hi Kellie, (and everyone else!)I just signed on to post an inquiry about vodahost........lol.....coincidental? I downloaded their software (not the sololaunch or whatever it's called, but the other one I downloaded) I'm very website challenged and even with the ease of this software, I still had problems but I must say, if I'm getting it, as slow as I may be, then anyone can do it. Okay........here's my dilemna.....I thought I purchased there hosting services but somehow, I purchased hostmonster's services......don't ask me how I did this, I'm not sure myself.....geeeesh....the blonde is coming out.....lol.....anyhoooo.....when I went to publish my website......low and behold, I discovered my error. Hostmonster has a 30 day money back guarantee which I thought about cancelling and sign up with vodahost but I'm concerned about not being able to reach anyone by phone......I have questions I would like to get answers to before switching. Like, their shopping cart-is that included and what about accepting credit cards and do they have the tracking so you can see how many times your site gets visited? On a scale of 1-10....10 being excellent, how would you rate their services? Any input you could give in helping make my decision would be greatly appreciate! Thanks a bunch!!!Yep, their shopping cart is included with the software - which is free - so all you pay for is their hosting services. Believe it or not, they don't have any hidden fees for anything. lol You can also choose any other shopping cart - such as PayPal or Mal's - and it will work beautifully as well.As for credit cards, you can accept credit cards with just about any shopping cart, but with most, you will have to have some kind of payment gateway that actually processes the payment. PayPal is an all in one tool (for lack of a better way to describe it) and will process all payment types for you, without having to deal with a gateway.VodaHost does offer a website tracker, along with a multitude of other nifty tools that helps you determine what metatags are working for you, which search engines have found your site (and how often they visit) etc. It's all included in your website control panel as well as access to your email accounts.As for their services - I would give them at least a 15. lol Seriously, I've never seen a company that will go to such great lengths to help you out as VodaHost does - I can't say enough good things about them.Also, if you decide to go with their hosting (which, unfortunately, you'll have to to be able to publish your site using BlueVoda) they can help you with the transfer.Anyhoo, I hope that helps, and if there is anything else I can do to help, please let me know. Kellie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nodtveidt Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 One thing to remember is that no real-time shipping application is always going to be 100% accurate when it comes to "our line of work". Of course, it largely depends on the shipper, but weight estimates are only so accurate. That's why I generally discourage realtime shipping calculators...anything that isn't 100% accurate ALL THE TIME simply isn't to be trusted.As far as PayPal goes...they're a good start for shopping cart/gateway all-in-one...until they screw up and leave you hosed with no explanation and no refunds. If you run a serious business, PayPal used this way probably isn't the method for you. We offer the PayPal payment method to our customers out of convenience, but their shopping system leaves much to be desired for a serious application. You're best off looking elsewhere. On that note, apparently Google is trying to get in on the same kind of system, but I don't know how far along they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tivelegance Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 Thanks Kellie for your reply! I'm leaning towards using them and your input is definitely helping with my decision. The one hosting service I've already signed up with doesn't include the shopping cart and looking at adding it can be costly. There hosting fee is only 5.95/mo but with vodahost, paying an additional $2/mo sounds worth it to me if the shopping cart is included.So did I understand you to say you use paypal as your gateway? If so, how much do they charge for this......I'm assuming there's a charge. There's so much to learn and consider when doing a website, especially if you're as challenged as me.....lol.I sent vodahost an email yesterday with my contact information and I'm hoping to hear back from them soon.......have you ever talked with anyone from there and if so, how long did it take for them to call you? I know I'm probably putting too much in to their method of contact but for me, I want to be assured that if I have a problem, I can reach someone quickly to have it taken care of. Thanks again for your help! Mary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShellyT Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 Looks like you might already have found a match for you! But if you are still looking, you are welcome to check out my company http://www.DIYeStores.com It's webhosting, website builder and shopping cart all in one, plus extras like free advertising and promotion for your website. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!Thanks and all the best to you on your new business!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJay_23 Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 Thanks Kellie for your reply! I'm leaning towards using them and your input is definitely helping with my decision. The one hosting service I've already signed up with doesn't include the shopping cart and looking at adding it can be costly. There hosting fee is only 5.95/mo but with vodahost, paying an additional $2/mo sounds worth it to me if the shopping cart is included.So did I understand you to say you use paypal as your gateway? If so, how much do they charge for this......I'm assuming there's a charge. There's so much to learn and consider when doing a website, especially if you're as challenged as me.....lol.I sent vodahost an email yesterday with my contact information and I'm hoping to hear back from them soon.......have you ever talked with anyone from there and if so, how long did it take for them to call you? I know I'm probably putting too much in to their method of contact but for me, I want to be assured that if I have a problem, I can reach someone quickly to have it taken care of. Thanks again for your help! Mary.Hiya Mary!Yep, we used PayPal for our shopping cart for about a year, and never had any problems with them. You're right though, there is a charge for using them which is a percentage ( about 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) of the money you have comong in. There are no setup fees and customers do not have to have a PayPal account to shop on your store. Customers didn't mind paying through PayPal, and my only complaint was a lack of options, such as being able to offer coupons, shipping options, etc. But, they really are a good start for anyone who is just getting up and running, and you can always switch after you find another shopping cart you like.I have to admit that the only time I've tried to contact VodaHost by phone, it was early in the week (I'm not sure about how quick they are on the weekends outside of their forum) and they called me back within an hour. Mostly, if I have any questions, I go to their forum for help because there is always someone there who can jump in and answer whatever questions I've had. They have a "pre-sales" section on their forum that is dedicated to answering questions for those who are considering an account with them, and believe me, no question is too silly on that forum (I've seen some doozies! lol)I hope that helps, and if there's anything else ya need, please feel free to ask! Kellie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cre8tivelegance Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 Thanks again Kellie! I didn't know about their forum and will definitely be checking out the presales section. I did just check my email and found where they responded via email.......I requested they call me so I could talk with someone and their response was......"what are your questions" arrrrrgh! I'm not giving up tho.......I'll let you know what I decide......thanks for your input! Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGCAT Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 I am wondering how those of you that have a site charge people for shipping. I love how easy it is to ship things in a $8.10 priority box but how do you figure up shipping for everything? Im totally in the dark about this! Anyhelp or advise about a web site would be great~TIAJust do AlOT of researching, the are good ones, but they are ones you want to RUN from Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJay_23 Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 Thanks again Kellie! I didn't know about their forum and will definitely be checking out the presales section. I did just check my email and found where they responded via email.......I requested they call me so I could talk with someone and their response was......"what are your questions" arrrrrgh! I'm not giving up tho.......I'll let you know what I decide......thanks for your input! MaryYou're welcome Mary - anytime! Honestly, I'm shocked that they didn't call you... I guess if you can't find the answers to your questions on the forum, you could always give them a call. They have numbers listed for the UK and the US - unfortunately, no 800 numbers though.Anyhoo, the best of luck to ya, and if I can be of further help, feel free to ask!Kellie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJay_23 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 I thought I would share a link to a thread in the VH forum for those of you who may be considering the VodaHost hosting/website builder services. I'm not the only satisfied customer they have. http://www.vodahost.com/vodatalk/customer-testimonials/7850-vh-support-team.html#post130219/partner/idevaffiliate.php?id=2599 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvcandleguy Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 I use DIYeStores and I do the real time shipping. Basically what that means is that I am linked into the USPS shipping charts. As you build your site, you put the weights of each product in the description. As the customer clicks on an item to buy, the calculater estimates how much it will cost per weight. It is really easy to use. You can also just do a flat rate shipping..... say 0-15.00 will be 6.00..... 15.01 to 25.00 would be 8.00 etc etc....... does that make sense? lol..... its still early and im not fully functioning...lol..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlecrazyinwv Posted March 8, 2007 Author Share Posted March 8, 2007 I use DIYeStores and I do the real time shipping. Basically what that means is that I am linked into the USPS shipping charts. As you build your site, you put the weights of each product in the description. As the customer clicks on an item to buy, the calculater estimates how much it will cost per weight. It is really easy to use. You can also just do a flat rate shipping..... say 0-15.00 will be 6.00..... 15.01 to 25.00 would be 8.00 etc etc....... does that make sense? lol..... its still early and im not fully functioning...lol..... You really explained that in a way I can understand...and yes it is tooooo early to function LOL:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CountryGal Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 I charge a flat rate too. If it's less to ship than that I will refund the different and if it's more...well they got a deal then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinetreecandles Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 I currently use a modified table rate. I charge a flat fee of 5.00 and then .50 per pound. I use this for the lower 48. Alaska, Hawaii and Canada is via USPS real time. It's actually pretty accurate 98% of the time. As mentioned, Real Time calculators are only as good as the info you give them. The more accurate your info is the more accurate your shipping. I have found that customers have less tolerance for over paying when using the calculators. Using the tables I have never had one compliant. Just make sure you explain everything in your terms.As far as web hosting goes, I use http://www.totalchoicehosting.com/ I have never had a problem with them and the support is awesome. They have several different shopping carts to choose from, but I'm not sure about programs to help you design your own. I do my own websites.Good luck with whatever you choose! :smiley2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breanna Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 I have no idea what REAL TIME means or anything about choosing a shopping cart... seems so confusing LOL Can anyone recommend a easy first time startup web site for me to begin with?I did my website through www.diyestores.com and they help you put it all together. They are wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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