Little Online Store

2009-10-19T18:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been working on getting the store stocked up better, but still have quite a bit left to go.

I managed to get mostly everything listed except for the jewelry. For the jewelry, I will need to take pictures and get those listed as well. Those pieces will be a bit more complicated, as I'm not sure about the names of each piece and must do some research.

Everything had been going great with the store and still sending out the orders as usual.

The weather is getting a bit cooler now, so thinking winter is on it's way.

Stay warm,
Christi

Thank you for visiting!
SQUIDOO...TWITTER...BLOGSPOT...MYSPACE...FACEBOOK

Stocking Up!

2009-08-02T19:56:00.000-07:00

Will be working to get the store stocked up soon.

There have been a lot of project lately, but things should be quieting down soon. So, it's time to stock up again and get the store all ready for fall and the cooler weather.

Still have some Mia Bella votives to list as well as a lot of jewelry.

Expect an additional 500 items at least.

Thanks for your time and have a wonderful week!

Thank you for visiting!
SQUIDOO...TWITTER...BLOGSPOT...MYSPACE...FACEBOOK

Mia Bella Soaps and Candles

2009-04-28T15:39:00.001-07:00

I've recently added Mia Bella Pie Candles and Mia Bella Soy Soap Bars to the product line. Soon, I'll be adding votives as well.

Mia Bella soy candles burn much cleaner than parafin wax candles. They also have lead-free wicks and smell amazing.

Once I have them listed, I'll be listing the Lia Sophia jewelry as well as the rest of the Cookie Lee Jewelry that I have. I'm too late for Mother's Day, but oh well. I'll make it in time for Christmas :D

I also have a lot of noname jewelry sets that I'll be listing. Some very pretty sets for sure. OK, not sure how many of those will make it into my store ;)

Have a great evening!
Christi

Thank you for visiting!
SQUIDOO...TWITTER...BLOGSPOT...MYSPACE...FACEBOOK

Anti-Virus Programs Uninstalls

2009-04-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

Watch out if you are uninstalling a virus program. If your system acts funny, chances are that you need an additional uninstall file.

I know that Windows Live One Care and Norton Systemworks both need additional files to fully uninstall.

Thank you for visiting!
SQUIDOO...TWITTER...BLOGSPOT...MYSPACE...FACEBOOK

Forums - Which ones to join and why.

2009-04-28T15:08:00.000-07:00

As I sit here thinking about how much time I just spent posting on forums, I must also ask myself if I really thought it helped my business.

It's nice to feel as though we belong and fit into a group. It's also easy to get comfortable interracting with the same people.

When I started selling online, I had so many questions. I needed to know where to sell and which sites had what I was interested in. I joined some selling forums to interract with other sellers and get the information I needed.

Once I decided on a site, I began to post in the site forum to gain knowledge about my store and new features that came out. However, once I figured out where to sell, I should've started minimizing my time spent at the selling forums. I should've transitioned to forums where I'd attract buyers instead of other sellers.

Of course, it does depend on who my buyers are. If I create templates and do custom work for other sellers, I should continue to participate in selling forums. However, my customers typically won't be other sellers. Many of them make their own candles, bath products and jewelry. They are looking to make money online versus spending it at my store.

So, where should I spend time? I'd still spend some of it where I have my store checking in for new options and codes. However, most of my time should be spent at forums that allow me to reach my customers.

I've found forums that are female oriented. The only problem is that they don't allow banners in signatures. Mostly all of them want you to participate in their forum, promoting their advertising without being able to advertise anything for yourself. Is that fair? I don't think so.

So the next time you want to spend time promoting your store, think about where your buyers are. Reach out to them whereever they are. Break out of your comfort zone and try new forums.

Thank you for visiting!
SQUIDOO...TWITTER...BLOGSPOT...MYSPACE...FACEBOOK

Malware Issues on April Fools

2009-04-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

Well, It seems like eveything is still going smooth.

My computer had an issue, but it was my own fault. I had downloaded a couple free screensavers off of the internet, and one had some malware in it. Not too bad, but the darn thing kept rerouting me to other internet pages. Ugh.

System is fine now. I tried Malwarebytes, but that didn't find the cause. It found some registry entries, which just return when you restart the system. I had to restore my system back to an earlier point and once I could work on it, I downloaded Ad-Aware. That actually found the root problems, which was a free screensaver I installed.

What I learned from this:

*Never install any screensavers from Screensaver.com
*Never install any screensavers from Freeze or anything from Apple Blossom Art
*Only install programs from trusted sources like CNET.com
*If something is free, there is usually something attached to it making the source money.
*Microsoft One Care cannot find Malware or Adware
*Therefore, install Ad-Aware as it's free and seems to find the culprits causing problems.
Here's the link: http://download.cnet.com/Ad-Aware-Anniversary-Edition/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?tag=mncol;pop
*Be sure to check installed programs under the control panel, then, add and remove. You'll be amazed to find all of the toolbars left from applications.
*Adware is a program that tracks what you do and sends over your stats to vendors. You don't notice these much, and they aren't much harm to your computer.
*Malware is a program that actually forwards your browser to other affiliate pages. For example, you click on a news link and are rediracted to a pet store. These are a bit more troubling if you don't take care of them right away. The reason is that they stop your computer from accessing Window's Updates and virus protection. They don't affect other computers (unless you share the infected programs), but are just a pain. It wouldn't have been so bad, but I didn't like that it messed with my firewall and such.
*Viruses actually use computers to spread (like a cold) and severely affect a computer's operating ability.Well, hopefully, you were able to pick up some useful information from my last 2 days of research. Thanks,Christi

Thank you for visiting!
SQUIDOO...TWITTER...BLOGSPOT...MYSPACE...FACEBOOK

Forum 4 Women

2009-03-31T15:54:00.000-07:00

I had been spending a lot of time on marketing forums and the issues were always the same. So, I decided to find a forum where one could discuss a broad range of topics. That way, I wouldn't have to join 5 different forums. There seem to be so many forums out there for mothers or professional women and so on. It's like each forum is a group that includes a certain type of woman.

What about women that don't have children or those that don't feel so professional? There were only a couple of forums that were all inclusive. Most of those were geared around articles, so one has to do a lot of reading before asking a simple question. Who has that kind of time?

A few forums weren't monitored very well and had naughty posts on them. I mentioned the posts to the admin of one of the forums. She stated that she had 19 forums and didn't have time to monitor them all. OK, so now I know her forum had not much to do about helping women and more to do about making money. That just really doesn't seem right.

I also saw a lot of organizations for women without a forum. Wouldn't it be nice to have a place where an organization would be seen by many women? There were sure a lot of organizations that I hadn't heard of.

I also thought it would be nice to have a forum that wasn't plastered with advertising. Many of the forums I saw seemed to have one goal. That goal was to fill every inch of space with an advertisement.

I think women are worth more than that. I think it would be great to have a place where we all can go to discuss whatever we'd like. A place more interested in helping women than making money off of them. A place where we can help each other instead of pointing to a list of articles. And, a place where we can support each other no matter what.

Thank you for visiting!
SQUIDOO...TWITTER...BLOGSPOT...MYSPACE...FACEBOOK

Selling Candles Online

2009-03-21T10:47:00.000-07:00

I've been hanging out in forums for awhile and typing away. Then, I thought why not share my knowledge with the world?.....LOL

Well, this way, I can add to my blog as well as share my vast knowledge.

My first informative post will be about selling candles online.

Candles seem to be a big hit for those that want to make their own products. They are somewhat simple to make, smell nice and make wonderful gifts.

The downside is that they are very heavy and expensive to ship. Anyone looking to purchase candles is much better buying a couple and using flat rate shipping. one 16oz candle will cost around $6 to $7 to ship, so if one can buy a few for $10 shipping, that is much better.

The only real differences to candles are the colors, scents and what the wax and wicks are made of. From everything I've read, lead wicks are bad and inexpensive candles release a lot of soot into the air. I agree with the soot part as I have seen many cheap candles with all of that black soot around them.

I don't know much about lead wicks, but I've seen some cheap candles with a piece of metal in the wick. I'm thinking the metal is actually lead and thus a lead wick.

Soy candles are pretty popular now. They burn cleaner and doesn't everyone just love soy? I guess the closer our candles get to anything organic, the happier we are. The only problem is that the soy isn't quite friendly to the fragrance oils. Therefore, a lot of candle makers use a soy blend. That seems to work fine as the candle smells nice yet still burns cleaner than most.

I know there are other types of wax, but if you do decide to sell candles, be sure that they are a soy blend. At least have some soy candles in your collection to attract buyers to your store.

For the fragrance, there are essential oils and synthetic fragrance oils. Many argue that essential oils are better, because they are natural and don't result in harmful waste. Others will argue that fragrance oils have a stronger smell and don't use up so much resources as the essential oils. The essential oils have to be extracted out of flowers and such, and it does take quite a bit to make a small amount of oil.

Either way there are pros and cons. Fragrance oils are less expensive and come in a lot of different scents. Essential oils are somewhat limited in scents, and I'm really not sure how many candle makers even use them. I'm sure it would be a good selling point though.

Don't forget to purchase insurance if you decide to sell candles. Just in case something happens and blame is placed on one of your candles. Also be sure every candle is labeled properly and that you send out additional information to inform your customers of candle safety.

One of the new trends is food replica candles. My favorite is the 9 inch pie with 5 wicks in it. Seriously, how safe is that? Of course you'll have even melting, but what if a child were to pull that down on themselves? Having a big platter of melted wax with 5 wicks burning at the same time is just a bad idea. At least with a jar, not all of the wax is likely to spill out.

I really don't think candles should be used around children period. They are so curious about flame and it's just not worth haveing the scent. My children are 3 and 4, and I still don't burn candles around them. No matter how many times I would tell them to be careful, they'd forget or get goofing around. It's just not worth it.

Therefore, if you decide to make food candles, don't make any hazardous large pie candles. Also, be sure to include warnings about candles and children. I even put in my listings that they are not to be used in households with young children. Sure I may lose sales, but that piece of mind is really worth it.

Plus, a lot of the food candles are made with gel, which burns hotter than wax. The gel can cause severe burns. It's used as it's clear and looks like syrup. I often see it used for fruit pies and fruit toppings.

My favorite candles are the electric ones. There is no flame and even the bulb is safe as it is dipped in silicone. Looking at the construction of the candle, it really does not seem to complicated. The only bad thing is that electric candles haven't caught on yet. Most customers are looking for burning candles. They don't last as long as the electric candles, but they don't use electricity. There is no searching for an outlet or checking that electric bill wondering how much the candle costs to run....LOL

Either way, candles are fun. They smell nice and get used up. Unlike trinkets and figurines, where people complain that they have too many. If they have too many candles, there is always someone wanting to burn them.

Always remember to be creative, and people like to buy pretty candles. If you are going to make a chunk candle, feel free to color the wax instead of leaving it white. Not that we don't like the look of coolwhip with chunks of jello in it, but maybe lets pretend we have pink or blue coolwhip.

Swirl candles would be great as well. A strawberry and cream swirl candy would be great. Yeah, I'm hungry ;)

Happy candle making!
Christi, Owner
Little Online Store
Thank you for visiting!
SQUIDOO...TWITTER...BLOGSPOT...MYSPACE...FACEBOOK

Networking

2009-02-22T16:42:00.000-08:00

Learning more everyday with all of this networking.

Currently, working on Squidoo pages and my twitter account. It's quite time consuming, but once done, won't be so bad. It's just creating the pages and getting the accounts all working and so on.

I'll be adding the Mia Bella candles and soaps soon. I have a lot of inventory to list yet.

I'm finally finished with the layout and graphics on my site. The last touch was the pink bars throughout the site. They look much better now.

Well, back to work.

Thank you for visiting!
SQUIDOO...TWITTER...BLOGSPOT...MYSPACE...FACEBOOK

2009-02-18T13:06:00.000-08:00

FOLLOW US ONLINE!!

Time for an Update

2009-02-18T11:47:00.000-08:00

Mia Bella Candles to be listed soon!

I've been working on the store every day networking and such. It's almost a full time job creating pages.

The store has a new layout with 3 columns, so everything is cleaner and organized. I hope the new layout is a hit.

Well, I'm done playing around with the store and now must get the inventory up to date. I have a lot of inventory to list for sure.

Thanks to everyone that has purchased from us. We're working hard to get the business out there. I plan on adding additional fragrances down the road as well.

Have a great day!
Christi

Introducing Homemade Soaps!

2008-12-21T22:01:00.000-08:00

Yes, I just added them tonight. I have a great supplier and they donate a portion of their proceeds to the SPCA to help animals.

I had been looking for some bath products to offer, but even the wholesale prices were pretty expensive. Then, I came across Sunny Soap and when I read that they donate to the SPCA, I had to add their soaps to my store.

I really like this soap, because they are pretty large bars. The scents are wonderful, and they lather up really well. My daughter really likes the Cinnamon Spice soap and said the scent was yummy.

Thanks for reading :D

Christi, Owner
Little Online Store
Click here to return to the store.

Homemade Soap

2008-12-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

Thought I'd add some updates this morning.

First, Homemade Glycerin Soap is on the way! I've found a small supplier and will be offering some great scents. These soaps are wondering and contain Coconut Oil for smooth skin all winter long.

Second, I'll be adding more jewelry soon! I have a lot of Lia Sophia jewelry to list as well as an order on the way of some very beautiful, inexpensive yet sophisticated jewelry. I looked for items that resembles the Lia Sophia and Cookie Lee lines.

I'm still working on the store daily. I've been updating some of the artwork and categories for easier navigation.

Thanks for reading this :D
Christi
Owner
Little Online Store

Thanksgiving

2008-11-30T21:40:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

It was great to spend time with family. Dorothy and Timothy (my children) had such a fun time and played with so many pets. They were interested with Grandpa's new birds, but puzzled as to why they could not play with them. The birds, however, were surely grateful that the toddlers weren't allowed to handle them.

They are learning about Santa Claus now and saw him while we were shopping at Menards. "Hi Santa!" she said, but he just stood there. "He's frozen!" she yelled. I had to explain to her that this Santa was a life-sized decoration and not the real Santa Claus.

Checkout Issue

2008-11-17T20:48:00.000-08:00

First, I'd like to apologize to those that tried to place an order through Paypal, but were unable to pull the order through. The addition of Amazon Payments triggered a conflict with Internet Explorer browsers. The issues has been fixed once the issue was brought to the webmaster's attention.

Well, finally got all of my Mary Kay colors sorted, so I'll be able to list more soon. I'm working on getting more Pink Ice and Silver Sand Creme Lipstick in stock. Those seem very popular.

Well, back to work,
Christi

2008-11-10T15:49:00.000-08:00

Well, lets see if I have this figured out. I think this will be a great way to let you know where I'm at and what will be coming in the future to Little Online Store.

First, diffusers are on the way for the Bath & Body Works® Home Fragrance Oils. They are little clay jugs with glaze on the bottom, so the oil won't damage whatever you set them on.

Second, I'm getting ready to list Lia Sophia jewelry. More is on the way as well as Cookie Lee jewelry.

Third, I also have Mary Kay gift sets and fragrance that I will be listing.

Thanks so much for reading this. I've been working very hard to make sure my store is a success. My inventory is all organized, and I have plenty of mailing supplies (about a room full).

Thanks again,
Christi