Let's start with the worst-case scenario: If you Google "t-shirt website," you'll learn that this search engine alone lists 30,600,000 possible results. Assuming that not all of these actually sell the ubiquitous t-shirt but are ploys to get hits, you're probably still looking at Herculean amounts of competition. But, let's say you're undaunted and have the vision, inventory or design ideas that will make your shirts stand head and shoulders above the crowd. In that case, forget the competition and go forth to create the best site on the Internet. Whether you're a website design novice or pro, you'll find tips in this article to help move your business forward. That said, be the mogul you were meant to be by shooting your ideas into cyberspace---and may the cash be with you.
Instructions
1. Create a name for your enterprise that will attract shoppers. Domain names are snapped up fast, so finding one that isn't already taken may be the most daunting task on your to-do list. Consider an exotic spelling if the name you choose is already in play. For instance, HOTSHIRTS.COM may be gone, but HOTSHRTZ.COM may not. Have several in mind in case your first pick is taken.
2. Research your domain name picks on a site like GODADDY to see if the one you've chosen is available. If it's not being used, grab it---fast. You will have to pay a modest fee for securing it, but the name will be protected and you'll be closer to your goal.
3. Hire a designer to create your website or do it yourself. Dreamweaver® is one of the most popular softwares on the market for web design. It comes with a tutorial that can take you through the entire process step-by-step. Dreamweaver is not inexpensive so if money is an issue, consider using KompoZer, a free website builder. It has fewer bells and whistles but it's reputed to be easy to use.
4. Decide on your site's format. As a t-shirt purveyor, your sales will be contingent upon excellent graphics, so come up with a template that will allow you to show your product in the best light. If a lot of your shirts are white or light, a black background can make the styles pop. Use a grid design that allows you to display no more than six shirts on the monitor screen.
5. Hire someone to scan photos of your entire t-shirt line. As a rule of thumb, shirts photographed on people get more attention than those on a hanger, but this is a matter of preference. As a compromise, consider photos of each. Save the imagines as jpeg files. Have a Photoshop or another image manipulation program pro clean up the images so your shirts look their best on the monitor.
6. Write sales copy for each shirt. Be succinct and don't strive to use perfect English if you wish to speak to your buying audience. This doesn't mean that you should ignore spelling or use improper sentence structure. Write in a conversational manner. Read the copy aloud. If it sounds stilted, rewrite until it sounds breezy and lively. In other words, have fun writing it.
7. Establish a payment system. Checks can be problematic and credit cards come with fees, so your best bet will be to subscribe to a service like Pay Pal. Shoppers can send money to your site electronically. By the way, you must collect the appropriate sales tax for orders received from buyers in your state, but you don't have to collect sales tax from shoppers in the other 49.
8. Test your website once it's up and running. Ask friends to use different browsers like Explorer, Safari and Firefox to locate your site and place an order to be certain everything works as it should. Once sales begin to flow in, consider promotions to trigger additional business. For example, start a Frequent T-Wearers Club and invite anyone who signs up to register for a free shirt once they've purchased nine.
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