# Why arent people buying off my big cartel site?



## Stevekiser12

Hey I have my own tshirt company and I got a store on bigcartel.com. I have all of my products on there with nice professional pictures and everything but no one is buying. 

I have 21 total products and they range from 15-24$.

I can see how many times people view the site and im getting around 90 views a day and i would think some body would buy.

People on twitter and facebook and even in person tell me my shirts are nice, awesome, sick, and all kinds of compliments but for some reason no one has bought any.

so how do i get people to commit to buying? how do i market it better? any info is appreciated. ill put a link in here so you can see the page and give me feedback on something if im doing it wrong.


site: ridekrazy.com


----------



## EnMartian

There's nothing on the site to tell anyone anything about you. Your contact form is just a generic form. There's no size chart for the shirts, so how do I know what size a small, medium or large will actually fit? You do have a Facebook page, but that only gets updated a few times a month, so what is there to give me confidence that if I give you my money I will get a shirt? 

People buy from sites and people in whom they trust. Right now your site give me nothing in which to trust, and, because of that, I'm most likely not going to place an order. 

If it were me, I'd try to personalize the site a little more. Add a bit about why you're selling the shirts and what the designs mean or why you like them. Add a return and shipping policy. Beef up your Facebook page by posting more often. Add a size chart that allows people to determine which size they need. 

Another thing to do is figure out from where your traffic is coming. You might be getting 90 visits a day, but are those visits from people who are likely to purchase your shirts? If the visits are coming from people who won't be interested in what you have to sell, it doesn't matter how many visits you have. 

I'm sorry if I sound blunt, but I'd rather be truthful and really help then say everything is fine and be of no assistance.


----------



## Stevekiser12

EnMartian said:


> There's nothing on the site to tell anyone anything about you. Your contact form is just a generic form. There's no size chart for the shirts, so how do I know what size a small, medium or large will actually fit? You do have a Facebook page, but that only gets updated a few times a month, so what is there to give me confidence that if I give you my money I will get a shirt?
> 
> People buy from sites and people in whom they trust. Right now your site give me nothing in which to trust, and, because of that, I'm most likely not going to place an order.
> 
> If it were me, I'd try to personalize the site a little more. Add a bit about why you're selling the shirts and what the designs mean or why you like them. Add a return and shipping policy. Beef up your Facebook page by posting more often. Add a size chart that allows people to determine which size they need.
> 
> Another thing to do is figure out from where your traffic is coming. You might be getting 90 visits a day, but are those visits from people who are likely to purchase your shirts? If the visits are coming from people who won't be interested in what you have to sell, it doesn't matter how many visits you have.
> 
> I'm sorry if I sound blunt, but I'd rather be truthful and really help then say everything is fine and be of no assistance.



no need to apologize my friend I need help lol. and that helped alot! thank you


----------



## SeikyouClothing

I'm diggin the shirts you have for sale but the one thing that I would say is you absolutely need an actual website that explains who you are and what your brand is all about. Even a blog (free wordpress/ blogger/ etc.) would be VERY beneficial especially for a street wear brand. People in this target market are looking for more than cool designs, they are looking for the background of the lifestyle the brand carries. Hope this helps. Look forward to seeing your brand grow.

~Mike B


----------



## kimura-mma

Your shirts look too similar to stuff being sold in Zumiez, Pac Sun, etc. I know you were asking about Y&R last week. I think your shirts look a bit similar, but you're missing the celebrity following, big budget marketing and reality tv exposure.

What is your target market? And if it's similar to existing brands being sold in the market now, what exactly are you doing to steal market share from those brands?

Online selling can be tough sometimes. Look into SEO, Google AdWords, etc.

But more importantly, look into local events, festivals and shows. See if you can be a vendor there. It's a great way to get your shirts out in front of your audience at a time and place where they are willing to buy.


----------



## doskalata

Some of your shirts remind me of that 90's show Wild and Crazy kids! i always wanted to be on that show...

anyways, everything looks good, you've taken the time for quality photos, and your website seems to match the edgy theme you appear to be going for. 

But i dont feel enough life coming out of your brand (or website for that matter), sure the shirts seem active, but i feel asthough no one would be there to see my order, like some college kid will get around to it this weekend when he gets bored with his xbox. Consumer engaging materials are left to be desired, an "about us" section would help give some life, and lots more photos of going "wild n krazy" would help set the stage. like the photo of the guy pissing with his pants down is a good visual expression of going wild n krazy, despite the fact your looking at another mans rear-end

and no offense but your facebook is rather drawl. i think you need to get some more wheels turning there, really embellish what your brand stands for when you communicate with you customers. Check out the brand "LifeasRX" they're a crossfit themed brand that is making a killing. And they are on the facebook daily, giving product updates, sharing customers stories, and even asking for feedback on possible future products. these guys are really getting the most out of facebook.

my last bit of $.02 is that while the ultimate goal is to procure sales, the first and foremost should be building a trustworthy relationship with the consumer, and that cannot happen if you dont try and communicate.

best of luck to ya!


----------



## Stevekiser12

doskalata said:


> Some of your shirts remind me of that 90's show Wild and Crazy kids! i always wanted to be on that show...
> 
> anyways, everything looks good, you've taken the time for quality photos, and your website seems to match the edgy theme you appear to be going for.
> 
> But i dont feel enough life coming out of your brand (or website for that matter), sure the shirts seem active, but i feel asthough no one would be there to see my order, like some college kid will get around to it this weekend when he gets bored with his xbox. Consumer engaging materials are left to be desired, an "about us" section would help give some life, and lots more photos of going "wild n krazy" would help set the stage. like the photo of the guy pissing with his pants down is a good visual expression of going wild n krazy, despite the fact your looking at another mans rear-end
> 
> and no offense but your facebook is rather drawl. i think you need to get some more wheels turning there, really embellish what your brand stands for when you communicate with you customers. Check out the brand "LifeasRX" they're a crossfit themed brand that is making a killing. And they are on the facebook daily, giving product updates, sharing customers stories, and even asking for feedback on possible future products. these guys are really getting the most out of facebook.
> 
> my last bit of $.02 is that while the ultimate goal is to procure sales, the first and foremost should be building a trustworthy relationship with the consumer, and that cannot happen if you dont try and communicate.
> 
> best of luck to ya!



thanks a ton! that was real helpful. ive been tweeting and everything i guess its all just a learning process and ill get better as i get more experience but ill definitely use everything u just told me. thanks again!


----------



## kc6789

Your designs r cool. I could see them in Zumiez. What is the logo and what does it mean?


----------



## Stevekiser12

kc6789 said:


> Your designs r cool. I could see them in Zumiez. What is the logo and what does it mean?



thanks man the logo is supposed to be some sort of a "K". most people think its an arrow but its a K ha


----------



## kc6789

Stevekiser12 said:


> thanks man the logo is supposed to be some sort of a "K". most people think its an arrow but its a K ha


Hmm. I can kind of see it. But if it's Ride Krazy, u could also see it as a hill or mountain, like biking or motocross over hills and mounds...?


----------



## Stevekiser12

kc6789 said:


> Hmm. I can kind of see it. But if it's Ride Krazy, u could also see it as a hill or mountain, like biking or motocross over hills and mounds...?



thats a good observation. i never thought abt it like that


----------



## poker

Sell some of your stuff on Ebay and/or Cafepress just to get the word out that you exist. Hopefully those listings lead to direct sales on your site.


----------



## VTG

Steve, looks like you've already gotten some good advice on how to bring a little more life, energy, or creative spark to your website.

As you know, it takes a lot more than just having a few good t-shirt designs to become successful. There are millions of good designs on the web just sitting there waiting for someone to notice them. If this is your approach, your business will probably experience a slow and painful death. You have to proactively market your brand (and once you get started you can never stop).

First of all, if you are trying to connect with the "extreme sports" audience, you have to think about what type of things attract these folks to extreme sports websites. Ask yourself, "what attracts me and my buddies to these types of sites?". After you come up with a few idea, try to find a way to incorporate them into your website. Right now your website is kind of plain vanilla. Maybe you need to add a few cool graphic elements to the home page to more clearly identify your brand with your target audience.

The name itself (Ride Krazy) led me to believe you might be into BMX biking ... but it could also be connected to skateboarding, surfing, motocross, snow boarding, etc. Again, you just need to make it clear who you are trying to reach. People don't hang out on websites very long if they can't figure out what your brand represents or stand for right away. You don't want visitor to have to think or figure it out on their own. Shout it out ... make it so clear that they will get in the first few seconds after clicking on your site.

Also, I'm sure you are probably attached to your current logo (we all tend to like our own logos), but it does look more like an arrow than a K. See what you can do to make the "K" part of the logo stand out a bit more. Or consider re-designing it to be a cool looking *RK* (that would make more sense since your brand name is *R*ide *K*razy).

As far as converting the folks who visit your site, you DO need to add elements that create TRUST in your site and in your company (About Us, Sizing Chart, Return Policy, etc). You may also need to add some type of incentive to get them to purchase, like "sign up for our newsletter and get 25% off your first t-shirt" ... or "like us" and get 25% off your first order".

Do research on other sites and see how they are marketing their t-shirts. Be creative. But most of all be patient. It takes time and effort to get a business off the ground.

Good Luck.


----------



## Stevekiser12

poker said:


> Sell some of your stuff on Ebay and/or Cafepress just to get the word out that you exist. Hopefully those listings lead to direct sales on your site.



i tried cafe press but i couldnt figure out how to just put images of already printed shirts to sell instead of theyre designs


----------



## kc6789

Stevekiser12 said:


> thats a good observation. i never thought abt it like that


Cool. That'll be $500 lol


----------



## SunEmbroidery

I would add information about estimated shipping costs and how payment is made. A lot of people want to have some idea about that before they checkout. Maybe it was just me but when I clicked from your cart to Paypal PP took forever to load.


----------



## jiarby

The shirts do not look like photos of the actutal shirts... just photoshop comps. Maybe some model pix and/or action shots. 

There are alot of shirts, but they all are kinds the same... just 4-5 different ones. The shirts look like baggy loose generic cheapos... tell people what they are getting. Offer some fashion fits or different styles

No real sizzling of the design and shirt. You have to make people want to be part of your experience. 

You can sell a steak by saying it is 8oz of cooked beef on a plate... or you can describe the prime grade marbling of the steak and describe how it is seasoned to perfection.. and how the grill marks are caramelized over an open flame wood fired grill... when you cut into it is it perfectly juicy, tender, and each bite melts in your mouth with beefy goodness. 

you sell alot more steaks the second way. 

You have to "sell the sizzle" not the shirt. Sell people your brand, and what it means to you.. how the shirt feels, how soft it is, etc...


----------



## geniussuineg

I want to go the same direction where you are going w/ your shirts. What i would do is realize the online it a tough avenue. I would change to real shirt pic instead of comps like others commented. I would mainly focus on offline sales. *The web is like going national with a garage band without any local support.* If that makes any sense to you. Focus locally. You need to go where the people are that you are trying to sell to. Hang out where they hang out. Talk how they talk. And do what the do. What's hot is directly related to who's hot. Believe me I don't know anything really. I'm going on my gut. You can direct them there when you have their confidence. Just my two cents.


----------



## jiarby

I have said it a few times... having a website is great, BUT it is PASSIVE marketing. 

If you want it to be successful then you have to do other things to drive traffic to the site. That effort can start locally with vehicle graphics, bumper/window decals, press releases, sponsor some local peewee team, signs... 

Then expand to other online venues: become active in online forums where you can post URL in signature or buy rotating ads, improve SEO, become a contributing author in trade magazines, start a blog, make youtube videos. 

WIth any website you really have TWO problems: GETTING traffic is the first one... then CONVERTING it into sales is the second one.


----------



## Stevekiser12

jiarby said:


> I have said it a few times... having a website is great, BUT it is PASSIVE marketing.
> 
> If you want it to be successful then you have to do other things to drive traffic to the site. That effort can start locally with vehicle graphics, bumper/window decals, press releases, sponsor some local peewee team, signs...
> 
> Then expand to other online venues: become active in online forums where you can post URL in signature or buy rotating ads, improve SEO, become a contributing author in trade magazines, start a blog, make youtube videos.
> 
> WIth any website you really have TWO problems: GETTING traffic is the first one... then CONVERTING it into sales is the second one.




hey thanks for the information. i have decent traffic but just no sales. how can i convert the traffic into sales?? thanks


----------



## jiarby

> how can i convert the traffic into sales??


Implement strategies people have posted here... I answered what I thought in post #17.

and...

90 hits a day is not "decent traffic". Post up your traffic statistics (from your website control panel). You can get 90 hits a day from web crawlers and people scanning for script exploits.... how do you know they are REAL buyers? 

Have you created a specific landing page to coordinate with a Facebook or Twitter promo and then monitored THAT page statistically? "Follow us on Twitter and get a "Buy one Get one FREE" coupon + Bonus skateboard sponsor decal!"


----------



## kc6789

Anytime would be good...


----------



## scottsmrekar

Hey Steve,
I have they exact same problem as you! Although 90 visitors a day (real or fake) is short term goal. I'm have a Big Cartel store with 25 shirts but have no contact, about, return, shirt sizing (yet). So hang in there and implement some of the great suggestions that everyone is giving "us" and we'll have no choice but to succeed! The garage band getting national exposure with no local following is a great analogy.


----------



## Dermy

Your t-shirts are actually pretty good ( compared to what I normally read in these threads)
Start a blog build & your brand up.


----------



## UGCBK

I have a website with shirts, skateboards, hats, etc and even celebrities wearing my shirts but like someone said you have to blog, youtube, action shots, stickers and just pound the pavement and get into local stores. It's hard work but you will see it pay off.


----------



## kaycherie

When I buy t shirts online, I find myself buying from websites that are "fun" looking. I love to see the t shirts being worn. I like a website that feels personal. Who is selling the t shirt? What's his story? etc. I must admit, I am a person that makes purchases based on presentation. I might not actually need the product but if it's presented in a cool way then I have to have it. (terrible, right? lol)
Check out www.ilthy.com I love the way that their t shirts are presented. They also have contests and giveaways. They communicate with their customers. I think they even have 8k fans on their facebook page. 
So my advice would be to add pictures of people wearing the shirts (also stating what size the model is wearing). Along with a sizing chart. And also add some background about the company


----------



## Stevekiser12

Stevekiser12 said:


> Hey I have my own tshirt company and I got a store on bigcartel.com. I have all of my products on there with nice professional pictures and everything but no one is buying.
> 
> I have 21 total products and they range from 15-24$.
> 
> I can see how many times people view the site and im getting around 90 views a day and i would think some body would buy.
> 
> People on twitter and facebook and even in person tell me my shirts are nice, awesome, sick, and all kinds of compliments but for some reason no one has bought any.
> 
> so how do i get people to commit to buying? how do i market it better? any info is appreciated. ill put a link in here so you can see the page and give me feedback on something if im doing it wrong.




how long have u been on big cartel?


----------



## kirbymurphy

The images are nice, but I saw nothing I would want to buy.
When I or most folks buy a shirt they want a unique and interesting site.

If I could tell you what to print I'd be wealthy, but those designs don't appeal to me.


----------



## doskalata

In my opinion, designs are hit or miss with people. Not everyone likes da Vinci's work, because everyone has their own taste. Apart of what psychology refers to as ones own phenomenological realm. Personally myself i dont like shirts that have elaborate 8 color designs of lions and dragons etc. and thats just me, nothing to do with the artist.


----------



## vai

Steve,

Seems like you're targeting a small group of customers so those 90 hits a day may not be your customers. To me, your customers are males, who like big and bold graphics, bright colored tees, extreme sports, (guessing) age group 18-30.

I feel like if you want to find your customers- you should promote in places that they frequent.

Or if you want to expand your customer type- add some womens tees, add some smaller and less bold graphics, and add some conservative colored tees, etc.

Also, you don't say what blank tshirts that you are printing on or that it is screenprinted. I purchased a tshirt once on the internet (that was not American Apparel or a brand that I was familier with) and the fit was wrong, so I'm reluctant to purchase again.


----------



## jimbodean

I would work on adjusting the price, let customers actually see the slashed price.
Ex: $24(slash)
$19.99(slash)
$15.99 with free shipping
Remember half of a sale is better than no sale at all.
You also get more people to give you free marketing.


----------



## ViciousHistory

I have to agree with what everyone else has said. Your need a full website that helps put your brand image across. Use some social media sites and a blog to help get your customers involved. You will also want to have actual product shots of your clothes. Most people won't buy shirts from new and unknown brands based on mockup pictures. They want some assurance that your product is of nice quality.


----------



## alois71x

Honestly, your designs are amateur and hurt my eyes....


----------



## dlystrgl

I've been in the same boat as you for quite some time now. I use the "more frequented" social networks, I've been doing a lot of promos(contests/giveaways), I've got the blog going, etc., but it's still tough to make a sale.

What it tends to boil down to, especially in the streetwear market, is a ton of marketing and promoting. It's important that your target market know what your brand is about. This doesn't necessarily mean spending a heap of money. A lot can be achieved these days with social networks and blogs, all it takes is getting the right people to start talking about it.

Mind you, you probably will have to supplement this with some actual in-person promoting(giving stickers out, co-sponsoring parties, etc.), but face-to-face customer/owner interaction seems to do wonders...oh, and don't rule out promotional giveaways. If people don't see your products, how will they even know it exists?

Wish you the best of luck with your venture!


----------



## EternalRival

I just launched my site yesterday so far i get over a 100hits for both days and still no dice. It's all about the marketing, Hopefully I get my first sale soon.


----------



## tjolley2000

Where are your hits coming from? If you are just getting hits from people just surfing the Big Cartel Store Directory... very few if any of them are customers. I have been been surfing the directory for about a year and have made only one purchase ( a Christmas gift for my wife). 

I have to assume most people in the directory are other BC site owners looking for ideas (like me), I also like to see how high I am in the ranking... I asked BC how stores are ranked (by sales or views) they wouldn't tell me, they said its a secret formula... but from what I can tell its 100% website views. I have been in the top 10 pages of the clothing section when I got over 100 hits in a day. However it doesn't really matter to me about even being the most popular store on there because that is going to bring me about .001% chance of making a sell, my target market is very very specific... Motorcycle enthusiast, primarily between 23 and 41.

I get a lot of my traffic off of industry specific forums, but also have converted less views than I though in to sales. I figures I would get at least 10% , so far I am closer to half of 1 %.


----------



## BWigs22

i like the couple of designs you have but it looks like you have more than you do, you only have a couple designs they are just posted in different colors, id say get more designs, the whole site personalization thing, and namely change the logo at the top.. first thing i thought when the page opened and i saw it was oh **** this site is going to blow.. and actually it didn't but thats what it made me think.. cheezy, colors don't flow with the rest of the site, needs tweaking or scrap it otherwise keep it up!


----------

