QUESTION: Is there a Monthly or Yearly fee? Or any other costs?
ANSWER: The cost of your store installation is a one-time fee. But you will need web hosting and a domain address. Also, we have a Services page with fees for certain things if you’d rather not do them yourself, such as inventory management, installing a blog, changing your meta tags, etc. These are things you can do yourself (instructions provided) or you can have us do it for you for a fee.
QUESTION: What would be my profit?
ANSWER: Our demo store shows the Retail prices (what your customers pay you). You get 50-55% off those Retail prices on most items (crystals, candles, incense, etc), and 40% off on books, CDs, tarot decks and DVDs, and then the dropshipper will ship the package to your customer (without their information or address anywhere on the order). For example, if a product retails $40, your cost is $20 wholesale (so a $20 profit for you). Note: a Sales Tax ID Number is required. With ebooks, you get to keep 100% of the profits!
QUESTION: I see there are two stores to choose from. What is the difference between the New Age Store and the Wiccan Store?
ANSWER: The New Age Store comes preloaded with 4,000 products plus 350 ebooks. The Wiccan Store comes with everything in the New Age Store plus 2,000 witchcraft items (making a total of over 6,000 products). The reason we offer two different stores is some of our clients prefer not to sell witchcraft products.
QUESTION: Can I see what 350 ebooks come preloaded in the store?
ANSWER: Yes, you can see all 350 ebooks in the Demo Store.
QUESTION: Can I deduct the store as a business expense on my taxes?
ANSWER: Yes! You may deduct the store installation fee as well as the web hosting and domain costs. Other expenses such as advertising may be deducted as well. Any business expense may be deducted on your taxes.
QUESTION: Is the store mobile-friendly?
ANSWER: Yes. Your store will display properly on both desktop computers and mobile devices.
QUESTION: I already have a website — can you install the store there?
ANSWER: Yes. Many of our clients have a website with a blog but no store. So we install the store in a folder named “store” on the same web host account, and then they simply add the store link in the menu of their blog.
QUESTION: How long does it take for you to install my store?
ANSWER: Your store will be installed usually within 24 to 48 hours, as soon as you have an approved account with the dropshipper (the dropshipper information will be given to you when you order). You will also need a web host account and domain address.
QUESTION: How does dropshipping work?
ANSWER: Using a dropshipper means there is no inventory for you to keep, or anything for you to ship, as the dropshipper does the work for you. With this one dropshipper, you can have up to 6,000 products in your store and they can ship directly to your customer’s doorstep (using your store’s name and address on the shipping label). With a dropshipper, it means you don’t purchase an item until you have sold that item and have collected the money from your customer. Using a dropshipper is by far the best way and least expensive way to offer thousands of products to your customers.
QUESTION: Am I able to add my own products to the store?
ANSWER: Yes. You may add your own products (perhaps items you’ve created yourself), or products from other wholesalers. If you do this, you will probably need to raise the shipping rate or raise the retail prices of all your products to help pay for any additional shipping costs. The store also allows you to add more categories and subcategories if you need them. You can also add more ebooks.
QUESTION: How does it all work?
ANSWER: When a customer purchases something from your store, the money is deposited into your PayPal or Square account and you’ll receive an email stating who your customer is and what they ordered. Then you log-in to your dropshipper wholesale account. Locate the products for your customer by typing each item’s code into the search box and then add the items to your shopping cart. Now you are ready to Checkout. Enter your customer’s address as the “ship to” address and your address as the billing address. You can pay the dropshipper with credit card or from your PayPal account (you’ll use about 50% of the money your customer gave you; what’s left is your profit). All orders must be prepaid. The dropshipper will then pick, pack, and ship the order directly to your customer with your business name and address on the shipping label. When you sell an ebook, your customer can download it immediately (a download button will appear in their account for each ebook they ordered). With ebooks you get to keep 100% of the profits!
QUESTION: Who pays for the shipping costs for dropshipped items?
ANSWER: The customer pays the shipping fee, and then you give it to the dropshipper so that they can ship the order. The packages are shipped usually via USPS (US Postal Service), and shipped the least expensive way unless you ask otherwise. You can set up your shipping rate in the administration area of your store. The dropshipper has a set amount they need for shipping based on the weight of the order; however, you decide how much you want to charge your customers (some shop owners like to charge less for shipping and absorb the extra costs as a part of doing business; others raise the Retail prices of all the products to cover shipping costs). The shipping fee is calculated from the standard carrier charges and a small handling fee. Deliveries shipped via the USPS are calculated using the formula of: Carrier Charge x .95 + $3.00 = Shipping Charge. Therefore, an example would be: $6.95 x .95 + $3.00 = shipping charges of $9.60. Deliveries shipped via UPS Ground are calculated on the following formula: Carrier charges + $3.00 = Total Shipping Charges. Deliveries shipped via FedEx are calculated on the following formula: Carrier charges x .70 + $3.00 = Total Shipping Charges.
QUESTION: Do I need a Sales Tax ID Number to buy at wholesale?
ANSWER: Yes, the dropshipper requires that you either have a Sales Tax ID Number or a Resale Certificate to purchase wholesale from them. It is easy to obtain one — just contact your state (they should have a web site where you can apply for one). If you are outside the United States, you basically just need proof that you are a business.
QUESTION: Does the dropshipper have a minimum order requirement?
ANSWER: No. You can order as many items or as few items as you need, even if it is only one item.
QUESTION: Will my customers know I use a dropshipper or how much I pay for the products?
ANSWER: No. The dropshipper’s business name does not show anywhere on the package or on the return label. The only address on the package will be your business name and address.
QUESTION: Which software platform does the store use?
ANSWER: The store uses the latest version of Zen Cart, which is an open source php script with shopping cart capabilities, a search engine, and a password protected administration area so that you can add, edit or delete products, create categories and subcategories, write a newsletter, etc.
QUESTION: Can I sell these products on eBay?
ANSWER: Yes. This is a great way to get customers to your store. After an auction has completed, direct the winning bidder to your website so they can purchase additional items. You may sell on the other auction sites, too.
QUESTION: Can I change the look of the store?
ANSWER: You can change the look by creating a unique header / logo, and you can also change the front page image and the “About Us” page image (a selection of dozens of images are available from within your admin).
QUESTION: What if a product in the store goes out of stock? Or is discontinued from the dropshipper?
ANSWER: Inventory Management is done by using the CSV file provided by the dropshipper (some editing required; instructions are provided or we can do it for you for $10 per month paid annually – we update the CSV file once per week, so you get four updates each month). Inventory Management allows you to keep up-to-date on the stock status of all items. After using the CSV file, every item will be updated. You will then have the latest info on what is currently in stock and how many of each item is available. If an item goes out of stock, your store will no longer allow that item to be sold. And if any previously out of stock items become available again, then those items will once again be available for sale in your store. Removing discontinued items is also included in our $10 monthly subscription service. Once your store has been installed, you may subscribe to this service through our Members Only site that you will have access to.
QUESTION: Will new products be available?
ANSWER: Yes. You can add new products in bulk using a CSV file that we provide you (as part of our $10/monthly subscription service). New products are available monthly.
QUESTION: Can I change the Retail prices in my store?
ANSWER: Yes, you may raise or lower any price in your store. If you decide to have a sale, or if you think you can sell a particular item for more money, then change the prices to whatever you want. However, your wholesale discount is set by the dropshipper.
QUESTION: How does my store calculate sales tax?
ANSWER: If your state has a sales tax, you’ll need to log-in to your admin area of your store and add the sales tax rate for your state. Sales tax will then be automatically calculated when a customer orders from you.
QUESTION: Is a store installation available for those who live outside the United States?
ANSWER: Yes. The dropshipper also ships to Canada. However, to ship to other countries it would be expensive so you might want to market your store to U.S. and Canadian customers only.
QUESTION: If I order a store installation, what does the price include?
ANSWER: The price includes installing the store software, importing thousands of products into the database, uploading the product images, adding your store name and email address. There is also a Help page available at our Members Only site that answers the most frequently asked questions about running the store. And there is a forum that is very helpful as well. You’ll have to do some things yourself, such as adding your sales tax, shipping rate, and your PayPal or Square API Signature to the payment module so that you can accept credit card orders (instructions provided). You can always email us if you have questions.
QUESTION: I’m ready to get my own online store. What’s next?
ANSWER: Next step is to select which store plan you want (the New Age Store or the Wiccan Store). After ordering, you’ll receive the dropshipper information so you can open an account with them, and instructions to fill out our Registration Form page. Once we receive your information your store will be online usually within 24 to 48 hours (as soon as you have an account with the dropshipper).
