Long-term unemployment has become a reality for many. Double-digit unemployment is a reality in many areas of the United States and the world. http://www.tradingeconomics.com/World-Economy/Unemployment-Rates.aspx

Outsourcing, furlough days, hiring freezes, 99ers have all found their way into our vocabulary.

One in four retirees in the United States have spent their savings.

http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/25/what-does-it-mean-that-25-percent-of-retirees-in-the-u-s-say-their-savings-are-all-gone/

Everyone now competes in a global economy. Contractor jobs for IT, business services and operations support are more and more being handled by companies like www.odesk.com. Workers in third world countries are now taking many of these jobs by accepting a lower wage for work others assumed would always be available.

Almost 50% of Americans are ‘financially fragile’ per the Wall Street Journal. This was defined as not being able to obtain $2,000 for an emergency expense.  France and Portugal have 30 to 40% of their population in the same situation. Other countries have similar issues.

The global economy has been disastrous for many and shaky for others.  You need to take as much responsibility for your own financial well being as possible.  Shoply can help you do this.

By opening your own business on Shoply, you have more control of your financial life. You become less dependent for income on your employer. You determine how much you want to sell, what you sell and how you sell it.

Whether Shoply is your main source of income or a supplement, we help you compete in a global economy. Shoply doesn’t put obstacles in your path or make you jump through flaming hoops.  We offer an easy-to-understand format to get your business started. We don’t place limitations on what you sell as to it being handmade, vintage or something new. You sell what interests you and what you feel will bring you success. We help you sell to the global market.

Open your free online shop today

Posted in: e-commerce, empowerment on 27 May 2011

Shoply makes it easy to get your business up and running.  We love handmade but we have many other types of sellers. We offer shopping democracy!

Whether you need income temporarily, to pay debt or to build a more secure life, Shoply supports small businesses. Our easy-to-use site makes listing your items and selling easy. Those who are just starting will find it easy to build their business. Those who have sold before will appreciate the clarity and simplicity of Shoply.

Linda was a struggling single parent. After a few years with her employer, her hours were cut back. There were no viable alternatives for other work in her area. She had always been able to sew and enjoyed it as a hobby. She made a few toddlers sun dresses and began to sell online. Today, she has greater financial security and her online sales continue to grow.

Tom and Carol looked forward to retiring in a few years. Health issues made them rethink how they lived.  Tom cuts wooden reproduction-style signs and Carol hand paints them. They have their own online store. The monthly sales from this business allow them to take small vacations several times a year.

Jose had to buy some protective covers for his family phones. He was disappointed in the selection and cost. He investigated how to buy phone covers and carrying cases for laptops at a wholesale price. He has been in business selling these online for several years and has many repeat buyers. He will be expanding his offerings in the near future.

Mark had won a legal case but had attorney’s fees left to pay. He wanted to pay the debt down as fast as possible so his life could return to normal. Since he is good at finding hard-to-find classic car parts, he sells them at his online store. He paid off his debt and is now paying for a sail boat.

Whether you make handmade items, sell vintage or sell new products, Shoply can help you to succeed.  Take control of your life and open your store today.

Posted in: General, e-commerce, empowerment on 24 May 2011

This post is aimed at those who have not used Shoply before or for new users who would like to know a little more about what we’re all about. We get tons of questions from people asking “What is Shoply?”

Well here we go…

Shoply is an exciting, new and powerful concept which brings together independent and local sellers and passionate buyers to discover, connect and transact with each other. There are literally thousands of small brands and independent sellers providing unique, funky, quirky and practical stuff for everything ranging from home, fashion, crafts, accessories and gifts. These are just a few categories… There’s loads of stuff to discover! Dive in and see what’s in store. It’s like a magical kingdom of unique stuff you’ve never seen before!

The great thing is that it’s absolutely FREE for sellers to set-up a shop and start selling in minutes! Unlike other sites such as eBay, eBid or ETSY (just to name a few… There are loads! We can’t name them all!), we don’t charge you a penny to use our service. The only time you pay is when your product sells… We just take a little commission from the final sale price and put the rest into your paypal account. It’s all transparent so you’ll know exactly how much we’re charging you on each sale. In fact, setting up a Shoply store is so easy… You can import all your products from other providers like ETSY with one-click!

You don’t need to know how to code a website! You can start an online business instantly! Reach a global audience through your tweets, embed YouTube videos, link your Facebook Page and embed widgets for your products to any website or blog!

Connect, share and discover.

The unique thing is that both buyer and seller are connected in a personal way. Shoply utilises the powerful medium that is social networking such as services like Twitter and Facebook. Therefore a more personal and human touch to buying and selling online is established, which provides a complete platform experience that is unrivalled by other sites.

Sellers are instantly given the platform to reach a more global and diverse audience. This is further enhanced by the fact that Shoply products can be shared by the buying community, through buyers being able to “Like” the products on Facebook and direct Tweet links to the products to all their friends with a single click!   This creates…

LOCAL… ON A GLOBAL SCALE!

Posted in: General, New Features, e-commerce, empowerment, learnings, selling online, web design on 19 May 2011

Shoply empowers sellers. Our technology is easy to use for beginners. Seasoned sellers will appreciate our technology but also our fee structure and the fact there are no renewal games to play. Our policies are transparent and we avoid confusion.

Comparing Shoply to Ebay is an eye opener. Shoply offers two types of accounts – a free account or a premium account. Let’s look at Shoply vs. Ebay as to fees

Shoply allows you to retain your listing as long as you wish. Your listing will not expire after a few days or a month. We don’t charge you to renew it like Ebay does.

If you have an Ebay store, you could spend hundreds of dollars a month just to keep it open. That is not including any extras or the final value fee that ranges from 8% to 15%.  Contrast that with Shoply’s Premium Account at $19.95 total with no final value fee.

At Shoply, you list your product in an easy-to-understand format. People can easily see your product without distracting elements like hot pink fonts and plaid frames. At Ebay, the listing process is cluttered with choices that can detract from your product and message.  Wading through these choices uses up your time in ways that are not productive for you.

Shoply’s policies are easy to read and understand. Ebay has over a dozen pages explaining their fee structure. Do you really have time for that?

You want to make money and run your own business. Shoply helps you do just that by valuing your time and your budget.

Posted in: General, e-commerce, selling online on 17 May 2011

Great new infographic on the growth and some success stories of social commerce.

Posted in: General, e-commerce, selling online on 17 May 2011