Whether you have an e-commerce website, a service provider website, or an information service website, there will always be times when business dries up or slows down.

Part of the problem at the current time is the recession we as a country are facing due to a long drawn out war and presidential candidates who are so busy pecking at each other like birds of prey over a carcass. I rarely voice my political views in public but this whole campaign thing has become downright ridiculous, childish, and is making the United States of America look very foolish. Instead of the presidential candidates focusing on issues that actually concern the people who have the voting power they seem more interested in childish bickering and flinging their egos about, thus contributing in a very negative way to people’s fears about instability for the future in an economy already run down by war and careless leadership. When people get to having to choose between food or fuel that’s the bottom of the barrel.

Ok. End of rant ~ however we as a nation are suffering in a recession. What to do to encourage a little business?

Try installing a bookstore on your existing website! That’s right, you heard me right, a bookstore.

Why?

Sometimes people are just looking for information such as how to’s, patterns, ideas, and the like.

On my retail fashion site, Jewelry Collectibles, I’m constantly being asked by visitor’s for jewelry patterns, how to make something, ideas for making jewelry, whether I know the value of a collectible someone wants to sell, or for crochet or cross stitch patterns.

I’m not in business there for that. The purpose of that website is to sell my creations in jewelry and fiber and to sell my clients antiques and collectibles.

I have no problem with helping others with their information requests, however, there are only so many hours in the day and I need to stick to the parameters of my business plan in order to continue to be successful.

That’s when I turned to my Amazon Associates account for ideas. Then I checked my shopping cart software to see how this could be worked out. It was very easy to build my bookstore on the Amazon website as well as to embed my entire store right into my website so people who might end up buying a book or two would not be disconnected from my main website at any time during their shopping process. This way I don’t risk losing any sales of my own should that same someone decide to shop on my site during the same session.

What is my bookstore about? It merely compliments my website theme and products.

I have books on all different kinds of jewelry making, techniques and ideas for jewelry creations; books that identify antique glass ware and dinner ware; books full of very neat crochet and cross stitch ideas and patterns; and books on dolls and doll clothing.

Creating a themed book store or gadget store (for example, if you are a photographer, you might want to create a store that sells cameras, tripods, books on photography, etc.) for your website takes only a few minutes (honest!) and can only add to the ultimate value of your website. It provides your visitors with a means for info and products that you yourself could never provide in all practicality.

Plus, you get the added advantage of commission in your pocket when something sells, and extra website traffic.

Does it really make sense to say no to that?

***********************************************

New Jersey Web Design by Jewelry Collectibles Design, conveniently located in Hackensack, Bergen County New Jersey, is owned and operated by Maureen McCullough. In business since 2000 as a freelance professional and now also an eBay Stores Certified Designer. Our clients receive professional, creative designs put together outside of the typical corporate genre, fully carrying your small business identity through your entire venue ~ website, blog, forum, links management, eBay store and other online venues. Happy to be a woman owned small business.