Fresh Store Builder How you all doing with your FSB stores?

[AlienAlien is verified member.]

Just wondered how everyone is doing with their FSB stores?

I only have 4 remaining now using FSB and I have sadly and reluctantly now come to the conclusion that they are not performing as promised/expected/anticipated.

Despite adding unique content, changing all 'stock default' text/pages, rewriting product descriptions, having a decent domain, etc, etc, etc, etc - Amazon earnings are pitiful and really not worth the effort in the long-term. Maybe the recent Google chunterings really have put an RIP on this otherwise fantastic bit of kit.

I am having better results using Datafeedr, Shopper Press, etc. I will be swapping over the last 4 to other alternatives in the near future I think.

Hope everyone is making a profit anyway with their FSB!

 

[fenland]

Well i've got two FSB stores up and running.

My issues thus far have been:

one site goes up and down in the rankings more often than a flag up a pole! I can be on page 3 of G one day only to be not in the top 15 pages the next......one day we are getting 40-80 UV's and the next day 3-5

I also think conversion is an issue.

That said over the last 3 moths they have generated a combined income of £50-£60/month

 

[PoshTiger]

I was thinking about using FSB for a couple of new sites but I've opted for shopper press instead... too many reviews like the above..

I am paranoid about it's 'footprint' however so I'll be hacking the template big time to make it more anonymous.

 

[retired_member36]

That said over the last 3 moths they have generated a combined income of £50-£60/month

Thats a decent amount of income especially since the site is dancing around. What kind of items do you have listed on the sites??

I was going to invest in FSB but decided against it.

 

[fenland]

Thats a decent amount of income especially since the site is dancing around. What kind of items do you have listed on the sites??

I was going to invest in FSB but decided against it.

The sites sell home ware/garden items. The domain names (albeit hyphenated) are an exact match for the main product.

They don't seem to rank very highly (and I haven't done any SEO/SEM work) but they get a lot of traffic from long tail phrases

The OP designed one of the sites....

 

[AlienAlien is verified member.]

Well i've got two FSB stores up and running.

My issues thus far have been:

one site goes up and down in the rankings more often than a flag up a pole! I can be on page 3 of G one day only to be not in the top 15 pages the next......one day we are getting 40-80 UV's and the next day 3-5

I also think conversion is an issue.

That said over the last 3 moths they have generated a combined income of £50-£60/month

That's a fantastic income trickle I think and nicely done. Definitely agree, that the conversion issue is a real cause for concern. What the basket stats show -v- Amazon is poles apart.

I was thinking about using FSB for a couple of new sites but I've opted for shopper press instead... too many reviews like the above..

I am paranoid about it's 'footprint' however so I'll be hacking the template big time to make it more anonymous.

Yes, the footprint issue is a problem; stripping a template right down to remove it or getting a customised solution might be the way to go.

Let us know how you get on?

 

[PoshTiger]

Yes, the footprint issue is a problem; stripping a template right down to remove it or getting a customised solution might be the way to go.

Let us know how you get on?

Sure...

I'll document what I do to the shopperpress template and post back in the next couple of days...

 

[Blossom]

Are people still using Amazon affiliates with ShopperPress, or is there something better? I keep meaning to buy ShopperPress but just haven't got round to it yet.

Not sure if ShopperPress footprint would be an issue as you can apparently use it for straight ecommerce sites as well as aff sites.

 

[boxerdogboxerdog is verified member.]

I gave up on FSB a while ago, the commission to be made from Amazon is pointless, moved a few back to SB and their finally earning again.

 

[philiporchardphiliporchard is verified member.]

You did a nice site for me Alien, with some good unique content, but just isn't ranking at moment..

If anyone fancies taking it off my hands, let me know...

Assemblies-co-uk

 

[MikeJDS]

I've got 6 FSB stores at the moment.
They were doing well but did take a hit last month (as mentioned in another thread + some of my other sites aswell.)

This week all of them have started to come back after a few changes. (at least I like to think thats why )
I'm still focusing on 2 of these which are making good sales.
I won't be building any more of these though as I'm pretty much certain now that these sites would perform better using something else & its been too much of grind getting any rankings.
I'm convinced my main keywords are being held down some what.
The question for me is whether to take a risk and transfer these 2 good sites which are getting traffic/sales over to something like shopperpress.

Will leave for now & decide at the end of this month.

All the best.
Mike

 

[mallymally is verified member.]

My fsb are doing hopeless, got about 8 and not impressed, will be swapping to shopper press when I've got the time

 

[careybaird]

I have said it before in other threads but if anybody wants me to take a proper look at your stores and give you custom advice then just get in touch via the helpdesk (http://helpdesk.freshstorebuilder.com/). There are many factors that could affect your ranking and conversions.

I know it is hard for people to trust my word on here as I am the owner of FSB, but for a lot of reasons I believe it is down to your individual site how well you are doing (conversions, SERPs etc.) and not the software. I would say the same if you were using Wordpress, StoreBurst, DataFeedr or anything else - it is how you use it that matters.

You can also get some great feedback in the private forum (www.freshmarketingforum.com) - there are a lot of members doing very well with FSB who give a lot of detailed advice to people who post their sites.

 

[SamSam is verified member.]

Same here im taking all of my fsb stores offline have changed a few and they have started ranking back in google its just not worth it with the poor rate from amazon even if your site does rank with fsb

My fsb are doing hopeless, got about 8 and not impressed, will be swapping to shopper press when I've got the time

 

[chippyb]

how has changing your sites gone?

Would anyone like a job of converting one of my stores over, as its a bigish job and I really dont want to do it

 

[rodeboy]

FSB sites

When you buy something nowadays the packaging of the product will usually include two things, firstly a description of what the product is and secondly directions for its use. The FSB script is no different, so let’s have a look at some of the issues that have attracted the negative comments on this thread.

First, for those who are complaining about the rate of commission paid by Amazon there is no sympathy. The rates are clearly laid down and if you didn’t know them before you set off on your FSB venture, then you should have. If the income from your site(s) is not high enough for you, it is because you are not selling enough products, for whatever reason.

As with many of the websites we all put together the most basic aim will be to tempt customers to buy a product or service from the site, and again FSB is no different. As some of you will know I am no technical whizz, so cannot comment on the finer points of how the FSB script is put together, but this gives me an advantage as I can consider things without my opinion being clouded by the technical bits, allowing me to look at things at the most basic level.

So, are FSB sites customer friendly, do they look welcoming to Mr Average? Whilst others may disagree, I believe that they do and for example the Stalfoshop template presents a polished, clean look, subject to intelligent use of its features by the web designer. Does your home page have the right balance of content and products, both in quantity and them being in the right place, above or below the fold? Too many words before the products will turn people off, too few is just as bad. Do you need both Best Sellers and Special Offers on the home page – did you know that you can change the number showing of each, including to zero? etc etc

Ask yourself about the selection of your niche, and consider;
• Is it a product that customers would buy from Amazon? Some people just research online and buy local in person. Others have a unique market they will always use.
• Typically your niche should be a small area that does not have much competition. Is your chosen niche too wide and general? If it is, then you are going to need many categories with many products and sufficient content to go with it, and from what I see I do not believe FSB is intended or best suited to that.
• Does your niche already have the same domain name but in a different extension, that has already nailed the market? There’s no point in putting out PinkPyjamas.org.uk if there is already a large and successful site on PinkPyjamas.co.uk is there?

What about your site?
• Do you have enough quality content – I know I have never got enough on mine!
• Is the balance of products v content about right? There’s no point in having 1000 products with two 500 words articles as it appears that our friends at Google don’t like that!
• Have you left your category on auto-populate and not checked the products on your site? Will a customer buy from your site if they see the ‘Dummies Guide to the Internet’ in with some Cookie Recipe books, as the search had picked up the word cookie in the description (silly example, but you get my drift I’m sure)

Nothing that I have said is an exact science, and involves only basic sales and marketing principles, together with a working knowledge of FSB. The point is, most of them are covered on the FSB website as the directions for use I referred to earlier. So drawing on the old cliché ‘a bad workman always blames his tools’ ask yourself whether you went through the description of what you were buying into in sufficient detail, and whether you followed the directions of use? Do you consider having half a dozen sites as giving FSB a fair chance? I'm sure Carey would be the first to say that it's not perfect and his team are looking for ways to improve it.

There’s always two sides to the coin and so before you slate FSB, ask yourself if you have made mistakes yourself, I know I have made plenty … but I’m not blaming my tools!

Good luck to all,
Chris

 

[roydovaston]

One of my FSB sites was hacked so as they were generating no income whatsoever I just took them down. I did have strong passwords so not sure how it happened but 123reg soon pointed it out to me!

 

[PaullasPaullas is verified member.]

One of my FSB sites was hacked so as they were generating no income whatsoever I just took them down. I did have strong passwords so not sure how it happened but 123reg soon pointed it out to me!

can you post more information on how they where hacked and what was changed etc as other members can check there sites if thats ok.