Name of your website?Spoil Your Pets Shop
Your name?
Marilyn Swan
Your Location (city, etc)
Hazelton, Idaho
Please give us a short summary of your website?
At Spoil Your Pets Shop we provide a selection of quality pet beds and carriers. We have large dog beds, small dog beds and luxury dog beds as well as just fun ones! Also, you will find carriers for small dogs and other small animals. Some are purse styly carriers that are so chic and others practical for traveliing.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
I was looking for a job I could do from home to add to my income. I have been in the service industry for over 20 years as a cosmetologist and hoped to get off of my feet for a change! I love animals and my newest addition is a wonderful Great Dane. Looking for products for him and my other pets initiated my interest in pet products for my site. I hope to add continually to the inventory as I learn more and branch out.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
I started working on my site the first of 2008 http://www.spoilyourpetsshop.com. It has been quite the experience since I am pretty technology challenged.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
My husband and I just started brainstorming, knowing I wanted to deal with pet something.....
What makes your website different from other, similar offerings?
I'm not going to be a site that has hundreds of things...trying to keep focused on beds and carriers, maybe a few more things but not overwhelming.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
I would love for this project to grow to where I could work on it full time and possibly have more than one site. I also love writing and hope to do a lot more with articles, ezines.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
well... since I am just starting on the promoting part of the business things haven't really taken off. Yes, I have spent a lot of money but on the flip side I have learned so much! And with patience hopefully I can get the investment back in short order and see profits.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
wow! I would hire so much of the technical stuff to be done for me!! That has been a struggle, but I am learning.
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
no problem, I would cut way back on my other job to focus on this. That would be the best, be able to be home with my pets, have more time for my husband and make more money!
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
the whole deal cost me way more than it should have since I went with a company that promised soooooooo much and when I learned a bit more I found out I could have gotten the same things for a lot less if I had had more knowledge and experience online, we live and learn and I pray I can get that large investment back plus....
What has been your biggest challenge?
The technical aspects, I knew some about the computer but it didn't take long for me to realize just how little it was.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Since I am just starting the promoting process I can't say what is the most successful just yet. I do believe the search engine optimization is fundamental. Love the ezines and doing articles also. Hopefully all of the directory submissions will pay off.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
It has taken a lot longer and a lot more time than I was led to believe. It is a lot of work! And has been expensive.
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
I have just started and yes I will continue as long as it takes to be successful. Perhaps it will take a lot of adjustiing and tons more education but the investment was substantial and I'm not giving up.
What else is included on your site besides catalogs
One of my favorite aspects of my site is the page on volunteering with animals This gives information about volunteering through the Delta Society's Pet Partner Program and how rewarding it is. The Story is about one of my experiences while visiting a hospital with my dane..."Thanks for the Memories", A Pet Partner's Story. The rewards are so great when giving of yourself...
What is your website address?
Spoil Your Pets Shop
