It's been a while, but I need your help.
I'm faced with a problem that has very much to do with this website. Tis a lovely website and the layout and content will grow with time, but that's not what I'm having trouble with. As the sole manager of the content here, I find I'm not posting or uploading new content as often as I'd like. That affects me more than it does those of you who are members and patrons. Though business has been slow, I still want to open up a store on this site with goods others can purchase should they have the mind to do so.
Currently on the site you can see a tab for a store, but most of what there is to offer (as of right now, really just digital video assets, overlays, and backgrounds) comes lumped with patronage. The majority of the videos on the site have rarely been watched, but there have been many downloads of the assets available.
I also would like to offer physical goods. Letters, stationery, and other small trinkets that wouldn't be too difficult to ship. As a man running the workshop without any elves, it is a bit difficult to manage the production of hard goods than it is the digital ones.
With the growth of the Jr. Claus Workshop and all the goods and services I have to offer, I am at a crossroads during this difficult time. I want to enable the option of having a store where members and patrons alike can pick and choose what little morsels they'd like to order, without having to come up with a large down payment (this line of thought has also influenced the debate on doing a monthly subscription for plans).
Now, I have most everything in order on my end except for one thing: I cannot currently run a shop on my site and accept payments. Though I can create and manage plans, my plan with my web hosting service does not currently allow me to have a shop. HOWEVER, I can upgrade to that option for a significant (to me) amount of $$$.
My question to you is this: What are your thoughts on this? What would you like to see happen?
Business is no business unless there is business. The economy isn't the most stable at the moment and many of us are suffering from lack of income in some way or another. Would it even be worth upgrading to serve you, the members of the workshop? I don't have much $$ to invest into this endeavor currently, or else I would have done so already. Would you prefer a shop and monthly plans? Or should we hold off for another year or two until we absolutely HAVE to have a shop for all the goodies offered and THEN we grow?
Not only would you be able to pick and choose what you'd like, I could list all I have to offer in one place. Those of you who'd like me to style your traditional hair pieces? Check. Custom video assets? Check. Scheduled video conference consultation? Check. This would open up many options, but it comes down to would YOU find this helpful and would YOU prefer it as a member?
Comment your thoughts on this post if you would. Help me, members of the Jr. Claus Workshop, you're my only hope.
Yours as always,
Santa Stuart