Need your HELP for my new website?

Question

I am looking to set up a website.The site will be a wedding website ,selling a variety of of wedding items.These include silk wedding bouquets,bridesmaids accesories,handcrafted stationery and tiaras,pew bows, pew ends etc.
I am fully trained in these areas as my whole family where in the wedding business.All the items will be mail order and very affordable.
As a home business do you think that customers would buy from me if I had po box number with my business name on it.My own home address does not give out a very professional image, and I know that many of the big companies use po box numbers.
ALL OPINIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED, MANY THANKS

Answer 1

We can help you get a website set-up for a really good price and we are a legitimate offline business. Our sites range in price from $250 to over $1500 complete. With a start-up budget like a lot of our customers, we can find something that will work for you.
http://www.dubois-sbms.com

A PO box is not really an issue. Anyone with a rural address will need to get a PO box if there is not direct mail to their home. With 49% of businesses in the US being managed from home, I think you are in the clear. If you want you can put your PO box as the SHIPPING address and your home address as the physical address. I don't think it really matters.

Plus, if you are selling online (Ebay etc.) you are sending things to people not the other way around. They won't even see your address. Who cares where something is coming from as long as it arrives and is what you wanted! I don' think you have anything to worry about.

Answer 2

Either way I'm sure people would trust you without a PO Box address. If I was you I'd see how sales went first and then if they werent going well try and see how your advertising is going and then if people are going on the site but not buying anything then I would get a PO Box number. Also do what Ebay does with feedback from the people who have bought the stuff from you if it was delivered in time and all that they can make comments and then people who are going to buy might be a little less nervous because you have the feedback even without a PO Box address.

Answer 3

From a customers point of view using a PO box is another of hiding, yes it's gives you anonymity, or does it ? in the UK the PO box has a postcode these can be checked by anyone. this is done to prevent fraud.

Dont' waste your money hiding behind a PO box, if your with BT get a second Ring tone/line at a cost of £1.75 a month. you'll get a second number with a different ring tone.. then you'll know it's business calls from personal ones.

web design / website why not try this link http://tradersreview.co.uk/dir/details.php/listing/216
while your there check the site, it could be ideal for you to list your business on, or use a listing to replace the website untill you get going. and customers can leave their reviews showing how good you are.

Answer 4

Hi, firstly i have a small business which i set up 14 months ago and i run from home.
I decided to use a PO box address for business purposes for several reasons: to keep some privacy/anonymity, to give a 'professional' image and to appear that i was bigger than i was, and for insurance purposes as the last thing i needed was someone turning up at my door then having an accident on my property and suing me!!
So i used a PO box for the first year, but as renewal was coming up i decided that it really wasn't worth it as most of my customers were not local at all, and i just couldn't justify the cost or see the purpose of it anymore.
From my first year the biggest lesson learnt was to use the fact that i am a small business to my advantage - i started off by making the business seem larger than it was, ie multiple email addresses etc but i was never going to be able to compete with the big boys (party due to the fact that i would like to stay a small business) so i realised that offering myself as a small business won more custom and got me noticed more when networking as i was a person with a small business and not just another company wanting profits!
So consider if you really want to use one, what the benefits of doing so would be, or would you rather remain on a more personal level with customers - who will ultimately see you as giving a better service!?
Also if you are interested in setting up a website for your business i just did with Microsoft live who offer free hosting, domains, emails and more. see the link for more info http://office.Microsoft.com/en-gb/officelive/default.aspx and this is what i did with it if you want to look... http://rebecca-swift.co.uk/default.aspx i can't thank microsoft enough for the new edge it has given my business!

Answer 5

You're onto something pretty good.

If you have a sharp sense or organization, which is a crucial component with weddings, and if you are one of those people who can talk about weddings for hours, you should really contact me.

Note: I don't do websites professionally. I am an amateur, but as a child of the Internet age, I can pretty much do anything Internet-related.

I could give you some ideas. Free of charge of course. Check my profile. I've answered a lot of questions. I like answering freely. Really.

Thanks. Have a good day!

Answer 6

You can also use a mailing address, from virtual office companies. But a po box is fine, but you do have to collect your mail unless you pay an extra fee to get it delivered. I don't think many people are that worried to be honest as long as the goods are of quality.

Answer 7

I can see your concern here; with people thinking you may not be genuine - but why do you need an address at all to begin with? If you just set up a paypal account then you can collect payments online. If it takes off then who knows, you might be having an office address sooner than you think.