Name of your website?IDM Online Shopping Mall, Online Discount Stores
Your name?
Ted Zeiter
Your Location (city, etc)
Mountain Home AR 72653
When did you start your website and why?
My site started around December 21 of 2005, My girlfriend became disabled due to brain anuersyms and I began spending alot of time at home (as caring for her became my job) and became interested in website development. It is more of a hobby for me that I can't get away from. I also like learning new things which is still like a daily occurance for me. I decide to start a mall with the hope and intentions of developing a site that would benefit people by offering some of the best prices for consumer goods on the net. Income is not a motivator for I don't make diddly, but still devote at least 60 hours a week developing and updating bargains pages believing that I do find many of the best bargains on the net.
Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc
IDM Online Shopping Mall, Online Discount Stores, (http://www.idmonlineshopping.com) shopping for anything you would expect to find at a shopping mall. Main feature is our Bargains pages, Bargain Clothes Shopping, Computer Bargains, Electronic Bargains, Digital Camera Bargains, Dell computer bargains, Toshiba notebook computer bargains, all sales only pages which are updated 4 to 5 times a week Also shopping for individual products in around 20 to 25 different shopping categories.
What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?
Creating had never been attempted by myself and I knew absolutely nothing about the computer. I had played games on the computer and that was it. So digging in and learning everything I have and still learn in its own way has been rewarding. Running this site demands alot of time, at the times when you don't want to do any more, but you remember that you have accepted an unspoken responsiblity to do the updates that need to be done, remove old sales items on time, whether or not you recieve much for traffic, but because of the responsibility to yourself to maintain what you have started, as quitting is not an option for me. Oh yeah I refuse to spend money on my site except for my hosting fees and have not to this point.
What has been the easist part of operating your website?
The only easy part of running this site is when I take those few moments to look at how this site looked when I started and how it looks now. Knowing I still have a long ways to go.
What was your biggest mistake?
Ha! I have probably made some I don't even realize yet. The biggest mistake I believe I made was not dividing into sub domains. I didn't even know what a sub domain was.
Who maintains your website and why?
I do. The old saying if you want it done right do it yourself. Don't get me wrong, surely there are many who could do what I am doing to my site better. But as mentioned i am not spending any money and how would I continue to learn the things I don't and need to know.
Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?
Self knowledge as my traffic is not enormous.
What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?
Free, Free, Free will in my opinion, and in the near future be a missing part of the internet.
What are your views on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Grrrr! Have you got it figured out? Just when you think you do something changes. Again I am not paying for it, I am learning it.
What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?
Yahoo is the easiest going and best people oriented. Search engines take time to get listed but they are a great asset to have in your corner.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Search engines and better yet has been my IDM Online Shopping Mall Shoppers Guide which is where I provide bargain news and sales information daily (excluding Saturday and Sunday as I am doing other work on my site). http://idmonlineshopping.com/blog
What method has been least successful for promoting your website?
FFA, traffic for surfing, a waste of time. Your time is better spent elsewhere.
What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?
Less garbage, less promises, I really don't have an answer for this question, but this I am sure of. We will see really big changes in the not so far off future.
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What is your website address?
IDM Online Shopping Mall, Online Discount Stores