Shoply

Shoply boasts being the “easiest way to sell online.” The website is designed to be a simple marketplace to sell merchandise on the internet. The focus remains on making the experience a quick and easy one. Users can jump on, list their items for sale or browse for available merchandise to buy. Anyone can create their own online shop through the tools offered on Shoply. Based in London, Shoply is run by a small group with a similar goal. The original concept was designed around the idea that opening and maintaining a shop online can be easy, cheap, and stress free. The application was created as a way to inspire and empower the seller. Shoply was intended to eliminate the setbacks and headaches that can often accompany opening up an online retail store. Shoply is a little different in its approach to the task of buying and selling online. For years, other web based marketplaces have operated, drawing in people from all over the world. Many of these update their tools and make the process more complicated. Shoply, on the other hand, remains focused on keeping the experience simple and easy for the seller. Users can start selling items in their own online shop and immediately begin making money without jumping through hoops or struggling with a number of complicated features. Shoply’s homepage is truly something to behold. If there was any question about the simplicity of the site, it is easily quieted by a single glance. Right on the home page, users see a lot of empty space, no excessive fluff or graphics. Just a stylish, basic font, a splash of orange in the logo and headers, and all the tools needed to get started. The simple layout really compliments the Shoply mission statement of keeping things easy and uncomplicated for the user. Users interested in opening up their own Shoply online shop can get started right away. From the homepage, visitors can fill out the registration form. Shoply asks for a shop name, URL, email address and password. Users can click the green “start selling now” link just below to continue. Shoply uses Paypal to send earnings to users, so the next page requests a valid Paypal payment address. The email address entered on the first page is populated by default, but can be changed during this step. After selecting country of origin, a new user is taken to the control panel and can begin adding product to their shop. Currently, Shoply only offers one free account type. In the future, two premium membership options are to be added. The free account requires a 6% sales commission paid to Shoply as well as a basket fee of just under $2 per purchase. The basket fee is also paid to Shoply. The free account allows for up to ten products to be offered for sale at a time, one custom page and one image per product. The Pro and Max membership options are listed as “coming soon” although the details are provided. A Pro membership costs about $10 per month and lowers the fees to 5% commission and just under $1.50 for the basket fee. Pro members can list up to 25 products with five images each and up to five custom pages. The Max account will run about $20 per month and upgrade to 100 products, ten images per product, ten custom pages, 3% commission and 99 cent basket fees. Shoply is ideal for anyone in search of a “quick fix” retail site. Users can get their shops up and running within minutes. The downside is there are severe limitations to number of products sold and the commission and basket fees can be a bit high for lower priced items. Sellers of items that cost $30 or more may not mind the fees so much.