ProStores Helps Online Marketing Expert Grow two Successful web Companies in Just two Short Years.
We’ve gone from zero to 60 in two years," explains Chris. "What enabled us was ProStores.
Chris Surovick, Owner of
Collegiate Living
Fast Track to Success
Sometimes getting laid off can open the door to better opportunities, and with the help of ProStores, that very thing happened to Chris and Katerina Surovick. Katerina lost her job in 2007, and Chris recalls that they “were in a bind and didn’t know what to do.” He had a cousin who manufactured collegiate lamps, so the Surovicks decided to sell some on eBay. After moving a good amount, they realized they needed a web store. They researched several eCommerce solutions, but Chris says ProStores was a "natural fit" because it was reputable, eBay friendly, and highly reviewed by others.
What started as a hobby happily turned into a fulltime position for Katerina. The web store Collegiate Living now sells over 5,000 officially licensed college and NFL products. This year it’s expanding to carry MLB products as well. "We’ve gone from zero to 60 in two years," explains Chris. "What enabled us was ProStores."
Personal expertise combined with ProStores usability
When he's not running his web store, Chris works as an online marketer for Dow Jones, so ProStores has allowed him to expand upon the skills he already has.
Although it's only been open for two years, Collegiate Living is already a Page Rank 4 on Google, and Chris attributes his success to ProStores templates, pre-optimized for Google search engine optimization.
"ProStores' customizability and add-on features make it a great product. I wanted to build my own web store. Yet even though ProStores is fully customizable, I didn’t have to start from scratch. It's SEO-ready out of the box. They give you all the tools you need, which saves you a boatload of time."
Chris also raves about other timesaving tools like the Copy Product feature, which helps him quickly create new products from similar ones in his existing web store catalog. He uses other convenient services like Thawte SSL certification and automatic feeds for Yahoo! Shopping and Shopzilla. What he can’t find in ProStores, he easily incorporates through add-on tools, like Constant Contact for email marketing. He has also used ProStores certified designers, like Neoverve, to help him design his web store and fine-tune his SEO.
Whenever he needed guidance in setting up his web store, ProStores was always there to help. "The customer service is unbelievable. I called ProStores every night for about two months because I was trying to get my site ready. Someone answered right away and was extremely helpful. That’s rare these days. It was as if I had a personal support group. The reps treated me like I was their #1 customer."
Spreading the Word
ProStores has helped Collegiate Living grow from five orders and 250 unique visitors a month, to over 200 orders and 20,000 unique visitors a month. Since it opened, the web store’s sales have more than doubled each year.
On top of that, ProStores is helping Chris grow revenue through its Affiliate Program. With his eCommerce expertise, Chris has opened a second ProStores storefront, CK Web Consulting, to help others start online businesses. By placing ProStores banners on both his websites, he earns a commission if someone clicks through and opens a new web store.
But Chris insists it’s not just about the money--he’s a passionate believer in ProStores. “I’ve been telling people for two years now how happy I am with ProStores and what it has allowed me do in such a short time. As I was helping my friends and clients open their web stores, the first thing I said to them was ‘Go with ProStores.’ I’m so excited about the options and capabilities that have allowed me to be successful. My numbers haven’t stopped growing. It’s ProStores that has made this all possible.”
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