ProStores helps PeppyParents.com start their business on a budget
Setting up the basics of our store was really easy: we could have been ready to go off the bat in ten hours if I didn't go in and customize the code.
Eric Mindel, Director of www.peppyparents.com
PeppyParents.com launches their dream business with ProStores
Eric and Heather Mindel had just had their second child, and wanted to start a business that would give them more flexibility and let them spend more time with their kids. Their experience as parents led them to the perfect business concept to achieve their dream and help other busy parents. In 2007, they launched PeppyParents.com, their ProStores Web store selling baby gear. Since then, PeppyParents.com has enjoyed steady growth, averaging five to seven percent every month. The business has also moved from their home to an office and warehouse.
Eric Mindel shares their company philosophy: "We carry the best options at different price points. Rather than offering entire lines from dozens of manufacturers, we only select the products we think are the best. Parenthood is a busy time. When customers shop with us, they can be confident that we've done the groundwork to select the choices they're most likely to be happy with. A lot of things look good on paper, but we go through it all, not just as a person with two free hands, but as a mom who has a screaming nine-month-old in her left hand and has to use a product with her right. We want what's really going to work, not just some fad."
A great combination of flexibility and ease
Eric has a technical background, so he and his wife wanted a Web store that let him put his skills to use without reinventing the wheel. ProStores had the perfect combination of simplicity and flexibility he was looking for. "Setting up the basics of our store was really easy," says Eric. "I like that all the templates are ready to go, but you also have the flexibility to get into the source code and change or customize almost anything you want."
The Mindels also appreciate ProStores' flexible add-on features. One of their favorites is PowerReviews, which they say is easy to integrate and key to their ongoing growth. "Having 20 to 30 positive reviews of our products and customer service really helps conversion and gives us an advantage over merchants who don't have reviews on their site."
Search Engine Optimization tools boost rankings fast
Eric knows the value of high natural search rankings from professional experience, so finding a Web store solution that let him maximize exposure was a top priority. "The tools for Search Engine Optimization are great," says Eric. "I have done work in Search Engine Optimization, and ProStores has the advanced functionality to let me make the most of that. After only three months, half our products appeared on the first page of Google search results, a few in the number one or two position."
Simplicity, value and easy integration make ProStores the best choice
Starting a new business is a major undertaking, and can represent a big investment of time and money. The Mindels wanted to minimize their risk and maximize their options. ProStores offered an appealing mix of ease, opportunity, and value. "We did a comparison of the various Web store options out there. We chose ProStores for the ease of setup and ease of integration with PayPal."
That connection with PayPal also meant that the Mindels and their customers could feel safe and secure online. "ProStores merchants can easily and quickly integrate their Web stores with many secure payment gateways. We use PayPal and Authorize.net to process our customers' payments because they are the most respected for protecting consumers' online security."
They also liked that ProStores synchs with QuickBooks, which saved them a lot of time and hassle. "I estimate that ProStores has saved us about $50,000, when you look at what it would have cost to create this website from scratch."
ProStores sparks growth and creativity
Their ProStores Web store has been so successful that the Mindels are now launching a new web resource for parents. Stroller411.com is an intelligent website that helps shoppers find the perfect stroller. Parents select their lifestyle needs, like "city living," "jogging," or "air travel," and with the touch of a button, the site shows them their top five matches. Stroller411.com can then lead parents to PeppyParents.com, driving high quality traffic there. The success of their two websites has inspired the Mindels to expand even more. Come next year, they're planning on opening a brick and mortar. But their dreams all got started with ProStores. "We would recommend it to anyone."
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