Welcome to...Buck Alley

[Slayerik]

So, the Slay saga continues. After stumbling my way around webpage design, hosting, and all that crap I have finally got a mostly complete website. Since my stickers are about a day away, I'd love if you guys could give me some honest feedback about the feel and functionality of the site. I'm always looking for design ideas as well. If you like one, and don't mind waiting a day or two for me to ship, feel free to 'test out the checkout system'. As a new business owner, I'd also take any advice people want to throw at me. Thanks everyone.

BAstickers.com
buckalleystickers.com

[K9]

All the social network links are almost invisible against the background; dark grey transparent on a black background is easy to miss; you might want to fix that.

Also, it might be a good idea to have the dimensions of your product available. As it stands the only size guide is the 'not to scale' disclaimer on the frontpage.

Hope that helps.

[Slayerik]

AH thanks, been meaning to enter dimensions!

[schild]

i uh

jesus

[Merusk]

Never let politics/ views get in the way of business. It's a market to be served and from what I've seen locally, one where folks will toss tons of money for what many of us would see a foolish shit. The same way others see games.

That said; Slay, the size thing was addressed.

Another idea is a "Design your window" layout.  This should be a 'down the road' goal when you've got more capital.  I'm also not sure how viable it is with the variance in truck rear windows, but hell, you see those American Eagle pinhole screens everywhere so those guys have it figured out.

Why the focus on Michigan? You're selling online and don't seem to be restricting other states from buying. It'll turn Ohioans and Indiana folks off, but you know that being from 'that state.'

Why no letters?  You've got slogans displayed on your main page but I can't buy letters.  Yeah you can get them somewhere else, but if that's your thought then why would they buy the others from you?  Design a font, use a public domain font or just buy letters and resell them.  

Speaking of that, adding a "Custom slogan" where the customer types a phrase and you one-sheet it or send the letters as individuals seems like a good idea.

Looks like a great start. All the best.

[Salamok]

i uh

jesus

I think schild would like to hire your designer to consult with him on the f13 redesign!

[Slayerik]

Well, I am starting local. I will be selling to touristy spots on the way up I-75. In order to get good pricing, I went for less designs and more stickers. I'm still looking for a good place locally that could do these die-cut stickers, so that I can add some more products (good ideas BTW) to it. Eventually, Michigan Proud won't be seen anywhere on the site.

My next phase will be much broader reaching. Just testing the local waters.

[Merusk]

Gotcha.

Still, think about even reselling some stock letters. It was literally the first thing I looked for when I went to the store because it's so prominently featured on both images.

[Signe]

Good luck with all this.  I'm a wee tiny bit sad about the dead bambies and cigar smoke which gets in my eyes and makes me cry, but I still hope you make tons of cash.  Although I don't have anything to add about your website, (which I guess fits what you're hawking), but you have an absolutely beautiful family.

[Hutch]

Shopping Cart page: the Update and Checkout buttons need better contrast. Black text instead of white, for example.

Good luck 

[Jimbo]

You guys are in Flint? Road trip!

Looks cool and I'll pass it on to my hunting and fishing buddies.

[Slayerik]

Shopping cart contrast fixed, thanks!

Haha, this time of year it's all about fishing around here! Swing on through! :)

[Abagadro]

You've misidentified a 3-point as a 6-point.


/grumbles about easterners

[Krakrok]

Well I don't know how you made it look like that but I'd recommend the 'Radiance Wood', Threadify, or 'Minimal Jewelery' theme. 'Minimal Jewelery' is responsive for mobile. Or could replace the background on 'Radiance Wood' with tiling camo if that floats your boat.

Get the Xara trial (doesn't matter which one) and you should be able to make a decent square header graphic with it. Flash CS6 Trial would also work. Will probably be better if you don't cut the background off the truck image.

If they let you have multiple images per item that would be where you add an additional image of the sticker on a truck window.

[ezrast]

The blog posts really need to take up the whole page width - there's a ton of wasted real estate there. If you do stick with narrow columns, justify the text on both sides. The text has a lot of little typos that need editing as well. PM me if you need details.

[Slayerik]

Well I don't know how you made it look like that but I'd recommend the 'Radiance Wood', Threadify, or 'Minimal Jewelery' theme. 'Minimal Jewelery' is responsive for mobile. Or could replace the background on 'Radiance Wood' with tiling camo if that floats your boat.

Get the Xara trial (doesn't matter which one) and you should be able to make a decent square header graphic with it. Flash CS6 Trial would also work. Will probably be better if you don't cut the background off the truck image.

If they let you have multiple images per item that would be where you add an additional image of the sticker on a truck window.

I tried the full truck and for some reason it just looked funky (as does this one I suppose). Overall, a week into the business and I def haven't made truckloads of cash yet :) But I'm not discouraged. Had some discourse with a Director of Operations of a Michigan based gas station chain. He shot me down eventually, but he only closed the door for this season. I think hunting season might really take this off a bit. I now need some solid displays and time to actually try to go sell some stuff. I'm still looking for any sales pointers, and if you happened to be logged into facebook please shoot a like to www.facebook.com/buckalley - much obliged :)

[Segoris]

-I don't know about web design, but the borders on the catalog and featured sections being uneven are annoying the crap out of me. I don't think I'd notice/mind so much if it wasn't for the bottom border being a white line on a black background

-The blog indent formatting leaves a ton of open space to the right side of the blog text area

-social media buttons on the bottom are almost invisible

-this picture - the background is actually distracting from the items for me

-The home page - I'd rather see the "not actual size" tag removed from the picture and widen/center the image on the truck. It being off-center for something which could be mentioned in much smaller text somewhere via a disclaimer about sizes would be preferred

[Brofellos]

As someone whose whole family is from Traverse City I really appreciate the Michigan stickers! 

From a visual standpoint, I'd like to see the images of the stickers more uniform in size and layout.  It's just easier on the eyes.

[Slayerik]

Yeah, I think I need a complete revamp of the images.

Just visited TC a couple months ago. Beautiful place! PM me if you know any little spots there that might want to sell a couple stickers :)

[Slayerik]

Been slacking a bit on the website, but went out selling this weekend. Here's the story if anyone cares to read!


Buck Alley Sales Chronicle #2 - Houghton Lake

It started an early day. Alarm popped off at six, and after preparing displays for the table until 2am with the family, I didn’t sleep well. Too bad, let’s roll. Grabbed the last of the gear, got Roland up, and we hit the road. Picked up some last minute essentials from megastore, filled up gas and headed N on 75 (I’m always pulled to go to the S ramp from habit).



It was rainy and dreary. The sound system on our Honda is completely hit, so I dealt with tunes from my MP3 collection on my laptop. J RO caught a good hour of sleep, and we barely found the Houghton Lake Gun and Knife show before it started. Table setup, I had to hit McD’s to break some 20’s for change.



The show started and things looked rough. People walked by but didn’t pay much mind to our displays. I had to jump ship on Roland, and started my way north to the bridge. On my way out of Houghton, I hit a party store/tackle shop (Lyman’s) that shot me down, but the cashier was cool and pointed me to a store just down the road that might be interested. His lead was right on, and I sold 20 stickers on the way outta town. Gas, covered.

I made my way N of 127, surprised it was a 70 mph freeway for some reason…but I was thankful. Hit another couple stores right off I75 without much luck, but from my sales attempt to the store I managed to get a couple guys to buy some stickers. My spiel is really starting to get strong  An hour of musicless driving passed in great anticipation of making it to the bridge to sell some stickers.

The towers of the Mackinac appeared on the horizon and I knew I was close. The first store I stopped at, the manager showed instant interest in the stickers. Sold 50 Bridges, and 25 of each Eagle/Bass. Things were lookin REAL good. I found a parking spot and basically walked up the strip trying to sell stickers to people without the authority to make a purchase. Left em with a sample and a card, in hopes of later sales. I circled back around and found a tiny like gift shop between T-shirt stores.

“I love these! They are so original!” The store owner was seemingly a woman of the 1960’s, had the free-spirited vibe…with low store prices and cool items. She had an air of youth to her, and her excitement was a welcomed response. She ended up buying 100 stickers and we spoke of getting some of her original designs printed. I decided this was the perfect place to buy some souvenirs for my large family.



Everything took longer than expected, and I decided to take a selfie of the bridge and one with my bridge sticker. I have a feeling some people are going to order just from the samples left behind. Hit a few places on the long drive back to Houghton and was reunited with J RO after a long day for both of us. He kicked some major butt, engaging and selling to a lot of people. We finally packed up our stuff and hit the Limber Lost, the last time having been there was probably a decade ago during Tip-up-Town (Ice fishing festival), for a beer and some good grub. I drove about 6 hours today.

I begrugedly agreed to J’s insistence to get a hotel room (over my awesome plan to stay in a tent on Brian Meier’s parents; yard), but he got the rate way down with using the gun and knife show and his Navy experience. J is masterful when he is on.  We spent some time drinking a few brews and talking with the neighbors – one of which an army Vietnam vet. Had a good time.

Overall, the Gun and Knife show didn’t see us coming. The short time I was there I heard many comments about how our table was the busiest in the place. Our idea is fresh and new, Jason is out front smiling and talking to everyone, and it seems we are becoming an accepted business. The Sunday sales were crap though, and the place was dead. One guy, a high-end pistol salesman, came by saying how he hadn’t sold a gun all day and that he was thinking of picking up some stickers just to get people to his table  The guy behind us, owner of -Viper Shield Personal Defense Gear-, did just that. J sold him 50 stickers at the end of the show.

My day was a rollercoaster. After leaving Jason again at the show, I decided to hit Higgins Lake hard – it’s tourist season and there is some money floating around there. I was breaking my Sunday sales rule, but really had no choice. Stopped at a gas station, owner wouldn’t be there till later. I found the lake road, that all the little party stores and misc shops were at. One store the guy told me he was retiring and selling the store, and that he didn’t need any inventory – but luckily for me his little 10 year old granddaughter took a liking to the eagle. He ended up buying ten 12-points, and I came back with one extra – a free U.P. eagle for little girl that helped me out by buying me some time to sell  

I was feeling good, rounded a corner going a little too fast and there she was…Sheriff. I knew I was done. She said I was doing 47 in a 35, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t going that fast. She knocked it down to a 40 in a 35, and sent me on my way with a ticket. Talk about taking the wind out of the sails….

So I was down in the dumps. That’s 100+ of my hard earned sales. I just wanted to say screw it and head back to the show…but I decided to use this as motivation to sell even more. I followed that lake road, stopped at a party store – Ching – 25 stickers. I made my way up to a Clark station that was PACKED. I figured I probably had no shot, but I noticed it it was called Sharp’s Corner IGA – a sign that it was locally owned. I went in, asked a guy behind the pizza counter if the owner was around, and it happened to be his son and really liked the stickers. He went to get his dad, and before he even made it out I had sold a worker there a 12 point. The guy quickly decided he wanted 100 – CHING!

I went across the street to South State Park Liquor store, and the Owner’s wife took a liking to them and ended up buying 15. And then she sent me to her brother’s store to sell them 15 as well. Ching/ching. I had sold my last displays and I was pretty done for the day.

I am extremely encouraged by the positive response from pretty much everyone that sees the stickers in person. The sales, exposure, and contacts we met this weekend were huge. Jason really did an awesome job at the Gun/Knife show. With J doing so well at a slow show, am I really looking forward working Birch Run and Novi with him.

[ShenMolo]

If you were to offer just a single Cthulhu head silhouette it would be