Those of you with websites, I have a few questions for you

1 - How do you advertise your website?
2 - Do you get orders that you have to mail out or mainly orders that you deliver?
3 - If you mail them out, can you post some tips and tricks on doing that so the cookies don't break in route.
4 - Do you accept payment on your website and if so who proccesses the payments? Paypal or some other company?
5 - Also, when selling your cookies via your website do you have an order form right on your website?

Hopefully this information will help everyone else understand the extent of a cookie website. I know I for one am very curious about it.

Thanks,
Sabbrina

1. I don't really advertise at this point. I pass out business cards and I make samples and deliver them to local businesses.
2. Most of my orders are still friends/family and their friends. I do have 2 standing orders for businesses that are out of state.
3. When I have loose cookies, I individually wrap them in cello bags, then put them all in a big clear plastic back and then cushion them all the way around with packing peanuts. They always arrive without any breaks. When I have a cookie bouquet, I individually cello wrap each cookie, and then I just fill the box completely with packing peanuts, and they get there fine, no broken cookies. The key is to make sure that you have the cookies packaged so that they don't bounce into each other.
4. I do accept payments on my site through paypal, but I find that the easiest and best way to do things is to invoice the client through paypal, and then they just have to click the link to pay.
5. I have a basic form on my site, but I find most often I get calls or emails for orders. I'm still just starting out though, so I have a ways to go to really get this business buzzing.

Hope some of this helps!

1. i have the website on my business cards. anybody that asks me about my cookies gets the same speel(sp?) you can go on my website and see some of the cookies i can do. this doesn't help you move up the google chain at all, because people are just directly going to your site. the google chain takes time.
2. i would say that off the website, more than 50% of the orders get shipped out of state. most people that call me on the phone, get delivered or picked up.
3. bubble wrap is the key. each cookie gets wrapped in it's own bag. i put bubble wrap in between each cookie, along the top bottom and sides of the box, and down the center in between the rows. i just sent my brother a ton of cookies over to afghanistan. he said the box was crushed, but we only lost 3 cookies. i guess you can only control the post office, not the army. just make sure when you're done packing that you close the box and shake it. if nothing moves you're good.
4. DITTO. i send an invoice thru paypal. they do charge a small fee, but it's so nice for customers to be able to pay online by credit card. now i don't have to wait for a check, then wait for it to clear....
5. i do not have an order form online only because my cookies are very made to order. i find i really need to discuss just how they want their cookies, more than a standard form could offer.