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Proof of Concept – Its Time to Build a Niche Store!

19 July 2009 7 Comments

Alot of emails have flooded my inbox asking me what platform I planned on using to Build this Niche Guide Driven website. I actually pondered several different methods, from phpBay, static html with auction code, WordPress with widgets, and of course, BANS.The answer.. of course, Build a Niche Store (BANS)!

Why am I Choosing BANS?

Someone will surely ask… Why are you going to use BANS when you and many others have previously had some bad luck with the software? To answer that elephant sized question, you have to assume that every site previously built was done correctly! Which, as Kelvin and Adam prove with one of their sample sites, the Blade Irons site, BANS itself is not the issue!

I too have a few BANS sites that are still earning money every month… so its not the software itself that causes the issues, but the way we have been using the software.

Also – I could hardly name this site Build a Niche Store Guide and Prove the Concept on any other platform! :-)

What is Build a Niche Store?

If you are not familiar with the Build a Niche Store software, you need to head over to the main BANS site and read more about it! To cover the basics however, Build a Niche Store is a standalone application that allows relatively novice users, the ability to build a website that is monetized primarily through the eBay Partner Network.

In other words – You build a website with the software, then you display related products that match your sites topic, which are automatically fed from eBay.

Will You Learn Anything New About BANS?

If you have been using BANS for any given amount of time, chances are pretty good that you have been through the paces with the software, followed along at several knowledgeable blogs, or used the BANS forum, to get the ins and outs of the software already.

Places to learn more about BANS

These are just a few places to start your hunt for information on BANS. The list represents a range from very skilled marketers, to people just like yourself who may just be regular folks with no html, php, or programming knowledge, so you can get different views.

If you know of others, please make sure you let me know, so I can add them to the list above! (I know for sure I forgot some of my own favorites also!)

Would You Use BANS?

Tell us… would YOU use BANS to build a new Niche Website? If so, WHY? If not… Why Not?

7 Comments »

  • Rochelle said:

    Good post (as usual), ended with a good question.

    I am currently building a new site for my daughter, and I gave a lot of thought to the question of which platform. I almost went with BANS because I really do love the simplicity of adding eBay auctions to it. In the end, though, I went with WordPress, for two reasons:

    - First, the niche for this site has more products on Amazon than on eBay so I will use an Amazon plugin. Adding non-eBay products to a BANS site IS possible, but much more difficult and time-consuming, but is very easy on WP.
    - Second, it is soooo much easier to change the theme on a WP blog than on BANS. In the end, this issue, more than the first, swayed me to choose WP.

    I’ve decided that I haven’t totally given up on BANS, though. I intend to build at least one more BANS site. I have a soft spot in my heart for BANS, since that’s the software that really taught me a lot about Internet marketing, and is where I earned my first penny, and quite a few more in the end.

    Rochelle

    Reply – Quote
    Post Comment #1, 20 July 2009 at 8:01 am
  • Mark (author) said:

    Very good points for choosing a different platform Rochelle!!

    Amazon, unfortunately, just terminated all affiliates in NC, due to some legislation that’s being considered to tax every transaction that is generated from the efforts of an affiliate int he state.

    I also agree with the ease of theme changing in WordPress… I’m hoping that it wont be needed on this first site, except for the possible refresh a year or two from now. I’m actually going to use the recommendation in the guide to do “Only as much as needed” and let it run on its own merits.

    Mark

    Reply – Quote
    Post Comment #2, 20 July 2009 at 8:31 am
  • Mike said:

    I live in NC also and I’m still in the learning stages of affiliate marketing. If this legislation passes, do you think other affiliate programs will follow Amazon and terminate NC affiliates (ie. EPN)?

    Love to hear your thoughts on the tax issue.

    Mike

    Reply – Quote
    Post Comment #3, 31 July 2009 at 12:06 pm
  • Mark (author) said:

    @ Mike –

    It will be interesting to see for sure. I dont think eBay or several others have dropped affiliates in NY or Calif, which already have the tax code in place.

    Welcome in BTW – Where in NC are you at?

    Mark

    Reply – Quote
    Post Comment #4, 31 July 2009 at 12:13 pm
  • Sean said:

    Hey Mark (or Rochelle),
    Have you taken a look at the N1Way and how they built the Niche site in WP? I’ve built 2 and came to a better understanding of how they built it in my 2nd site (light bulb came on). But, what is the difference between building it with “pages” vs “categories-posts”? I think WP adds more flexibility and possibly credibility if you can get users to post productive comments.

    I’ve thought about using the Posts as the reviews and then using the Pages as a storefront – any thoughts? Guess there’s no right or wrong, it’s just a blueprint. LOL – or is the right way or not (just reread that sentence).

    Reply – Quote
    Post Comment #5, 1 August 2009 at 11:08 am
  • Sean said:

    Time for a break – gotta go enjoy this Florida sunshine for a few.

    Reply – Quote
    Post Comment #6, 1 August 2009 at 3:07 pm
  • Mark (author) said:

    @ Sean –

    I did notice the pages versus posts in WP, and that’s actually how I have started a site of my own as well.

    I don’t think there could be a wrong way, whether you used pages or posts to be honest… But using pages, your site is much more CMS driven, than “timely”.

    Posts – by definition are used for newsworthy and timely information… where pages are for static content.

    Mark

    Reply – Quote
    Post Comment #7, 2 August 2009 at 1:37 pm

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