How About an Amazon Store Here at SMC

[Bob Feeser]

I was thinking. Consider some of the following.

1. Amazon Stores are something anyone can do, especially SMC.
2. A topic is created here at SMC called Amazon Store.
3. Individual products are added to the store, woodworking products and related merchandise of course.
4. Anyone who wants to buy a tool from Amazon simply stops in the SMC store, and clicks on the item before they buy. They are buying the same exact item, for the same price, features, benefits, in other words, the only difference between buying it by going to Amazon.com and using the Amazon store here at SMC, and clicking on the product link is that SMC will get a commission on every sale. Amazon pays generally speaking 4%, and 6% after a certain amount of sales are made. For example someone posted the PM66 bargain giveaway on Amazon for $1999, and two people bought it. Well that would have generated 6% x 2 grand x2 = $240. Wow what a great way to support the creek. Do you realize how many woodworking tools are being bought by the members of this site in dollars? Millions. It is understood that if you can buy it cheaper someplace else, then by all means. But with Amazon giving you free shipping on lighter items, and no tax for out of state purchases. Also Amazon has been known to match prices, so if you can get it cheaper elsewhere, they will make a concession. I have done that a few times.
5. No code writing is required. All items in shopping cart are checked out exclusively on the Amazon site, secure servers etc. So all purchases are made directly from Amazon, just like you do now.
6. I am mentioning this because there is a flood gate open, called creekers buying tools, and the site could stand to benefit from having the option open, and it wouldn't cost the members any more than what they already do to help out the site. Plus the Amazon store for SMC is free, no monthly anything. If only one sale was generated it would be worth it, let alone hundreds or thousands.
7. Sometimes the best ideas are the best ideas, and sometimes they only appear that way. When you put them into application, they don't always work as well as you might like them to. So I am putting this in the suggestion box. I think that an open discussion can only enhance participation if it does come to pass.
8. So how does it work? SMC joins Amazon as an associate. They go in and build a store. They can build as many stores as they want. One for each type of product if they want to. The items are chosen by the admin, placed in their store, and when anyone clicks on them, and follows up with a purchase, the store holder, SMC in this case would get a commish. You can learn more from Amazon by going to Amazon.com and search for Amazon store information.
9. There isn't any work for SMC to do other than picking out the items at Amazon using their ID number, and placing the in the SMC Amazon store. No site to build. Amazon has a no brainer build page for creating and editing the store. Every item built into the link has an SMC affiliate name in it, so they know where the referral comes from. So it is automatic. No having to say SMC sent me. It's easy.
10. Even visiting guests can make purchases through it. It all helps. I think SMC is already the best forum of it's type in the world, can we keep making it better. According to Steve Jobs, from Apple no matter how great it is, "There must be a better way" Being as well funded as well featured goes a long way to being number one.
11. Hope this helps. When stuff is cool, I get excited.
    
    For more information, ( I am going to break this up so it is not a link) go to http:// astore.amazon.com

We are in the middle of football season, or should I say the height of it, I keep hearing in my head, things like
"Go Creekers" or I attended "SMC" sounds like a university doesn't it? Well it is actually, by the time you have been a member for 4 years, you deserve a degree in woodworking.