Ecommerce Web Stores FAQs
Ecommerce Web Stores FAQs
How much does an ecommerce store cost?
What does it cost to launch a Shopify web store with F.I.I.?
Our standard fee for new, professionally-designed Shopify sites featuring up to 5 branded items is $3,000. You will also need to establish an account directly with Shopify, for which they charge $79/month.
If you have special product or development considerations (i.e. you want more than 5 items, or you have unique technical requirements), we will give you a quote based on your specifications.
To be successful, we request that store owners commit to selling at least 60 items per style within the first 6 months of the store’s operation.
What are the ongoing costs of running a web store?
You will be billed by Shopify directly for your monthly subscription of $79/month.
You’ll have a $35/month minimum charge for Fulfillment & Customer Service fees, plus postage which is billed at carrier-provided rates.
Current Fulfillment and Customer Service Fees:
- Fulfillment: $3.60/order (flat rate)
- Customer Service: $0.50/order
It’s important to note: your organization is the shop owner and retailer, so you are responsible for collecting and remitting sales tax.
What are my Unit Production Costs for branded Print on Demand merch?
We can send you our standard pricing for full-color, 1-location printing done On Demand.
What’s the process to start a web store?
Do you design & build the ecommerce site for us?
Yes. F.I.I. will design your ecommerce site as a companion to the design of your main website. The web store will be complete with product imagery and copy providing basic descriptions of your branded merch.
Can my store have On Demand and Inventoried items?
Yes. You can have a hybrid ecommerce option where some items are offered to the public online and fulfilled as Print on Demand, and some items are created as wholesale orders and put on the shelf in the store as inventory (i.e. stickers, short-duration special t-shirt prints, etc.).
Can you help us with merch product choices and designs?
Yes, we’ll advise on design and also product choice, based on best practices.
What products can I add to my web store that are Printed On Demand?
You can see our Print on Demand catalog here: https://shop.fiimarketing.com/collections/union-made-print-on-demand
Is the web store team unionized?
YES. F.I.I. and our Print on Demand partner (Worx Printing) are both unionized.
Can I get a union bug on everything?
Almost always. Wherever possible, F.I.I. sources quality Union-made in USA products for our clients. Some items are not available as union made, like branded socks and stainless steel water bottles. In these cases, F.I.I. will source items Made in USA and Union-printed.
What’s the process to design our web store items?
We provide design mock ups for any items you want to put in your web store. Our production manager will send you mock ups as soon as possible, sometimes within a day but always within a week.
What if I want to add, remove, or change the merch in my web store?
F.I.I. provides ongoing Web Support for these changes. We bill you monthly at a very reasonable rate, in 30-minute increments.
How fast can I launch my ecommerce store?
We can usually set up a new ecommerce store within 10 – 15 working days. Some of the scheduling depends on how well organized your information is (what merch you want to offer, your design approval process, etc.), so it’s hard to give an exact time frame. We do promise to work efficiently and keep you informed on timing issues and expectations.
How does Fulfillment work for my web store?
How is my ecommerce store’s merch produced?
F.I.I. will manage the production of the merchandise sold in your store. Your store may offer a combination of Print on Demand (POD) and inventoried products produced in bulk and inventoried at F.I.I.’s warehouse. The Print on Demand items will be printed by our partners at Worx Printing Cooperative, a proud worker-owned union co-op.
How does my merch get to customers?
The web store will feature an automated fulfillment system. When orders are placed, they will automatically ship from F.I.I. and your organization will receive the customer data.
What is your shipping turnaround time?
Items selected/purchased through your web store are shipped within 3-5 days for Print On Demand items. Inventoried items are shipped within 48 hours of receipt.
What if a customer has a problem?
A professional customer service team will receive and address any customer inquiries in a timely manner.