Because it's undeniably difficult to handle projects/businesses by myself, I've thought of recruiting others who can help me run my online store, or at least contribute some products to it.
^{It's difficult to find the time and funds to create my own products, so I would really like to invite others in and keep my store active lol}


The store will still keep it's name but I will no longer be the only artist/designer on it.

Since I'm the only one who has current access to the website (and because it's mine and I paid for it), I'll be in charge of the website in terms of designing/coding the layouts and updating pages. I am, however, open to layout ideas and for anyone to help me code the website because DAMMIT PHP IS A BITCH. DX
^{Though I like the current layout and really wouldn't want to redesign it until next year or something, though help in re-coding it using PHP would be HIGHLY appreciated! 8D}
I'm also open to any website-related ideas in general ^^

I'll be recruiting two types of people: Artists and Designers.
→ Artists: are those who would like me to use their artworks on designs. The artist will provide me with their artwork(s) and will leave it up to me to utilise it on products. The artist will have a say on how I design the products with their artworks, so it'll be a combined effort. I will be in charge of getting the products created and sent to customers. Profit will be shared between the artist and myself.
→ Designers: are those who will design and create their own products entirely on their own. They will also be responsible for sending their products to their customers. All profit from their products will go to them.

Recruited artists and designers can make anything they want. A few examples include:
bookmarks
postcards
stationery sets
greeting cards
stickers
notebooks
calendars
organisers
buttons/badges
jewellry
t-shirts
bags
etc.


I'll try and get a blog set up on the index page which all artists and designers will be able to update.
^{I was thinking of using a blogging tool like WordPress or something; one where we can quickly set up accounts with and blog at free will (not like LJ though).}
I'd also like the blog to have RSS feeds so that customers can be updated on when a new product has been created!

Each artist and designer will have their own profile page with links to other websites they may have, ie. their blogs, DA page, etc. I will also indicate those who are up for commission work so customers can directly contact them if interested.
^{Artists and designers will need me to update their profile pages though =/ unless I switch servers which allows multiple ftp accounts. Even so, I'll only give ftp accounts to those who know how to use it, or are willing to learn.}

The online store is currently organised via products. I was thinking that I could just keep it like that and within the product-categories, have seperate sections for each artist/designer.

Get a search engine within the website!!!! 8DDDD And one that actually works. lol

My current Order Form sure as hell looks nice and organised, but I assure you, it was absolute HELL to code DDDDDDDX. So I was thinking of getting rid of the Products section of the Order Form (how it has neat little boxes to tick with the quantity and so on) because it really is unneccessarily time-consuming to code - especially if the product range is going to grow! Instead, we could just have a textarea box for the customers to fill in manually.
And because we wouldn't want the customers to forget what they wanted to buy before filling in the Order Form, I was thinking of:
placing the Order Form on the sidebar and using iframes for the content. This way, they can fill the Order Form in while they shop and not have to worry about their details getting cleared each time a new page loads. But iframes look ugleh on MACs >_>
therefor, we could have the Order Form on a pop-up window. But not everyone likes pop-ups >_>

In terms of ordering, we'll all need to figure how that's going to work because I DUNNO~ T^T
Right now the Order Form only sends orders to one email - which is mine. I could be in charge of receiving orders and notifying artists/designers if their products have been ordered, but how reliable am I personally going to be? *hahaha massive sweat drop*
We'll also need to figure out how we'll receive payments (especially if customers order from different artists/designers at the same time).
^{I really don't want to be in charge of this if it comes down to payments being directed to one person (a treasurer?), then having it forwarded and shared to its respective artists/designers X_X}
Shipping rates also need to be figured out >_>
And then we'll have to figure out how to ship products together so that customers don't become annoyed at the shipping costs and having different packages sent to them X____X
THE HORROR OF PLANNING THIS PART T^T ^{HERP PRZ?}


OK those are the ideas I have so far. Please feel free to add to them!!!


As for those who are interested in being recruited:
Unfortunately, I only currently want to recruit close friends, especially those who live in Sydney (packaging and shipping will be so much easier that way), but will also recruit online friends, but as artists only... until, of course, we can figure out the ordering/payments/shipping problems.

IRL/local friends = can be an artist and/or designer.
Online friends = can be artists only. (so sorry! T^T)
If I don't even know you, then I'm very sorry - I really cannot afford to recruit strangers/random people x_O

Please let me know if you're interested, even if you're just thinking about it! I'm willing to recruit more people in the future so if you're not confident with your art/designs at the moment, we can wait~
As for those who are certainly interested, let me know ASAP so we can get this started! 8D
^{I really don't want my online store to be dead any longer >_> lol}