NOTE: For additional information, please see our Tips for Independent Booksellers


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q:   I am a Seller Engine user. Will BookWriter Web work with my records?

A:   Yes. BwWeb includes a complete set of sample setups specifically designed for Seller Engine. All you have to do is create an Item Report, then select it in BwWeb. The rest is the same as working with any other file.

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Q:   I am a Homebase user. Will BookWriter Web work with my records?

A:   Yes. A complete set of sample setups specifically designed for Homebase is included with BwWeb. All of the field names have been pre-assigned for your convenience (and of course you can modify them however you wish).

Note: BookWriter Web is designed to open and read Homebase databases directly (in read-only mode). However, this relies on Homebase properly installing the Microsoft shared ADO (ActiveX Data Objects) library. Normally, this is not a problem, but a few users have reported difficulties installing Homebase, or in getting other programs to recognize the Homebase database after installation. If this should happen, we can help you resolve it. If it cannot be easily resolved, BookWriter Web can also read UIEE and tab-delimited files, so you can still compose your records even if your computer is not set up correctly.

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Q:   Why do I need BookWriter Web?

A:   If your books aren't showing up in search results on the major Internet search engines, if you want to regain your independence from listing services, and if you want to start selling to customers who have no idea that your listing service partners even exist, then BookWriter Web can do a great deal to create a SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE in search results. This will generate sales -- with no middleman.

In fact it's possible that you don't need BwWeb. You may be perfectly satisfied paying commissions to listing services, even though they sell to a distinct minority of the total Internet customer base. There's nothing wrong with this if it serves your needs.

Nevertheless, directing customers to YOU instead of someone else is essential to growth. Click here for details about how search engines really work, and why a significant presence is so fundamentally important to any successful Internet business.

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Q:   I know nothing about HTML and don't want to know. Can I actually do this myself?

A:   You most definitely can, and we guarantee it! There are many sample page templates to choose from, which you can combine in many ways to create an infinite number of layouts (if you can't create one you like, just let us know and we'll gladly put one together for you for a small fee). But basically, all you really need are your book records. Images are very helpful if you have them, but you don't need them to get started and they can easily be added at any time.

You can also purchase any of our website setup packages. We will do all of the site setup, page layout, composition and uploading for you. Please see the ordering page for additional information.

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Q:   I already have my books in a web database. Can I continue to use them?

A:   Normally, yes. But, the real answer depends partly on your business needs and partly on the database. Please understand that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this question.

For example, suppose you had your records in a web database that was tied into a credit card processing system through a merchant account. If you'd like to continue using this to handle your sales, you can instruct BwWeb to include the appropriate URL in the Order button in each record so that it points directly to that record! In that sense, your static pages merely serve as a means to attract buyers to your existing system (remember, databases are not regularly indexed by search engines).

Conversely, if you have your records in only a listing service's database, you may or may not want to continue using them -- and continue to pay the high commissions on sales. A lot depends on who you have listed them with and what provision, if any, they have made for you to retrieve your records selectively. Not all database systems are alike, so whether or not your existing database records can be adapted to your own pages depends on how the database was originally set up by its designers. Only they can tell you this, but the simple answer is: If their system allows direct URL-driven record selection, you're all set! If it doesn't, you may want to consider using a different method.

There are very simple approaches as well that don't even involve a database. For example, you could produce pages containing nothing more complicated than simple links to PayPal -- which circumvents the issue entirely! Some dealers are using BwWeb to create pages containing e-mail links to conclude transactions -- and doing it quite successfully! Again, it really depends on your business needs and what you want to accomplish.

Either way, we'll do everything we possibly can to help you make good decisions and get your pages working the way you need them to work. E-mail support is free, and more advanced support packages are available for those who want hands-on assistance.

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Q:   I REALLY want to do this but I don't have a web site. Now what?

A:   Getting a web site is very easy. It's really nothing more than a file folder on a server, which you rent on a monthly basis. And, there are thousands of hosting services out there. Pick one that meets your specific needs and budget, give them your payment information, and you're done!

You can literally be set up in just minutes, and some of our dealers have done just that! We'll be glad to provide additional information about hosting sites and options if you need it. And again, you can also purchase any of our website setup packages and let us do it all for you.

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Q:   I've composed my web pages and they look great! Now what do I do?

A:   You simply upload the pages and associated files to your web site, and you're done! This amounts to nothing more than (a) logging in with your user id and password, then (b) sending the files, and finally (c) logging off. You can even use your Internet Browser to do it -- you don't need to buy any other software. We'll be glad to provide instructions if you need them.

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Q:   I sold some books and need to update my pages. How do I do it?

A:   This is no more complicated than re-composing the pages and re-sending them, which takes mere minutes to do. The Hit List feature is very useful for this type of task. You'll be amazed at how quickly and easily this can be done.

Note also that some dealers do not re-compose their pages at all -- they simply mark their books as SOLD to clearly show a book is no longer available. There are many advantages to doing this and keeping books marked as SOLD on-line can actually be very beneficial to your business. It can result in additional sales and inquiries when someone finds what they want ("Do you have any others like this one?"). Indeed, some dealers leave their sold books on their sites as a nice reference resource for other booksellers. And remember -- static web pages are a form of advertising, so the more opportunities you create to attract searchers, the better.

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Q:   I registered a domain name. How do I associate it with my web site?

A:   You should contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and tell them what you want to do. They will tell you what to type into the DNS box at the registration site (such as Register.com) at which you purchased your domain name. This takes only minutes to do once you have the correct path. Your ISP will also make the appropriate entries in their servers (if required) so your domain name shows up correctly. These changes normally take 24-72 hours to filter through the Internet.

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Q:   I've seen many offers for tools and services which say they'll make my web site come up at the top of search engine results. How is BookWriter different?

A:   Yes, it's true that site submissions can give your web site a presence in search engines. The problem is: Customers search for BOOKS, not web sites. In fact, practically no one ever searches for web sites (how could they, when they don't know the sites even exist?).

But even if you do a site submission, this will make no difference if your records are in a database because databases are not generally indexed by search engines. You need properly-constructed static web pages to bring in buyers -- and that's what BwWeb creates.

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Q:   Where do I put the images I have in my web pages?

A:   You can do this in one of three ways: (1) assuming you have enough storage space, you can include the images directly within your own web site, or (2) use a 3rd-party image hosting company such as Vendio or ImageHost, or (3) let us know your requirements and we'll provide image hosting for you at very lost cost.

There are many different image hosting companies, some quite good and others just so-so. We'll be glad to supply referrals and/or let you know what HTML you need to insert to make your images appear correctly. Note that establishing your image URL is typically a one-time exercise -- once you've got your layout set up correctly, all the rest of your pages will follow suit automatically.

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Q:   When will the rest of the BookWriter program be available?

A:   BookWriter is a suite of programs that all work together. The idea is to allow users to only purchase what they need, instead of having to spend a lot of money all at once and end up becoming locked into yet-another proprietary environment. That's why BwWeb is compatible with many different database formats -- you should be able to use the records you already have without being compelled to import & export every time you want to do something. This is a key design objective.

There are currently five (5) BookWriter modules planned and BwWeb is the first to be released. The next BookWriter component, BookWriter Professional, is approaching completion and the remaining three components are in varying stages of development at this time. We'll most certainly keep all of our users appraised of our progress as it unfolds, but -- please understand that it does take a lot of time and effort to do a good job, especially in a program this powerful.

For additional information, please see our Tips for Independent Booksellers