cis faq

The most valuable feature in the Little Things Mean a Lot Complete Internet Solution is the interaction between your site and Little Things Mean a Lot’s product data base. As products are added and removed from our warehouse, we automatically add and remove product, pictures, and descriptions on your web site. As soon as your site goes live, your customers have access to over 300 infant specialty items. Please read the other FAQ’s to better understand how this will benefit you.

Can I add my own products?
Yes. You will be given access to the “Control Panel” of your site, which will allow you to add, remove, and modify your own products.

What if someone orders a Little Things Mean a Lot product from my site and I don’t have the product in stock?
Little Things Mean a Lot will drop-ship any product sold from the Little Things Mean a Lot section of your site directly to your customer. We include a packing slip that has reference to your store only. It looks like you shipped the product out of your store. We charge a small drop-ship fee of $4.50 plus flat rate shipping. See our drop-ship policies.

How many products can I add to my site, other than the Little Things Mean Lot products?
We give you a space allotment of 100 Megabytes. This allows you to add approximately 1000 products. If you do happen to run out of space, you can upgrade your package to allow for more space.

What if my customer needs to return a Little Things Mean a Lot item that was drop-shipped?
You will need to contact our office for a return authorization number. You can have your customer return the package directly to our warehouse. When we receive the package, we will inspect the items and credit your account for the wholesale cost, minus a 10% restocking fee. We do not refund shipping or drop-ship fees unless the return was a result of our error. If you prefer, you can have the items returned directly to your store to be put into your inventory. This will prevent the 10% restocking fee. You will be responsible for issuing a credit to your customers.

How do I know that an order has been placed on my website?
You will receive an email notification that will contain all the order information except the credit card number. You will be able to get all of the order and billing information, including credit card information, by logging into a secure area of your store.

How do I get people to visit my website?
Just like your retail store, you will need to promote your website to get people to visit and buy from your site. We will provide you with a tool box of information and items that you can use to promote your website. You will also want to advertise, contacting churches, hospitals, and other allied firms that can help you promote your business. You will also receive a link from the Little Things Mean a Lot corporate website to your website, as one of our preferred online retailers. When you signup, you will be given access to a site dedicated to helping you promote your website.

What equipment do I need to get started?
You will need a computer that has access to the internet. We recommend a high speed connection (DSL or Cable) if available. You will also need the ability to charge credit cards. No other hardware is required.

What if I am not computer literate?
We have tried to make our services as user friendly as possible. However, some basic computer knowledge is very helpful. If you are not comfortable on the computer, get a friend, family member or employee to help you while you learn. There many good books and programs available to help you learn the computer. You may even consider a basic computer class at a community college.

Do I have to carry your products in my store to carry your product online?
No. Because we carry a deep stock of items, you are able to drop-ship directly from our warehouse. However, we highly recommend that you carry a nice selection of our items in your store as a support to your web site. Many customers still want to touch and feel and will shop your site first and then come to your store to see the product. Our 20 year reputation for high quality and reasonable pricing will also enhance your walk-in traffic sales.

What does this service cost?
There is a one time set-up fee of $150.00. Your credit card will be billed $99 per month to cover ongoing services.

How does the cost of your program compare to other similar services?
We put together a comparison chart for you to review. Click here.

Can I cancel if I am not happy with your service?
You may cancel at any time, however, please notify us 30 days in advance.

What if I already have a web page?
You can direct your customers from your current webpage to your new Little Things Mean a Lot shopping site with a simple link. You can also completely integrate your current page over to the new site.

How do I prevent people from returning the items after they have used them?
We do not accept returns on merchandise that has been used. You will want to state clearly in the policy section of your web site that items returned that show signs of wear will be returned to the customer without credit.

If you are marketing this service to a bunch of stores, won’t the market become saturated?
There are almost 4 million births each year in the United States. There are an estimated 1,005,490 infant baptisms per year in the U.S. Catholic Church alone. When you combine the Catholic christening market with all of the other religions that participate in infant religious ceremonies, the number of potential customers is extremely vast. Saturation would be very difficult to achieve based on the staggering numbers of potential shoppers. Furthermore, we will be monitoring the market at all times. If we feel we have reached a saturation point, we will close the service to new participants.

What if I want to customize my site selection rather than host your entire product line, say, for a Jewish only site?
The current Complete Webpage Solution doesn’t allow you to turn off any of Little Things Mean a Lot’s products. In the future, this option will be available. However, you have the option of participating in Christening Direct without participating in the Complete Webpage Solution. Through the Christening Direct program you can pick and choose the products that you wish to carry on your site. Please remember that you will be responsible to check stock and manage the products that you use through this program.

How can I make my site look different from other people’s sites?
Each site will have areas that are completely customizable. The logo area and the front page are the most prominent. You can upload your own logo that will be displayed on the top of each page. You can add pictures and descriptions to your front page that make your webpage unique to you. At some point, we will be adding the ability to change colors and other various designs on your site.

Can I sell on eBay?
On eBay, we only allow our pictures to be displayed as a “buy now” option at the suggested retail price. We do not allow our pictures to be used in the auction environment. We do not drop-ship items sold by online auction.

What is the difference between this and the Christening direct Program?
Christening Direct is a broader service for all of Little Things Mean a Lot’s retailers. Any of our retailers can use the pictures and descriptions on ChristeningDirect.com and have product drop-shipped directly to their customers. The Complete Webpage Solution allows you all the services of Christening Direct without having to create your own website. With the Complete Webpage Solution, you will never need to add or remove Little Things Mean a Lot items to your site.

Will I own my web site?
Yes! You own your site, the web address (URL) and the customer data that is generated through your site. Little Things Mean a Lot, Inc. will not have access to any of your data files. We have contracted with a third party to handle the back end support of your site to ensure privacy and security.

Are email addresses included in my website? If so, how many?
Yes. You have 100 megabytes of space total. You can have as many email accounts as you wish, as long as you don’t exceed the 100 megabytes of space.

What is the best source for me to go to learn about the internet or running a website?
You should start with the internet, searching for tips and tricks to help you run your website. A local bookstore will also have several books to help you understand and get started in online marketing. As a participant in the Complete Webpage Solution, you will also have access to links and tools that we will provide to help you understand the internet and promote your site. As in any business, you will want to learn as much as you can from as many sources as possible.