FAQ
Our FAQ page is here to answer your most popular inquiries! In case you don't find the answer you're looking for, just email us at info @ theweddingmile.com with your question!
GENERAL
What is TheWeddingMile.com?
TheWeddingMile.com is an online marketplace of handcrafted goods for the wedding and bridal market. We provide a virtual storefront for sellers to list their goods, take custom orders, and promote their craft. Buyers can browse and purchase products, communicate with sellers, request custom made items, and find true inspiration for their wedding day!
Who is TheWeddingMile.com?
TheWeddingMile.com was founded by entrepreneur Lee Stein of New Jersey, and comprises a staff and a board of fellow mompreneurs, marketplace sellers, online marketing experts, wedding experts, as well as our technical, legal and finance consultants.
Why weddings?
Because they're special. Because every last detail means something. Because it reflects who you are, your style, your taste, and your passion. If you think about it, a marriage is a lot like a business. You are entering into a partnership that is not only legally binding, but one that reflects shared goals and requires work in order to succeed in the long run. In this way, our sellers are dedicated to helping you create what you what for your special day.
Why are you called TheWeddingMile?
We love the "Mile" in WeddingMile because it can represent so many different things. For some of us it represents an artisan's row...the kind you find when you visit a fair and street block after street block is lined with colorful creative booths, displaying all sorts of wonderful craft items. For others it represents the timeline between engagement and wedding...planning, sorting, buying, and driving each other crazy (in a good way) with details!
SELLERS
How do I become a Seller?
It's easy to become a seller on TheWeddingMile.com! If you are a talented and creative artisan who believes in quality, customer service, and investing in the promotion of your craft, then this is the site for you! Simply click here to register, follow the instructions, and you'll be on your way.
What are the requirements for becoming a seller?
We do require that our sellers create their own original handcrafted goods and that you are able, to the extent that you can, customize your items to buyer requests. In your store, right next to your item descriptions, is an area for you to describe the various ways in which you can tailor your items to suit a buyer's needs, and we also encourage you to upload images reflecting these options. We recognize that there are limited ways in which one item can be altered, so we encourage you to simply itemize these options on your product page, encourage buyers to ask questions, and communicate with them in an honest and straightforward manner.
We understand that the term "handmade" has many different definitions and interpretations. See here for our Handmade guidelines if you are unsure as to whether or not your items can be considered handmade.
We do prohibit certain items from being sold on TheWeddingMile.com. Please click here for a comprehensive list of those items.
Can I sell food or other edible products on TheWeddingMile.com?
You certainly can! As long as you are able to customize your products in some way, you can sell edibles under our Edibles and Gourmet category. Please click here to see our Edibles guidelines.
What does it cost to be a seller?
We are currently running a promotion in which your first 3 months on TheWeddingMile.com are FREE! We understand that it takes time to build your store, your inventory, and your promotional efforts as well, and that you'd like to get acclimated before making any commitments. After the 3 month free trial, there is a month to month subscription rate of just $9.95. There are no uploading fees or fees based on final sales. You can cancel your subscription at any time.
How am I billed?
When you sign up you are required to provide us with either your PayPal account or a valid credit card. You will be charged on the first day of each month based on your start date. For example, if you registered on the 15th of November, you will then be charged $9.95 on the 15th of each following month (after your free trial). You can cancel your subscription at any time, but please be aware that once we have billed you for the month, that charge stays in place. You will not be billed for subsequent months to that billing period.
What do I get for the monthly subscription rate?
We know that our success ties directly in to your success. That's why we are providing you with all the tools you need to succeed! Our site has the most up to date search engine optimization programming in order to keep us on top of relevant searches and we also provide you with our own proprietary training materials to get you up and running. Your store comes with email marketing integration, multiple payment options, and comprehensive reporting and analytics tools. Your store also comes with complete social media integration, including a Facebook store application and Share buttons for all major social media websites! And, yes, we have an import/export tool for the listings you have on other sites! For a more detailed list of what your subscription here offers, please visit our Seller page here.
Can I open up multiple stores?
Yes you can! When you open up more than one store you receive a 20% discount on your new store(s), as long as the original store remains open. You will need to register your new store with a new username and password, but you will be able to manage both from the same admin dashboard.
Can I sell my products on other sites as well?
Absolutely! TheWeddingMile.com enables you to set up a fully functional, user friendly, and highly optimized online store front on a site that specializes in products for the Wedding and Bridal market. We also offer educational materials to help get you ramped up and skilled in the art of sales, customer service, search engine optimization, social media, photography, and more! You can encourage Buyers to purchase your items here, other shopping sites, or even your own website!
How do I cancel my store?
We'll be very sorry to see you go, but if you want to cancel your store all you need to do is go to your Admin area and click on the Cancel Store button in your Billing tab. Please be aware that cancelling your store (versus putting it in Vacation mode) will remove it from our database. If you would like to open up a store in the future, you will have to re-upload your products, images, and descriptions again.
How do I change my account information?
You simply log in to your account and use the menu links to navigate to the pages you want to edit. Change the information you want and be sure to click the Save Changes button when you're done.
Can I interact with other sellers?
We want you to interact with other sellers - it's the best way to make friends, learn new and valuable ways to market your store, and receive the support you need! Our forums are broken up into a variety of sections so that you can post your questions, answers, thoughts, musings and more in relevant areas, and communicate with other buyers as you wish. We encourage thoughtful and friendly feedback in our forums and we support your right to speak your mind. We do, however, believe that positive and constructive feedback is the most effective way to make a statement and we have low tolerance for those who communicate in a negative or insulting manner.
How do I ensure getting paid for items I have custom created for a buyer?
A transaction is not complete until a buyer has paid you for your product, so please do not ship your product until the buyer has completed the payment process and you are properly notified that funds have been received. With respect to customizing your items, or when a buyer has asked you to make a certain quantity from scratch, it is customary to accept a "good-faith" downpayment for your services so that your investment in time and materials is partially covered. It is up to you to decide how much to request as a downpayment, but typically one third to one half of the total cost is standard. We encourage you to communicate often with your seller, and to upload preliminary images for their approval before completing the entire project. With their approval, you can proceed to complete the project with confidence, knowing they have agreed to your terms and your rendition of the customized product.
You may bill the buyer with PayPal's invoicing system, request a check or money order, or edit the original listing to reflect your new terms before prompting the buyer to checkout.
How does your ratings system work?
We believe a good rating system reflects those experiences that are central to the shopping experience. Buyers are asked to rate their transaction in three areas: Quality of Product, Customer Service, and Shipping. What do these terms mean?
Quality of Product: Was the product as expected? Is it sturdy or does it suit your purposes? Was it represented accurately by the seller?
Customer Service: Was your interaction with the seller a positive or negative one? Were all your questions answered satisfactorily? Did the seller communicate with you in a timely manner?
Shipping: Did you receive the product in a timely manner? Did the seller use a service that ships conveniently to your area? Did the product arrive safely?
Buyers are asked to rate you in these areas with a Positive, Negative or Neutral rating (please note that Neutral is not factored into your score), and these scores are then averaged. They are also asked to leave a comment so that they can qualify their scores. While buyers do not have to register with the site in order to make a purchase, they do have to register in order to leave feedback.
We encourage Sellers to request feedback from their Buyers in order to establish a professional and reliable reputation for their store.
BUYERS
What is the best way to search for items I want on your site?
There are a number of ways to search for items on TheWeddingMile.com. To start we suggest clicking into the categories that best suit your needs. Once you are in a category page, you can use the search box to enter key words that reflect the types of items you are looking for. You can also use our gift guides to see what's hot for all 4 seasons, for colors and for a variety of other categories.
Can I ask any seller to customize an item for me?
Sellers on TheWeddingMile.com welcome the opportunity to customize their products to meet your needs! Product pages include descriptions, details and images of the different ways in which particular products can be changed. If you see an item you like, but would like some tweaks or changes made to it, we encourage you to contact the seller with any questions you may have.
If I order a product with customization, am I required to pay for those changes up front?
Each seller should have his or her store policies clearly outlined for you. It is not uncommon for a seller to require a deposit since customizing a product often requires an investment of their time as well as new materials. A deposit is also a good-faith indication that you are serious about the purchase of this product and intend to complete the transaction once you have approved its completion.
How does your Wedding Registry work?
Like most online wedding registries, you simply sign up with your name and address information (for shipping and verification purposes) and we will provide you with a unique page link to give your friends and family in order to view your 'wish list.' When you add an item to your registry, the seller is notified so that he or she can do their best to ensure the product remains available for purchase. You can view a sample wedding registry here on our Sign Up page.
What if I add something to my Wedding Registry but I would like it customized?
When you wish-list an item, you can add comments to your selection to let friends and family know exactly what you would like. Be sure to ask the seller first if the particular customization you want is available.
Do I have to register with TheWeddingMile.com or create an account in order to shop?
Guest checkout (no registration) is available to those who do not wish to create an account. The Wedding Registry, as well as our Ratings and Feedback system, do require that you register an account.
Who is the Wedding Expert and how do I ask her a question?
The Wedding Expert is our own resident wedding officiant, here to answer any questions you may have about all things wedding related! We will often feature guest wedding experts and we also allow you, the reader, to chime in with your own thoughts and sentiments! To ask The Wedding Expert a question, simply fill out the form on the page and hit Submit. You can visit our Wedding Expert here!
Leaving comments on The Wedding Expert page requires signing in with your name and email address (your email address remains private). You can also sign up to receive notification every time a new question and answer is posted!
* Due the volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee that all questions will be answered. Advice is given in good faith, with the intent to offer information of a general nature to help people prepare for their wedding day. In the event you use any of the advice for yourself, the author and the publisher cannot assume responsibility for your actions.
I submitted a customization request to a seller, but I haven't heard back. What should I do?
We encourage all Sellers to respond to inquiries in a timely manner. While TheWeddingMile.com provides a venue for artisans to sell their wares, Sellers operate their stores independently and can choose how or when they wish to communicate with Buyers. If you have not heard back from a seller, we encourage you to do the following:
Check the seller's store message (located under the store banner) to make sure the seller is not on vacation.
Check for links to other sites or accounts owned by the seller (their own store site, their Facebook page, etc). Use these venues to try and communicate with the seller as well.
Check the Seller's reviews to see if others have had the same problem.
Consider buying from another seller.
I had a great experience with my Seller and wish to leave positive feedback. There was a small glitch in our transaction, though, and I'm not sure if I should penalize her with a lower score...after all, the product itself was great!
We encourage honest and straightforward feedback of your transactions for the benefit of both buyers and sellers. Before leaving feedback, ask yourself if you are being completely objective, if any snags could have been avoided or if they were truly out of the hands of the Seller, and if your overall feedback conveys the message you want to leave for others about your experience. If you don't want to leave negative feedback but you feel positive feedback isn't appropriate either, you can always select "Neutral" as a rating which does not affect the Seller's overall score.
I love TheWeddingMile.com! What's the best way to let my friends know about you?
Thanks for sharing the word about us! There are so many ways to let people know about TheWeddingMile.com:
Blog about us
Heart the items you love
Let friends know about items you love with our Share button
Post a WeddingMile badge on your website. Grab the code here.