Clelland and Smith assemble plant arrangements at their office and in their homes and even get their kids into the act. They sell online everything from silk daisies to 8-foot palm trees. Smith says they started their business with very little start-up money and no computer knowledge. Still, they set up a basic Web site with a phone number for customers to call to place an order. Interest was high, so a full site was launched in spring 2000.
Customers can browse an online catalog and make selections, paying with a credit card.
Because the entrepreneurs have a Web presence, customers often envision a large operation. The future looks bright for the online business. They had more than 130 Web visitors per day in December the sort of business they could never see in a traditional store. The challenge for them is to find someone to maintain the Web site, which must be updated immediately when changes occur, such as when they run out of a particular item. Banks have gotten into the Internet act by offering online banking.