Arts & Crafts-Lifestyle

Arts & Crafts-Lifestyle

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Detailed Categories	Artisans Only
Restoration Only	Antiques Only
Reproductions Only	Gifts Only

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FAQs and Tips on Using this Site

FAQs and Tips On Using This Site

The ArtsandCrafts-Lifestyle website has been developed to make information and products easy to find. To do this, the Site provides a number of different paths to find what you want. This write-up provides tips to use this Site in the easiest possible way and select the best path to find what you want.

Click on the following bulleted headings to go directly to the section you are interested in:

Browse Products, Artisans Only, Resources, and Events

The left side of the website presents a list of Categories that makes it easier to find products and information and can be used to browse the full range of Products, Artisans Only, Resources, and Events. As you click on Categories, they expand to show additional Sub-categories, with pictures and links in the center of the page. Product Categories include items available for purchase through the Site. Artisans Only includes only hand-made products, available for purchase through the Site, from our select group of Artisans. Resources includes both sources of custom-made products, not suitable for on-line purchase, and other sources of information and services, such as architectural and interior design services. Events includes information on scheduled Arts & Crafts events.

For convenience, Products are listed in a hierarchy by major Category, with further breakdowns by Artisan, Vendor, and/or additional Sub-categories. Artisans include only makers of hand-crafted items. Vendors include both manufacturers of non-hand-crafted products as well as those who may resell Artisan and/or manufactured items through this Site. As you browse through Categories, a listing of current Categories/Sub-categories is displayed in the center of the page, and both the listing on the left of the page and the breadcrumbs at the top of page show you where you are and how you got there. To browse further, you can click on any Category/Sub-category listed in the Categories hierarchy at the left of the page or displayed in the center of the page. At any time, you can also click on any other place you desire within the Categories hierarchy on the left and any previous place visited within the breadcrumbs at the top. In addition, once you have looked at any item, a list of Recently Viewed items are listed on the right side of the page, and you can click on any of these items to go directly back to them if you wish.

Resources, in the Categories hierarchy on the left, are similarly organized into Categories and Sub-Categories and can be browsed just as for Products. Rather than displaying Product information, however, Resources display information about the Resource and include a link that takes you to the Resources own website, if any. As with Products, the left listing of Categories/Sub-categories as well as the breadcrumbs and Recently Viewed can help you see where you have been, return to a place visited earlier, or go to someplace new.

Events, in the Categories hierarchy on the left, are organized by scheduled month of the Event. Similar to Resources, information on each Event is presented along with a link to the website of the Events sponsor, if available.

Go Directly to Product Listings for Specific Artisans, Vendors or Manufacturers

The left side of the website provides the ability to shortcut browsing by going directly to a listing of Products from a single Vendor or Manufacturer. To do this, go to either the Vendors or Manufacturers section on the left of the website, and select the Vendor or Manufacturer you want from the drop-down box within the section. Note that Vendors includes both Artisans (when they sell their own products) and others who provide products from multiple Artisans. Manufacturers includes both the makers of non-hand-made products plus Artisans (as manufacturers of their own products). Therefore, consistent with our commitment to support Artisans, you will find our Artisans listed in both sections.

'Search' and Advanced Search: Find Products by Vendor, Manufacturer, Price Range, and/or Product Features

The left side of the website provides the opportunity to perform a 'Search' or do an Advanced Search. 'Search' allows the User to enter a set of key words, and the system will automatically search for Products having the key words within either the Product name or description. The User can also click on Advanced Search to be taken to a more detailed list of search criteria, where the search can be narrowed further by selecting Category, Vendor, Manufacturer, a price range, and/or Product Features. The Products found in the search will be presented to the User as a Product List, showing Product name, price, Vendor, and Manufacturer. The User then has the option to click on any product to see additional product details or can click on Buy Now to put the product directly into the Users shopping cart.

Look for Specials Products being sold for less than normal

Specials, Products being sold below normal prices (e.g., on sale, clearance, being promoted for a period of time, etc.), show both original and Special prices in the Product List. To make it easier to find only Specials, the right side of the website has a section devoted to Specials. Selected Specials are displayed on the page, and the User can click on the arrow in this section to be taken to a display of all Specials available at the time. Note that Specials come and go, so dont expect to see the same thing each time you visit the Site.

Shop by Preference: Find Products by Going to Detailed Categories, Artisans Only, Restoration Only, Antiques Only, Reproductions Only, or Gifts Only

The upper right corner of the website helps the User to Shop by Preference. This makes it even easier for Users to find Product by: 1) Seeing all Detailed Categories, rather than having to browse through the Categories hierarchy, or 2) Selecting a specific type of Product, i.e., Artisans Only, Restoration Only, Antiques Only, Reproductions Only, or Gifts Only.

By clicking on Detailed Categories, a listing of Categories/Sub-categories from the lowest level of the overall Categories hierarchy is displayed. This lowest level is based upon the lowest level Category description provided by our Vendors. Therefore, if the User finds a Product from one Artisan, Vendor, or Manufacturer, the User can then observe the Category/Sub-category of the Product, go to Shop by Preference, click Detailed Categories, then click on the Category of interest. The result is a list of all products from the same Category, showing Product name, Vendor, Manufacturer, and price. The User can then select from other items like the original one of interest.

Shop by Preference also allows the Site User to narrow Product Listings to include only products of specific types: Artisan products, restoration products, antiques (products originally made in the Era), reproductions (current products made to be exactly like products originally made in the Era), and Gifts. When clicked, the Product Listing shows only Products of the type selected and displays Product name, price, Vendor, and Manufacturer, and price. The User can then click on any item in the List to review it further or can click on Buy Now to put the product directly into the Users shopping cart.

My Account: Register with the Site

The Arts and Crafts-Lifestyle Site provides the ability for Users to register with the Site. Registered Users access additional features within the Site by registering basic information and then using their email address and their secure, self-chosen password to sign into the Site. The advantages from registering are:

A streamlined buying process from recording and saving information to be reused for making purchases from the Site. Saved information includes: name, addresses (both billing and shipping), phone number, and email address. For your security, credit card information is not stored by the Site, but the User can elect to store this information with our payment service, PayPal, if they choose to. Note, however, the User does not need to register in order to buy from the Site; however, non-registered Users will not have access to the additional features presented here. In addition, emails are sent to registered Users notifying them as purchased products go through the order confirmation, processing, and shipping process.
A streamlined shopping experience by saving the Users Shopping Cart for future visits. Once a registered User signs in, the Shopping Cart is displayed on the top right of the Site and shows all items currently in the Users cart. Items placed in the Shopping Cart but not bought in one visit will remain in the Shopping Cart when the User returns to the Site at a later time. Items, of course, can be deleted from the Shopping Cart by the User at any time.
The ability to opt in and out of Newsletters and promotions. Registered Users can sign up for Newsletters and other promotions from the Site, itself. This is a good way to know what is happening in the Arts and Crafts world as well as to tap into special offerings from our Artisans, Vendors and Manufacturers. In addition, the registered User can opt in and out of sharing his/her email address directly with the Artisans and Vendors that the User has bought from. In this way, registered Users can obtain Newsletters, catalogs, special promotions, etc. directly from the Artisans, Vendors, and Manufacturers they have bought product from. Even more broadly, the registered User can also opt in or out of sharing their email address with the entire range of Artisans, Vendors, and Manufacturers on the Site. Because your privacy is important to us, by default, no User information will be made available to others or used by this Site without the specific approval (i.e., opt-in) of the registered User.
The option to create a Wish List of products that the User is interested in and wants to have an easy way to review again in the future or to let others know about. When reviewing a Product, registered Users can put the item into their Wish List (the item does not go into the Shopping Cart). Once entered, the Wish List items will appear on the right side of the Site, and the registered User can click on them at any time to go directly to the detailed product description and the option to put the item in their Shopping Cart. The registered User also has the option to email Wish List items to others to let them know about their interest in the item, giving the notified person the ability to link directly to the item on the Site.
The ability to see history and status of past and outstanding orders. A complete audit trail of past orders including items ordered, messages communicated, payment method, shipping method, and final shipping date is available on past orders. For current orders, the order status, the items ordered, payment method, messages, and tracking information (if available from the shipping company) is presented. When registered Users sign-in to the Site, Order History will also display on the right side of the page with links back to the items purchased.
The right to post Reviews of Products. Reviews are an important contribution to the usefulness of the Site. Non-registered Users are not allowed to enter Reviews, but all Users of the Site can see the Reviews that are posted.

The Shopping Cart: Purchase Products

The Arts and Crafts-Lifestyle website provides a Shopping Cart for Users to put Products in until the User is ready to Check Out. As reviewed above, it is easier for registered Users to use the Shopping Cart and Check Out functionality, but registration is not required. In order to make shopping and checking out even easier, the Shopping Cart displays at the top right of the page, showing products in the Cart and the total dollar amount for the items. If a registered User adds items to the Shopping Cart before signing in, those items will be added to any items previously added to the Cart by the User as long as the registered User signs in before leaving the Site.

When the User is ready to purchase the products in the Cart, the User should click on Check Out on the upper right side of the page. This takes the User to the checkout process where quantities of items can be changed, items deleted from the Cart, and items paid for. During the checkout process, typical checkout information (Name, email, billing address, shipping address, etc.) will be asked for. Registered Users will be asked to confirm or select from information added during registration or prior purchases. Several Shipping and Payment options may be presented depending upon the Product and User/Vendor locations. For security purposes, PayPal is used to manage the payment/credit approval process, but this will be invisible to the User during the payment confirmation process. However, this Sites relationship with PayPal ensures that credit card information does not need to be saved or stored on the Site, and, therefore, cannot be stolen or hacked.

Purchasing Amazon.com Products through this Site

Please note that there is a different purchase process for items coming from Amazon.com or their third-party product providers. Because Amazon.com-sourced product is actually bought directly through Amazon.com, rather than from Arts and Crafts-Lifestyle, when the User clicks Buy from Amazon, a new window is opened, and the User is taken to the Amazon.com website to complete the purchase. This means that the order and payment process is completed through Amazon.com, including order completion, shipping, credit approval, delivery tracking, post-purchase communications, and customer service. Once a purchase is made through Amazon.com and the Amazon.com window is closed, the User is brought back to where they were within the Arts and Crafts-Lifestyle Site.

Other Features:

Reviews
Registered Users have the ability to post reviews on Products. Reviews can be posted from the detailed Product page and can include an overall rating of the Product. The Site Manager retains the right to remove inappropriate reviews, but all other reviews can be seen by all Users, whether registered or not.

Tell a Friend
When looking at any Product description, Tell a Friend appears on the right side of the page. The User can use this section to send an email on this item to someone else by entering the friends email address into this section. The User can also enter a message to accompany the email. When the friend receives the email, they will see the message and be able to link directly to the item on the Site.

Coupons
Coupons can be given for both individual Products or for all Products from an Artisan, Vendor, or Manufacturer. Frequently, coupons will be valid for a specific time frame, and coupons may be either single-use or can be used multiple times during the valid time period. Every coupon will have a number assigned to it. To use a coupon, the User needs to enter the coupon number during the Checkout process. The appropriate coupon amount will be taken off the price of the Product, and the dollar amount deducted due to the coupon will be shown in the summary of the order.

Related Products
Sometimes Products have complementary Products which are related. For example, china place settings can have related serving pieces. If a Product has a related Product, this is displayed on the detailed Product page, below the Product Description, where they can be clicked on to be investigated further.

Customers who bought this product also purchased
The detailed Product page also shows other Products bought by customers who bought the Product being displayed. This can be helpful for those Users who are trying to find Products that go well with one another.

New Products
New Products (added in the current month) are shown on each Category/Sub-category page. As the User branches further down the Category hierarchy or goes directly to a Category/Sub-category, the New Products are filtered to show only New Products for that category. This feature makes it easier for return visitors to the Site to go quickly to an area of interest to see what is new without having to go to individual Artisans, Vendors, or Manufacturers listings. This New Item functionality also works for Resources and Events.

Best Sellers
The right side of each Arts and Crafts-Lifestyle page shows the Best Sellers across the entire Site. While this may not be as useful as other Site features, this may highlight hot items that the User might not otherwise know about or may be interested in seeing what is attracting so many buyers to the items.

If you have questions or comments on how to use the Arts and Crafts-Lifestyle Site, please feel free to contact us through the Contact Us section of the Site.

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~~$225.00~~
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