There’s lotsa wonderful stuff out there in the Internet world you can do for your consignment or resale shop. Problem is, which ones will pay back your learning/ application/ use ? I mean, at SOME point, those dust bunnies are gonna need corralling, and one cannot spend her entire life staring at a monitor.

Here’s a couple of applications I have found that seem quick and easy enough to use for even an overloaded shopkeeper to take advantage of.*

Part One: Twitter

Come back another day for more apps for more stuff…and if YOU have suggestions, let me know!

Need to get a Twitter account? Wondering what in blazes Twitter is?

Watch this terrific video by CommonCraft (one of my FAVORITE people on the entire Web; great explanations). Sign up for Twitter here. You’ll need to come up with a 160-character or less profile (cruise around until you see some wording you like.), and of course you’ll list your web site or blog URL.

First, you must (it only takes a minute…per application): Add a picture that is “readable” in the small space it appears in. Not sure you like the first one you choose? You can always change it. Make your twitter page look different than standard (choose their designs, use your own image, you can even find more suggestions by Googling “twitter backgrounds”)

You are missing out on the best part of shop-Tweeting, if you don’t post pix to your blog or your web site as often as you should, if you don’t make use of Twitpic. UPDATE 2011: YOU CAN NOW ATTACH A PICTURE DIRECTLY TO YOUR TWEET. Picture’s worth a thousand words and all. Why TELL people about the great whoisis you got in…when you can SHOW them for free? . You upload whatever you want people to see, then Tweet it. Here’s an example of a Tweet that uses a Twitpic from wanderingw

http://twitpic.com/5oxwz – They just don’t make them like this anymore.

Don’t you just HAVE to see what she’s talking about? Of course, if you DO update your blog or site regularly, send your followers to your site, which is better…but hey, there’s 6 incoming consignments, and Twitpic is fast (you can always Tweet again that night, when you have your polished blog entry.)

“Classify” your Twitter account under [up to] three tags to help get found. Do look up the tags you are thinking about to see how many folks are there… which to me indicates how commonly people will look up that tag. For example, I added 2Good2BThrew, my Twitter account, under consignment, of course, but also recycle (because folks interested in THAT are interested in our industry and my Products) and business (because I am in the business of helping people get into/ thrive in business. WeFollow.com

“Get found by Tweeps near you”. This app is not perfect yet (example: you can opnly post in one zip code, and who lives in just one zip code?) but heck, give it a try… you may find now fans (read: customers)…you could even have a Tweet-up , a today-only Twoupon (twitter coupon)… who knows?  Localtweeps.com

If you Tweet a lot, add a widget to your blog. Or add Twitter to your cell phone if you like that sort of thing. If you think popularity means value, here’s the Top Twenty Apps. There’s buds of mine who are really into Twittering (makes them “Tweeps”) who swear by HootSuite and TweetDeck to keep things easy….but unless you’re hard core, that may be overkill.

Then there’s Twitterfox which lets you check others’ Tweets without having to go to Twitter.com, and this person’s listed 275 apps for Twitter. Way too much information for anyone who’s got a life.

Although here’s one that caught my eye that I can see being very useful for your shop: it’ll let you “line up” Tweets for future broadcast. Imagine: planning your seasonal clearance sale for July now, and writing a few Tweets to draw people’s attention when it comes time!

* You know me, can’t resist a little unsolicited advice-giving. Kate’s warning: DO NOT mix personal Tweeting with shop Tweeting. You will quickly bore each sub-group. You ARE allowed to have several Twitter-alities (that’s like person-ality only Tweeted/ I just made that up) and you SHOULD. Your BIL in Boise could care less about the Marc Jacobs bag you just got in; your fervent shopper doesn’t need to know your ex-MIL in Miami is getting a follow-up mammarymash.