Millerton merchants have their share of Web sites

MILLERTON — The Millerton Business Group (MBG) is on the Web, and has been for a couple of years. But now there’s a twist: There are two factions with two sites trying to work with all of the businesses in the village and the town, but still only one merchants’ group.

The first, original site is owned by businesswoman Susan Schneider, who owns Shandell’s on Route 22. That Web site is millertonny.com.  In an e-mail sent to all merchants, Schneider states, “Millertonny.com is a community site for all businesses to have a place on the Internet for a minimal fee.â€

That fee amounts to a $40 annual charge to tend to all updates to the site and to keep up with new technology, which includes updating listings to individual businesses posted on the site. Those businesses fall under certain categories, including shopping, dine and stay, services, calendar of events and area links. They break up into subcategories, offering more specific listings for businesses to be grouped with, to help people find what they need more easily. Schneider is using new technology to update the Web site, which she said has “a large amount of elements in it,†to make it even better. Those who would like to be listed on Schneider’s site, or who would like more information, may contact her at 518-789-6603; they may also check out the existing site.

“Millertonny.com will be going through a makeover,†she stated in a separate e-mail. “There is amazing new technology available allowing new features to be added and costs to be lowered for everyone, so I have decided to use it to enhance our site. The Web site will have a new look, more categories, a calender of events, Google directions and a link list to all area attractions.â€

What the site doesn’t have anymore is a formal connection to the Millerton Business Group, since Schneider severed her ties to that organization earlier this year. After the separation, the business group took a new direction online and will soon have a brand new Web site of its own, EnjoyMillerton.com.

In an e-mail sent to village merchants by the business group’s Sarah Stevens, Schneider’s Web site was mentioned.

“The millertonny.com Web site is owned by Susan Schneider. As many of you have received the e-mail from Susan, you can see that we’re no longer working together,†Stevens stated. “The Millerton Business Group leased the Web site from her for the past year to use as our own so we could list everyone’s businesses online. Susan has since decided not to lease it to the MBG any longer as she is not affiliated with the MBG in any way and would like to do something on her own.

“The MGB has plans to create a brand new Web site at EnjoyMillerton.com to use as a tool for promoting Millerton and all the businesses in town,†she continued. “We have grand ideas to use the EnjoyMillerton.com Web site as a hub for most of the advertising in store for 2009-10.â€

For her part, Schneider said she thought it was a great idea. Especially once the two business-oriented Web sites join forces with the village’s own municipal Web site.

“I think it’s fabulous. There are three choices in town and there’s not many towns that have that many choices,†Schneider said. “Merchants have three choices: the business group is $365, mine is $40 a year and other one is free. It’s great. We’re pretty fortunate in town, we have a viable, great community.â€

Stevens agreed.

“I think it’s great,†she said. “Anything we can do to get people to come to Millerton is great.â€

According to her, merchants now have the option to buy into a promotional package for the village that includes the  following: A new Web site with links to full Web pages of participating businesses; a tri-fold rack brochure; and advertising and seasonal promotions.

Stevens said the Web site is the “basis for all of the advertising and promotion†the business group hopes to do, but reminded merchants it’s still just a part of the total package. “It’s just the newest and most exciting part,†she said, adding it should be up and running by July 1. The total cost for the package is $365; payments can be made in two parts ($185 due by June 15 and $180 due by Sept. 15). Those who can’t afford that rate are asked to contact Stevens at 518-789-2121 or to e-mail sarah@harneyteas.com, to discuss alternatives. Those who simply want more information are asked to use the same contact information.

The village’s Web site, meanwhile, is villageofmillerton.com. On that site visitors can find a welcoming remark from the mayor, a blurb about upcoming events, meeting schedules, a photo of downtown and links to different sections of the site. The site offers approved minutes from board meetings, the village’s code book, contact information and operating hours for the various village departments, current village projects, registration forms for programs (think summer camp, baseball, etc.), photos from the village and a community calendar. There are also links to area businesses, which do not cost merchants a dime.

The EnjoyMillerton.com site will place an emphasis on the concept of “Shop. Eat. Stroll. Stay.†The Millerton Business Group is hopeful visitors will find the village enticing enough in its advertisements to come and do exactly that. And while the MBG may not see exactly eye to eye with Schneider, there’s one thing they and the village all seem to agree on — the importance of drawing people and their pocketbooks to Main Street so Millerton’s merchants can survive in today’s tough economy.