http://www.titanichistoricalsociety.org/

I mention this website in our book, “The ESSENTIAL Public Domain Treasure Hunter’s Reference Guide & Profiteering Companion” (Book #1 of The Public Domain Treasure Hunter’s Survival Kit) ~ I think it now deserves a look-see again. I like to browse this type of website and try to ferret out a few ideas to use for a site or product of my own.

This site makes it’s “Sunken Treasure” from their own products – they do not sell or put advertising or affiliate links on the site.

They also “sell” a variety of memberships to the Titanic Historical Society.

Did you know that you could start your own Historical Society?

You absolutely can!

But back to the site…

http://www.titanichistoricalsociety.org/

“The Titanic Historical Society was started in 1963 by Edward Kamuda. As a young boy Titanic’s story captured his imagination and made a lasting impression. The more he learned, the more he became aware of the individual acts of bravery from survivors and those who lost their lives. He also realized that their precious history would be lost – - forever – - if someone didn’t act immediately.”

This website has a “New” category – Dinner Parties. This category includes products such as luggage labels, party favors, music CD’s, napkins etc… all great ideas for a Titanic Theme Dinner Party.

The usual Prints, Postcards, Maps and Books are listed. Even non-Titanic items are listed. Such items that are related to the “White Star Line” are listed because they are tightly related to the subject.

Plus – you will find some rare $950 memento’s for sale. Really nice stuff!

Here is where they are selling a great Public Domain item. They have many of the Titanic Commutator scanned and available for shipping. Not digital download! hmmm.

The Titanic Commutator was a newspaper filled with Public Domain material that the Titanic Historians craved.

This website is very commercial but also has some of the Titanic Historical Society Museum artifacts featured:

And – because they are pretty smart… they offer these items for sale as reproductions. They don’t offer them as digital downloads… which may – or may not – be a missed opportunity.

I love that this is a very focused niche site. And you just know that anything Titanic related will be popular for generations.

I don’t just “love” the way they have set up the “shopping” on this site. Once you have shopped on Amazon – it becomes torture to shop on these older “shopping cart” sites.

Even though this site is focused on everything Titanic they have allowed themselves to branch out into shipping, ships and White Star related products.

What if you had a “Houdini” website – not a “magic” website? Can you think of products and mementos that you might be able to sell as an affiliate as well as Public Domain reprints of some posters, books and tricks???

I’ve seen websites for every breed of dog and cat… But they don’t always do as Avril Harper does – she sells a variety of items related to just one breed (her favorite). She will have articles (public domain), graphics (public domain), and some jewelry for sale on eBay all related to the same breed.

So… if I was going to start a site selling products in a niche that interesting to me, it would have to be a site that focused on something that “seemed to be Long Lost”. You know like they drug it up from the Titanic… or only a few copies survived after sinking. Making the items seem to be of limited quantities. (Always hard to do when you are selling things in a digital format… LOL).

I gave it some thought (it hurt)… and came up with a story I remembered reading when I was a girl. So I searched for Baby Doe Tabor of the Leadville CO. mine… and came up with this:

http://www.babydoetabor.com/

Okay… this site has the worst sales page and shopping cart ever! But… here is the deal. Because I am so interested in re-connecting with this story I am considering ordering the full 4 video – $79 package.

If the system hadn’t been so convoluted and the videos been in a downloadable format… I might be the owner right now. LOL

This website has lot’s of products related to my topic of interest:

http://www.taboroperahouse.net/merchant.ihtml?id=166&step=2

Anyway…. doing some research and it seems that this subject has been covered. Not well – but covered.

You know what? (The memory is going) I think I should stick to the topic I know more about and can find plenty of Public Domain information (and I’ve already written a book on part of the subject). My hometown history is a pretty big subject. Not “niched” enough.

The book I wrote was about 1950′s homesteaders in my area. This is a bit too “slim” for a good “shopping” niche.

**Something in the middle will be great. Such as history and novelties from that era in my home town.

I hope this little mind – meandering is helpful!

About The Author:

Debra Conrad is an online entrepreneur, information publisher, and author that has been using Public Domain material to create profitable products and businesses since 2007. She is also co-author of "The Public Domain Treasure Hunter's Survival Kit" available here. For more info Debra, click here.

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