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The Extraordinary Buying Public

2013-02-27 12:20:00 (читать в оригинале)

On January 15th, in a postingon whether crafters are better suited to wholesale or retail sales, Melissa ofPrariefunk posed a question on this blog taken from www.craftsreport.com, written by Loretta Radeschi: “Do you enjoy meeting the buyingpublic?”

I talk a lot with customers and that’s something I would miss ifWink and Flip were primarily wholesale. My daughter often sells at weekendmarkets and I accompany her. I ask our customers what they do for a living,where they live, what the ones who are students are studying. Girls who come inpairs are the most fun, since they are often on an outing, a shopping safari.When they safari, you become part of the hunt.

“Who was your favorite customer today?” my daughter and I ask eachother at the end of a market day. This is a regular practice that came about asa way to vent the frustration that anyone who works with the general publicsometimes feels. A “favorite” customer is usually a euphemism for one that madeyou want to tear your hair out. Normally, it might be someone who picked upnearly every piece of jewelry on the table, didn’t buy anything, and didn’tentertain us. (Oh yes, our customers are tremendously entertaining.) I actuallythink customers don’t realize that every piece they touch has to be “fixed” byone of us so the table always looks perfect. I don’t mind re-merchandising the table; I do it withoutthinking. I just mind when someone absentmindedly and compulsively touches tento 15 pieces, and then walks away.

I’ve never found our experience as bad as David Gallant, thecustomer service rep for Canada’s tax agency that created a lightly filteredinteractive point-and-click game about annoying customers called “I Get ThisCall Every Day.” As he says in his description of the game, “you can losepolitely, or lose spectacularly” but you just can’t win. Anyone who sells has had thosedays dealing with the general public.

In nine years only two customers really stand apart from thecrowd. One was a woman at the Hester Street Fair who lived nearby and visitedpretty regularly. She was known to spend nearly $100 each time she visited, and Iwish I could tell you that was all she was known for.

One week she came to the table with a delicate 30” chain necklacestudded with crystals that she had purchased from us a month or two earlier. Itwas in a ball.

“How did this happen?” I asked. She said it was due to normalwear, but of course that wasn’t true. It looked as though it had been swimmingat the bottom of her purse for the past few weeks. I untangled the necklace andgave it back to her with a smile. Two weeks later she was back again, samething. But when she came a month later, with the poor necklace so knotted up, no one could work on it, we told her it would take some time to fix and she shouldcome back to pick it up next Saturday. She couldn’t return the following week, so she tookthe piece with her and I never saw her again.

I asked my friend Jesse of Brooklyn Taco what he thought was goingon, and his idea was she needed attention. “Do you think she comes homeand her husband rips off her clothes before making passionate love, thenecklace goes flying into the corner, where her cat plays with it until itresembles a bird’s nest, and then she brings back to us?” He thought that wasvery funny.

The other outstanding customer was a woman in her early 30s, dressed in business clothes, with a manicure. She walked up to our booth at UnionSquare and told us she had a necklace she purchased from us that summer andwould like it restrung. She took a small plastic bag out of herpurse and immediately we recognized the pieces of the necklace as one that my daughter sold.

I walked out from behind the counter. “Let’s step over here,” Itold her and moved out of our booth. I wanted to keep her away from the othercustomers because I really wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out. “Can Itake a look at the necklace?” I asked.

I turned the bag over in my hand, and shot a look at my daughter.It was pieces and beads and string. Our policy is that sales are final and wedon’t give refunds, but I told her: “We’ll be happy to replace this piece with one in blackbecause we no longer sell this color. It was a summer color.” I tried not to give awaywhat I was thinking. I was thinking that I wanted to give this woman whatevershe wanted so she would leave as soon as possible.

“I really loved this one. Can’t you fix it?” she asked very nicely.This was the real tip off. The necklace looked as though it had been tossed into thebottom of a sailboat, a sailboat that took on water, more than 30 days earlier.Once a light brown, it was now moldy.

“You really can’t wear this anymore,” I said softly. “I can giveyou a refund, or you can have the same necklace in black, which would youprefer?”

She left with the black necklace, but she wasn't happy. She really wanted her necklace fixed. My daughter and Italked about what happened for a good half hour after she left. She looked soaverage. You could see she really loved the necklace and wanted to wear itagain. What she could not see is that she was asking us to repair something that was, literally,refuse.

What’s really amazing is that in nine years, there are only two ofthese stories to tell. Despite both of these experiences, I really do enjoymeeting the buying public, the ordinary and the extraordinary.

Wink and Flip

wink and flip

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Don’t Overlook these Two Commonly Missed Tax Deductions

2013-02-27 12:20:00 (читать в оригинале)

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This guest post is brought to you by Outright.com, an alternative to Mint for business. Sign up today for a less taxing tax time!

Need a little help with your taxes? You may think you’ve entered everydeduction possible, but small business owners don’t always know all the thingsthey can deduct. After all, you’re a business owner, not a tax expert!

But that’s why we’re here: to make sure you’ve got all the financial helpyou need! There are a few tax deductions that almost every small business ownermisses that could potentially save them tons of money. Let’s go over them andsee if they could help you this year.

Mileage

Even the most “homebody” of small business owners makes business trips. Well,maybe not “business trips” in the traditional sense of leaving on a jet plane,but more along the lines of “trips for your business.” It could be a quick runto the store for supplies or yet another jaunt to the post office. No matterthe trip, you used some gas and put a bit of wear and tear on your vehicle toget there.

You may not have realized it, but you can deduct these expenses on yourtaxes. Although a quick 5-mile trip, at 55.5 cents per mile, may not seem likea huge tax break, multiply that by 1000 miles over the course of a year andsuddenly you see where it would make a difference.

The main thing to remember (as with all your tax deductions) is to saveyour receipts. It’s one thing to claim that trip you took to Florida for abusiness convention, it’s another entirely when the IRS says “prove it!” Checkout Outright for howto track and deduct mileage.

Home Office

One of the most underutilized deductions out there is the home officededuction – deducting a portion of your rent/mortgage and utilities that youpay for your home office. Rumors swirl that this deduction is the most likelyto get you audited. But that’s not so... if you’re careful to play by therules.

To take the home office deduction, the area you use for your homebusiness must be primarily used for business purposes. In other words, youcan’t just set up on your kitchen table and expect to get the deduction. If youhave a spare bedroom and the only reason you go inside is to work, then you canclaim the deduction. If this is also the kids’ playroom, though, then you’dbetter not try.

While this deduction is helpful in of itself, it can also lead to furthertax help. For example, once you establish you have a home office, you can takeother common deductions associated with an office. This includes utilities likeelectricity, Internet, and even water. While you can’t claim all the utilities,the portion you do will still make a big difference when it’s time to pay…orget a check!

As with mileage, make sure you keep proper documentation. There are someunfortunate false claims and the IRS won’t take kindly to anyone trying to pullone over their eyes. If you keep all your paperwork in order, though, youshould be fine. Check out the Outright Help Center for more detailedinformation about the homeoffice deduction.

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How About Eyebrows?

2013-02-27 12:20:00 (читать в оригинале)

I've been wondering about the popularity of mustaches as a motif. I'm not sure I understand it. I mean, mustaches are just facial hair. Given, they're manly and come in lots of fun styles, but separated from mouths, they're not especially expressive. But perhaps manly and fun (ironic?) are enough. I can accept that.

At the same time, I'd like to make the case for eyebrows as a motif --- not in place of mustaches but along with them (but on their own, not together with mustaches; that would be too much). They're hair. They come in lots of fun styles. They're manly --- or womanly. And they're expressive, even without the eyes they grace.

Eyebrows are as versatile as mustaches are as a design element. Thus, I contend, anywhere you might playfully place a decorative mustache you can equally --- and perhaps even a touch more meaningfully --- place a set of eyebrows.

For example:

Planter

Bag

T-Shirt

Improbable Photo Subjects

I rest my case.

Until next time --

Linda

Purty Bird

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A Crafty Life: Nordea McKoy and Nordea Soaperie

2013-02-27 12:20:00 (читать в оригинале)

It's the third Monday of February and time to get to know another fascinating artisan! My fifth in-depth interview for the Etsy NY blog series "e;A Crafty Life"e; focuses on Nordea McKoy of Nordea Soaperie. I joined the team appropriately two years ago after Nordea urged me to become a member. Nordea and I shared a booth at a local market in 2010. We got along famously and she offered a second chance at a share a few months later. She said the team would be a great help to me and she was right. Originally from White Plains, NY, Nordea has a great personality, a bright smile, an infectious laugh, and an uncanny knack for building a business. As her company name indicates, Nordea makes soap: unique body bars, body oils, and felted soaps. In addition, this savvy multitasker offers a wide range of products. Although I already knew quite a bit about this attractive bundle of energy, I got to know even more during this interview.

Like last month's interviewee, Beth Shorr of bshorr handmade, you also work in the television industry. How and why did you decide to start making soap? How did you know that this was it, that you wanted to build an indie business around soap?

I am a freelance associate director for TV news. In spring of 2004, I moved from my tiny apartment in Hell's Kitchen to my current apartment in Harlem, the "e;upper"e; Upper West Side. While exploring the neighborhood, I noticed quite a number of street vendors selling tubs of Shea butter. I bought some and liked the way it felt on my skin. Fast forward a few months later. I made the decision to stop chemically straightening my hair. I started mixing the Shea butter with other ingredients, like aloe juice, as I was looking for different and natural ways to care for my hair.

Making soap kind of happened by accident. I came across a soap recipe online and figured I might try it out. I only started to sell the soap to friends and family when I had more soap than I could use. Word of mouth started spreading and I started to get emails asking about the different kinds of soaps that were available. It became rather tedious constantly answering the emails, so I decided to build a website. I bought an HTML instructional book and figured out how to code the site. Before I knew it, my business was up and running.

Wow! That's a great story. So your business kind of found you. My experience was pretty much the opposite; I was looking for a business to start. I love that your business started in an organic and natural way just as your natural hair journey began. So you didn't have a teacher who inspired you? Was there an existing company you looked to when you first started?

No teacher. Everything is self-taught. I searched online and found basic recipes, like 100% olive oil soap. I researched and learned about the soap-making process (a cool science lesson!), oil properties, and what different ingredients could add to the soap. My current recipes are the result of endless testing and many, many experimental batches.

The internet has helped me so much, too. What would we do without it? I love hearing about your creative process, especially since your soaps are truly distinctive. I'm struck by the interesting ingredients and blends. Have you always had a strong affinity for fragrances? How do you design your bases?

I have about two or three base recipes. The major differences would be fragrances and additives--clay, colors, etc. I came up with these bases by testing different formulas and settling on the ones I liked.

People often don't understand how much work goes into a product BEFORE they discover it at a market or online. So much trial and error is involved. You seem to have a great feel for product development and innovation. How do you do it? And when do you know it's time to add a new blend?

I have about ten soaps that I offer all the time. I also have about ten seasonal blends, like my banana soap or zesty green tea soap. I may stop making a certain blend if it doesn't sell well or if I want to make room for something new. I am not really inspired by certain fragrances, but if I get requests from customers, I may consider making a new blend. I will dip Q-Tips in fragrances, then seal them in a small jar. I wait for the scents to meld, then sniff again, adding more Q-Tips until the blend is just right. This can take a few days, or even a week. Once the blend is perfect, I will make soap, perfume, or whatever I want.

The old saying "e;the nose knows"e; certainly applies to you. You mentioned that you're not particularly inspired by other--I'm assuming "e;commercial"e;--fragrances. What does inspires you?

I am inspired by my love of cooking. I love Thai food, so I learned how to make it myself. I wanted good soap, so I taught myself how to make it. Making soap is simply following a recipe. I also enjoy using unusual ingredients like beer, bananas, and cucumbers. Incorporating food items into my soaps is just a way to walk outside of the box and offer a unique product to my customers.

You're so passionate about your creations and it shows. Your felted bars are extremely popular. How do you create them? And how do you use them?

Felted soap is made by wrapping the soap in wool roving. The combination of hot water and friction results in the wool covering shrinking and forming a tight cover for the soap. This cover is like a soft colorful washcloth. You wet the soap and use it. That's all. It lathers up just like it should.

Color plays an important role in your products. Please tell us about your process.

There are a few different ways to color soap. Many times, a certain fragrance can change the color of soap. Blends that include vanilla are notorious for turning soap brown, so I may add something called TD (titanium dioxide) to lessen the brown affect. I also tend to use clays and oxide colors to make basic colors. Green is an easy color to achieve by using green oxide, but adding a titch of black oxide will result in a nice army green, which I use in my GI Jamie soap. It's basically experimenting--and taking good notes--until you get the desired results.

Fascinating! You not only create wonderful soaps, but you also offer perfume oils. I know because one of my favorites is the musk oil. How did you decide to move in this direction?

The perfume oils were just a natural progression since I already had most of the ingredients from soap making and, of course, I had requests from my customers. Many of them wanted a scent to wear long after the soap fragrance faded after a shower, so the perfume oils seemed to be the solution. I offer Flowers & Shea, Flower Child (patchouli,) Hippie Chick, Lavender Splash, Sensual Musk, Sandalwood, and Sweet Amber.

You're on your way to becoming a mogul! You also offer knitted face cloths, fizzy bath bombs, other body essentials, and now handcrafted iPad sleeves.

I learned how to knit years ago, taught by a co-worker. The wash cloths I make seemed like a nice addition to my product line. They were also something that I could make while I was at craft fairs. I also make a lot of other items such as lip balms, lotion, and fizzy bath bombs.

The iPad sleeves seem a bit random, but I made one for myself, and really enjoyed sewing. So I decided to make more to sell.

You've been able to build an extremely loyal fanbase. Please tell our readers how you did it and what you think works best.

I participate in a lot of craft fairs during the year. I find that it is a great opportunity for customers to check out my products in person. They can smell the soaps, try the lotion, etc. Sometimes it is difficult to attract new customers online because they can't smell anything. I also have a newsletter that I send out weekly. I don't have a blog, so I use my newsletter to inform customers about new blends, new products, and, of course, letting them know when and where they can find me at local craft fairs.

I've seen you in action at craft fairs. You have a way of drawing people into your well-designed booth. Are these shows your mainstay? How do you fare on Etsy? Do you get online sales from your website? Have you jumped into the wholesale pool?

I make most of my sales at craft fairs. I can directly interact with customers and answer any questions they may have. Most of my online sales are from repeat customers, or maybe someone who received my products as a gift. I rarely get orders on Etsy. That marketplace is saturated with other soapers who may be selling their soap for considerably less money. I just can't compete with a hobbyist who may be just interested in recouping their costs. I have more success with my own site, so that is what I concentrate on. I have had a few wholesale accounts and would like more, but I have not really put much effort in. That is another goal I have for 2013.

You seem to have an instinct for building a brand. What is your philosophy regarding branding? How does packaging contribute to branding?

I contacted a graphic artist to make my current logo. I told her the type of art I wanted, and she was fantastic about providing a few different options. I have my logo on just about everything--down to the free samples I sometimes give out. I also make sure to have my website on any packaging, so a customer can easily find me to order more products. Once I make a product, I figure out the most effective packaging that will showcase the product. For example, I shrink wrap my soaps, but leave the sides open so a customer can easily smell them.

We've talked in the past about what having a handmade business can do to one's small NYC apartment. Are you still working out of your apartment? Do you think you'll expand to a studio?

I have a two-bedroom apartment, so one room is dedicated to my craft. My computer is in there, along with many ingredients and packaging materials. I would love to have studio space, but that would mean more overhead. If I did get studio space, I would want it to be nearby. I often get inspired at odd times, so making a batch of soap at 3am is not unusual for me.

I can definintely relate. I regularly take a nap and then crochet and graphic design in the middle of the night. I even take photos at weird times. And that brings me to the subject of photography. Your photos are fantastic! They make a bar of soap look like a sensual experience.

I use a light box, which can be as simple as a cardboard box with the sides cut out and placed in a window. I use Picassa and other photo-editing software that came with my computer to clean up photos before posting them on my site or Facebook.

I know I'm having trouble doing everything. How do you do it? What about time management and your support system? When do you decide to ask for help?

My TV work schedule can be pretty erradic. I am a freelancer, so sometimes I work five days a week, and sometimes I get just one day. I have a detailed spreadsheet program, so I can keep track and find out if a specific stocked product is getting low. I just make more products when I get the chance. I do everything myself because I don't trust anyone else to help me. I had to make soaps for a wedding and asked some friends for help packaging them. I am a major perfectionist, and ended up re-wrapping a good number of the soaps because they were not perfect. Sometimes it takes more time to explain a task to someone, so it is simpler to just do it myself.

Most of my interviewees are pet owners. What about you?

I have a cat who is pretty old and uninterested in what I do. I would love a dog, but that is a lot of responsibility. My cat pretty much takes care of herself, so I don't have to spend a lot of time fussing over her. She is usually sleeping, so I can make products without having her in my way. That would probably change if I decided to make a tuna-scented soap . . . LOL!

Sookie is adorable and very photogenic! There are so many aspects to building a business. What about materials?

I get most of my materials online. I purchase huge 50-lb. buckets of coconut oil, which is something that I cannot find locally. Same thing with fragrances. I have a few different online shops where I buy fragrances. Sure, I could go to my local health food store and buy an ounce of lemon essential oil. But it is more cost effective to buy a pound online. I do buy basics locally, like olive oil (thanks, Costco!), distilled water, etc. I also have a great source for Shea butter. A really nice lady from Benin travels home often and brings back huge amounts of Shea butter. She gives me a great price and I feel good knowing that I can support someone who lives in my neighborhood.

Where do you see your business in five years?

Five years from now, I will probably still be making soap. Even if I never sold another bar of soap, I know that my skin benefits from handmade soap. Commercial soap just cannot compare, so I would still make soap for my own personal use. Will I be a household name in five years? I don't know. I can make a fantastic product, but to reach the masses depends on good marketing, which requires money. Maybe if I win the lottery, I can pour more money into marketing.

How has being in Etsy NY team helped you?

I really like being a part of the Etsy NY team. My regular friends just don't get it and they start to tune out when I start talking "e;shop."e; It is nice to be able to talk to "e;crafty"e; folks who understand the time and dedication it takes to make, sell, and market a specific product. It is also great to get advice on many topics ranging from marketing, sales tax, building customer base, etc. The advice and friendship I have found amongst team members is fantastic!

I want to thank Nordea for an amazing interview! Please be sure to join Nordea's mailing list so you can visit her at a craft fair this year. Good luck, Nordea! I have no doubt you'll be a household name before you know it.

The third Monday of March will be here soon, so mark your calendar. You won't want to a single installment of "e;A Crafty Life."e; This is Birdy27 signing off. Please support the handmade community. Successful creative artisans can change the world! Happy St. Patrick's Day! Chirp, chirp!

Birdy27 is an actor/writer/singer/songwriter/graphic designer/
knitter/crocheter/yarn-based accessories designer/jewelry maker/entrepreneur and founder/president of Birdy27 Designs. Please join the action at the Birdy27 Designs Facebook Fan Page.

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Valentine's Day isn't just for lovers....gifts from local Etsians

2013-02-27 12:20:00 (читать в оригинале)

For the cat lover.
Card by DeborahJulian
I never liked Valentine's day as a single person. To me it was just a reminder of how single I was and all those thoughts of why am I alone...boo hoo. Now that I am married there is pressure to do something on Valentine's Day. And when we do celebrate I feel as though I am being obnoxious to those who don't have anyone. Ok obviously Valentine's doesn't work for me either way. However coming from a family of 5 kids, my sisters and my parents would always send Valentine's to us. As an adult living in the same city as one of my sisters, I would find a Valentine gift at my door that morning. It always made me smile or laugh and feel loved. Valentines are for everyone, not just lovers.
Here are a few gift ideas for your friend, your sister, your brother, your child, your parent....all from members of Etsy New York.

For the bicyclist an embroidered notebook by KotoDesigns

for your friend, lavender sachet in embroidered pouch by Nordeasoaperie

for the techie friend, ipad sleeve using vintage fabrics by Fritz and Fraulein

hair clip by Brooklyn Owl

from SimplyNu slate coasters with eco backing

for the Hello Kitty lover, a credit card holder by PinotbyLyn

for the friend who is always late, Vanilla Green Tea clock by Newyorkclocks
There are so many gifts to choose from the Etsy NY Team. Just go to etsy.com and in the search box type etsynyteam.
Get shopping, you have 7 days!
Tracey Toole

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The Extraordinary Buying Public

Don’t Overlook these Two Commonly Missed Tax Deductions

How About Eyebrows?

A Crafty Life: Nordea McKoy and Nordea Soaperie

Valentine's Day isn't just for lovers....gifts from local Etsians