Getting creative is my life!
The joy of making beautiful things make up my earliest memories – I can still
feel the thrill of crafting as a kid. Mum would cover the kitchen table in
bright paper and tip out all the goodies I’d need – glue sticks, paint, lace
and fabric scraps - and I would happily sit and craft cards, calendars and
keepsakes for the extended family back in Germany.
No great surprise then that
I decided to study Fine Arts! I decided that sharing the joy of creativity
would be my life path, so I went on to do a Bachelor of Education but I
realised I needed to do more than my day job to feel satisfied. So I started
making handbags and handing them out as gifts to my nearest and dearest. Very
quickly the demand for my handbags grew and so did my passion for sewing. Once
my nephews and nieces were born, I expanded into kid’s clothing (yep, all stock
has been tried and tested by my beautiful family!)
Wholesaling to other
business makes sense when you’re starting out. I began by approaching shop owners
to stock my bags on consignment (basically, that means if the product sells,
the shop owner takes a percentage of the sale and, if the items don’t sell, I
collect my product so I can sell it elsewhere). It’s a low-risk way to start –
I get exposure for my product and the shop owner makes a cut or can hand the
unsold product back. Take heart if they don’t sell everything you leave them –
it’s a great form of feedback that will help you work out exactly who your
target market is, where they shop, what their budget is and what they’re
looking for. It will help you tailor your fabrics and designs more accurately.
So, how do you start? Hit
the shops! Go in with a set wholesale price for your product – take a wholesale
pricelist (printed on gorgeous paper, of course!) and a recommended RRP for
each item, plus a sample or two of each product on your list. It helps the shop
owner work out how much of a commission they would be making so be prepared for
haggling – they’re business people and they will often try to negotiate a lower
wholesale price. My steadfast rule? Don’t undersell yourself! Price fairly and
you’ll find the right shop for your product.
Presentation is crucial –
each product has a branded hang tag and are packed in a luxe carry basket for
maximum appeal. Professional business cards are vital, as are enough pricelists
so you can leave one behind at each store, also try to establish a link
between your online shop, FB, Blog, Twitter or Pinterest and your products –
it’s essential for success!.
Carry an invoice booklet
with you so that, when the shops place an order on the day, you can give them a
docket detailing the product you are leaving on commission (it will help you
avoid any unpleasant miscommunication when it comes to payment for items).
Working out a wholesale
price can be tricky – you need to balance the return with the cost of
materials, labour and your personal profit. Ask yourself this: when your
product goes gang busters, will you still be happy staying up until 1am to
finish a wholesale order if you are only just making a return on your expenses?
There will always be people who think your products are too expensive and that
is OK - you need to value yourself and your craft in order for other people to
value them too.
Once you’ve had someone take
on your product, check in with them regularly to see how it is selling and
whether they are in a position to order more – it’s the best way to build a
strong business relationship (you may need them to be understanding if you ever
struggle to fill an order on a tight deadline down the track!)
Good luck with it –
wholesaling is a brilliant way to start building a profitable business!
Anika x
