Why only periodical restocks and not a constant, full online shop?

   I'm Having a Restock on Friday

                I do get quite a few messages asking why I don't have a full online store.

The simple answer is, I make everything and cannot make enough to keep up. The longer answer is... well, let's talk about that.

            When I finally launched my web site this past year, I wanted to be able to have items available to you to shop whenever you wanted. I did add about 30 items and... just a few items sold. Things just sat. I have a good following and thought there would be a surge of sales once the shopping tab went live. It didn't.

            So, I added more thinking that it customers needed more choices. I thought I needed to appeal to a larger audience. The formula wasn't working. What was I doing wrong? Every time I had an in-person event I would sell out. Why weren't customers buying online? Then, time to go to the expert to ask. That expert ? My 24yr old son, Noah. Noah was the one who designed and set up my web site. He went to school for it. He shops almost exclusively online. He IS the expert. I asked him to take a look and he said that I had too many "random" items listed. He said I needed to "drop" small collections. Hun?? His advice was to make small, similar designs and less choices. Then, use my social media to promote an upcoming collection, a countdown, reminders, video to explain the items and then go live with that collection. 

           So, I tried it. It worked ! I've been selling out every restock, "drop" I have done so far. This also frees me up to do wholesale for my retail partners and Pop Up's and... have a life! With constant inventory available in a online shop, comes constantly checking sales, printing labels, packing orders...everyday. With a restock that goes live, most items sell out in a 24hr. period and then all the packing and shipping can be done all at once. 

     It may not work for everyone, but it has been very successful for me. I have return customers, happy customers and I am not tied to my Shopify page 12 hrs. a day. I have more planned for 2022 on the web site. I want to do tutorials, DIYs, link my podcast and include other products to sell from local makers. The moral of the story? If it's not working, you have to change it! I still need to have better photos and more consistent blog posts. I'm working on that. Find someone who can give you a outside opinion. Ask your shoppers, other similar makers that have web sites or a professional. In my case, my son.