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Online v’s Bricks and Mortar: The Debate Rages On
Listed under: Interviews
Published: Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The Craft Business mailbox is always overflowing with messages from readers, both praising and chastising the growing number of web-based companies. As always, we like to give you the opportunity to hear both sides of the story and this month we caught up with Paul Platten of online craft shop, sanctuarybeads.co.uk, to get his take on the matter
“I would love to own a bricks and mortar shop, but let's be realistic. Based in Lowestoft, I would probably see one customer a day during the week, and maybe a handful at the weekend. Yet today, I have already sold more than 600 items nationwide and attracted business from 130 different buyers – some of whom are based in places as far away as Australia!
As you might have guessed, I run one of those much complained about eBay craft businesses that everyone is so ready to criticise. Initially working from home, I now have my own warehouse and the overheads that go with it. We have been very successful and worked incredibly hard for everything we have achieved.
At the moment, we stock a comprehensive range of beads and jewellery making items and are currently one of the biggest stockists of beadsmith products in the UK. We are dedicated to providing an outstanding level of customer service and work very hard to make sure our shoppers use us as a one-stop-shop for their crafting supplies. We are always open to feedback and actively encourage our clients to recommend new or unusual items they would like us to sell.
We are incredibly proud of our 100% positive feedback record – based on more than 140,000 transactions since we launched – and view customer service and goodwill as one of the most important cornerstones of our business.
The bricks and mortar shops that do not embrace, utilise or capitalise on the online age will fail, and deservedly so. The internet is available to everyone, but like any other market, you need to react and adapt to it in order to make it work for you.
It is not merely a case of putting products in a shop window and hoping they will sell, retailing is hard work and too many bricks and mortar retailers just expect customers to walk through the door and buy. And sadly, it will ultimately be these businesses that see their sales decline and their companies go to the wall. When it comes to the internet, the motto is quite simply: embrace it or you will be left behind.”
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As you might have guessed, I run one of those much complained about eBay craft businesses that everyone is so ready to criticise. Initially working from home, I now have my own warehouse and the overheads that go with it. We have been very successful and worked incredibly hard for everything we have achieved.
At the moment, we stock a comprehensive range of beads and jewellery making items and are currently one of the biggest stockists of beadsmith products in the UK. We are dedicated to providing an outstanding level of customer service and work very hard to make sure our shoppers use us as a one-stop-shop for their crafting supplies. We are always open to feedback and actively encourage our clients to recommend new or unusual items they would like us to sell.
We are incredibly proud of our 100% positive feedback record – based on more than 140,000 transactions since we launched – and view customer service and goodwill as one of the most important cornerstones of our business.
The bricks and mortar shops that do not embrace, utilise or capitalise on the online age will fail, and deservedly so. The internet is available to everyone, but like any other market, you need to react and adapt to it in order to make it work for you.
It is not merely a case of putting products in a shop window and hoping they will sell, retailing is hard work and too many bricks and mortar retailers just expect customers to walk through the door and buy. And sadly, it will ultimately be these businesses that see their sales decline and their companies go to the wall. When it comes to the internet, the motto is quite simply: embrace it or you will be left behind.”
What do you think of this story? Email your thought to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
