Eyeballing the Competition

I have been living on etsy for a while now - whenever I'd sit to feed baby I'd be browsing. So it's safe to say I had a fair idea what was out there as far as hair stuff . . . lots of bows, lots of big flowers, lots of old clipon earrings converted to bobbies. I had some bobby designs in mind that I didn't see anywhere. I've had the button pieces for a while but was waiting on my order of antique bronzed type bobbies, nickel ones, etc. I also have a sketch book of ideas and different products I'd like to introduce to my shop down the road. Today I discovered a shop that has almost everything I was thinking!! We must be on the same wave length. :( She opened shop in 2006 and has had 2000+ sales - not all inexpensive hair things but sewing items as well etc. So the stuff does sell . . . just not yet on my page! (whispering to myself "patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue")

Big news though . . . my brother-in-law put in a good word for me with his mother-in-law and Sis. Sharla placed a wholesale order for her shop http://www.loveandlearntoys.com/ in Ohio!!! I'm getting that order together and because some of my bobby supplies arrived today I can include some in her grouping. So I'm excited about that. Zion has been Mr Answer Man - telling me everything I need to do - create wholesale order forms, price lists, catalogs, etc. Of course I can't do a huge supply inventory investment without a few sales first so we're getting there little by little. Also business licenses, taxes, etc . . . is it worth all that hassle for the 4.00 butterfly??? I need to keep focused long term. Lots of etsy sellers "quit their day job" and have made it work. So I need to work on promotion, marketing, product designs, skills to create these products etc. And forget the competition - I need a good football coach pep talk right now - "they're running the same plays we are, but we just have to run them better!!!" I think this new line of bobbies will do well. Need to do some "product testing" ei. wear them on my head a few days and make sure they don't fall apart . . . then they should be up this weekend. Next week I've got some custom stuff I'd like to do (started working on a bit of it today and really like the look) so stay tuned! and thank you again to Sis Sharla at Love and Learn Toys.