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Wordsmith

Hi, Blue_Monkey. This is the place to whinge and moan, so w+m away.

I think your web site is pretty good. Iit is very clear and links work quickly. I found the quick search didn't work very well - I looked up a couple of bra sizes and each time was asked whether I meant "30", so perhaps your site designer could look at this. I wonder whether the text on the descriptions could be in a slightly clearer font? And there should be just one space after full stops - only a minor thing, but if the font and the spacing was changed it could perhaps look more sleek and enticing. I came across a picture that was blurred, and also one page where the picture was tucked under the index on the left. All minor things, but they give an overall impression. Perhaps some of the descriptions could be spiced up a bit. Are you getting repeat orders? Perhaps you could go back to previous customers with a questionnaire asking them what they thought of the site/service/postage costs/product - and then (with permission) put a comments section on the site quoting what (happy) customers think of you. I Googled "lingerie" and your site didn't appear in the first seven pages - so it might be worth addressing this. Even under a more specific search term of "wedding lingerie" Google didn't list you in the first seven pages.

Where do you advertise? Could you perhaps submit an article to your local paper about the business? Or, a more general article to women's magazines on "the right way to measure for underwear" or "how underwear buying is affected in the recession" or "women still buy underwear to make them feel good during hard times" or an article aimed at men on "how to buy underwear for the woman in your life", with the words "advice from Blue-Monkey of www....." prominently noted in the article.

I think it really is a sign of the times, though. If things have been going well and there is a blip, then it is because people (me included, I'm afraid) are not spending money on luxury underwear (I am not spending money on any kind of underwear, but that is a story for a different forum ). I hope things pick up, and can only suggest you tailor things (I don't know how) to go with the flow and of what people want at the moment.

sammy115

Horace wrote: »

- not that I am planning to sack my current accountant:D

Phew!:eek: I was scared for a second there.....:rotfl:

TCM_3

Blue Monkey, I have a shop thus, like you depend on people coming to me. I noticed a HUGE downturn in sales in February and March in comparrison to previous months and years but touch wood May seems to be better.

I have found that "direct marketing" works for me sometimes - i have regular customers that come in and I would sometimes do a blitz and email them with special offers - buy one get one half price or something free with something else. My other thing at the minute is sponsering things and i give a gift voucher as a prize with an expiry date maybe 6 weeks from time issued which brings people too me.

Its a double edged sword as you cannot afford not to invest in stock as you can't be turning business away - PM me with your website address - i'm no expert but sometimes a fresh set of eyes over something can make the world of difference. I actually have a woman who merchandises the shop for me once a month (though i can flamming well find nothing for 2 days when she moves everything!) and that increases my sales aswell.

T xx

blue_monkey_2

Literally have 5 mins before getting the kids from school so did not want to hit thanks and run. Thanks for all the Advice above - I'll have a look thought tonight and change some bits.

I've always thought there was 2 spaces after a full stop so that is why I have done them this way - even here.

I really am no good at all with writing articles, I use the descriptions given to my by the Brands because I really am not at all good with words and will waffle on without saying what I need to say. I just cannot do it so this is why I use the wording the brands give us in their descriptions.

About the quick search. I have a size & brand searcher on the left of the page and that will pick up the size but it will not pick up the style name and the Advanced Search does not pick up the size. The majority of people searching find us by using the name of a style so this is why they both are there. On checking the stats it is rarely by size. Maybe I could rename it to 'style finder' and put it under the Size search so that would be easier. Thanks, I will do that later.

I do get a lot of hits, I did not think of wedding lingerie though will add that to my Meta Tags.

I guess I am kind of lucky as people will order the things as they need them. I have spend thousands investing in stock in the past and I still have it in stock. Ebay and Primark are my main bugbear to be honest, people will pay £5 for something that falls apart within 2 months but not £10 for something that will last 2+ years. And this is the problem I am facing I guess.

I advertise on Voucher Codes and Breasttalk and I have a link on a charity website as we promote bra recycling. I canot really advertise anywhere as if I put cards up they are removed due to their 'nature', I looked at to advertising in Friday FreeAds and all I got was a load of spam telling me their freind would pay me £2000 and I could give them the change.... Yeah, whatever!! I could not be bothered with it.

The biggest problem I face is that because my domain is registered to myself and not my company name (I trade as) I am seen as being 'untrustworthy' and it is irritating the hell out of me. I've been told I cannot advertise on Freecycle Cafe as I am not a 'Trade' but selling. Which I do not get because Trades are earning a hell of a lot more money than I am!

Anyhow, shall not bore you any longer I have to get the kids from school and they will want to go to the park. I shall be back later on tonight with some more and will get those changes done.

Wordsmith

Hi, TCM. I was interested in your comments about a merchandiser. May I ask some questions?

How do you think she helps sales? Obviously be putting things in an optimum position, but (I am speaking out of ignorance here), once this is done, what changes month by month that necessitates changing round again? Or do most things stay the same with just offers or specials being moved around?

Do you think the sales increase because your merchandiser optimises the siting of stock every month, or because customers have to search to find what they want and so impulse buy?

How did you find your merchandiser?

Is your only reason for using her that she helps increase sales by what she does?

I'm not meaning to be nosy, but I'm intrigued and think it's an excellent move if it helps sales (and presumably your time) - I bet most small shops don't do this.

nzmegs

Hi Blue Monkey, I haven't looked at your site as I don't know the address however I have a couple of ideas which might help. You might want to sell your current stock directly at stalls and wedding fairs - that sort of thing. Stock at home is never a good idea. It is just dead money. It is already spent so even if you only get cost price back at least it is off your hands.

regarding your website - wordsmith had the right idea. getting people to your site is hard but having articles is a good way to do it. ut an article section on your website and populate with as many articles as you can write about your topic. They don't have to be well written necessarily (although it help) but the keywords in the body of the article will bring people toi your site. As an example - say someone want to know how to guess their wife's bra size and comes across a sizing chart on your site, next thing they are shopping from you too. Articles are a great way of increasing website footfall. Also a regular blog about the life and times of an underwear sales lady - could be very interesting....
Best of luck!

bluerover_3

Just saying hello to start with.....i work in my home office advising my franchisees on running their businesses...problem is...i've not been asked a new question in years so YAWWWWN!! I also have to stay within 4 minutes of teh fire station as i'm on call for 120 LOOOOONG hours a week!!... (work it out!)..All this with one our great country's most beutiful beaches just tantalisingly out of reach...Doh!

sammy115

Is a merchandiser what asda and such stores have...

they move stuff around so you can't find what you want and therefore buy something you didn't even go in for in the first place...:rotfl:

TCM_3

Sorry Wordsmith, my flipping machine timed out!

I came across my "wee woman" by accident - she is a customer who comes into me and it turned out she merchandised in London for Next and Miss Selfridge before having kids and coming home to good old Co. Down. She gave me some tips then came in about October time and spent a morning shifting stands and rails about then stocking them up in different "themes" or "stories" as she calls them and said to see how my sales differed for a few days, and to be honest, I had a great response as customers were thinking that i had new stock when in fact all we had done was move it.

I now move things periodically, depending on what i want to promote or the season or something that i have a good margin at that would benefit me to sell more of, I will put on a stand at the front of the shop that is meant to be the first thing people see. At the minute there is a red and green theme on it!

Sometimes though it doesn't work and she will move things and then I can't find them which makes me look like an eejit infront of a customer! She also helped me pick some new stuff coming up to Christmas and matched it in with things that i already had here then one sale led to another was her thinking and it worked!

I don't get her as often as I would like now because I think I would like to have a go at it myself - you always build in tiers or in 3s or 5s, tallest at the back, coming forward and narrowing! See I have learnt!

I notice a difference with shifting stuff about, and also a bargain bin is a great asset as when I am a bit low in sizes of some things I can put them in, reduce the price and change the stock for something new.

Hope that is of some use to you. I don't think its being nosy at all, i have struggled with this lark and if I can pass on something that works to another person, I certainly will!

Off to a sports awards dinner tonight as a freebe from the local council - free food, feed drink, 20 min turnaround time to get out of the jeans and trainers and into the gladrags!

T

Horace

Welcome Bluerover - I am sure folks on here will ask you questions, I am sure we can think of a few:rotfl: Anyway the beach is cold, sandy and has crabs on it:rotfl:

The fire fighting will keep you out of mischief and away from the beach and from work occasionally:D