In the new year, I hope to interact more with customers as my personal self. Let's call me MoMo. I'll try to update this blog and share with customers and readers about the journey of managing this blogshop.
This blogshop is actually managed by one person only (that's yours truly). I hold a full-time job but I'm managing this blogshop actively on a part-time basis. Maybe I can't be blogging here regularly but I'm still always available for customers who have special requests or provide valuable feedbacks to me.
Let me do a small introduction to the job-scope and experience in running this blogshop. Maybe it can serve as a small guide for budding blogshop owners as well :)
- Getting the Supplies
I have a handful of supplier contacts. I handpick my suppliers carefully, and I travel overseas to find or meet them too. Good suppliers are important to ensure the products are of good quality and still price competitive, so that customers can enjoy the best value for money. - Product Photography & Editing
After getting the supplies, the next thing is to take photos of them and post them up on the blogshop. I'm not a photography person, so the photographs are mostly very simple. Then I use Photoshop CS3 to clean up the background. Not much editing on the product itself. - Writing up the Product Page
The product page is those you see on online sales portal like this blogshop and Qoo10. I'm have mini-shops on other online sales platform such as Szshop or selling on HWZ as well but I'm less active. My product pages are usually very simple and to the point. Main thing is to ensure potential buyers know what they're buying, price tags, how to order and after-sales support if any (For example, I provide warranty for pocket watches in case customers receive faulty ones or out of battery).
Of course, if there's anything you would like to know regarding the product that's not stated on the product page, please write in and provide your feedback. - Product Packaging & Mailing them out
Long necklaces are usually packed individually in plastic packaging to avoid tangles. Pocket watches and fragile items are packed in bubble wraps. Ear studs are protected with a sponge. Once, I wrapped ear studs in bubble wraps only and it was damaged upon arrival at the customer's place. That was the first time I sent out ear studs by mail and didn't know how to pack it properly, but one mistake is enough for me the learn the right way, and I sent out a new ear stud to the customer.
I spent some time fiddling with the envelopes too. Currently, I'm making the envelopes myself! That's because I prefer customer's address to be printed on the envelope rather than written as it avoid mistakes and look more professional with the blogshop logo printed on it as well. Notice that the envelope has a small base at the bottom for slightly thicker items like pocket watches. However such envelopes are time-consuming to make and I'm still thinking of a way to better prepare the orders.
I'm considering to make pre-printed envelopes for the blogshop and print address on mailing labels. However as a small blogshop business, I have very limited budget to work with, so I'm still weighing the possibilities.
DIY Envelopes - Special Requests / Circumstances
Occasionally, I receive special requests from customers. Last time I used to receive many requests to change the necklace chain from brass chain to velvet and vice versa. Eventually I made it into an option to fill in upon order, so it's not a special request anymore.
Once, I received a request from a customer to change the necklaces into bracelets! I cracked my brain for some time and made a bracelet with adjustable length from the velvet necklaces. Unfortunately, it didn't occur to me that I should take a photo of it, because I was making them in the wee hours of the night and mailed it out the next day.
Another common special request (especially during the Christmas season) was immediate collection. Many customers ask me when will they receive the item, but the best I can say is 2-5 working days from Singpost. Most of the time you should receive it the next working day because I usually try to mail it out before 5 pm (the cut-off time before the post office collect the mails from the postbox). However I can't control how fast Singpost delivers your item. The surest way to receive the items immediately is to make an appointment with me to collect personally. I try to fulfill such requests as much as possible at locations which are mutually convenient. If that's not possible, you can opt for courier services as well (Pay more $$$).
Another special request was asking for something specific very specific for a birthday party. I talked about it in the other blog post here. - Regarding Postage
I shall keep this section short because I'm going to write a longer blog post just on postage. If you're wondering which postage is likely to result in faster delivery, stay tuned.
P.S: The answer is Singpost Normal Mail. - Box Shop
I have lockers at box shops like Toy Outpost as well. Currently I'm selling at the one at Hako @ AMK Hub (Locker AM 35C) and Hako @ Bedok Mall (Locker 68 C). However in the long run, I'm just going to keep the one at AMK Hub. Afterall I'm doing all these alone on a part-time basis and I don't have that much time and energy to manage too many physical shops. - The Facebook Page
I'm not really active on my Facebook book page last year. Some of the likes are from my friends who are willing to support me, while some are from customers. In the new year, I hope to increase the Facebook Likes to 500. Ambitious? If you're willing to help me achieve the milestone, please help me like the page. Thank you.
That's quite a bit of information about MoMo Shoppe! In the new year, I'll be refocusing the product lines and will be shifting most of my attention to online sales.
Have a great year :)
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