Week 2 in the saddle
It seems only yesterday that I was writing a post about my first week; and here we are at the end of my second.
The shelves are fuller now, with a wide range of Field Notes books and accessories leading the way. Rhodia has made its first appearance, with the pocket version of the famous Webbie. Oh that paper...
There are a few writing instruments on the site now too. The synergy between notebooks and writing implements is obvious. I have started with my 'Every Day Carry' - a rough, tough and macho Brass Kaweco Sport and some of its cousins. Brilliant German engineering.
Papio Press have been a big hit, books flying off the shelves. Just today I took in more stock. Together with Back Pocket and Darkstar, we have a strong British contingent emerging on the site.
Pricing. I want to be very upfront about this, I am reviewing every price on the site. My aim is to be competitive, but sustainable. A weak pound has been great for exports - but it not so good for importing stock. You don't get as many Field Notes as you used to for a pound. Likewise, European suppliers are priced in Euro. I am doing everything that I can to reduce logistics costs, and I'm trying to broaden the range of products to appeal to every taste and budget.
Subscriptions. Largely as a function of the paragraph above, I am looking at the subscription model. For the time being, I have closed the model to new entrants. I will be launching a new model in the next week or two, but will continue to honour all current subscribers too for the time-being. Partly, I need to wait for the rest of the orders to come in, duty and tax to be paid to understand the actual cost of each brand.
Further stock. I know that the fountain pen users are lining up for 'Inky Fingers'. They are due this week, subject to couriers and HMRC. Also en route from the US are Word. , Write Notepads and Story Supply. Clairefontaine will be on the site tomorrow, and I have stock from Denmark on the way too. At the 'order' stage are Public Supply in New York and Whitelines in Stockholm. I have several more in the pipeline.
I am getting to grips with the software that runs the site and how it works. DIY is all well and good, but I suspect that ultimately, I will get an expert to give the place the once-over and a lick of paint, while I focus on keeping the shelves full.
Thank you for all the support, feedback and encouragement on social media, it really is a great help.
Right, it's middle of the day in the USA, time to put some chases in.
All the best,
Stuart
