Chris5-0

I've decided to start up a small design and sales business relating to greetings cards and wedding cards and was hoping to get some opinions from you all out there.

We currently have a small E-bay shop at www.stores.ebay.co.uk/Funktions where we sell our wedding range. We are looking to expand our ranges to birthdays, Valentines, Mothers Day etc but want to throw the designs out for inspection.

So if you get a spare minute can you have a look and let me know what you think? (Not touting for business, just opinions. Though obviously.......!!!!)

Also does anyone know of any card and paper/craft wholesalers in North West? We are struggling to get supplies of our card materials and end up at Hobbycraft etc paying shop prices, not good!!!

Many thanks.

Chris and Cal.

boxst

Hello

My wife does something similiar, so if anyone knows of a wholesaler in the South-East as well please.

I was playing with the idea of creating electronic versions for free. http://www.sadandlonely.com was the closest I got and that was really 'playing'.

Thanks,

Steve

Scooby Soon!

Is it a hobby or a business?

Is it just for on ebay?

Have you analysed all of the other sellers on ebay and checked what sort of market there is? eg sales volume and income? I would check in to all of those first, my personal opinion would be that you are not going to make much from it but maybe you could try going to wedding shops (independents) and trying to sell them that way?

Spoon

Chris,

I can't see that being financially viable as a business. I don't want to sound negative but there is so much work involved for very little return.

Personally I wouldn't want to read I might have to wait 28 days for anything although I understand the bespoke nature of what you are doing.

I think with no firm P&P prices either will put people off. Delivery by yourselves surely will eat up and swallow far more money than the profit of anything but a huge order.

The eBay shop could and should be designed to look inviting and professional.

I also notice you aren't registered as a business on eBay when you should be. This has an affect on how you are perceived as a 'proper' outfit.

Chris5-0

Thanks for the replies so far.

The Ebay shop was put up to air the designs and get feedback from people such as yourselves, for the money we pay for it it is simple to do and not overly taxing. This is not the crux of our business, in fact, as we go along it becomes less and less important. I can see the mistakes made on it now looking and those will be rectified, i was interested in opinions on designs etc ion this occasion. Our business is in no way Ebay based, for the work we get it couldn't be, what we are planning is Wedding Fair exhibiting and marketing to wedding businesses in a stockist role. Long term we want our own website and our own shop.

We have researched competition and do feel we have a niche market to ease into, without giving our usp away we are confident we can turn a profit. As for the work involved, it is the initial desgn that takes the time, subsequent work is simply following the original 'pattern' and building the cards.

kwaky

I like the handmade touch, but I have an idea that be worth exploring...

How about a fully tailored wedding invite package. Keeping the idea conceptual, the client would login to a website, access your materials and upload or input a list of names and addresses. From there, they customise the invitation using one of your designs as a template.

They pay you for the design, printing and postage. To eliviate apprehension that you've actually printed and posted the invitation, maybe something like recorded signed for, where you could link the individual address to the royal mail to illustrate delivery confirmation. You can gain from bulk discounts on printing and postage which would also contribute to revenue/profit.

SCOsazOBY

Do the cards come with envelopes? You don need to include postage costs.

The designs dont stand out much from the photos and most all look a similar colour, maybe try bolder colours, different shapes and sizes and offer bulk buys of ten cards etc.

You could also copywright your designs and instead of putting a sticker on saying handmade, try handmade by Funktions to give it a more personal touch