Analysis Part III- What sold?

If the current snapshot of our etsy site is any indication, the majority of the products listed are soap and scrubs.   Our company’s strongest seller is soap… by and far.  Soap Sells!  But the truth is that it depends upon where we are as to what sells.

Soap will always sell – Why?

• we believe in our product, that it is natural, vegan, and hand crafted. The soap does not have all those unnecessary chemicals or confusing ingredients.  On the personal level I only use our soap now, and have noticed my skin is improving from the severe eczema that has been my constant reminder  that we are on earth these last 2 decades.
• It is an affordable, and practical indulgence.  When people go to fairs, festivals and markets they want something but the economy has made everyone assess the need verses the expense.  Often shoppers will say “oh well, i am worth it” or “i need something special as a small gift”.  So economics do determine the sale.
• It is home made – Once a common practice of every household to make their own soap, today it is a rare and unusual thing.  Most people are far too busy with  the business of living to stop and make soap.
• People love fragrant soaps – Selling is partly allowing people to soak in the expeience with their senses… seeing it, smelling it, holding it, allowing the fragrance envelop them.  This idea of things that smell good transports people to another place.  There is an emotional connection…. for example the honeysuckle soap sells like crazy in early summer – and almost everyone tells us of a honeysuckle vine growing at grandma’s or aunt cecelia’s place, and their memories of wafts of scent in the air at night.  OK, i understand that too.

So that is the case for soap – but we do so much more….

• Salt and Sugar Scrubs to gently exfoliate and re hydrate hard working skin.
• Hand dyed Silk Scarves – The process is an ancient Japanese technique, used to create magnificent patterns in silk, for kimonos.  The past two years my silk has been juried into the Textile Art Alliance Fall Boutique.  TAA is an arm of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
• Wire Crochet and Bead Embroidered Jewelry – A lot of people do either wire crochet or bead weaving… but this is a hybrid… dense fields of beads forming patterns and shapes.
• ReBlooming Bags – Upcycled grocery bags turned into unique totes, handbags and purses.  The ReBlooming Bags are a small niche of our audience… younger people and those who value recycling are often the ones to respond and purchase them.

So we crunched the numbers, and for this year to date here is the graph of sales:

While we continue to keep the different product lines, items like my silk are targeted for specific events where textiles and accessories are popular.  I don;t often expect to sell a silk scarf at  a farmer’s market, however every now and then someone comes along and breaks the trend.  Likewise, the Reblooming Bags have a very unique place in our business.  They sell well when people want something different, with a “green/upcycle” vibe.

It all comes back to the market knowledge:

• Know your products, and use them
• Know the audience that wants your products
• Find a way to bring them together.

As i mentioned in previous posts, analysis helps to redirect, bolster and refine the mission and vision of our company.  It is a good thing to review.