Canada has apparently decided that I am not a threat to their country or their economy and I can now do business freely with them. I'm waiting for what will hopefully be the final OK and then hoping my BIG company still wants the order that was originally supposed to ship this week. My feeling (hope upon hope) is that if I can get it shipped out next week for them they'll still want it, right?
This week will however end with me taking a quick trip to Mexico. It's a long story but it's essentially a free trip and it's 80-something degrees down there right now so I wasn't about to pass it up.
A week that starts with an OK from Canadian customs and ends with me lying on a beach in Mexico has to be a good week!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Nice & Quiet
I'm waiting. Waiting to hear what Canadian customs has to say about the info I sent them this morning. Waiting for some phone calls to be returned. Waiting for some emails to be returned.
And I have to say, that for the moment at least, I'm enjoying the silence. All the big stuff that has to be done has been done (or I'm waiting for said phone calls and emails to come back so I can get to work on that big stuff). Sure there's some little stuff I could do but it's not pressing. So instead, I'm working from home which means, given the silence today, I've got the backdoors open to enjoy this little Spring Thaw we have going and am just enjoying being in the sunshine and being with my dogs (who are tanning their bellies in the sunshine alongside me).
I've made a promise to myself that this year I'm not going to let anxiety get the better of me Q1 & Q2. I will do everything in my power to prepare for strong end of year sales but rather than spend time needlessly worrying over how quiet it can get in the first part of the year I'm going to enjoy it. I'm going to do things like catch up on my reading, catch up on the list of housechores I've been putting off for the past 6 months, catch up on trying to get back in shape (long way to go there!). Generally, just try to enjoy the silence for a change.
And I have to say, that for the moment at least, I'm enjoying the silence. All the big stuff that has to be done has been done (or I'm waiting for said phone calls and emails to come back so I can get to work on that big stuff). Sure there's some little stuff I could do but it's not pressing. So instead, I'm working from home which means, given the silence today, I've got the backdoors open to enjoy this little Spring Thaw we have going and am just enjoying being in the sunshine and being with my dogs (who are tanning their bellies in the sunshine alongside me).
I've made a promise to myself that this year I'm not going to let anxiety get the better of me Q1 & Q2. I will do everything in my power to prepare for strong end of year sales but rather than spend time needlessly worrying over how quiet it can get in the first part of the year I'm going to enjoy it. I'm going to do things like catch up on my reading, catch up on the list of housechores I've been putting off for the past 6 months, catch up on trying to get back in shape (long way to go there!). Generally, just try to enjoy the silence for a change.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Morning Amusement
My business credit card bill is due today so I went online to make sure it was paid on time. The system was running really slowly so while it was loading I had time to call the credit card company and find out what my total outstanding balance - not just the balance due - was on the card as I'm trying to keep the card FULLY paid off so that I don't incure interest charges. And since I have the money available thanks to last year's Q4 sales, I might as well make sure everything is always paid off and paid in full.
While on the phone with the credit card company I happened to mention that the system was running really slowly and the woman I was talking to offered to take the payment right over the phone for no charge. This is definitely a 'New Economy' tactic as before I would have been charged $10-$15 for a phone call payment. I guess now if you're willing to make a payment they want to do everything possible to make it easy on you. So I went ahead and paid and was then treated to about 5 minutes of the woman thanking me for my excellent credit history with them, my excellent payment history with them, and how happy they were I'm a customer. Again, this must be a 'New Economy' approach to customer service as it's the first time I've been thanked profusely for being a decent (I wouldn't go so far as to call myself good) credit card customer. Anyway, it made me laugh.
When I last left off with Canadian customs they wanted a floorplan of the facility I work in so I finally managed to get a copy of that from the facility owners and am sending it off to Canada today. I'm hoping that now that the country has a few Olympic gold medals under their belt they'll be a lot happier and easier to deal with.
While on the phone with the credit card company I happened to mention that the system was running really slowly and the woman I was talking to offered to take the payment right over the phone for no charge. This is definitely a 'New Economy' tactic as before I would have been charged $10-$15 for a phone call payment. I guess now if you're willing to make a payment they want to do everything possible to make it easy on you. So I went ahead and paid and was then treated to about 5 minutes of the woman thanking me for my excellent credit history with them, my excellent payment history with them, and how happy they were I'm a customer. Again, this must be a 'New Economy' approach to customer service as it's the first time I've been thanked profusely for being a decent (I wouldn't go so far as to call myself good) credit card customer. Anyway, it made me laugh.
When I last left off with Canadian customs they wanted a floorplan of the facility I work in so I finally managed to get a copy of that from the facility owners and am sending it off to Canada today. I'm hoping that now that the country has a few Olympic gold medals under their belt they'll be a lot happier and easier to deal with.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Perhaps I spoke too soon
That big Spring order that was going to help push me to record Q1 sales...well, it's in limbo right now. Customs limbo. Despite the fact that I've been filling out the customs forms the same way for the past two years, apparently this time the form landed on the desk of someone who decided they wanted to complicate my life and keep asking for more and more information before they decide whether or not the items will be allowed into Canada.
Keep in mind, I don't make contraband, guns, ammo, medicine, or anything else fun (and probably much higher margin). My product is little, it's relatively boring (to some), and it's made with great care and attention. But for some reason (most likely the Olympics) our good friends the Canadian customs officials are now worried that my product will potentially do great harm to a portion of their population.
Right now it's not looking good. We're not totally out of the game yet but it's not looking good. And if I can't get this cleared up then not only will this current sale not go through (and I will not get paid despite the fact the product has been made at my cost) but it also means I can kiss those holiday orders from this company goodbye too. So if you wouldn't mind telling any Canadian Customs Officials you have as friends to please please please (pretty please) let this go through then I'd be forever in your debt. Heck, I'm just 90min south of Vancouver, they can come meet me and see my products in person down here if they want if that will convince them that I'm not out to harm the world.
On the plus side, if I can't sell these products right now at least I'm 300 units closer to the holiday inventory I need to have on hand.
Other positive news: I finally got an outstanding check from said BIG company today for orders that were delivered 90 days ago. It's been a Tom & Jerry experience trying to get it from them because the first set of invoices I sent were lost (though I didn't know that until after the invoices were already due), then when they finally cut the checks I think they must have been put in some backpackers pack and walked down here by the looks of how crinkled, dirty, and otherwise mishandled the envelopes were. Well, that was one envelope. The other one - with the remaining check - was missing until today. It finally showed up and I honestly believe it got stuck in some piece of postal processing equipment from the looks of the envelope and how much longer it took to get here then the first check. But it doesn't matter, it's here and it's cashable so it's going in the bank tomorrow.
And it's a sunny sunny day in Seattle. So I've got that to be thankful for as well.
Keep in mind, I don't make contraband, guns, ammo, medicine, or anything else fun (and probably much higher margin). My product is little, it's relatively boring (to some), and it's made with great care and attention. But for some reason (most likely the Olympics) our good friends the Canadian customs officials are now worried that my product will potentially do great harm to a portion of their population.
Right now it's not looking good. We're not totally out of the game yet but it's not looking good. And if I can't get this cleared up then not only will this current sale not go through (and I will not get paid despite the fact the product has been made at my cost) but it also means I can kiss those holiday orders from this company goodbye too. So if you wouldn't mind telling any Canadian Customs Officials you have as friends to please please please (pretty please) let this go through then I'd be forever in your debt. Heck, I'm just 90min south of Vancouver, they can come meet me and see my products in person down here if they want if that will convince them that I'm not out to harm the world.
On the plus side, if I can't sell these products right now at least I'm 300 units closer to the holiday inventory I need to have on hand.
Other positive news: I finally got an outstanding check from said BIG company today for orders that were delivered 90 days ago. It's been a Tom & Jerry experience trying to get it from them because the first set of invoices I sent were lost (though I didn't know that until after the invoices were already due), then when they finally cut the checks I think they must have been put in some backpackers pack and walked down here by the looks of how crinkled, dirty, and otherwise mishandled the envelopes were. Well, that was one envelope. The other one - with the remaining check - was missing until today. It finally showed up and I honestly believe it got stuck in some piece of postal processing equipment from the looks of the envelope and how much longer it took to get here then the first check. But it doesn't matter, it's here and it's cashable so it's going in the bank tomorrow.
And it's a sunny sunny day in Seattle. So I've got that to be thankful for as well.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Didn't I just put the Christmas decorations away?
I have, sitting before me right now, two boxes filled with holiday samples. The boxes are packed, letters enclosed, and taped up ready to go to FedEx with the hope that they show up next week at their respective catalogue companies and the buyers there are so in awe of the samples they sign me up right away.
I find it funny that I'm shipping out holiday samples before Valentine's Day has even truly begun to show itself but catalogues work 8-10 months in advance so I need to get in there now and show my wares. I realize sending blind samples is not ideal, but I do have the buyers names and since I'm willing to dropship for them I'm hoping they'll realize that not only are my products one-of-a-kind and something they just have to include in their holiday catalogues, but that since I'm willing to dropship their inventory commitment is zero, zippo, a big fat 0.
Last year I signed up with one company to do dropship for them and didn't really expect it to come to anything. The downside of dropshipping is pretty obvious - I have to carry the product inventory but also have to buy in shipping boxes and packing material for sales that may or may not materialize. Turns out they did materialize (I was seriously shocked) and materialized in a big enough way to make me sit up and take notice. It dawned on me that dropshipping probably works really well for my product as it enables me to control temperature and freshness which is something that I can't control if it's shipped to some catalogue's warehouse. Plus, legally, I only have to have the products registered in my state and not each state I sell it in to like my wholesale business. For a small company those multiple permits can get very very expensive. And lastly, it gives me a birdseye view into what people products people are buying and that helps give me direction on where new products should go.
As such, despite the negatives, I was pleasently surprised by the dropship relationship last year and I'm hoping to build on it this year. The packages I put together this morning did end up looking really really good. Better then I had originally hoped. So now I'm just crossing my fingers and toes that they're well received next week!
I find it funny that I'm shipping out holiday samples before Valentine's Day has even truly begun to show itself but catalogues work 8-10 months in advance so I need to get in there now and show my wares. I realize sending blind samples is not ideal, but I do have the buyers names and since I'm willing to dropship for them I'm hoping they'll realize that not only are my products one-of-a-kind and something they just have to include in their holiday catalogues, but that since I'm willing to dropship their inventory commitment is zero, zippo, a big fat 0.
Last year I signed up with one company to do dropship for them and didn't really expect it to come to anything. The downside of dropshipping is pretty obvious - I have to carry the product inventory but also have to buy in shipping boxes and packing material for sales that may or may not materialize. Turns out they did materialize (I was seriously shocked) and materialized in a big enough way to make me sit up and take notice. It dawned on me that dropshipping probably works really well for my product as it enables me to control temperature and freshness which is something that I can't control if it's shipped to some catalogue's warehouse. Plus, legally, I only have to have the products registered in my state and not each state I sell it in to like my wholesale business. For a small company those multiple permits can get very very expensive. And lastly, it gives me a birdseye view into what people products people are buying and that helps give me direction on where new products should go.
As such, despite the negatives, I was pleasently surprised by the dropship relationship last year and I'm hoping to build on it this year. The packages I put together this morning did end up looking really really good. Better then I had originally hoped. So now I'm just crossing my fingers and toes that they're well received next week!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Just Say No
I keep getting emails about the Fall Tradeshows and about how I need to SIGN UP NOW AS SPACE IS GOING QUICKLY (emphasis is theirs, not mine). I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see those emails from one particular tradeshow, the one I've gone to for the past four years, and think 'no thank you.'
After the poor showing two years ago and absolutely abysmal showing last year - I swear I heard crickets chirping during the day - it brings me such joy to think about everything I can do with that $4K+ that usually goes towards that show. I can do more advertising in trade journals that have proven their ROI. I can do some test advertising in consumer magazines to see how it fares. Or I can just keep that $4K in my bank account until I find the perfect thing to dedicate it towards rather than running the bank account totally down in third quarter and then play the "sell stuff - pay bills" game in fourth quarter.
So yes, it makes me so happy to realize that I can cut what is essentially one of my biggest marketing costs and can do so guilt-free.
After the poor showing two years ago and absolutely abysmal showing last year - I swear I heard crickets chirping during the day - it brings me such joy to think about everything I can do with that $4K+ that usually goes towards that show. I can do more advertising in trade journals that have proven their ROI. I can do some test advertising in consumer magazines to see how it fares. Or I can just keep that $4K in my bank account until I find the perfect thing to dedicate it towards rather than running the bank account totally down in third quarter and then play the "sell stuff - pay bills" game in fourth quarter.
So yes, it makes me so happy to realize that I can cut what is essentially one of my biggest marketing costs and can do so guilt-free.
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