Looking for products for the shop is definitely one of the greatest parts of my job. It’s always exciting and once I find something good I CANNOT wait to share it with all of you.
When looking for products I have a couple of filters that I use to narrow down the endless options.
- Women-Owned- I love shopping from other women-owned brands because I grew up with a lot of creative women in my family and I love feminine energy. I think that as a woman in business it is important to also do business with other women. We are all stronger together.
- Small batch- One of the reasons I love shopping small and being a small business is that we can do small batch ordering and making. The fashion and retail world is full of waste. Overproduction, over buying, leads to so many extra things going into the landfill. Small batches might take a little longer than things mass produced but that is a-ok with me because I believe that they are worth the wait, and I believe that shopping more sustainably can make a huge impact.
- The Story- This aspect of the buying process in no way makes or breaks why I might buy something but it is a part that I love so much. There are so many reasons to not do the things we love that I love hearing all the why’s. Hearing the stories of our vendors adds an attachment to the products that make them feel really special. I love that their stories are added to the shop. We are all more than just consumers and retailers, we are a community and hearing all the stories is proof of that.
After those factors are considered, sometimes I immediately fall in love with the products so much that I have to place an order immediately. Sometimes I make a shopping cart and look at it everyday and think about why I'm hesitating. I'm normally a very decisive person so if I reach out to family and friends for opinions it is most likely for a product that stands out from what the core collections of items have been and I want to hear if this is the right direction to add to the inventory.
Buying for the shop can sometimes be really scary. You don’t really know the quality of the items, what if you invest this money and it’s a huge miss for the shop, what if it doesn’t really work well with the other items? Is it at the right price point for shoppers? But I have found when shopping from other small businesses there haven’t been issues like this. The products are always beautiful and must-haves.
I love filling the shop with so many wonderful things, I hope you love them too!
What would you consider when buying for a shop?