I feel like I've hit a lot of hurdles with my business, but I guess the truth is that the universe has been pretty kind to me. Still, having a neighbor rip my inventory out of my hands was a bit irritating (a box was marked delivered days earlier and I didn't have it - on a whim, I asked my neighbor for my box, which indeed was being held hostage and which, in the end, I had to nag UPS for for almost an entire day.) I'm still wondering what the post office has done with a box of baby carriers that I had totally presold. I didn't do that because I wanted to - there was just so much demand that I couldn't keep up. The box has been missing for over a month.
I have done what anyone would. Got myself a business credit card so I can get more inventory in and have what people need!
The shipping continues to elude me. I feel like there is some trick to it. If I just find the right carrier, I can get my baby carriers out 2nd day delivery, insured, for $4 apiece. It isn't so, but I keep hoping!
It's funny. I always sort of envisioned distribution as not very much. Sort of like, what's the added value? So, now that I'm doing it all, I can't believe how little profit I can make on each baby carrier! I am not complaining, but I am surprised at all the overhead. I pay customs on the carriers from overseas. I pay PayPal merchant fees. I pay shipping. I pay for my website and all the associated costs. I pay for advertising. Business cards. Brochures. Wow! Then there is the digital camera for the website photos.
Plus the time that goes into it. The website is a bit addictive and I can be found in the wee hours tweaking and improving. The inventory needs organizing and the accounting needs to be kept track of. All that requires software (I bought QuickBooks but have yet to move out of Excel) and time. Free classes, time on the phone with customers. Time, time, time. And care. I realized I had a few items in inventory that I didn't know about. And also that I thought I had a few items in stock to sell that I was actually sold out of. I see why stores periodically do inventory. I am not sure with 2 small people underfoot how I can physically manage to do inventory! I do have it all organized in bins but little hands do want to get in there when I open them up!
It's been great fun so far, learning all about how to run a business.
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