Okay, YES I am now selling yarn in our on-line store. And this is, to a VERY small degree related to that… but, it is more about getting your feedback – who knows if I will ever find the time to implement it.
One of the challenges for those new to design is the availability of yarn “other than” using your 40% coupons at JoAnn’s Michael’s etc.
Sure there is eBay and if you have enough street cred to have built a relationship with a particular yarn distributor.
As the economy has tightened, so have the ability of the non-Chain yarn distributors to provide yarns for sampling. In fact, maybe 90% of the time I actually buy sample skeins at retail.
From another seat at this table, retailers often have a problem with odd skeins from dye lots they can no longer match. (I have this constantly increasing box from where someone purchased 8 or 9 skeins and am left with only one of a dye lot.)
Then there is the problem not quite salable as new from returns, or torn labels or slightly underweight because someone thought it would okay to use a few yards from the skein to finish a project and then return it or other instances that cause me to refrain from selling at full price.
Additionally, for those whose only access to yarn is “on-line” how do we are today’s retailers respond to the need of the Yarn users who want to try “Yarn Shop Yarns” but still would like to obtain sample skeins to interview the yarns before committing to a major purchase.
I know this will not be quite as easy at it seems “to keep up” but I am wondering if it is something even worth doing because of the investment of time and energy required.
“your thoughts”
Wheat
who is STILL in search of an independent toe-up crocheted sock
pattern that can be used “for promotional purchases” – The pattern
author will get paid but the consumer will get the pattern with the
purchase of certain yarns.
I have yet to buy yarn online, though I’m often tempted. For the foreseeable future, I’m on a strict yarn diet – not for economic reasons. There simply is no space in my wool room (the largest room in a large house) to put any more yarn. At 65, I’m well past SABLE!
Yet those odd-balls you mentioned are very attractive. Maybe you could offer them at reduced price to people who buy yarn working implements from you? Just a thought.