WAHM chatall the ins and outs of being a Work At Home Mom, how to get popcorn out of your keyboard/printer, and when not to send that invoice with the scribble.
Im seriously thinking as allways I suck at being a WAHM. I redid the store and im doing new items but it seams like I can't sell anything. I make instock for it to sit there and I end up selling it for cheaper then what it cost to make it. Yet I know people are buying for I see other WAHM selling diapers for 16 plus dollars when I can't even sale mine for the going rate. I'm thinking maybe I should change the materials im using? I use the normal pul,woven,sherpa,bkt,Malden Mills fleece and micro,touch tape,snaps and so on. I do lay in trifold soakers with 2 layers sherpa and one layer micro and I also do sewn in ones. I do fold back laundry tabs in all my aio's,fitteds and covers. I have done testers after testers for 5.00ppd. I havn't gotten any negative feedback that I know of. I check the bad apples and juicy apples once a month. I run specials, I advertise, I do freebies and customer rewards so now what. I know I need to update the pictures of diapers in the store since I got a better camera. I only really sale to Amity mamas but maybe I should start doing yard sales and putting stuff there and more ebay. I also seems like I can't even sale other things on here. Maybe I spam to much. I do get on and almost answer all post. I get on and talk about other things in my life and I even have tried swaps. They also have failed.Maybe it's just me but I need some to pm me and tell me if something has happen I don't know about. I have only had one bad transaction here and Im starting to wonder. Maybe it's just the aunt flow hormones talking today. Maybe I need to get some more hemp and do hemp diapers or more natural diapers. Some please help im going crazy and hubby is yelling at me for all this fabric. What are some fabrics you guys like better? What style of diapers or anything would you like to see be made and sold at good prices? Ok thanks for any help and the little vent. Angie
Angie,
This is just my opinion, and I've never tried your dipes, but I know you're looking for input and I'd like to try and help. I find your posts really hard to read and I find myself skimming them or avoiding them. I can't really put my finger on the problem - grammar or spelling or punctuation - something of that nature. I don't know if that's any help at all - maybe shorten your posts, be more concise about the features of your dipes - spam with photos. Put a link to your site in your sig line. Maybe that would direct people to your work.
Good luck!
__________________
Sonya
Mama to Madeline and Victoria My feedback
Location: and it's one time keep it slow wind them up & here we go
Posts: 31,182
are you new to the biz?
i buy from WAHMs i know & already am familiar w/ their product ~ also, along the lines of sonya's post & i truly mean no offense, but i sorta agree.
i looked at your site & saw a few words that made no sense to me (glowering?)..spelling errors maybe? just as in your above post you used the word "seams" when it should have been "seems" - am i making sense?
little things like that do bother me & usually turn me off, i am sorry if i am being blunt.
your site is very cute though & i do wish you the best of luck
and if it b/c you are new...stick around, plug your product the best you can & be patient...there are a lot of WAHMs competing in the dipe biz. ~ hang in there!
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Last edited by harvestgirl : 05-18-2004 at 06:31 PM.
No offense mamas. I have heard that before. I type very fast and frankly don't take the time to go back and check. I do have a link in my siggy to my store and my store was proff read by someone else,lol. Maybe I need to go back and check it,lol. I'm not new I have been doing this for about year and a half. I do post details of the diapers in every post and I do have pictures along with them. I'm just wondering if maybe I need to switch to more hemp type fabrics or if someone is bashing me behind my back. I allways ask for feedback with almost every sale and sometimes get it don't know if thats the case. Maybe I need more feedback. I could do testers again but not for 5ppd for I think half the people who bought them where just out for cheap diapers for they never left feedback. Ooh well of to look at the store again. Could someone tell me why would gramer turn you off? My gramer does not reflex who I am or what my diapers look like im just a bad speller not a bad sewer and I like to type fast. Angie
Your posts can be hard to read (I know mine can too, lol!). Sometimes it is as though it is one big run-on sentence, not really the spelling but the lack of punctuation, know what I mean? No tenough periods or even paragraph breaks. Without a couple hits of the spacebar after a period (or exclamation or question mark, you know) it seems like a whole run on sentence/paragraph thing and it can be difficult to read.
That said, I see nothing wrong with your site, a few typos and mis-spellings here and there but no biggie. I buy what I need when I need it and more often than not, I trade. I have never purchased a brand new diaper before ever. I have traded with other WAHM's for brand new diapers for my son and I am sewing a lot of the dipes I will be using for the coming baby boy, we will be using prefolds as well since they work great and are cheaper. I just can't afford to buy new WAHM diapers or else I would.
I'm sorry Mama, I hope that you can sell some stuff very soon. I do see you post alot here and I also see that you are very sweet and if I did have some extra money, I think I would be inclined to buy form you since those things ar eimportant to me. If you were a big meanie-head, I wouldn't even be posting this and I would in no way consider ever buying anything from you.
So when will you be adding the sherpa fitteds???? I am in love with sherpa diapers!
__________________ ~Carrie
Single Mama to my Babies Christina 4/98, Adrian 6/01 and Dracos 6/04
Ya know, seriously, I think it's just the time of year and economy right now. I know some mamas are doing just fine on sales, but a LOT are struggling - not just new or lesser known wahms either - very well established ones have had sales drop this month. It stinks.
As far as grammar, it bothers some mamas more than others. Personally, it doesn't bother me in posts, but it does bother me if I see a lot of typos or grammatical errors in a store. I do type fast myself and am always in a rush when I'm here posting, but I do try to go back and catch typos. (Yeah, now that I've said that, watch me have all sorts of typos I don't catch in this post! *LOL*) It is always good to have someone else proofread - sometimes more than one other person works best. I'd be happy to help you go over things if you'd like.
Let's see... what else... Do you do much advertising or promotion other than here? Do you do much cross-linking or swapping? There's a lot of free advertising strategies that can be useful.
With eBay some things I find make me more likely to bid on diapers (though I very rarely ever buy off eBay personally) are easy to find items (I search for sizes so be sure to include a size in your title!), nicely presented with clear pictures, a good description, and positive feedback. A nicely formatted auction helps. Templates usually catch my attention. eBay, KittyBids, etc can be a great way to help generate traffic for your site.
For the store, here are my suggestions:
* Main Page
Add some more pictures and text to that page, Angie! Your diapers are super cute and pictures will help "sell" that. Also, grab some of those super-cute graphics from your store and get them on the front page so it all goes together, kwim? LMK if you need/want any help with it.
* Return Policy
You've got a return policy on the site, which is GREAT - a lot of sites forget that, and I think it's important. A little suggestion - this part is unclear to me: I will offer an exchange or store credit only for unwashed/unworn diapers up to 2 weeks after you recieve your purchase. I will not offer an exchange for diapers that do not fit so if your unsure of what size to order please measure your child and go by my sizing link. Any defects will be looked at on a case by case basis. I need to be notified immediately on any defects so we can work out the details. You are responsible for shipping to me.
Do you accept a return on an unwashed/unworn diaper that doesn't fit? I can usually tell by looking at a diaper if it will fit DS, so I don't know which category that would fit in, and that would concern me a little bit. I'd suggest making it a bit clearer there.
* Store's front page
You might consider adding a testimonial (feedback comment) or two from some mamas to this page to grab attention and show your diapers in a positive light the minute someone enters the store.
K - that's all that's jumping out to me at the moment, and I gotta run since it's dinner time. Hope it helps a bit!
Location: and it's one time keep it slow wind them up & here we go
Posts: 31,182
Quote:
Originally posted by snugglebug Could someone tell me why would gramer turn you off? My gramer does not reflex who I am or what my diapers look like im just a bad speller not a bad sewer and I like to type fast. Angie
reflex... reflect? gramer...grammar?
well, totally imo - even though someone (generalization here) can say , " i am good at ......." for me to see spelling & gramatical errors on a business site just turns me off. if someone doesn't take the time to make sure their site/grammar is up to snuff, how am i guaranteed that i will receive a good product?
i can only explain for myself & i am fully aware that i just may have an issue w/ people who can't spell...*lol* i type fast too & know that i too have my fair share of errors when i don't go back & edit.
I looked at your site and I would suggest two things that would help me to buy.
1st would be Pictures. Put time into getting some great shots of your diapers, make people "SEE" their baby wearing that adorable diaper! They have to have it, or their diaper stash won't be complete Seriously though, Alot of mama's are on the hunt for the next adorable diaper and pictures are all we have to going on!
2nd ~ I thought you only sold covers because their was no link to dipes/aios. I would have left the site had I been in a hurry. I would put up a direct link to those not put them under the custom link ~ to me "custom" would be for something special.
Went and fixed a few things still looking to see if there is more. There is a link to AIO'S and fitteds under custom orders. I did it this way for that's the way alot of wahms have it. I do ahve sherpa fitted diapers just none made yet. I will make some only if anyone is interested,lol. I just don't understand how someones bad spelling or gramer has anything to do with what they make. Personally I don't care if someone spells wrong but that's just me. I don't think of it as if they can't spell good they must not sew good. The person may just have a spelling proublem or was never taught very well. That's just me. I know I will never be perfect in that part but when someone points it out I do go and find it and change it. I feel im doing this for others. Thanks for the help mamas don't worry no one has affended me at all. That is why im here and not Yahoo. I will do more pictures once I get more sewn. Do you think if I made Hemp inner diapers will I sale more? I see mamas allways talking about Hemp? Angie
Please take this constructive criticism in the spirit it is given -- with the hope you can improve your store to increase your business.
I would recommend being very careful with the photography of your product. It would be best to have very clear closeup shots of your products, with non distracting backgrounds. Make sure the diapers don't have any funny folds or weird angles -- if they are photographed crooked they look like they're sewn crooked, even if they're sewn straight.
Your fabric shots show lots of wrinkles and one even looks like it has dirt on it -- this gives an impression of lack of attention to detail, which would turn me off from ordering.
Also, I would not order from an instock store that did not allow refunds for unwashed unworn items.
Angie, it's tough being a wahm! I think you've really held in there for a long time and asking for feedback is a great way to get to where you want to go.
Some feedback from me: on first glance I thought you sold only aio diapers - not regular kind. Try to have parallel structure on your site - if you single out aio on your home page then also single out your other kinds of diapers.
too much text on the first page. I want to shop - not read.
spelling and grammar are indicative of overall care and attention to detail - I would not buy from a site that looked 'sloppy' because I would expect products and shipping and customer service to also be 'sloppy.' I cannot stress this enough.
the front page loaded very s.l.o.w.l.y. for me and I've got dsl. I'd get bored quickly and move on if I were shopping.
gotta make dinner, will see if I can find other things to work on later. hugs, Cathy
Being as i'm not a wahm, dont know if i can help, but this is what i see.
I think your site is cute, but I'd like to see more pictures of your dipes and stuff. and maybe close up pics.
also, i think a link saying aio and fitted on the left instead of under custom would be helpful.
and i also agree that if you left more spaces in your posts, i'd be more likely to read them. as you can see i dont usually use capitals, because i'm usually typing w/ kiddos on my lap and lots of times nak. but i try to make separate paragraphs.
maybe if there are things you are looking for you could do some trades to help get your dipes out there.
__________________
Tanya
Wife to Keith (15 yrs.)
SAHM to Brooke Ashley(12), Sarah Ann(7), Taylor Alexis(5) and Sydney Allison (3-9-08)
Christian, HS
It's ok im not taken any comments in bad ways. I can't help the way it uploads,lol. I do say on the front paige I sale aio's, fitted and so on. My name is Snugglebug AIO'S for there was to many mamas who name was Snugglebug or Snugbug so I tired to stand out. I will go look at the fabric pictures but none of fabric has dirt on them for they are keep indoors in plastic containers. Not sure how you read it but I do offer refunds on unwashed / unused diapers. I will go back and check it again. See I don't see all what you guys see. I see it as being fine all but the pictures,lol. Which my camera program is being a butt head right now. What would be a good way to take the pictures. I have tried behind some solid color fabric and people complianed about that,lol. Hints,lol. I want the site to be what customers want. Angie
Take the pics of the diapers against a white background. make sure there is ample lighting and if you need to, adjust the brightness and contrast in your photo-editing software so that it comes out truer to life--i sometimes have to do this, some things or colors do not photograph well so it needs to be adjusted in the editing software. Or sometimes it's just my camera batteries are running low and it doesn't flash as well so the pic isn't as bright nor as clear.
For business or selling on the boards, make sure your camera has good fresh batteries in it (I have rechargeable ones, the charger is in a box and I can't find it, lol, so my pics are crappy as of late). and also make sure that the lens is clean. My kiddos sometimes smear up the lens on my dig. camera and then oops, big blurry spot on picture! So check that too, clean it regularly to allow it to work well for you.
And I agree, more pics, clearer pics, pics of all the different tabs you do (i.e. round,. regular, side-snap) clearly labeled as such, pics of the different size dipes so we can see how they look (a picture of NB size too, those are hard to tell what they might be without seeing, KWIM?)
And you should fix the typos on your site, I think someone can help you with that, typos don't bother me so much but I know they do others and that is fine. I don't like when I make typos but since I have gotten pregnant this time, all my posts are like one big typo, yikes! And I do think breaking into Fitteds and AIOs on the side bar is a good idea--or instead of "Custom" change it to "Diapers" then have the sub categories for AIOs or fitteds like you already do. Then you only have to re-do the one Graphic and the linking will be the same.
Now for me: What colors sherpa do you have and how much for small sherpa fitteds? (plastic snaps, either rounded tab or side-snap) and what is the cotton/poly content of the sherpa? And also how many layers soaker is sewn in? Okay, think that's it
I agree with the others, I tend to over look the posts/websites with bad grammar. Before you list anything on your website, type everything out on Microsoft Word and spell check it, then you can copy and paste it. If a post here or any forum for that matter has bad grammar it is difficult to read, so I probably wouldn't make it far enough to see what is for sale. [Like sell/sale, hubby says ideal instead of idea and it's a BIG pet peeve!]
Also, I have one of your diapers and if it is the one I'm thinking of the tabs are really short. I don't have a lot of problem with this, but hubby does. He's got to have plenty of room to get the diaper fastened even if it's on sideways (he's still learning) so when he picks up a diaper and has difficulty with it, it gets shoved to the bottom of the stack and then seldome used.
It stinks.
Your diapers are super cute and pictures will help "sell" that. Also, grab some of those super-cute graphics from your store and get them on the front page so it all goes together, kwim? LMK if you need/want any help with it.
i type fast too & know that i too have my fair share of errors when i don't go back & edit.
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