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what would be its focus? (Moderated by Deepika, Sharon1952)
Posted on: 11/27/15 5:18 PM ET
Today I read Susan Liane's latest blog post over at Smuggler's Daughter. It's about how grateful she is for her customers and being able to do what she does. I've always been very happy with anything I've bought from her, and especially with her customer service. She seems so genuine and I have a feeling she'll be successful for a long time.
Up in New England, the long-time owner of Sawyer Brook had announced her retirement and has recently sold her business to a former customer who is now getting things back in high gear. All of this made me curious about what it might be like to own an online fabric store. I did a little search and found some blog articles about women who had started online craftsy businesses, some of them fabric stores, and when I clicked on the links I found that a few of them are no longer in operation only four years later. It got me to wondering what sort of fabric businesses would be successful, and what different people would want to focus on if they were running an online fabric business.
Would you want to do it? If so, what would your ideal business model look like? Would you want to specialize in certain kinds of fabrics, or have as wide a selection as possible? Would you cater to apparel sewers only or crafts and quilts sewers, too? Would you branch out into things like notions, threads, buttons, patterns, books, machines, as well? Are there any online or brick-and-mortar retailers you would want to emulate or have as mentors? I'd love to hear all the different viewpoints!
-- Edited on 11/27/15 at 5:21 PM --
Up in New England, the long-time owner of Sawyer Brook had announced her retirement and has recently sold her business to a former customer who is now getting things back in high gear. All of this made me curious about what it might be like to own an online fabric store. I did a little search and found some blog articles about women who had started online craftsy businesses, some of them fabric stores, and when I clicked on the links I found that a few of them are no longer in operation only four years later. It got me to wondering what sort of fabric businesses would be successful, and what different people would want to focus on if they were running an online fabric business.
Would you want to do it? If so, what would your ideal business model look like? Would you want to specialize in certain kinds of fabrics, or have as wide a selection as possible? Would you cater to apparel sewers only or crafts and quilts sewers, too? Would you branch out into things like notions, threads, buttons, patterns, books, machines, as well? Are there any online or brick-and-mortar retailers you would want to emulate or have as mentors? I'd love to hear all the different viewpoints!
-- Edited on 11/27/15 at 5:21 PM --
Posted on: 11/28/15 3:03 PM ET
That's a very interesting question. I think it would be a very competitive endeavor. I don't think I would want to open a "bargain" store, but rather something very specialized. Ideally I would like to have many photos of the fabrics as well as finished garments -- maybe even videos of my fabrics. I'd like to carry very unique pieces like panels, border prints, etc. I wouldn't carry regular notions like ordinary zippers and buttons, but unique closures, trims, etc. I would sell kits. For example, one could by a kimono kit with the fabrics, pattern, instructions, notions. I think this is a site I would rather visit than build!
Posted on: 11/28/15 10:31 PM ET
In reply to CityChik
My favorite online store is Emmaonesock, second is Marcy Tilton. I favor EOS for several reasons. She has excellent taste, and it happens to coincide with mine. She has quality fabrics at fair prices and she has a range of fabrics from dressy to casual. She has great photos, terrific descriptions and suggested usage for the fabrics. She uses Pantone colors to give an accurate idea of the colors. She also has amazing service and free swatches.
Marcy Tilton has beautiful fabrics, but they are narrower in scope, many of them geared towards fabrics that work for her patterns. Her prices range is about the same as EOS. She doesn't have the great photography that EOS has which is a negative. They give free samples, but they are haphazardly marked. They also take longer to send out fabrics than EOS.
Do you have enough capitol to stay in business long enough to make a go of it. Do you have good wholesale sources for fabrics? What do you want to sell? You need to find a unique perspective for your business.
Do you have the money for a good website? Mood is a big business and they've spent a lot of money on a website that leaves a great deal to be desired. It's clunky and badly photographed and whoever writes the copy has a poor grasp of the English language. All of these things add up to make an unpleasant experience and I buy little from them.
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Marcy Tilton has beautiful fabrics, but they are narrower in scope, many of them geared towards fabrics that work for her patterns. Her prices range is about the same as EOS. She doesn't have the great photography that EOS has which is a negative. They give free samples, but they are haphazardly marked. They also take longer to send out fabrics than EOS.
Do you have enough capitol to stay in business long enough to make a go of it. Do you have good wholesale sources for fabrics? What do you want to sell? You need to find a unique perspective for your business.
Do you have the money for a good website? Mood is a big business and they've spent a lot of money on a website that leaves a great deal to be desired. It's clunky and badly photographed and whoever writes the copy has a poor grasp of the English language. All of these things add up to make an unpleasant experience and I buy little from them.
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www.nancyksews.blogspot.com
Posted on: 11/28/15 11:25 PM ET
What a great question. I look forward to reading more answers.
If I began running an online fabric store, I would start by writing a business plan, since I believe that one is the best way to succeed.
As I imagine what the store would be like, I think about businesses that I have run. I loved making or buying things that I loved, and sharing them with my customers. I would love to shop for fabrics to share, and develop a network for getting the best quality for the best prices.
I would have a team that would make up samples from the fabrics, to inspire customers so they could see what we see when we choose the fabrics. Each sample would be for sale.
I would have fun producing tutorials that are inspired by the fabrics. For example, if we got in some beautiful batiste, we might do a tutorial on heirloom sewing. If we got a hold of great faux furs, we might do a tutorial on how to make great seams.
Yes, we would sell notions so our customers could get everything for their projects in one place. Our customers would be using our fabrics for garments, quilting, multimedia arts, sculpting...
We wouldn't carry equipment. We would occasionally host representatives from the various equipment companies so our customers could get expert guidance. We might do panel discussions about sewing machine features, and other forums that help sewists make decisions. These companies could advertise through our website as long as they treat our customers well.
I would reach out to other online fabric stores to share our resources. For example, one might find a heap of coating, but that store might be in a warm climate. Another might find a crazy deal on synthetics, but have customers who are looking for natural fibers. This way, we do something nice for our suppliers, and broaden our horizons.
Such fun thinking about these ideas.
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If I began running an online fabric store, I would start by writing a business plan, since I believe that one is the best way to succeed.
As I imagine what the store would be like, I think about businesses that I have run. I loved making or buying things that I loved, and sharing them with my customers. I would love to shop for fabrics to share, and develop a network for getting the best quality for the best prices.
I would have a team that would make up samples from the fabrics, to inspire customers so they could see what we see when we choose the fabrics. Each sample would be for sale.
I would have fun producing tutorials that are inspired by the fabrics. For example, if we got in some beautiful batiste, we might do a tutorial on heirloom sewing. If we got a hold of great faux furs, we might do a tutorial on how to make great seams.
Yes, we would sell notions so our customers could get everything for their projects in one place. Our customers would be using our fabrics for garments, quilting, multimedia arts, sculpting...
We wouldn't carry equipment. We would occasionally host representatives from the various equipment companies so our customers could get expert guidance. We might do panel discussions about sewing machine features, and other forums that help sewists make decisions. These companies could advertise through our website as long as they treat our customers well.
I would reach out to other online fabric stores to share our resources. For example, one might find a heap of coating, but that store might be in a warm climate. Another might find a crazy deal on synthetics, but have customers who are looking for natural fibers. This way, we do something nice for our suppliers, and broaden our horizons.
Such fun thinking about these ideas.
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2025 goals:
50 yard dash (1 yard per week)
2025 Contest goals:
February Border Prints: 2 prs pants
April What Was I Thinking stash dive
May Surprise Sprint
June Dynamic Duos
July Embellishments: for heavy wool knit sweater
August Recycling/Upcycling
September Lined Jacket: to replace a fave RTW
November PJs
December Review Past Project: self-drafted projects
50 yard dash (1 yard per week)
2025 Contest goals:
February Border Prints: 2 prs pants
April What Was I Thinking stash dive
May Surprise Sprint
June Dynamic Duos
July Embellishments: for heavy wool knit sweater
August Recycling/Upcycling
September Lined Jacket: to replace a fave RTW
November PJs
December Review Past Project: self-drafted projects
Posted on: 11/28/15 11:45 PM ET
In reply to CityChik
I'd be fairly boring and sell fabrics suitable for everyday menswear -- you know, the stuff they're willing to wear and only needs a washer and dryer and maybe an iron for upkeep. I do a lot of sewing for my husband, and there's no way I'm going to get him into glitter stretch denim, or a boucle knit sweater. So I'm always looking for good quality cotton or cotton blend twills or pants and jacket weight poplins in beiges, olives, navy, etc, high quality cotton knits or shirtings in fairly sedate patterns, etc. Occasionally, I can interest him in technical fabrics like wicking polys.
Why, yes, when I can find 60" wide tan cotton twill on a roll, I will buy 50-100 yards.
Why, yes, when I can find 60" wide tan cotton twill on a roll, I will buy 50-100 yards.
Posted on: 11/29/15 8:53 AM ET
I think if you want to be sucessful right now, you would have to go quilting fabrics. I'm not a big fan of buying apparel fabrics online. It's more important to feel them. But good quilting cottons pretty much feel the same and not likely to be right up against your skin. Opening a fabric store whether online or a brick and mortar is a huge undertaking beacuse of the amount of money you need to put out just for inventory, not to mention where your going to store it. You might be better going the brick and mortar cos a lot of loans and incentives are availbe for minority businesses (woman owned). And then there is insurance, advertisting, taxes. And pricing.
Posted on: 11/29/15 9:29 AM ET
Where I live, I wouldn't do online, I'd go B&M. Its 100 miles to anything besides JA's, and 200 to anything besides Hancock for garment fabrics. Population is around 2 million so there's plenty of market potential. Quilting and Home Dec fabrics are well represented already.
All of that said, someone tried a B&M a few years ago and it failed miserably. She rented space in one of the most expensive upscale areas, and had virtually no sewing expertise ( quoted in local newspaper coverage). Fabric selection was so poor that bottom weight twills ( 6 choices in total) were only stocked in white and neon colors - pink, green, blue, yellow, etc. You really have to know what you're doing.
The great advantage to online, is that it can be run out of a spare room or a garage. Costs can be contained and addional stock can be determined from customer feedback. I wouldn't bother unless I had access to quality fabrics at a decent price from a reliable jobber. This would be a difficult relationship to forge in many places.
All of that said, someone tried a B&M a few years ago and it failed miserably. She rented space in one of the most expensive upscale areas, and had virtually no sewing expertise ( quoted in local newspaper coverage). Fabric selection was so poor that bottom weight twills ( 6 choices in total) were only stocked in white and neon colors - pink, green, blue, yellow, etc. You really have to know what you're doing.
The great advantage to online, is that it can be run out of a spare room or a garage. Costs can be contained and addional stock can be determined from customer feedback. I wouldn't bother unless I had access to quality fabrics at a decent price from a reliable jobber. This would be a difficult relationship to forge in many places.
Posted on: 11/29/15 9:47 AM ET
If I started my own online fabric store, I'd go out of business in 3-4 years like those others. I'd by fabrics that I adored, and not likely what most people want and what sells by the acre. I'd go out of business, but oh, the stash I would then have! 
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Little strokes fell great oaks. On the other hand, go big or go home!
Projects completed in 2024: 3 pairs gloves. Four pairs of jeans. Five custom tarps. A dozen linen hankies. A wool wrap for a friend. Four linen bath towels and 24 washcloths. Two bed pillows.
38.5 yards of fabric out.
Projects completed in 2024: 3 pairs gloves. Four pairs of jeans. Five custom tarps. A dozen linen hankies. A wool wrap for a friend. Four linen bath towels and 24 washcloths. Two bed pillows.
38.5 yards of fabric out.
Posted on: 11/29/15 9:49 AM ET
In reply to kayl
So where are you finding the cotton knits in sedate patterns? Do tell!
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Little strokes fell great oaks. On the other hand, go big or go home!
Projects completed in 2024: 3 pairs gloves. Four pairs of jeans. Five custom tarps. A dozen linen hankies. A wool wrap for a friend. Four linen bath towels and 24 washcloths. Two bed pillows.
38.5 yards of fabric out.
Projects completed in 2024: 3 pairs gloves. Four pairs of jeans. Five custom tarps. A dozen linen hankies. A wool wrap for a friend. Four linen bath towels and 24 washcloths. Two bed pillows.
38.5 yards of fabric out.
Posted on: 11/29/15 10:48 AM ET
Great and interesting replies so far!
I do agree that anyone who would want to run this kind of business had better know a good deal about fabrics, sewing, and customer service. You can always hire someone to do the technical part of running the website.
I love reading the different wants and needs and fantasies of others while I dream up my own! This is all theoretical - I am not thinking about doing it myself - I daydream about various business ideas all the time. Last one was an art gallery, time before that was... oh, I don't want to bore anyone. I have too many interests! But I am really enjoying buying fabric and visiting certain smaller fabric sellers' websites. They each have their own personalities!
Please add more ideas, this is fun to read. Thanks.
-- Edited on 11/29/15 at 10:51 AM --
I do agree that anyone who would want to run this kind of business had better know a good deal about fabrics, sewing, and customer service. You can always hire someone to do the technical part of running the website.
I love reading the different wants and needs and fantasies of others while I dream up my own! This is all theoretical - I am not thinking about doing it myself - I daydream about various business ideas all the time. Last one was an art gallery, time before that was... oh, I don't want to bore anyone. I have too many interests! But I am really enjoying buying fabric and visiting certain smaller fabric sellers' websites. They each have their own personalities!
Please add more ideas, this is fun to read. Thanks.
-- Edited on 11/29/15 at 10:51 AM --
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