http://www.kivaonline.net/cgi-bin/blosxom.cgi American Indian Arts Authenticity & Cultural Property Discussion from a Small Retail Perspective en http://www.kivaonline.net/cgi-bin/blosxom.cgi/2007/08/07#8-06-07 <p>I've begun getting rid of links and files that no longer do anything on our site -- the new site, www.kivaonline.net is devoid of clutter right now, but as I look over the directories and files on www.kivatrading.com, it's clear, that you can really make a lot of garbage in 10 years! I found old frame html files! I found old images of items long sold! I found old, verbose explanations of services we no longer offer -- in short, a lot of server-clogging junk. <p>Regular online visitors will notice that we're removing our non-Ebay catalog pages, and I want to reassure everyone that as we dive into the online sales operations, and refine our product offerings, we may return to some actual sales offerings right on our original site, but I want to give the new Eaby Store a solid year to see how it all shakes out. We've notied, right off the starting line, that our most popular items in the gallery -- handmade earrings -- do not sell very well online. We'll need to increase our exposure and inventory to see if they nned to be dropped. In the mean time, we'll begin seriously building the online inventory after September 1st, as we close our B&M doors. I've also found that cuff bracelets are the leading item online. We have been able to do some custom fitting from information our customers have given us to allow us to give them a great, comfortable fit. There is a "guide" we've written on our Ebay Store, called "A guide to the fit and maintenance of cuff bracelets can be really useful to cuff wearers and buyers. Check it out.<p>A reminder for our long-time customers and visitors -- please refresh your web links to our site pages -- changes to our site may not be reflected on your existing links! Thanks for your patience through this transition. We promise a better experience in our online store and on our informational sites as well. http://www.kivaonline.net/cgi-bin/blosxom.cgi/2007/08/03#8-3-2007 Today, I'm testing the waters on KivaOnline's new blog -- After more than 22 years in Mom&Pop retail: shows, fairs and bricks&mortar, transitioning to a 100% online operation is not without its anxiety!<p> We've had our website up since 1996 -- 11 years -- but have only actually transacted sales from it since February of this year. The results have been encouraging enough to give us the idea to close the Main Street gallery.<p> So.... after all my years of expressing my beliefs about the value of Main Street commerce, and how small town retailers need to stick together, I've become part of the problem. The problem is that it is difficult to impossible for small-scale, niche market retailers to turn profits from a bricks and mortar operation alone. A lot of retailers we know have adopted a combination of b&m and online sales to keep even with past years' sales. We know. We did it for many years.<p> As a result, customers -- collectors -- get the short end of the stick, as is usual. Since most small operations are either folding up or moving online, the average person interested in American Indian handmade arts will find a smaller and smaller circle of choice when it comes to finding items. Especially if they want to have the opportunity to actually take an item in hand and feel it's weight, see how light plays across the surface -- in short, experience the item before making the purchase decision. We have found that our online customers are usually pretty savvy when it comes tot he work, so they familiarize themselves with artists, techniques and levels of quality associated with price-points. It's a smart investment of time that pays off for both the customer and the retailer.<p> It also means that a retail merchant's reputation is going to be very, very valuable. We've worked very hard to keep our customers coming back, and can recall several families where we have sold to the grandchildren of the original customers. Seeing them come through the door and catching up on how the fgamily is doing is one of the things I'm going to miss, but paying out the huge pile of overhead from a shrinking opile of income...that stress is something I hope I eventually forget. We'll see how Kiva moves into the future, but from where I'm writing this, it looks better than it did in February!