Hello! Welcome back to the ongoing (although I am back-peddling a bit here) saga as I open and run my online vintage store!
First – if anyone wants to see the promised photos of Legally Blonde Costumes – here are the links. We were lucky to have some very talented photographers taking pictures! It was a great show, lots of fun, and lots of work.
So back to my store (after all, that is what this blog is about!)!
Step 2 - Research and planning. I started thinking about what I could do and how I would do it. I made notes and used a little bit of work time (not much, honestly, my conscience bothered me too much) when I should have been doing other things to look stuff up online. Mostly I made notes about stuff I needed to look up when I wasn’t working. I read success stories, I researched people who’d made it work and I read everything I could find about starting a successful online business.
This process jump-started a bit (I’m now looking at it as a plus, although I didn’t at the time) because I was working as a retail manager at the time and hurt my back, badly. I had to go on medical leave for several months. Turned out that my back was so messed up all of my doctors agreed I needed a different career. My physical limitations for a while gave me the perfect opportunity for spending hours online doing research and on the computer writing.
Step 3 – Choosing a name and filing paperwork with appropriate authorities. I am not a paperwork kind of gal, I freely admit. I hate it. Yet, the time I’ve spent in various business environments has made me realize that it has to be done and done right. I knew that I would be setting myself up for future problems if I didn’t go by the book. I spent hours and hours reading regulations, both state and federal (and I still can’t figure out the tax code – GRRR!).
I spent quite a while thinking about names and it was frustrating when I came up with a great one and someone else had come up with it first - which happened a lot. Whoever said there are no new ideas definitely knew what they were talking about, that’s for sure. I thought of original ones, bounced them off of a few people and Shelley’s Vintage Life & Design is what I ended up with. I’m happy with it. It’s not too complicated, pretty easy to remember and spell and it completely describes my business. My life is all about Vintage and Design. In fact, it’s a lot better than some of the early names I came up with that were already taken! So there you go, my business has a name – woo – hoo!
Filing out the paperwork wasn’t that bad. Once I figured out which direction I needed to go regarding company formation it was easy to download the forms. Then you just have to pay the money and file them with the state. So the easy part was almost over.
Step 4 – Finding an online provider. I spent some time thinking I was going to put up my own website and even bought a domain name. Then I realized how much time I was going to have to spend sitting at the computer figuring it all out. I could do it, no doubt, but I don’t want to. I hate doing it. I also hate sitting figuring out computer stuff for hours on end. So after a brilliant suggestion from a friend (thanks, Mel!), I decided to check out Etsy. I had looked at it before, but never spent much time there. Now I did. They do a whole bunch of the work for you, (although I still have to do plenty), which makes it much more manageable for the non-computer brain. Thank goodness I didn’t go the solo route!
Setting up the Etsy and Paypal accounts was really easy. In fact, I was actually confused because I expected it to be much more complicated – which was a nice surprise!
Not too much work you may be thinking, not bad at all. You’re right, so far it’s not too bad. However, that’s only the bare bones of the operation set-up. Now it’s time to fill it out. There is so much more to do. Inventory, which I already have an enormous amount of, has to be dealt with. It has to be catalogued, photographed and described in detail. Not a quick process and that is where Part 2 is going to stop. I tend to just keep going and realize I’ve completely shifted gears when everyone else in the room is nodding. Did I mention I get a little obsessive at times?
At any rate, thanks for reading my blog and thanks for checking out my online store! I hope you find something you love, I really do. That is my goal and my passion. I welcome any comments, questions and requests, please share your comments and thoughts!
I have been collecting Vintage since I was in High School without really knowing what I was doing. I just bought things I loved. Turns out most of it was Vintage and good stuff. I have good taste. No, I’m not tooting my own horn (ok, maybe just a little), just being honest. I really do give the credit for it to my Grandmothers - both environment and a genetic predisposition for recognizing quality and style, it really does run in my family.
When it comes to provenance (the timeline of an item, where it was made, why, who owned it, basically as much detail as you can get) I am so into it. If someone buys one of my items, I want them to love it. I want to tell the story of an item. I want to know everything I can about it. I love everything I buy, so selling it is kind of like losing a beloved friend. I make it even harder for myself by researching each item obsessively. I will look at fabric, stitching, catches and/or hinges on jewelry, maker’s marks and anything and everything else I can use to find out where, when and why an item was made. I research the company, find out when they started, where they did business, how they did business. I really want to know every detail and getting all this info can be pretty time intensive, but that's just how I roll. : )
Sometimes I’m lucky and know or am able to speak with the person selling the item. That’s pretty rare and it’s a huge bonus! Usually I’m reduced to research, which, fortunately, I’m really good at and I enjoy. It is time consuming, but I feel like it’s an essential part of what I’m doing. I see my job, as a Vintage Shop Owner, as part conservationist, part environmentalist and part trades-person. I am a firm believer in the whole “recycle, reuse, reduce” tagline. I see Vintage as a huge part of that.
So, if you're reading, thank you! Thanks for following my blog and thanks for checking out my store! Success or failure is ultimately going to come down to exposure, so please, find my page and like it on Facebook, visit my site and even if you don't find something that speaks to you keep checking back - it will have regular additions! Please pass it along to everyone you know - it's all about exposure!
Have a Vintage Day!
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