I was recently discussing some of the hot political issues in the needlework world (yes, I know, you can’t really imagine it being a hotbed of politics, can you?!) with someone. One of the perennial hot potatoes is the issue of selling single copies of things at a wholesale price to shops.
Why is this an issue? Well, many designers feel that if a shop is going to stock a product (design, chart, book, thread) that if they’re going to do it properly, they should be able to sell more than one, and that if they want the privilege of a wholesale discount, then they should commit to selling (usually) a minimum of three.
Its all to do with economies of scale. Its much easier and quicker (and therefore cheaper) to send off a single order of 20 products, than 20 separate orders of a single product, and therefore the larger quantity warrants the discount.
While I can understand this, my personal point of view is different. I think that its partly because I do not operate wholly within the needlework industry. I also am part of the publishing industry, because I am primarily a publisher (that’s where most of my income is from) though it just so happens that the focus of my publishing is needlework – which places me also within the needlework industry.
I regularly get calls from bookshops around Australia enquiring about various books of mine, wanting to buy a single copy for a customer who has come in asking for it. My opinion on this situation is that if there is a bookshop who is willing to place a special order with a publisher or supplier that they do not usually use (and that takes time and effort, and therefore $$) to keep their customers happy, then I am more than happy to supply them with the one book they require. In this day and age, its difficult to find a bookshop that will do special orders, and I want to encourage that kind of service by happily supplying to them.
Sure, it takes me more time, and effort to invoice, pack and send a “onesie”, but in the interests of good customer service, I’m going to do it. A sale is a sale.
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
I couldn’t agree more. I used to do the same when I ran a small embroidery business. I think your books would be a better multiple buy than kits, in fact, as people don’t all like the same designs, but stitch dictionaries and other such books have a much wider appeal.