Dear Rodinhooders,
Thank you so much for allowing me to showcase my handicrafts e-commerce initiative CraftsNation. Now I am here again to ask for your valuable suggestions rather answers to my questions regarding the wellbeing of www.craftsnation.in.
It is rightfully said that Start up=Sales=Profit, everything else is secondary ( learned it from a fellow rodinhooder :-))
So here are the things that I want you guys to suggest me on
1.I am the one man army behind www.craftsnation.in, and started its operation entirely self-funded in January 2014. As it’s completely self-funded I started CraftsNations activity as a drop shipper to minimize my initial investments and to provide authentic Indian handicrafts at the lowest possible rates across the internet. Started a Facebook page, a Twitter handle and a thread in Pinterest updating about new product arrivals, promos and discounts, offers on special occasions etc. but as I expected there was no sale in January.
2. February was the month I decided to double the number of displayed products from just about 70 to 150.Got my 30th “Facebook like” on CraftsNations Page, but no sales.
3. In March I decided to create awareness about the brand “CraftsNation” as electronic media Ads were beyond my reach and print ads in Newspapers won’t be of much help, I decided to reach out to the real customers and participated in a number of handicrafts exhibitions and trade fairs, unexpectedly the response I got was really encouraging. Made my first ever sale of handicrafts under the CraftsNation banner. I utilize those exhibitions to exchange cards and started writing down contact details and emails of each and every visitor to my stall.
4. April started with a positive note. I got my first ever online order of Terracotta and Dokra Jewelry worth Rs.10K from a single customer, and stared sending across emails and sms to the visitors from the exhibitions.
5. Got my first ever sale from one of my Facebook fans of Kantha Stitch Saree in May ’14.But total sales was as negligible as Rs.7000 with 5 nos.
6. June 2014,the total number of products at CraftsNation now is 200, and was really struggling to develop quality content for my store as I have to do everything from contacting the artisans, visiting them , making them understand the work model, taking the photographs, editing them, uploading, doing the SEO, writing the contents all by myself. But unfortunately due to lack of fund could not hire someone to develop content /blog for my site or to look after the SEO , and stared looking for other avenues to generate sales like contacting the wholesale buyers /exporters of handicrafts and approached The EPCH(Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts) to support CraftsNation. But exporting handicrafts seems to be again something an activity which requires fund! Number of items sold in June via www.craftsnation.in just Rs.5000, with 2 nos. Continuing with sending emails and sms to the prospects and social media uploads.
7. July ’14, increased the total number of artisan from 2 in January to 12 with a total number of products at 249. Regularly posting product updates, promos, in Facebook, with a total fan follower of 72.Not at all happy with the numbers, unfortunately zero sales.
Now I request all my fellow Rodinhooders to come forward and extend me with your inputs / suggestions and or any kind of help to sell these amazing and age old tradition of Indian handicrafts both online and offline and help www.craftsnation.in survive.