The power went out so I did what every self-employed person should do, I went shopping for my next product. I have a pretty good idea what it is, so I am trying to find out if it already exists, and of course if it does, then I can go on to something else. No point in reinventing the wheel.
I also want to find out, if it does not exist, do the retailers think it is a good idea? If I can pull together enough feedback from enough stores to warrant getting samples, then I will. What is "enough?" Well, the more the merrier. I will leverage named retailer feedback regarding my idea into supplier interest in risking the time and efforts to make samples of my idea, with the proviso I will take the samples back to those very stores to see if I can get enough orders to cover the suppliers minimum requirement. But I get ahead of myself.
The very process of first walking straight into the stores I would expect to buy from me gives me all sorts of insights. The item in this case is a sweater. I've already gone through Nordstrom, talked to a top producing salesperson for about 20 minutes as we looked for options. He argued I was not going to find such a sweater as I was trying to find. Also, 30 years in the biz and he had never heard of such a sweater. So far so good. And he signed off with "if you find such a sweater, let me know..." Very good. I spent some time looking at the labels on various sweaters to get the RN numbers, in order that I might track back where various sweater vendors to Nordstrom get their sweaters.
So yesterday I went a-shopping. Brooks Brothers is not the market for this sweater, at least I did not think so. Since I have my suits and shirts tailored, which is more economical, I have not been in a Brooks Brothers for years. I was surprised at the range of clothes and the quality of the materials. The salesman eventually recommended REI to me (very good) but not before I got the RN numbers for Brooks Brothers suppliers. I did buy a calendar there, and as he was ringing me up he complimented me on my sweater. I looked at it, and realized how close my design was to the sweater I was wearing. this thing is 25 years old with patches. MY mother bought it for my father while in Ireland and I snatched it before he could get it, just like dinner time. I had not made the connection between my design and this sweater. Funny how associations form.
Next out the door I spied a new shop, selling cashmere sportswear. The wool is New Zealand, but the manufactury is China (mostly) and no go on the specifics of my request. Now this store would never buy from me, because everything is offers is their own brand. (Private label oppty?)
Lastly I went into Pendleton, which is USA's top brand for wool items. Some one needs to be fired at Pendleton. Although the wool is still the great USA stuff, they are assemblying in Mexico, no doubt one of the maquiladoras. The selling point of the maquiladora is cheap labor, and that they have. They also have poor quality, which shows up in the sewing. Anyone who bases a decision on cheap labor can expect disaster. China and Bengla Desh and India are farther and labor is as cheap, but China in particular wins the garment wars because of their cheap management. Pendleton would not be a customer (I thought they might) and I got RN numbers there too, if nothing else for factories to avoid.
I then went to Chinatown where I had an artisan create a gift for one of my kids. So I actually went shopping to buy something. Wow. So, if you ever had the idea you wanted to be "customer-employed" then take this opportunity while shopping this holiday season to start up your company where you must begin anyway: customers.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
I also want to find out, if it does not exist, do the retailers think it is a good idea? If I can pull together enough feedback from enough stores to warrant getting samples, then I will. What is "enough?" Well, the more the merrier. I will leverage named retailer feedback regarding my idea into supplier interest in risking the time and efforts to make samples of my idea, with the proviso I will take the samples back to those very stores to see if I can get enough orders to cover the suppliers minimum requirement. But I get ahead of myself.
The very process of first walking straight into the stores I would expect to buy from me gives me all sorts of insights. The item in this case is a sweater. I've already gone through Nordstrom, talked to a top producing salesperson for about 20 minutes as we looked for options. He argued I was not going to find such a sweater as I was trying to find. Also, 30 years in the biz and he had never heard of such a sweater. So far so good. And he signed off with "if you find such a sweater, let me know..." Very good. I spent some time looking at the labels on various sweaters to get the RN numbers, in order that I might track back where various sweater vendors to Nordstrom get their sweaters.
So yesterday I went a-shopping. Brooks Brothers is not the market for this sweater, at least I did not think so. Since I have my suits and shirts tailored, which is more economical, I have not been in a Brooks Brothers for years. I was surprised at the range of clothes and the quality of the materials. The salesman eventually recommended REI to me (very good) but not before I got the RN numbers for Brooks Brothers suppliers. I did buy a calendar there, and as he was ringing me up he complimented me on my sweater. I looked at it, and realized how close my design was to the sweater I was wearing. this thing is 25 years old with patches. MY mother bought it for my father while in Ireland and I snatched it before he could get it, just like dinner time. I had not made the connection between my design and this sweater. Funny how associations form.
Next out the door I spied a new shop, selling cashmere sportswear. The wool is New Zealand, but the manufactury is China (mostly) and no go on the specifics of my request. Now this store would never buy from me, because everything is offers is their own brand. (Private label oppty?)
Lastly I went into Pendleton, which is USA's top brand for wool items. Some one needs to be fired at Pendleton. Although the wool is still the great USA stuff, they are assemblying in Mexico, no doubt one of the maquiladoras. The selling point of the maquiladora is cheap labor, and that they have. They also have poor quality, which shows up in the sewing. Anyone who bases a decision on cheap labor can expect disaster. China and Bengla Desh and India are farther and labor is as cheap, but China in particular wins the garment wars because of their cheap management. Pendleton would not be a customer (I thought they might) and I got RN numbers there too, if nothing else for factories to avoid.
I then went to Chinatown where I had an artisan create a gift for one of my kids. So I actually went shopping to buy something. Wow. So, if you ever had the idea you wanted to be "customer-employed" then take this opportunity while shopping this holiday season to start up your company where you must begin anyway: customers.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
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