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Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Pondering a Change (and I need your help)

{Image via HGTV}
As I prepared to write this post, I found myself searching through old images on my computer. I came upon photos from the very first day that Dear Darling Vintage, the company Melissa and I used to have together, was open. In a few weeks it'll be 3 years since that pivotal day, and so much has happened in that time- 2 blogs, vending at 4 shows, countless logos and blog headers, at least 5 different business cards, meeting thousands of amazing people both in person and online, and a move to a new state.

My Urban Craft Uprising booth last summer.
When we decided to move to California so that the mister could pursue his PhD, I had no idea what it would mean for Gather and Hunt. I knew I'd need a 'regular' job with a steady income to support us, and that might mean putting G&H on the back burner for 4 years. Having been here for seven months now, that 'regular' job still hasn't come (though not for lack of trying), and while I've tried to keep improving the blog, the G&H shop has been in limbo (aka plastic bins stashed in every spare closet space we have), and I've been pondering what to do about it all.


Over the last month or so, I've landed on the idea of taking the G&H shop online. While I do hope to shift my focus to interior and photo styling in the future, I still have a great inventory of vintage goods just waiting for new homes, and having a shop gives me a legitimate excuse to indulge my love of scouring thrift stores and estate sales.


So here's where you come in- as I weigh all my options, I could use some feedback. Do you buy vintage from online shops? If not, why? Would you prefer to see a G&H only shopping site, or a G&H Etsy shop? I really value the opinion of my readers, and will take your input into consideration, so please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Thanks!

3 comments:

  1. I don't buy a lot of vintage online myself, but only because I have my own vintage shop and love scouring estate sales / flea markets / thrift stores myself in person for both me and my shop. However, I do look online for special pieces that I can't find myself. I absolutely love your styling and think your vintage pieces would sell well online if styled to show different display suggestions. Shipping charges can be tough though, especially for heavy pieces. Best of luck in whatever direction you choose!

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  2. Sadly, I also tend not to buy many vintage items, most likely because I'm not spending enough time looking for something that really fits my sense of style which tends to be new, new, new (and ultimately wasteful I suppose). However, looking at the current posts pictures, I could do with a few extra pairs of scissors as I have been contemplating have some more on hand. I do enjoy looking to see if there are things I may find beautiful or useful. I have purchased a bag of yours and wouldn't mind another one or two of them in the future. I do think you should give the shop a go, perhaps on Etsy.

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  3. Here are my 2 cents as a fellow seller:
    1. Traffic on Etsy is SO SO SO diluted lately. There are just so many vintage sellers (most of whom don't respect reasonable pricing) that you really only sell if you have something very specific. I would suggest you open your own e-commerce site and market it as its own special thing.
    2. Shipping has gotten so prohibitively expensive that its been hard to sell some heavier items online because people don't want to pay upwards of 50% of the cost of the item just on shipping. Its been really frustrating for us.

    You have SUCH great taste, though, I'm sure whatever you do will be super fantastico.

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I love getting notes and comments from you! Feel free to share your own blog or website so I can see what you're up to!

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