20/08/2023
Not enough coffee in the world at the moment. ‼️I need to put online sales on pause for the time being.‼️I’ve been invited to open another in-person shopping experience at a different location, and I haven’t even finished setting up the first location. Health matters are still at hand with myself and my child. We’re beginning a new school year of privately educating which requires online classes from home and commuting for the rest of the classes. My social management job is at its peak season and I’m just barley over halfway where I need to be. And I had two bad experiences with Etsy last week that just left me in a bad state of mind. I began this vintage journey out of pure passion. I needed something to help me stretch my creative wings while I was in recovery. It’s just a bonus that I get to rescue things and find them new loving owners. But I can’t do it when it comes at a cost (to both my mental and physical health, but also to my wallet… not in this economy). When I sell online I barely break even most of the time. Something I pride myself in is when I’m researching the items I’m also price matching and make certain my items are the lowest (even if just by a dollar) to anything comparable online. When you take that into account, the money/time/gas/wear spent to source the items, the time spent cleaning items, researching items, taking photos, creating listings, playing customer service representative, social media guru, paying listing fees, paying taxes, buying packing supplies and the extra treats and printables I always include, time spent packing and going to the post office, and paying shipping and insurance fees… I end up making pennies on the hour. It’s true, you don’t get into this business to get rich. But I also can’t continue paying out of pocket to do it when I have a family take care of. I need to focus on my health first and foremost, then the social management job because that actually helps pay the bills, THEN comes the in person shops. If I have any spoons left after all of that, I will return to online sales. But for now, I have to just thank you for supporting and being here! P.S. Send more coffee! ☕️ Always more coffee. 😴
Edyn Sanders-Alcala