Today's blog post is very wordy so you may feel the need to grab a cuppa before you start...........but we wanted to share some changes we will be making with you.
A great deal has happened in the craft market since we first
opened Snazzys. Trends have come and gone, huge amounts of innovative new
products have been developed, online shopping has seen huge growth and sadly,
too many independent stores both locally and nationally have decided to call it
a day.
We have always tried to stay at the forefront of our market,
but we don’t try to be all things to all people – we don’t have the space! We
are very much a specialist stamping store (albeit with a small number of scrapbooking ranges each month) and that isn’t going to change but,
we do periodically have to review the direction we are following, and most
importantly as a tiny business, how effectively we are using our somewhat
limited resources.
The very good news is that from mid Summer Don is going to
increase his working days from 3-4 to 5 each week which will make a tremendous
difference to the day to day running of the store.
More good news is that after not so many ups, and what feels
like way too many downs, the online store is almost ready to go. It will be
published gradually, a brand at a time over several weeks so we can be certain
each module works in the way we expect and any issues can be quickly addressed.
We are expecting this to take up a considerable amount of our time, not just to
get it launched but also in continuously maintaining the integrity and accuracy
of the information held to offer you, the customer, everything you need to make
straightforward purchases.
We have also decided to limit the number of events we will
exhibit at from 2103 and will focus on the more specialist stamping events such
as Artstamps in Scotland, England & Wales, HSNW at Port Sunlight plus BSSS
both at Ally Pally and the new venue at Kettering. This will mean a reduction
to nine events but unfortunately still nine weekends the store will be closed –
we do understand your frustration with this but as we can’t be in two places at
once for now it is just how it has to be.
One of the best decisions we have taken was the launch of
Snazzys own Design Team – it’s already almost a year since Gillian agreed to
co-ordinate the team, where does the time go - and I’m sure you will all agree
that she, along with Paula, Lesley, Astrid and Nicky have very generously
created amazing projects to give us our weekly fix of inspiration. If you don’t
normally pop by their blog please do, you will be stunned by the quality of
their projects, and whilst you are there, or when you are there if you are a
regular visitor, please take a moment to leave a little message for them to let
them know how much their work is appreciated.
Later this week we will have BIG news to share on the Design
Team, it will come in the guise of a beautifully formed, very talented package and
although I am thoroughly overexcited and struggling to keep this to myself, I’m
not going to tell you, but will allow Gillian to share the news with you over
at http://snazzysdesignteamblog.blogspot.com/
so keep an eye out!
Now as you’ve probably guessed, all this good news will be
balanced by some not so good.
As you will have seen on the website we have been reviewing
the way we use our workshop space and some really tough decisions have had to
be taken here. The biggest growth in our business has been seen in scheduled,
i.e. timetabled workshops, especially the new Tuesday evening slot and the all
day workshops, and in custom, i.e. developed to suit your group, workshops.
These will continue with five or six brand new workshops each month from Val
each, as always, containing new, original projects developed just for Snazzys
customers. We will also be introducing guest workshops as there is a limit to
how many new projects Val can develop each month and I’m sure you would welcome
some fresh faces too. Val will also continue to work with groups of four or
more to develop custom workshops to suit them. We will also continue with the
monthly Art Journalling Sundays - otherwise Val will never get her calendar
pages finished!!
Unfortunately what we can no longer resource, are all the
other current workshop activities, Make & Take Mondays, Thursday Tabletime,
Snazzy Scrapperz, Snazzy Starterz & Stepz. These activities have seen a
decline in numbers taking part and, whilst we are especially sorry to see
Tabletime go as we developed it over eight years ago, and have run either
weekly/ twice weekly sessions ever since, it is time for something fresh. We
have tried to explain the situation personally to all the customers who
regularly use the workshop for these activities but, if we haven’t caught up
with you, please accept our apologies.
We will also be very sorry not to see Sandra every Thursday as
she has looked after the daytime sessions for over four years and, as our
children have firmly been brought up to believe, she knows everything –
remember this Kait! I’m sure you will join me in thanking Sandra for all her
work over the years, so regularly above & beyond and a true support to both
us and Snazzys. We don’t expect her to become a stranger though, she above everyone
understands the coffee pot is always on.
In addition to the new online store the existing website
will be revamped over the next week or so to reflect these changes which will
be effective from 1 June. We will also be altering the opening hours somewhat
as customers have told us they would miss the late night shopping that the
Thursday Tabletime sessions have afforded them. So, we will take this into
account and balance a couple of later openings each week with a couple of
shorter days.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our
customers for their friendship, support, understanding and incredible patience
in the case of the online link lol!
We wouldn’t exist at all without you xx
Gosh! What a lot of news! Thank you for sharing it with us x
ReplyDeleteWishing you all the best! I look forward to seeing you again at Ally Pally - and before that at Newbury which is one of my favourites!
ReplyDeleteThe countdown has started already, look forward to seeing you there xx
DeleteI only have one thing to say 2103.. that's really thinking ahead ain't it lol I'm assuming you meant 2013 pmsl xxx Gotta love a good typo!
ReplyDeleteI'm honoured to be a part of your team and i'm sure your customers will understand the changes you need to make to stay a happy and healthy business xxx
Shopped with you at HSNW so looking forward to when your on-line shop is fully up and running.
ReplyDeleteAlot of news to take in, but most importantly as always you have the customer at the forefront of your difficult decisions, I am sure that your loyal customers will understand.
ReplyDeleteThank you both for giving me the opportunity to take the DT forward and work with such a talented & lovely team ... here's to much much more.
Can't wait for the online shop to launch so that everyone can see the huge amount of products that you stock:)
I am beside myself trying to keep the DT news under wraps ... not long now mwahhhhh. xx
Wow that was a long post. Thought for a horrible moment you were going to close, phew , glad not. Change is often good, hope to see you soon. x
ReplyDeleteHow I wished I lived a bit closer and could actually take part in some of the workshops you are still keeping going. Change is hard, there's no doubt about it, but I am sure this feels right. Can't wait for the online shop to open, and like always I feel hugely honoured to be part of your team. I am so glad you have decided to keep coming to Artstamps Scotland. Hope we get a date for it soon!!
ReplyDelete