Working hard to improve our jewellery website! Want to put a smile on all our customers faces!

I found an interesting Press Release about Costume Jewellery

I was looking through some press releases and stumbled upon this one, which is quite interesting! Here is the link http://tiny.cc/7uHNf but as I'm short on time I thought I would also include it in my blog today.

New Costume Jewellery Website Launched in the UK (seasonsonline.co.uk)

Our new ground breaking website was launched in November 2008 offering quality costume jewellery to both public and trade at good honest low prices.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan 23, 2009 – Our e-commerce costume jewellery & fine jewellery website launched in November 2008 in Sunderland and we thought it was about time we shared this with the world as we think it's really quite special. This press release is for all the girls, women & ladies that told us what they wanted from a jewellery website, and to let you all know that we listened to what you said and have worked really hard to deliver, and finally here it is http://www.seasonsonline.co.uk/. You said that you wanted to be able to buy an outfit and not have to think about the extra expense of over priced accessories. After all, costume jewellery is supposed to be fun fun fun! Fine jewellery such as Gold & pearls can be a life long investment so you would always expect to pay more for it, but you will be pleased to know that we are now also offering pearl and gemstone jewellery at prices that I'm sure you will agree are unbeatable. One of the concerns you mentioned is that you are worried about losing expensive jewellery on a night out, and would be far happier to lose something that didn't cost the earth!- BUT, you wanted to know why there isn't anywhere to buy great quality costume jewellery at cheap prices on the internet. Yes, sure you can buy cheap jewellery from large high street stores, but as you might have guessed, it is mass produced and the quality is very poor! You also wanted to know why shops can offer huge 70% sales on jewellery accessories! Well, that's because it's greatly over priced in the first place. We have answered this question by simply offering "Good honest prices" in the first place. No messing around! You wanted unique high street styles to give you individuality and flare and our response to this is a reassurance that our jewellery is NOT mass produced and we change our products regularly, keeping in line with current fashion trends. So, in a nutshell we believe we have just about answered all the questions you put to us. For the 1000's of women that helped contribute in building this site, we thank you for your help and are now pleased to be able to hand it back over to the British public. Now you can shop harder for your clothes on the high street, then sit down & relax at home with a cup of tea to choose your jewellery accessories. So, from all at www.seasonsonline.co.uk we wish you a GREAT 2009 and we want you to know that You will always receive a warm welcome at our store and we firmly believe in great service and putting our customers first! Please also remember this one message that was created specifically for you by YOU, "Expensive branding is over rated, quality speaks entirely for itself".

I just can't think who would have published such an article? Can you? Maybe it was just another worry wart male costume jewellery seller!!?

A More Serious Blog Today!

Girls, women & ladies we listened to what you wanted & we promised we would deliver! We have, and here it is www.seasonsonline.co.uk.
You said that you wanted to be able to buy an outfit and not have to think about the extra expense of over priced accessories. After all, costume jewellery is supposed to be fun fun fun! Fine jewellery such as Gold & pearls can be a life long investment, so you would always expect to pay more for it. However, you told us that you would be worried if you lost it on a night out, and would be far happier to lose something that didn't cost the earth!- BUT, you wanted to know why there isn't anywhere to buy great quality costume jewellery at cheap prices. Yes, sure you can buy cheap stuff from large high street stores, but as you might have guessed, this jewellery is mass produced and the quality is very poor!
You also wanted to know why shops can offer huge 70% sales on jewellery accessories! Well, that's because it's greatly over priced in the first place. We have answered this question by simply offering "Good honest prices" in the first place. No messing around! You wanted unique high street styles to give you individuality and flare. We also answered this, because our jewellery is NOT mass produced and we change our products regularly, keeping in line with current fashion trends.
So, in a nutshell we believe we have done our best to answer all the questions you put to us. For the 1000's of women that helped make this site what it is today, thank you. Now you can shop harder for your clothes on the high street, then sit down & relax at home with a cup of tea to choose your jewellery accessories. So, from all at www.seasonsonline.co.uk we wish you a GREAT 2009 and remember, "Expensive branding is over rated, quality speaks entirely for itself".

The Market. Packed with Personality. Part 1

I remember back to our first day of trading at South Shields market. Unlike the glamorous appeal that can be seen in this photo, it was a dull rainy Monday, my wife (Fay) was pregnant and there wasn't a sole in sight! Just shows how naive we were to think that a Monday would be a good day to start selling costume jewellery.

I remember the excitement and anticipation we had felt the day before, and we had spent hours going through dress rehearsals of exactly how each individual item would be laid out on the table. I had even gone to the extent of drawing up a plan view of the stall and writing a roster of events, giving a minute by minute account of how the days activities would pan out. Of course, me being me I had a little bit of stress going on, my heart rate was definitely up, and even though it was only April there was an evident glistening coming from the beads of sweat running down my brow.

It was 4pm on the day before and surely everything was in place for the big event. Anyhow, this is what I was telling the subconscious part of my brain at the time. I mean, we had organised our "Public Liability" insurance with the NMTF (National Market Traders Federation). - Surprisingly this is the only necessary requirement to start trading at a market, and it is relatively inexpensive at around £80 for a years cover. - Hint hint, for anyone considering a future in this line of business. However, after you have read this you might well change your mind! Anyway as I was saying, everything was in place and the insurance was done, our little Tupperware boxes were neatly packed with our various products, I had hand written all the little prices on bits of paper, we had our covers for the stall made from old vintage curtains given to me by my Nana, AND I had even topped up my car with fuel just to ensure there were no hiccups on the way!....THEN it hit me like a Harry Hill punch line and I gasped, "Aaah Fay. The bluddy Phone Charms". Fay looked at me with the kind of bemused and couldn't give a damn expression someone gives to a person that doesn't need any speech to follow. "How we going to display the charms" I said in a voice that gained in pitch like the climax to an El Divo concert. (I would just like to add at this point that "Yes" I have always had a bit of a squeaky northern voice at times, and "Sure" some people have said that I am in touch with my feminine side, but I will always be adamant that I'm completely straight and can only put these personality traits down to being brought up around women. Mind you, it is very annoying considering my 6 feet 4 inches frame and the fact I have always wanted to consider myself as a bit of a "Del Boy", and more often than not get labelled as "Rodney".).

I've gone off track a little here, but to get back onto the topic that had arisen over the phone charms, I had realised that we didn't have anything to display them on. You may be thinking "What's the big deal here?", but you must remember that four years ago phone charms were quite a new fad and I wanted things to run as smoothly as possible, and strongly believed that every man, women, boy, girl & their dogs would all want one of these things and especially tomorrow. Without hesitation I straddled down the back yard and bundled myself into the car. I was going to sort the problem, I had to think on my toes, I had to save the day, I had to decide where the hell I was going as it was 4:30 pm, and where better to go than to head to....Wilkinsons!! I mean they've got everything there haven't they, and they were certain to have your average market phone charm display unit hiding somewhere on the 3rd floor. Weren't they?

Well, I wont bore you all by giving you a full run down on how the shopping trip went, but I will say that I walked around Wilkinsons with all the grace of a little ball bearing being flung around in one of those hand held maze games you get in Xmas crackers! BUT,after a bit of flapping around I had done it....I had purchased the perfect item. I knew Wilkinsons was the place to go, and I knew they would sell "Market phone charm display units". I handed over the money to the check out girl and couldn't help but feel a glowing sense of self satisfaction deep inside, it was a proud moment for me embarking on my new adventure, and I picked up.... the clothes horse and placed it under my arms as I marched out of the shop. Fay was going to be impressed.....

The famous "Mobile Phone Charm Display Unit" with each individual charm lovingly hung by hand, and the same unit used for 4 years I might add.

I knew it was going to take some doing to get this thing ready for the morning, but I had a plan. I arrived home, and like a peacock boasting its feathers proudly presented Fay with her solution to our problem. "I have a job for you" I muttered to her with a sense of excitement. She gave me the same bemused look that she had given me earlier and with a reluctant motion of her arm picked up the bag of phone charms. "I need a shower after all that hard work" I said with an unusually deepened voice and could sense that this was the start of a great business relationship.

Nothing Beats a Good Car Booty - Except a Market

So then, that's Xmas & new year out of the way which is a bit of a shame because I was enjoying my week of not having to really worry about anything business related! I had said to Fay that I just wanted us all to switch off for a few days, then we could worry about what needed to be done in 2009.


I should have posted something on here long before now, but to be honest I saw it as a waste of time because I noticed that not a single sole has even bothered signing up to this fascinating blog. There's how many billions of people on planet earth and what have I managed to attract?- 5 blooming people! Yes, that's right 5 hits, and they were probably all mine. There I go again with my pessimistic self. Anyway, don't worry folks, I'm back and I'm gonna bore the hell out of you all!- Well, at least myself. I'm starting to feel like that teenager who wrote his own diaries, what was he called again?- That's right, Adrian Mole! Well, I will certainly be happy if I get as many hits as he sold of his blinking book!!

Anyway, I guess I should get back on track otherwise I might lose the attention of my audience! Remember I was telling you about the whole jewellery thing?- (ah, I had to sneak in a secret link in the hope that no one would notice). Wouldn't want people accusing me of spam!! So, back to the action and my beautiful wife and I had just embarked on our car boot sale adventure selling exquisite costume jewellery at nice little prices.

Most of you will have been to a car booty at some time in your lives I'm sure, so you will understand that they aren't the most glamorous or hygienic places in the world. Well, never mind because I had an in genius way of avoiding the use of the public convenience and it worked well:-

I know, it's not that funny, but come on give me a chance, I'm trying!!! BUT,-Can you imagine our exquisite jewellery.......

HERE.....

It just made me feel like there must be better things in life than flogging our gorgeously stunning, beautiful, shimmering, delicious, exquisite, divine & new jewellery - at our local flea market!!

Sooo, my wife and I decided to have a board meeting, and here's the minutes of that meeting.

• (WIFE) Baby, do you think that went well?
• (ME) Yeah honey, that was a real adrenaline rush! We only sold a handful of items and scooped £80! Just imagine if we could sell to a better level of clientele.
• (WIFE) Maybe we should get a business plan, go to the bank, get some money & open up a high street shop. (my wife always has a simple view of how things actually work)
• (ME) I KNOW! - Maybe we can go up a level! Yes, that's what we'll do....sell at the markets!
• (WIFE) YEAH! We will do it.....we WILL be rich....we WILL get our own house.
• (ME) Can I get a fast car and a PS3?

And that's how our business progressed. We believed that we had come up with a new idea and that we had something really special going on! As far as we were concerned, we had managed to buy a necklace for 50p and sell it for £9. We had bought earrings for 15p and flogged them for £5. YES, as far as we were concerned, we were going to be millionaires! We had only taken £80, but that was just a handful of sales at a local booty. Imagine what could happen at a MARKET!!! We would be raking in the money........surely!