So, the big idea for 2024 is to grow this small business without driving myself crazy! Right now my sales are mostly from in person markets, which I love doing and double as my socializing time. However, I do have a family that I like spending time with so I don’t want to work EVERY weekend. With that in mind I’ve been thinking about sales opportunities that do not require me to be present.
I’ve been slowly adding to my list of wholesale and consignment vendors and now have my pots for sale in 5 different shops in Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Peshastin and Roslyn.
I plan to be back at the Apple Blossom Festival again this year. It is an intense 4 days but always fun and fruitful. One multi day craft fair could take the place of several regular weekend markets. I am looking for a good one close to friends this summer.
The last piece to the puzzle for this year is online sales. When I started this business I thought I would have to sell online because I just didn’t know if the Wenatchee Valley really had a need/desire for pottery. I’ve been thrilled to discover that the need is there and that I actually love selling in person. However, I can’t deny the obvious appeal of reaching a broader audience without travel!
So these first weeks of the year I have been spending an inordinate amount of time on my computer, editing photos, making and managing listings, and coming up with a system for tracking products so that people get the one they bought! I’ve been learning about shipping and return policies, pondering how to source packing materials and breathing a big sigh of relief at learning that the platform will handle remitting sales taxes across states. They take a larger cut of the proceeds, of course, but that is to be expected.
It is with great excitement that I announce the grand opening of ArmbrustPottery on Etsy!!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArmbrustPottery
For now I am stocking the shop with just my small and tiny vases. Those are the products I am most confident that I can ship safely and efficiently. We’ll just have to see where things go from here.
So if you or your loved ones have a need for tiny pottery please stop by the shop and let me know what you think!
Armbrust Pottery 