If You Build it, Will They Come?
Amy Peters’ Studio opens online site for retail sales
(PRWEB) June 28, 2005 -- When most independent designers open their online
sites for retail sales, they begin the waiting game. Waiting for visitors and
buyers, since most don’t have the large marketing budgets needed to make a web
site successful. When jewelry designer Amy Peters opened her online site to
retail sales, she was in a unique situation. The visitors were already at
Peters’ site, and they were waiting to buy her designs.
Nine years ago
when the Internet was still in its infancy, Peters created a web page as a
business-to-business marketing tool. At that time Peters had been selling her
jewelry to stores for just over a year and created a web presence to keep in
contact with the stores that carry her designs. As the Internet has grown in
popularity so has the Web site traffic to www.amypetersstudio.com.
The unique concept of Amy Peters’ jewelry designs that incorporate inspirational
messages and whimsical imagery, has created very devoted fans of her jewelry,
which in turn spawned Internet searches for her company name and visits to her
Web site from collectors of her jewelry.
In 2003 Peters’ Web site went
under its second major overhaul to include more company information and to show
off her entire collection. At that time Peters’ web programmer, who just happens
to be her husband, split the Web site into two distinct areas both retail and
wholesale. For wholesale visitors, there is a password-protected section
including a wholesale shopping cart, trade show information and sales tips.
The retail section includes a guestbook, which has become a favorite
spot where collectors can relay stories about how they have received their most
cherished Amy Peters’ Studio designs. With the guestbook entry visitor are given
the option to subscribe to the monthly newsletter. The newsletter is packed with
information about new designs and updates of which celebrities have been seen
wearing her designs, all written by Peters in her familiar conversational tone.
Subscribers to her monthly newsletter now number in the thousands and Peters
boasts newsletter open rates well over 50 percent on average, with click through
rates at 40 percent of those readers.
Soon after the Web site redesign,
Peters began getting many emails daily from customers wanting to purchase her
work online. In May 2005 Peters’ site went under another major overhaul to
include an online shopping cart for retail customers. Since then the site has
continued to receive regular traffic and increasing web sales. If early retail
sales figures are any indication, Peters expects sales will double and within a
year retail sales will account for 50 percent of her gross annual
sales.
Peters’ designs are created with quality and workmanship in mind
and are meant to be lasting keepsakes, so they make sentimental gifts for any
occasion. For those shoppers that are purchasing gifts, the staff at Amy Peters’
Studio will hand write a card including a personal message to the gift recipient
helping to relay the heartfelt meaning for their gift. And all shoppers at her
retail site are thrilled to receive their purchases in the signature Amy Peters’
Studio packaging making even personal splurges seem like very special gifts.
About Amy Peters’ Studio:
Peters’ designs are sold in over 700
boutiques, catalogs and galleries nationally. Her designs are regularly featured
in magazines including YM, People, Us Magazine, Tiger Beat, The Crafts Report,
Accessories and Working Woman.
The jewelry is often seen on television
and in movies, including "The OC," "Survivor," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and
the movie "Walking Tall." Her business advice is the basis for a regular column,
Ask Amy in the Crafts Business Magazine. Peters was honored with being chosen by
The Crafts Report magazine as one of "The 10 People to watch in American Craft
2005."
For more information contact:
Thom Jason Waldman
Marketing
& Sales Director
Amy Peters' Studio
Phone: 805-773-2750
Fax:
805-773-2989
http://www.AmyPetersStudio.com
Jewelry inscribed with
hopes, dreams and absolute truths...
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/6/prweb254390.htm