Name of your website?ShopMaineMade.com
Your name?
Amber Lavalley and Deb Lavalley-Bridges
Your Location (city, etc)
Lubec, Maine
Please give us a short summary of your website?
We are a safe and secure online shop featuring the work of Maine artisans and craftspeople.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
Mainly the desire to be entreprenuers, have control over our own circumstances, and to showcase the incredible talent found in our great state.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
This is our first, launched on February 18, 2008.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
We wanted a name that clearly states where we are from and what we are doing. ShopMaineMade.com says it well.
What makes it different from other, similar offerings?
An awesome variety of items, all hand-crafted and unique from Maine. We also have the staples people expect to be able to get from Maine - world famous Raye's mustard, Maine maple syrup, sea salt, sea glass, and more.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
We hope to run and keep our business growing for as long as possible. We enjoy the work and the great people we get to meet and do business with! Some possibilities include expanding our selection over all of New England, and possibly opening a seasonal storefront here in Lubec.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
Really too early to tell. Ask us in a year!
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
Add a few more features to the website, such as audio and video, high-end advertising, marketing strategies, and purchase more inventory.
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
With hard work and dedication we feel confident that we can handle most anything that comes our way. There are limits, as many of our offerings are one-of-a-kind, and turnaround time depends on many artists and their constraints.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
Some advertising costs have been surprising! Other than that, I think we were prepared for the costs we have incurred so far. Major headaches came from market and industry research, and developing a business plan!
What has been your biggest challenge?
Reaching our target markets in a cost-effective way. Also, keeping the photography standards high and standardized.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
We'd have to say word-of-mouth. We've been fortunate to have friends and supporters willing to help spread the word about ShopMaineMade.com to their friends and relatives all over the world. We've had visits from 32 states, 5 Provinces of Canada, and 14 other countries in one month.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
The actual time between initial contact with an artist or craftsperson and the products appearing in the shop has been longer than we expected. Level of comfort with ecommerce has been a bit lower.
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
This business is our dream, our baby. If we are having problems with traffic, income or popularity we will come up with strategies and solutions to improve. We are in this for the long haul!
Who should visit ShopMaineMade.com and what is the benefit?
People who love Maine and would like to be able to get a piece of it from the comfort of their homes, wherever they are, any time of day should check out ShopMaineMade.com. Also, people who are looking for high quality, unique items for themselves or for gifts can keep their dollars in the local economy - not in the big boxes or China.
What is your website address?
ShopMaineMade.com
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