Why my custom orders are on the rise

When I started Inside Out Oatcakes I expected that the majority of what I made would go in the Etsy shop and be sold there. Naïvely, I assumed people would prefer to see the finished item before buying it. Instead, my shop sales have been minimal and custom direct orders have been steaming ahead! Looking back, it should have been obvious that would happen.

Custom made toddler skirts 

Buying ready-made, off-the-peg items will pretty much always be cheaper and more convenient from a high street shop, whereas small makers and sellers like myself offer something unique. My lovely customers don’t mind waiting a bit longer for delivery if I make something to measure or spend time sourcing the perfect fabric and patches for them. Presents for children are the number one request I receive, with bibs, bags, and skirts all proving popular. Again, this shouldn’t be surprising: personalised gifts to children become treasured keepsakes that are passed down through generations, and when engaging a small maker, you know they have been made with love right from the start.

Drawing design ideas from scratch 

I still keep the Etsy shop open, but more as an online shop window these days. Customers like to see what I’ve made and then use that as inspiration to request their own custom orders. Most importantly, I really love the whole process from getting a customer brief, helping to source materials, finalising patterns and designs, and then making and delivering the items. Nothing beats the feeling of good customer feedback – you can’t mass produce that.

All blog content and photos are Copyright of Charisse Sayers Proofreader & Copywriter www.charisse-sayers.com I welcome all feedback and would love to know your thoughts so please get in touch, comment, share, like and generally get involved – you can also find me on Etsy at ‘Inside Out Oatcakes’, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!