Saturday's Ungift Post

And the reason that this is an ungift post is that we're out of so much. I'm waiting until the new year (and after inventory) to restock. We need booklights and boxed cards and puppets and purses and puzzles and well, you name it. I would say our loose cards are in better shape than last year and well, I didn't run out of teddy bears.

In terms of holiday stuff, our boxed cards are still 50% off, but the ornaments and other holiday peripherals are now 75% off.  We tried to build our ornament business, but it turned out our increased inventory brought only a slight increase in sales. Felt ornaments were quite popular, as was a metal angel. Silly green reindeer and owls made out of gourds were both hits, as was a resin bird with a dangling ball ornament. And this resin pheasant we had sold so quickly that Amie was not able to get one.

On the other hand, a new line we brought in with a slightly higher price point was touch and go. The feather trees and ornaments didn't work. The brush kitties and critters and the ceramic origami crane had a fine sell through; the puppies, bears, and doves were duds.

So the cats had the last laugh over the dogs. But in retrospect, they were nicer looking. And like the napkins, it's sometimes just a question of minimums. We can sell this stuff, only not at the level of purchase the vendor required. Sometimes it's important to step back and say, "I like it, but that's too much."

On a positive note, we sold out of holiday gift wrap and tissue, so those are areas we might explore a bit more aggressively for 2012.

It's tricky maneuvering successes and failures.  But that's just part of the business.

Have a great new year.