Running an online business like Laos Essential Artistry has many advantages, but what we do miss is person to person contact with our customers. What we sell on our site are much more than just products, they're like our own works of art, and when an order gets shipped off we always wonder what our customers think when they finally get to see the textile they've chosen in their very own hands. The one dimensional experience of seeing a textile on your monitor doesn't even begin to compare to holding in your hands and examining carefully. But, the Internet is the Internet... Maybe about 5% of our customers write back and let us know what they think, and thankfully people have always been more than happy. And when we have a customer place a second order right away (like a customer did when they just ordered a second Hmong Spirit People Cloth) we know we have a happy customer. The second cloth they bought can be seen above.
Plus, we know a lot of people browse through our Yahoo store and don't end up buying anything. Which is what we've expected and we put a lot of work into our copy to make our descriptions as educational as possible.
But when people browse we have no idea what most people think, but we got a response last night that helps make us feel we're doing the right thing:
"Hi there. I have just back from my first trip to Laos with my daughters, and we too just loved the textiles and the women who so patiently made the works of art. My only regret is that they don't innovate more with designs and products to make more contemporary items. As much as I love traditional scarves and cushion covers, there is a limit to how much even an enthusiast can buy. Your site is wonderful, and I loved spending a couple of hours browsing on it and sighing ... in admiration of the beauty. Well done. Hope your business grows and prospers."
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