UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: Peruvian Goods seller ALPACAANDMORE
Starting a new in 2009, is our 'spotlight' on a seller at www.specialistauctions.com.
As the moderator of the ESP dept, (Ethnic, Spiritual and Pagan), I elected to make the first interview of the year with the wonderful and friendly seller Oliver, of Alpacaandmore - one of the ESP's main contributors.
Oliver runs Alpacaandmore with his wife Giovi. They also trade under the name Alpakaandmore with a K for their German speaking audiences.
Meet Oliver:
Q:
Thank you Oliver for agreeing to be 'Under The Spotlight'. Please can you start by telling us about the type of items that you sell at specialistauctions.com. Do they, for example, differ at all from the items actually on sale in your shop in Peru? (ie.. for postal reasons)
A:
I sell typical Peruvian articles from the whole of Peru, all the articles that we sell are also available within our store - which is based in Lima.
We basically have two different kinds of product:
Modern Fashions: We knit under our own company label of Alpacaandmore. This was created by my wife Giovi, who studied design. Giovi is the creative part of the business, she is always having new ideas. Our *Alpaca pelt fashions, created and designed by Giovi, are unique worldwide and are only available via Alpacaandmore.
(*Alpaca are a domesticated species of South American camelid. They look a little like a small Llama and are valued for their fibre and used much like sheeps wool is. Further Alpaca information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpaca)
Meet Giovi:
Other lines are typical ethnic, handmade articles, with long Peruvian traditions.
Our rugs, carpets and knitted chullo hats are all made by hand, by small families in the Andean. Other products are handmade in the Jungles of Peru, for example the beautiful and unusual Huayurus seed necklaces.
You will find really unique products in our store, which grew slowly to become what it is today, a little Peruvian mall. Now we offer nearly 1000 typical products worldwide, to people who love something special, unique in fashion or simply wonderful for their home. It is really hard to explain about all of our items here, so the best thing is to come, visit us and enjoy! Our shop link is at the end of this blog.
The basic thought behind our products is Fair Trade, giving local families work and income.
Q:
How have you found the listing and sales process at the specialistauctions site?
A:
Initially, I was looking for a place online, where I could create a good trade platform to the UK, USA and Canada all together. This place I found in SA (specialistauctions), for me it is the perfect platform, with a top technical team behind it and great service.
The idea of having a Moderator for each category, I find great and so helpful. I've seen this in my Moderator Michelle. She helped me to find the right categories, then with sales key words and with time it became really an internet friendship.
Besides all this, I love the style of the forums, the friendly helpful people, with no harsh or negative words said. All is so positive and a different style to elsewhere, that I will say that SA is unique worldwide and believe me, I know a lot of platforms worldwide, where I also sell! SA is unique!
Q:
Are you a pro-active seller - looking for new ideas in which to tell the world about yourself? How do you market yourself online?
A:
I think to be active is a basic requirement these days, as a lot of different stores try to sell worldwide. I think success is found only if you actively promote your services and be better than the others!
Besides advertising catalogues, at this time social bookmarking is a very strong instrument to advertise with and find customers. I use for this, the site 'Ning' and more recently 'Tagged'. I work there with my product slideshows and play typical Peruvian music too. I write to people around the world and don't forget in each email to promote my stores!
I believe, that 75% of selling is advertising, and only 25% to increase the offers in store. Each day brings new users to the internet, so there is a never ending stream of possible customers.
However, advertising ends not with the selling! Advertising means also giving a perfect service, building trust with the customer, informing them about the sales process, offering the customer extra personal applications - as in being able to control a dispatch, or allow the possibility of direct contact.
I offer a daily phone time, via Skype, to cover questions or to inform customers about products. I have done this for some months and slowly it is starting that I get calls and questions almost daily. A lot of my customers love that they can write and know for sure that I will reply to them within the same day. I think that with online trading it is so important, that the customer never feels alone, that they never should be afraid to have paid for something and not get it. If you try to give your best in service and information, customers will quickly recognize this and come back!
Q:
What are your top three favourite products and why?
A:
That's a hard question, because I know the background of each article and the people who made it and they are ALL worthy! However, here are three.
1. Our handknitted Chullos (typical Alpaca wool Peruvian hats)
Knitted in Chivay, a very small town in the Andean, which is nearly 4000 metres high. There is a very small company there, just three families and everybody works with knitting. The people are very poor because there is nothing in the surrounding area. We found them three years ago, they had no electricity, nothing!
http://www.specialistauctions.com/auctiondetails.php?id=1259812
Giovi wearing a red, three tailed chullo
So, we started to work together, selling their chullos in our store in Lima and also via the internet. With the modern slogan of: 'Fair Trade', we have done this over the years, so that these families were able to build an income. They now have electricity and enough money that the kids are able to go to school daily!
They started last year with new ideas, Giovi, my wife, designed some caps, which you can also find in our store (smart ones for those with long hair or dreads), plus we found a wholesaler, who ordered over 500 pieces! That was money that these families earned normally over 6 months! As you can imagine, this was like Christmas for them! Maybe you are now able to understand why I cannot say..that this item or that, is my favourite, as all are with a story.
2. The necklaces made from Huyarurus seeds.
I found these in Juanjui, which is a small place in the middle of the Amazonas Jungle. The only way to get there is by boat over the Amazonas river. The people there are so friendly and invite us every time to stay in their houses. In this village we found the necklaces and started to sell them too. Now, we go there twice a year and buy from the people.
http://www.specialistauctions.com/auctiondetails.php?id=1222371
3. Of course the Pelt fashion, unique world wide.
We are very proud of it, because it needed a lot of tests and work until the fur was as soft and cosy as it is now. There were long nights of planning and creating of how to prepare the pelt, how to knit it and what models to design.
http://www.specialistauctions.com/auctiondetails.php?id=1153507
Giovi in a beautiful full length coat!
The background of this idea came about because every winter in the Andean, there often dies the Alpaca, which get frozen during the very cold nights. The Andean is 5000 metres high and the natural place where Alpacas live. In the wintertime, from May - October, some nights the temperature falls to - 25 yet days can increase to 20+.
Beforehand, the local farmers only made rugs with the pelts. This gave us the idea to create a unique fashion. Rest assured, that no animals have to die for it, all furs are ONLY from the animals which have died during the coldest of weathers.
Q:
What do you like most about specialistauctions.com?
First of all: Michelle ;-), my Moderator and my friend, who has helped me a lot! My English is not the best and she helped me to find the right words and keywords for adverts. Where necessary, she placed my offers in the right departments and helped me with the words for today's blog..and..and.. in this way, a thank you to you!
Other than that, that it is a good platform, which I think has a very good service (I must also name Bob for credit) and a very nice membership. I have never had a difficult customer there or any other problem. I think SA is really something special, above all of the other offers from different internet platforms.
You need help? For sure you will get it there! Also site members are writing and helping between themselves in the forums. Sometimes it is really like one big family! Where else you are able to find that?
Q:
What would be your top piece of advice to other sellers using the site?
A:
Be active, come into the forums, write and tell us about you and be a part of the community. Plus of course, advertise your products, as much as you are able. If you need tips, write to me, I will help you too, if I am able!
http://www.specialistauctions.com/auctiondetails.php?id=1236433
Giovi's hat suitable for dreadlocks or long hair!
Q:
If you wanted to read an interview about another seller on the site, who would it be and why? (We might fulfill your dream!)
A:
I think, everybody has an interesting story, but actually....I would really like to hear from the founder of SA, what are his plans are for the future and how it came to be this wonderful platform - www.specialistauctions.com
Thank you Oliver, for your compliments and the most delightful, interesting interview! As always, it is a pleasure dealing with you and Giovi. Best wishes for your continued success at SA!
Michelle
If you wish to visit Alpacaandmore their shop address is:
www.specialistauctions.com/shops/Alpacaandmore
There you can also view their slideshow and listen to their Peruvian music, which naturally, is on sale also!
