Introduce your business and tell us your story: How did you decide on what to sell, and how did you source your products?
I've always been interested in the potential for good technology to make printing your photos easier. There's something really nice and meaningful about seeing your favourite photos turned into a beautiful canvas print or framed print rather than just looking at it on a screen. Everything is made in house, and the frames for our canvas prints are custom-crafted for us locally. They are a thing of beauty in their own right!
How did you earn your first sales? Which channels are now generating the most traffic and sales for you?
We had a healthy pipeline of sales before we switched over to Shopify. But way back, our first sales probably came from good organic SEO. We're in Europe and don't have access to channels like Pinterest or Twitter, so our online channel gives us the most sales and traffic, but our POS channel is doing well. We're in the final stages of building our iOS native app so we're excited about the potential of the new Shopify Mobile Buy Channel. Whilst we use social media, we get the most traction from email marketing using MailChimp.
Tell us about the back-end of your business. What tools and apps do you use to run your store? How do you handle shipping and fulfillment?
We're very happy with YOTPO for reviews. Social proof has been a big driver of sales and is great for our brand reputation. We handle all shipping internally.
What are your top recommendations for new store owners?
Good photography is essential - don't skimp on this and we'd advise you hire a professional if possible.