Upcycle Stitches & Sashi.Co are both online based business / a group of Sashiko artisans. We offer an option to visit us to look at our Sashiko items and supplies, but they are only available by appointment (all of the plans are canceled due to Covid-19 pandemic). We do not have a physical store where a customer can stop by casually (I sincerely wish to have one as a studio one day). As a result, I made 3 storefronts to provide the better service as well as create the sustainable business operation. Here is one of reasons why we have several Sashiko Storefront.
This is a edited version of post on Feb. 2019
Official Web Store
The website you are reading now is accompany with the official web store. It is the best place to receive the best supply & best service including various kinds of follow-up such as Q&A. Your information will be registered to the Shopping-Store System (We use Ecwid), and securely stored there for the future support.
I make the website as D.I.Y project (simply because I don’t have a budget for that.) Therefore, unfortunately, it may not be the most comfortable interface. However, I keep improving the system, and products availability here. Your choice & reviews on the products are very much appreciated. It means a lot for me so that I can continue this business to support the Sashiko.
Etsy Store // Upcycle Stitches
Upcycle Stitches on Etsy is as equally important as the official website. I try to list the same item with almost the same price, and I try my best to offer the same service as well. (I separate the inventory for Official Store & Etsy, so sometimes there is a mismatch in quantity and pricing).
I started Etsy Store way before I made the Official Site. It has been a great experience with them, and I wanted to keep the Etsy store as the “back-up” market place as well as a place where I share “one-of-a-kind” items.
Your review on Etsy would be very much appreciated as well.
Amazon Storefront of Upcycle Stitches
We also have a storefront in Amazon.com to sustain our business. It is impossible to deny the impact on our society by Amazon & how our mindset had changed due to their new standard – free 2-days shipping (I am not judging. I am one of them). However, as a service provider, no matter how hard I try, I cannot beat that service (I ship the item fairly quick, but not as fast as Amazon does).
Also, in order to establish a healthy business structure, a storefront in Amazon plays a great role. So, there is fair reasons to have the Amazon storefront, and I appreciate Amazon for providing me an option to survive. From here, it is more like a “business topic”, so please skip until the next paragraph if you do not wish to read this. The paragraphs with Italic Style are about the business (a bit of peek).
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In order to have the better purchase price (wholesale price) from the manufacture, the quantity is(was) important until we establish the trust each other. Therefore, when I had a change, I purchased a lot of skeins of thread. As much as I would like to make a profit, reducing the inventory was the priority for the size of my business – so small to focus on the cash-flow instead of the actual profit-loss point. Amazon.com, where I did not need to spend much time in fulfilling the order, was a great solution for me to make it happen. Therefore,
In Amazon, a customer will get the same product as I offer on the official store. However, the customer will not receive the same attention from me for picking & packaging the item. Please choose what is more important for you – either 2-days free shipping or caring packages with praying for you to enjoy Sashiko from me. Please do not get me wrong. It is not about which is good or bad. It is all about the needs & choice. I enjoy Amazon & therefore I offer the choices from there. If you do not mind waiting extra day or so, I will be the one who make the package with the most sincere care I can think of.
Priority Support for your Sashiko
Sashiko is getting very popular in the world. I receive many questions & requests for my opinion & support for Sashiko. As much as I would like to answer/reply all of them, I am alone here as a normal human being. I cannot answer all of the questions I receive.
So, here is the priority for the support for your Sashiko.
(1) In-person Workshop graduate & Online Sashiko Class Students > (2) Customers via the Official Web Store = (3) Etsy Customer.
I will try my best to answer the questions & requests from our Sashiko friends (I consider students & customers as friends) in the category of (1)~(3) in a few business day.
Then, the priority continues as follow:
(1)~(3) > (4) Customer with leaving the review on Amazon > (5) Regular Amazon Customer > (6) Anyone else.
In principal, I will try my best to answer any questions from anyone. However, please understand that the people in the category of (5) and (6) may not receive a reply from me. I will prioritize the customer who left their generous review on Amazon to answer the questions, so it would be great if you could leave the review there. Please be advised. Since I use the Amazon Fulfillment Center to complete the order, any issue with the order will be resolved via Amazon Customer Service.
Again, I will try my best to answer all of the questions I receive. If you have a specific question that you would need to have my answer, please try to join the Online Sashiko Class. I will reply the email within a day or so (sometimes within 30 minutes).
Your review means a lot to sustain our business
As a small business owner, reviews from customers (friends) are very critical in our business operation. Although I will not be an apple-polisher to get the great review, I sincerely appreciate the review on your experience in the products/service.
I am not an easy person on SNS – where anyone can say anything. I get pretty aggressive to those who does not respect the Japanese culture (I assume all of my customers/friends are somewhat interested in Sashiko). However, as long as a person is caring & respectful what we do, I will try my very best to be a supportive, nice, and encouraging one to navigate you to your own Sashiko.
Thank you very much for your time, in advance.
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