Getting by

Back at work, I can't get myself much into the mood although thank GOD for those bookplate lovers out there who are helping me pay my bills! Not even halfway through the month and I've got about $100 to live on until next pay day. That's what happens when life throws things at you that aren't in your budget!

We'll manage -- moving money from here to there, stalling on some payments. I think of those commercials with the bald moustached guy selling computer software.."buy my products" he says with a slight southern accent. He's so trustful and charming, if I didn't already have most of those products, I'd truly consider it. But I want to say the same thing on my website, if I could just get people to it..."Buy my product".

There are a ton of bookplates out there to choose from. And all the other little items I've made to supplement the bookplates. Competition is so fierce that CafePress, which used to be the main place where I made and had my other items manufatured and shipped, is now competing with its own artists. They sell our items, too, for more than we do and with less commission to us -- but they have the big bucks to fill google ads up, so customers see them first.

What I can't figure is why a customer might see my Cat on Books, Life is Sweet items (my top seller!) in several locations if they do a Google search --


CafePress's more expensive version of my shirt, selling now at $28.00


Direct from my shop - same exact shirt, $22.99, shipping cost is the same




another location of mine where the same organic t-shirt is $19.95 and shipping is about the same..





and my highly recommended manufacturer, a local Ohio company $18.99 plus comparable shipping, and the work is done with consideration of fair trade and labor, as well as environmentally friendly processing. I'm slowly moving several of my designs here, but if I can't get folks to buy from anyone but CP, it seems hopeless!

instead of going to the original artist's store (that would be the second one up there) go directly to CafePress where, not only do they they pay more, the artists who sell there get much less due to CafePress's new procedures. Of course they don't know that, and there's no way I can say "buy my product here!" though I am gonna try!

The matching bookplate for that design is running out - it was an Antioch bookplate design. That sounds like a sad and negative thing, but on the bright side, I have the rights to print this design on a bookplate of my own -- I'm thinking it will be a matching "Life is Sweet" design. I'm not sure if that will turn away some more serious bookplate buyers. Maybe a survey on my bookplate site is at hand!