Why I’ve muddied up my photos…
Thank you to the few who have kindly contacted me alerting me of stolen photos of my shop. You’ve got my back and I surely appreciate it! In today’s digital age, a screen snapshot is all that is needed to steal someone’s intellectual property. There are even reports about a rising number of ID theft of Facebook identities. It makes me think twice about having an FB account. I will surely monitor my kids’ social media when they are of age and are asking to have their own accounts.
So apparently some countries and their countrymen do not honor International Trademarks and Copyrights. Unlawful, stolen photos of my very distinct frames and photos have popped up on various non-US-based websites wrongfully giving potential buyers the impression that they will be getting the frames (my trademarked and copyrighted frames and photos) as seen in the pictures. There is no doubt that when buyers receive their orders (if they receive anything at all), they will be sorry to get poor quality, damaged, and untested frames. I have resisted putting watermarks on my photos for 3 years. I reasoned that given the very distinct branding of my shop and photos of the frames, surely no one would copy/paste the very same photos. That would be like stealing from my kids! Well, they’ve done just that. They’ve “borrowed” my photos to set up their virtual shops promising unsuspecting buyers the very same frames when that is not possible. They’ve stolen all my hard work and stolen from my kids and nephews. My sister and I do this while we raise our kids. We are not a big company. It’s me and her and 5 kids between us.
This has left me with many sleepless nights cursing at humanity. And, truth be told, I’ve had a few more than my share of wine! So what to do?
I’ve had to muddy up all my photos with watermarks.
No, this will not prevent future photo theft or misrepresentation from others. To you, the buyer, I can only say clearly that: All these frames and tutorials are proprietary, copyrighted and trademarked to Khuong LLC (c) 2013 & only sold at WhileBabyNaps.Etsy.com and WhileBabyNaps.com.
*I do not resell these to anybody. I design them based on my research and specifications and it comes from me to you directly: no intermediaries.
*There is no one representing me, my frames, or my shop. My designs are proprietary and copyrighted and trademarked. My trade secrets are just that: trade secrets that no one knows, just like Colonel Sander’s chicken recipe.
*Anyone is possession of my photos, whether in the US or otherwise, are in violation of intellectual property. This is fraudulent.
*Whether or not the photos were watermarked before is immaterial to the violation of use. All rights are reserved on my copyrights and trademarks and that includes the photos.
*Anyone who represents themselves with my photos alleging that they can produce the same product in the photos is misrepresenting themselves.
*Anyone who represents themselves as making these frames for me are also misrepresenting themselves. I have binding contracts with my business partners and they’ve been my trusted and valued business partners for years.
I design these frames based on years of research. I have been and continue the #1 US seller of purse frames because I value my customers, provide them with a skill and business opportunities, and I make fine frames. I stand by the quality of my frames and will make it right for you if anything escapes on my watch. I am in it for the long haul. And while I may miss a few sales from unsuspecting customers who fall prey to these fraudulent hucksters, I would hope that my good deeds will be my karma.
That is the hope.
~Warmly,
Winn
How to sell your clutches with an in-home crafts fair.
I get all sorts of emails from my wonderful and loyal customers, and sometimes there is great information that I think other customers can benefit from. Like Erin who offered her great tips about selling at arts and crafts fairs so that others could benefit from, Susan of Lulu Caswell has graciously offered some tips for you to have success selling clutches at your in-home crafts fair.
With two years of selling her clutches at her house, Susan has wonderful helpful tips. In fact, she sells the majority of her clutches off the Net! Here are some tips:
1. Invite other craftsters to display their goods in your home. More will come when you have a house party for handmade clutches, jewelry, and quilts (for examples) than just clutches alone. Susan sold nearly $1000 in clutches on one Sunday from 12-4pm! With this, she was able to pay off her husband’s tuition for one month. GO Susan!!!
2. Promote amongst your friends via your social networks of Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc… Be sure to ask them to come (don’t be shy!) and to share the post with their friends. How about “Hey, I would love for you to come. I would really appreciate your support and would love to see you and catch up over some munchies while you check out all the goodies! If you cannot come, I would appreciate your support by sharing this post on your Wall with your friends.”
3. Go on to Etsy and solicit other local craftsters/artisans to display their goods at your in-home crafts fair. Susan didn’t know most of them, but that didn’t deter her from asking them to participate in her second year. She had 6 other vendors join her at her home and about 40-50 guests who came, even some customers from the previous year. These things build so hopefully she will have even more attend next year.
4. To get more foot traffic and eyes, create a flyer and post them at local churches, at the kids’ schools, and at the local community hall. Ask the other vendors to do their share of posting the flyers and promoting the event to their network of friends.
5. For a smaller, intimate affair, do an evening show with just your clutches and serve wine and cheese. Email it to ALL your girlfriends and ask them to pass the email to a girlfriend and to bring a girlfriend!
Selling your clutches at your home is just another avenue for you. It is one that costs very little (take out that folding table and throw a nice sheet to cover as table linen!) yet is one that will allow customers to get to know you. People buy from people, and this direct selling has worked for the biggest companies like Avon, Mary Kay, and Lia Sophia.
Take a look at some of the pictures from her last in-home craft fair.
Susan’s sumptuous table of clutches. Look at all the variety of colors and textures!
This paper maker did really well.
This craft fair was held before the holidays. These would make great gifts for a little girl!
The woodworker also sold really well!
I can smell these scents through my screen!
The woodworker, the baker, and the candlestick maker? 🙂 The baker brought her goodies, too!
I want to thank Susan for her generosity in sharing these tips with her fellow clutch makers. If you are a fellow artisan in the Fall River, MA area, be sure to contact Susan at her shop to plan the next in-home craft fair. You’ll be glad you did!
Be Green with envy! Handmade clutches for you!
Here is a new album on the WhileBabyNaps Facebook fanpage. It’s green for St. Patrick’s Day and would be great for a spring bag, too!
Check out my album!
All were made by Sellers using my fine purse frames. If you are a seller whose clutch has been featured, please “like” the album and feel free to share on your own Facebook fan pages!
I’ve also done the same on the WhileBabyNaps Pinterest board.
Please click the "Like" icon if you like what you see!
Each of these clutches were also promoted via their own tweets on my Twitter feed.
I used this for my Twitter wallpaper as well! Nice change from the red clutches from Valentine’s Day! 🙂
I get a lot of lookers from my Twitter feed who then go directly to either my blog or the clutch maker's shops.
I have found that promoting my Seller’s clutches at all 3 social media networks at the same time increases the exposure for my clutch makers. It takes longer for me to do it all across all 3 platforms at one time but it is more efficient to also get it all done at the same time.
So if you are a Seller and have had your clutch featured, please spread the word and share the Facebook album, Pinterest board, or retweet my Twitter tweets. Remember taste uncertainty and how research has shown that it helps you, the seller, to get more buyers when you are listed with other like-sellers more than if you are doing it alone. Please read that post on taste uncertainty to get more info.
Thanks and I will be doing another spread for Spring 2012 soon!
~Winn
Of Interest: Pinterest
I have just started a new page for WhileBabyNaps at Pinterest. This will work in concert with the promotions that I’ve been currently doing for Sellers to promote their clutches on the Facebook fanpage and Twitter. The more eyeballs to your shops, the better the chances of you selling your clutches and getting your name out there. If you are interested in being included in my marketing and promotions, you will first need to become listed as a Seller. I choose clutches that meet the themes that I am coming up with (for example: red clutches for Valentine’s Day) from amongst the current bags from the shops on the Sellers page. I only choose clutches that I know are made using my fine frames.
For all current shops on the Sellers page, please remember to note my trademarks for customers looking for clutches made from my frames. As I’ve only made clutches for samples, kits, or for family, I do not make or sell clutches with my frames. I always refer them to find a clutch maker on the Sellers page. Customers will look at the list and the links contained the pics and names will take them directly to the Seller’s shop.
I just started this Pinterest page. It takes a lot of time for me since my internet connection here is spotty. Wah-wah. 😦 If you are not already on Pinterest and would like to join and create your own page, convo me for an invite. I will need an email address to send invites to. This is the email address that you will be using for your Pinterest account. It’s in the beginning stages so I am just starting and learning as I go myself. If you are already on Pinterest, convo me so I can check your boards and Follow you! But here are a few things you should know:
1. Pinterest is about pinning things you really love. So it’s not the same as say, Talbots or Ann Taylor putting their coupon codes and sales on their respective facebook fanpage or Twitter feeds. But you, as an Etsy shop owner, for example, can pin up clutches that you’ve made so others can see and (hopefully) like and repin. Then the people who see their pins might like and repin, and so on …. Don’t just pin about your clutches or shop. Remember to pin other things in your life that you really love! This is a fun place that you can mix your work and your personal favorites!
For me, I love clutches. So I’m going to pin clutches that I love.
I love my dog, Pax, a goldendoodle. So you will see pins about Pax, like you’ve seen on my blog posts! 🙂
I dream of peace and quiet and white interiors are a favorite of mine. Check out my pins of Katherine Hepburn’s house. Its interiors are to die for. It’s my forever home … as in it’ll be forever until I can own a home like that … LOL. And when I do, it’ll be much smaller, not on a waterfront (cha-ching), and old and will need years of toil to refurbish it. But I digress…
*Swoon*
2. It’s a highly visual medium and it’s awesome for visual learners, like me. (You can also experience a huge time warp when you’re on it, so mind your time!) Where Twitter is great for 140-characters on your iPhones and for when you are mobile and not on your laptop/desktop, Pinterest really allows me to showcase your clutches well.
3. Follow others and repin others. The more you interact, the more exposure you will get, and hopefully your pins will be re-pinned by others.
I'm working on these!
4. Pinterest is about giving credit to where you found it. So when I pin your clutches, guess what? The credit goes to your shop where I found it! Users who see your clutch and like will click on the “from” and it leads them to your shop. Note that all have been truncated to “etsy.com” by Pinterest, but go to my Pinterest page and try clicking on several clutches and you will see that it leads to the individual clutch maker’s shop.
Several clutches have had "likes" and "repins" 🙂
How to pin and how to create boards are easy. One thing that really helps is getting the “pin it button” by clicking on the About menu. When you come across something that you like, click on that on your toolbar and it automatically adds the link to the site.
Makes for easy work!
Hope you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Day! I got the loveliest bouquet from the hubby.
Love the bright punches of color!
Talk soon!
~Winn
In praise of the neutral rectangular purse frame
I am known for my plain ‘ol rectangular frame. Nothin’ fancy to look at folks.
But there’s a reason to my madness after all: it was designed to be neutral so that your art, your creativity, your fabrics and your embellishments can stand out — and not my frames.
I’ve often said that while I think my frames are the best there is, they are designed to be just that – to frame your work. I do not want to detract from the true part of the clutch and that is the part where your artistry comes in.
I recently did a photo album of red clutches to promote my handbag makers for Valentine’s Day on the Facebook fan page. All used my fine frames, but look at the variety!
The neutral frame allows your work to stand out!
Just a note on FB’s redesign of fan pages: it does not allow the wall posts to be listed chronologically. It’s nonsensical and I hope it will be changed.
But never fear! Please know that every wall post of a clutch gets hundreds of post views. It shows up on search engines and a lot of people stumble upon it. I am happy to have noticed that there have been clutches that have appeared on the wall that have been sold. Several have been sold many times over.
So keep posting your clutches on the wall at your pleasure. And I’ll do my best to keep promoting your work!
About
I am the #1 US seller of purse frames and I’ve been incorporated since 2001. This blog is mainly aimed at my audience of clutch handbag makers. I have a very small niche that is comprised of 99.9% women. I am loyal and promote handbag makers who are loyal to me by using my fine purse frames. When they are successful, then I am successful.
The two businesses that I own are:
*purse supplies, Gutermann glue, and DIY clutch kits at whilebabynaps.etsy.com, whilebabynaps.com
*up-cycled purse supplies PurseFramesOutlet.etsy.com
To find clutches made using my fine metal purse frames, LOOK to see “Trademarks of WhileBabyNaps.com and H&D LLC” and you’ll know the clutches are made using the finest metal purse frames that are tested for lead and that have a protective coating to lengthen the life of the clutch. You can go to any of the sellers on the Sellers page.
****NOTE: If you want someone to make a clutch for you, please contact any of my sellers and inquire. They will gladly make custom orders!****
Interested in reaching my audience? Advertise. Contact me here.
Thank you for stopping by for a look.
Warmly,
Thy Khuong
-
My Etsy shop
#1 US Seller of Purse Frames
My Main shop
Wholesale purse frames for clutches
Grab My Blog Button
<a href="http://www.whilebabynaps.etsy.com" target="_self"><img src="https://clutchme.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/etsy-shop-button.jpg" alt="WhileBabyNaps" width="150" height="150" /></a>As Seen…
Your Ad here
Clutch-Me.Com 