Seeking your advice...

[Miss Janet]

I am going to be selling tshirts and other trail related things for the first time since I started MISS JANET"S HOUSE. I have looked at these ideas for so long that I no longer know if they are any good or not. Your advice and suggestions on designs and products would be very helpful! If you want to preview my ideas please Email me at:

themissjanet @ earthlink.net

Thank you... I appreciate your time!

[Alligator]

Miss Janet, Attroll and Mags both mentioned a site that might be of use in keeping inventory costs down. It was in a post about bumper stickers.

[Mags]

Miss Janet, Attroll and Mags both mentioned a site that might be of use in keeping inventory costs down. It was in a post about bumper stickers.

Yep..Cafe Press is a great way to have items for sale without needing inventory on hand. There is no initial cost for the person who wants to make the items and the customer can easily order items. You do need a credit card though for placing an order (but not for making the items). It works the same way as "print on demand" books. Except, it is "print on demand" T-shirts, books, mugs, tote bags, etc.

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/customize/

You set the profit you want to make on a base price.

It is a good, easy way to design and sell merchandise.

I'll buy a T-shirt if you make one.

Hope this helps!

[Cuppa Joe]

You should have some of those shirts made that were floating around Trail Days last year ...Bet they would go over real well!! I am sure you remember the one I am talking about!

Not going to say anything about in case she wants to market it before others do.

[Lint]

Hey Miss J!

If you wanted to get some stickers printed up, let me know. My buddy works at a place that makes vinyl stickers and we are always making up designs. Keeping the design simple would keep the cost WAY down. If you wanted a more complicated sticker design I recommed www.stickerguy.com. He makes good vinyl stickers too, and is very cool to deal with.

[attroll]

CafePress is a nice place but it has its faults. The items can be pricy. You can find things cheaper else where but then when you do that you have to order in quanities. Then you have an over head. I found that out with shirts. I have a bunch here that are not selling. They can also be a little slow in delivering depending on their backlog. I am paying nothing for my CafePress account right now. I have the free one. I don't know what the difference is on the upgraded account. If anyone has the upgraded account please fill me in.

[minnesotasmith]

I think there are better ways than trying to sell knick-nacks.

I would suggest offering more services to hikers, such as:

- keeping on hand for sale hard-to-find (in local groceries) food popular with hikers that have a good shelf life;

- making up to order some home-style sandwiches (that can't be obtained at delis) for hikers about to leave and hit the trail;

- operating a small secure overnight kennel for hikers who bring dogs, where maybe they could bathe their dogs;

- a more organized/formal (for a fee that is reasonable for both you and the hikers) system of matching up hikers with services;

- a laundering service for hikers;

- perhaps a couple of for-a-fee-operated Internet computers (well-secured, where you can see them, only accessible when you are present);

- a packing and mailing service;

- have maps and Trail guides for sale;

- having a large bulletin board on your premises where (for a tiny monthly fee) other trailside providers of services to hikers could have flyers posted might be worthwhile. Since other hostels/bed-and-breakfast places located any significant distance away are not really competitors, even those could be potential users of that service.

Hope that one of these gives you an idea that you can use. Thank you for being part of the Trail culture and tradition.

[The Old Fhart]

Miss Janet, The best way to make money is to NOT do the things mentioned in the post by MS. The tee-shirts are a good low cost idea that don't require a big investment from you to build an addition onto your house, or get a license-like for a kennel or laundrymat; or eat up your time like a packing service.

Are you sure MS isn't just that other hostel owner making bad suggestions?

[minnesotasmith]

She ASKED for advice on expanding her business. I have no need nor intention of running a trail-side business. I came up with multiple ideas that might be worth checking into. (All you did was echo her buying T-shirts to sell, that may well end up collecting dust like the ones ATTroll bought to resell a while back.) Of course she is enough of a businesswoman that she will calculate the licensing costs (if any), initial capital requirements, expected operating expenses, amount of possible business, etc., before embarking upon any of those ideas, or others contributors to this thread come up with. Oh, and as far as them all being bad ideas? Every one of those models is something that people in business are making money from, right now.

[The Old Fhart]

MS, I do admit that your suggestions were far less stupid that the rest of your posts, but that isn't saying much. As to

Oh, and as far as them all being bad ideas? Every one of those models is something that people in business are making money from, right now.

People make money from all sorts of business ventures but you have to be realistic and find a reasonable match for the person seeking advice. I can make good money buying and selling high end electronic test equipment but that doesn't mean it is a good idea for everyone.

[SGT Rock]

I agree with Old Fhart. Part of the reason people use Ms Janet is that she doesn't nickle and dime you for every little thing in the house like some other hostels I have heard of (not going to mention names). I personally would love to have a cool looking T-shirt saying I slept with Ms Janet. I also think her plan to do some get togethers to help other hikers and have a general fun time is a cool idea. If I had the time off I would voulenteer my time just for the chance to see some friends again.

[Mags]

I also think her plan to do some get togethers to help other hikers and have a general fun time is a cool idea. If I had the time off I would voulenteer my time just for the chance to see so me friends again.

One of the few downsides of living out here is that I am isolated from the active hiking LD hiking community on the East and West coasts. There are quite a few of us out in the Rockies region..but not as well organized. I talked about organizing a Rockies Ruck a few months ago..but life kinda got in the way. :-) Maybe it is time to get off my duff and finally organize something!

[chomp]

How about selling a picture of Miss Janet wearing a "Life is Good" t-shirt.

http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=39698

Just kidding, but I was going through No Worried 1999 journal this week (don't ask) and I came across this picture. I almost fell on the floor.

As for ideas on how to expand your business, well I think that you have realistically run the course on getting money out of thru-hikers. Yes, you could implement some of the ideas that MS suggested, but I think that you would change the nature of your place. And I am pretty sure that you don't want to do that.

I think that the bottom line might be an across-the-board price hike. Everyone knows that you are one of the best places on the trail to stay, and that you give back so much to the trail community. Raising your rate a couple of bucks would probably not do too much to your business. You could even offer a discount after the first night's stay.

Anyway, sorry that I dont have any better idea for you. Good luck, Miss Janet!

chomp

[Jack Tarlin]

Minnesota:

Your suggestions were well-meant, but not very practical for Janet. In most cases, your ideas would require additional permits or licenses along with the associated paperwork, hassles, interference from town officials, etc. In other cases, the start-up fees for your ideas are prohibitively expensive. And lastly, they simply wouldn't make any money.

In no particular order:

*A kennel for people to leave dogs for extended periods of time is the LAST thing Janet needs.....it'd create problems with her neighbors (kennels are LOUD) and she has enough problems with dogs already. (Including her own!)

*A package/mailing service wouldn't make a dime. Hikers like to do their own mail, and the P.O. is a few minutes walk from Janet's House. Plus, hikers are CHEAP! Why would hikers pay for services they can perform themselves?

*There are all sorts of places to get take-out food in Erwin; there's no way Janet would make money from an in-house deli, never mind the time involved (shopping, preparing, etc.) and the inevitable losses from waste, etc. Plus, this would almost certainly involve the expenses of a new or greatly upgraded kitchen area, sinks, prep area, appliances, storage refrigerators, etc. Start-up costs for a food-service operation can be enormous.

*She already has a "laundry service". It's included with your stay there; it's also open to folks who aren't overnighting---they do laundry, they theoretically offer her a few dollars for the service.

*Nobody on the Trail charges for putting something up on a bulletin board; this is really pretty cheap. If you WANT to tell hikers about a good business that they might not know about, then you put up the sign or notice. And if you don't want to promote certain places, you don't. But you don't charge people for doing what ammounts to a good deed, for both the hikers and other business owners. Furthermore, thanks to improved Trail Guides/Handbooks, hikers already know about 99% of the Trail businesses.

*Charging for Internet services is also petty and cheap. Plus, there's the initial expense in buying equipment and the CONSTANT problems with abuse of the computers, maintenance, and repair. And why would anyone pay for computer service when you can walk to the Erwin public library in a few minutes and use their excellent machines for free?

*Selling maps and guides would make very little money: Most folks that want to use maps would already have them; very few would be sold. And the profit realized is tiny.....even Outfitters make very little from maps.

*There's an excellent supermarket minutes from Janet's house; plus, most of her guests have maildrops sent there. There's no need for Janet to sell hiker food......first, she'd have to invest in a good supply, and secondly, it wouldn't sell. (Plus, more than half of her guests visit a nearby Outfitter that has plenty of hiker-oriented food for sale).



In short, Janet's on the right track with T-shirts and other "souvenir" type items:

*They would indeed sell well, as just about everyone would want a momento
of their stay there
*The initial investment can be small, until she gets an idea of her inventory
needs, size runs, colors, etc.
*There's little or no waste as T-shirts don't have an expiration date. The
only problem I can forsee is that she'd give too many away for free!

I predict that her shirts will be a TREMENDOUS success and I look forward to buying one of the first ones.

[Footslogger]

I predict that her shirts will be a TREMENDOUS success and I look forward to buying one of the first ones.

===========================
OK ...but I get one of the second ones then !!

'Slogger
AT 2003

[WalkinHome]

Hah, how many of you brought Miss Janet lobstah rolls to the Trick's/Billville Port Clinton hiker feed? Not good enough-Miss Janet slept here-Baltimore's retirement hike we were all here at my place. Get in line!!

[Pole Climber]

Miss Janet
When you get the first order, I will take one extra large.
Pole Climber <><

[SiuWonfung]

I you're looking to make some money, rob a bank (it is better not to get caught).
but besides that, all i have to say is Follow Your Heart.

[Miss Janet]

I get busy and stay away for a few minutes and you guys all start. But I do love you for it!

MS, I do think your ideas were well intended but the situation here is just a little out of the ordinary. Some of the things you have suggested have been looked at before. Some different types of hiker businesses have been successful with some of those very ideas. My place is just not set up like them. This is our home, too. You should come and visit when it is busy around here and you would understand and I would hope you would like it and even feel at home.

I really like the way things are going here and don't want to change things much... if it isn't broke... don't fix it!
I am just ready to add a few things and be more serious about the day to day business things.

I appreciate all of the great suggestions I am getting from people about the shirts, bandanas and such. I knew that I could get a good "test" with you all. So, I will have a few of the finalists ready next week for the SoRuck at the NOC. My hands are about 10 different colors fro tie dying the bandanas! But it is fun!

I hope to see a lot of you at the Ruck next weekend!

[minnesotasmith]

Thank you for your warm invitation. Your reputation is so top-notch, I had already made up my mind to patronize your establishment on my through-hike next year (probably a SOBO starting in late July).

I hope that your venture into T-shirts turns out better than ATTroll's did, and do hope for the best for you in all things. Regardless, thank you for being part of the Trail, and for being the great lady you are.