haeven

Y'all know what I'm talking about. Looks a little something like this


<----- And, yes, I'm talking about it now -- in August, three months before our actual Black Friday.

One wonders whether people will actually participate in Black Friday this years, with the economy sucking wind the way it is. One wonders whether people will even participate in Cyber Monday.

I think people will, despite themselves. The sales on Black Friday are almost too good to resist. I know my silly behind will stand in a line at you-know-where at 6:00am, just to get my shop on. I'll even hang out at my online haunts to see what's going on there as well. Hopefully my suppliers will jump on the wagon and give us crafters some supplies at some good prices.

I used to work in retail. As a cashier/CS Associate/whipping girl for ignorant customers, I hated BF. I actually disliked the entire Holiday Shopping Season, which, by the time I left the industry, started in October.

That said, I think that we online sellers need to gird our loins and get to gettin' ready to convince those poor folk who brave the hordes to take it easy and shop online. And I think we should do it earlier than the Brick & Mortar shops.

One of the reasons that Black Friday got its name was that it was considered the one day where most retailers when from being "in the red" (losing profit) to being "in the black" (gaining profit). Why can't the online handmade industry do the same?

Here's the idea:

I'm making plans to start a massive campaign, getting potential customers ready to storm Etsy and Artfire on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I say massive because I want to bring some of you along.

I'm thinking of maybe a coupon book of sorts, something we all can sell/promote in our shops, chock full of coupons, samples and savings that can be used during this awesome weekend. I'll be happy (read: crazy) enough to handle the fulfillment of the orders we all receive right out of my house -- I even have a place cleared out just for storage. So I don't get overwhelmed, I'm probably going to limit it to 50 people from each venue. I've even got a wonderful spot just cleared up in my room I can dedicate to this venture.

If you are at all interested in contributing either samples OR coupons, or even help with the shipping of the books/samples, go ahead and comment here or email me at ha.ven@live.com. I'm going to develop some guidelines over the weekending and have them ready by Monday.

I'm serious. I would hate for Wally-World to look like this

and for our shops to look like this