The hardships of a small business in a new era.

For those of you who have a small craft business, what I am about to say has probably coursed through your mind thousands of times just as it has mine. You have spoken about it to various other like minded business owners at various craft fairs, but why is the message still not getting across??

What makes an average consumer go into any high street store such as John Lewis or House of Fraser and frivolously pay over the odds for a product made oversees by people on an absolute pittance. Yet when they visit your website, an Etsy shop or a craft fair start quibbling over the smallest of prices, when those products have been handmade locally.

Take this cushion for example - available at John Lewis for £35 and made in a warehouse in South East Asia

Whilst this cushion is available for £15 at both www.englishrosecrafts.co.uk and www.etsy.com and handmade in the United Kingdom. 

The era of the Primark and similar stores have seriously effected peoples perception and appreciation on what actually goes into making handmade and unique products.

Everyone that I speak to at craft fairs all say the same thing to me, 

"This isn't a full time job, most of the time I only just break even, but I love being creative so continue". 

Why should people like myself and other people with a talent for art and creativity, who are passionate about the end result of their ideas and who appreciate any feedback and purchase as if it is their first, suffer at the hands of the corporate big shot who uses people in developing or poorer countries to work for hardly anything in terrible conditions.

For those of you reading this who are not accustomed to buying from small independent businesses, please try it, go to craft fairs, visit different websites, buy from Etsy (which has the biggest range of incredibly talented craft people from around the world) and see what you think after a few purchases. 

Would you rather have something totally unique and individual to yourself, or be one of the millions of clones out there wearing exactly the same thing, or have your house set out exactly the same as your neighbours with the same artwork, cushions and tableware.

I implore you all to try a new way of purchasing, please give it a go!