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Small boutique owners who are open only 20 hrs a week, tell me how you make this work.
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I’m so curious! My area is covered in super cute boutiques that people have clearly put a lot of work in them, and then they are open like 10-3 on weekdays only. Tell me how you get the bills paid.
- from someone who runs businesses that are open 13 hours a day 365 days a year, who is tired
Top Comment: I have a lot of experience in this field and can break it down to three commonalities. They do a lot of business online and use the boutique as more of a storage unit. They have a ton of money to burn and don't feel the financial pressure to change their current lives. In other words, they are running the store mainly as a hobby. Oftentimes these people are soft retired or have spouses that are bankrolling the boutique. They have customers that buy exclusively through them. This happens a lot with older clientele. Hope this helps!
My Favorite Roland Boutique: A-01
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After purchasing all four of the boutiques, I can say now that my favorite is the A-01. While I'm happy that I now have a Juno 106, Jupiter 8, and JX-3P in nice, compact modules, I have to say that the A-01 is the most interesting of these boutiques.
First off, I'm into chiptune stuff, and the A-01's 8 bit CPU synth is awesome for creating chiptune sounds. Seriously. I've been helping out with some sounds for a buddy's indie game and you can get some great stuff out of this module. It doesn't sound quite Nintendo-like (or Sega, Intellivision, etc), but has it's own character. It also has a sweet, virtual analog synth bass sound (sawtooth) that sounds great on it's own.
As I've used this little guy for designing game sounds/music, I've also noticed just how handy it is for using with almost anything. The fact that it has 5-pin midi, USB midi, BlueTooth midi, and CV/Gate means I can use it with almost anything. And the big LCD screen with the waveform displayed has helped immensely with sound design.
Add in the fact it is built well, has a neat little sequencer, and that it only costs $149.00 (with the mini keyboard) and you've got an awesome little synth. Seriously. If you are into chiptune stuff--or just want something unique--check it out. You can listen to some of the 8 bit sounds of the A-01 in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-NxiGxpL4A
And can learn a bit more about it (it was basically designed by Akira Matsui, the guy behind the JX-3P) here:
https://www.roland.com/global/promos/roland_boutique/interview_3/
I'll try to post some of the chiptune stuff I've done with it as soon as I can (and when the game developer says that it's ok).
Top Comment:
I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. Picked one up for $150 with the keyboard, can't say I've gotten a lot of value out of it.
The keyboard, is the worst keyboard I've used. Half the time it doesn't even recognize a stroke if its on velocity sensitive. The keys are mushy as fuck, just doesn't "feel" good to play.
The sequencer is extremely limited. Its pretty much the bare minimum for a sequencer.
The synth itself sounds cold, digital, and about as generic as it gets to me. Completely uninspiring.
The interface is terrible as well. The buttons are all aluminum so you think quality, but are terrible to use as they are all flush buttons, the knobs are idiotically smooth and provide enough resistance to be annoying. The mod wheels are touch strips.
Pretty sure a casio watch from the 90s had higher resolution screen.
The CV is handy.
At least, thats been my experience. Its my least liked piece of gear, completely uninspiring, and terrible.
But, that's the great thing about gear, different people like different things. More power to you if you dig it.
Took my son to Bippity Boppity Boutique and he ended up having photos with a little princess in front of him!
Main Post: Took my son to Bippity Boppity Boutique and he ended up having photos with a little princess in front of him!
Top Comment:
This has got to be one of the cutest posts I’ve seen!
Selling my Korg ARP Odyssey for a Roland Boutique SE-02 ?
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I have my Korg Arp for around 1.5 years. I absolutely love the sound and how the Korg ARP looks, but due to the unusual layout, I barely use it. It mostly collects dust.
Now I'm thinking about selling the Korg Arp and get a different, more compact device.
I think the Roland SE-02 could be a nice replacement but I never tested one. I only know it from youtube and overall I really love Roland stuff. And I ever wanted something from Studio Electronics :)
Another option I think about is the Behringer Model D. I also only know this item from the internet and I like what I heard. But I'm kind of concerned about Behringer build quality in long terms.
So what do you think, selling the Korg ARP and get a Roland SE-02?
Top Comment:
I think that such transactions happen all the time. If your synth is collecting dust, sell it to someone who will use it. SSE-2 may or may not be suitable for your needs, but why not find out.
Should I give up on my Boutique?
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I started an online only women boutique and felt like I had a great vision. I've been open for several months and not made one sale. Idk what I could be doing to help. I put everything I had into it and don't have the funds for consultants or marketing firms. I try to post on social media but I'm not getting any views. Should I call it quits and face the music or is there something I'm missing? Any advice would be appreciated.
Top Comment: This thread has turned into a store review, which is against r/shopify rules, so I'm going to lock this thread now and invite you to post again on r/reviewmyshopify with a link to your website to resume the discussion. Wishing you the best of luck going forward. Sincerest thanks to everyone for providing advice with the best intentions.
Trying to Boost Sales for My Wife’s Online Boutique
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Hi everyone,
I’m posting to seek some advice and feedback for my wife’s online boutique, Project Multibrand. We've put some decent effort into this venture, including spending about $100 on social media ads, so far, but unfortunately, we haven’t seen the results we expected in terms of sales. We're wondering where we should focus on effort on next.
It would mean a lot to us if you could take a moment to review her site. We’re looking for insights on our website’s design, the products, pricing, or any other factors you think might be affecting our sales. Also, if you have any tips on how to enhance our advertising strategies or overall business approach, that would be incredibly helpful.
Thanks so much for your help!
Top Comment: Step waaaay back and look at the site through the eyes of a consumer, because that's who is buying, not bots. What do they NEED to know about the clothing to feel comfortable checking out. It isn't just site speed, or security certificates, though those help. Size charts are in the images instead of descriptions and there is no alt text. Make it easy to find measurements. Look at websites like Nordstrom or J Crew - they often have a small link to a size chart and don't put it in an image. Also some size charts are missing and some don't list length. First item I clicked on had no basic info - Is it cotton? Polyester? Is it woven or knit? Where was it made? I clicked through other items too and could not find this info. I don't buy clothes online unless they list the fiber and weave because it matters to me. It matters to a lot of consumers. Use the descriptions, product copy and details to help consumers relate to your pricing. Is there something special about the construction? Was it made in a small batch? Is it high quality? Who are you and why do you do this? The about page is so vague that it reads like a random corporation rather than two people who have a passion. Sell your story, not just the clothes! Your sizes are really limited. What market are you targeting? For the US, Canada and EU, your sizing might be far too small. All of this matters far more than ad spend, because no ad spend will help consumers buy if they can't figure out the size or the details.
Decided to label my boutique shelf by company
Main Post: Decided to label my boutique shelf by company
Top Comment:
That way, you're the only one who can find anything! Muwahahahaha!
My Experience at The JLC NYC Boutique… Is This A ...
Main Post: My Experience at The JLC NYC Boutique... Is This A ...