Business Idea of the Day

Any good business requires a level of passion before it can go anywhere. It’s that drive that helps so many entrepreneurs succeed at what they do. For Kellie Markey, passion was the driving force for her latest venture, trAloola.

It is not always easy for an artist to find the right sales platform when they want to sell their products online. While trAloola may not be the first service to specialize in handcrafted products, they definitely kick it up a notch. There are no template creations here. It’s free for each artist to set up a booth, with only a small fee taken from the sale of each item sold.

What was the inspiration for trAloola?

I left a 16 year career in marketing and advertising (the last 5 of which were spent at eBay) in 2004. At the time I was determined to use my skills in a career that I was passionate about. I researched opportunities in design, food and hospitality and just didn’t find what I was looking for. At one of many art fairs I attend, I found something I thought would be cute for my sisters’ birthday but it was months away. I passed on it but regretted it later when I couldn’t find anything original. So, I started talking to artists at the shows, learned that many of them faced the same challenges to expanding their sales online and attempted to build a solution that addressed them specifically.

How many artists would you say are currently listed on your website?

We currently have nearly 200 artists with booths set up and many more in the channel working on them.

What sets your service above the competition?

Our site is open to any artist to join but artists are juried by their peers to maintain a higher level of quality. We also don’t charge anything to have a virtual booth on the site or to list items and our commission on sales is very low. Finally, we require that artwork on the site be original (i.e. not kit or pattern made).

Having just launched late last year, your website is still relatively young. Has the growth been as you had hoped? What goals would you like it to reach before your first year anniversary?

We are happy with the steady addition of new artists and have taken a stair step approach to drive traffic. We are really starting in increase consumer marketing efforts now that the site has the inventory to support it. We are new and we have a long way to go but we are very encouraged by our results so far.

What has the overall reaction been like from those who sell through trAloola, and buy?

Artists are very complementary. They have consistently given us feedback on how easy it is to set up a booth and manage their inventory. And, they have really helped us to make modifications to the site to address their specific needs. Feedback from buyers goes directly to the artists they purchase from and the artists seem to be scoring very well among their buyers.

Have you always been entrepreneurial minded? If not, are you surprised that you’ve made it this far?

I think I’ve always loved solving problems. I spoke to almost 400 artists before we ever even thought of the site and how it would work. The solution is evolving so I’m not surprised at all. It just keeps getting better!

Is this just the beginning or do you think there are more ventures in your future?

Definitely one a time! I have a long way to go with trAloola so it’s the only one I’m focusing on for now.

What advice do you have for an artist that is interested in selling their crafts online?

I think one of the biggest challenges for artists who have sites of their own is driving enough traffic to result in sales. So, it’s important to join a venue with like-minded artists to promote your merchandise. That way when someone arrives and aren’t looking for exactly what you have to offer they may land on something else. But, it’s the shared opportunity that will make it work for everyone. Also, consumers really like to get to know the artist and the inspiration for their work. The opportunity to provide some background and insight into their work is helpful in the decision making process. Finally, take great photos!

From Business Opportunities Weblog.

Source: trAloola Brings The Art Fair To You With Their Collection Of Virtual Artist Booths

Presented here with permission by the very gracious Dane Carlson from the Business Opportunities Weblog.