[webworker]

I just signed on to the program, but this doesn't belong in the suggestions thread (http://forum.abestweb.com/showthread.php?t=61935) because it isn't about the program, it's for some questions about the site itself and the products.

The products are beautiful, but I'm wondering what types of sites they'd go best on, whether on a general gifts site as "unique" gifts or geared toward a more specific audience.

Also - and in particular - whether all or some or most of the products are handcrafted or hand painted.

[Geno Prussakov]

I'm wondering what types of sites they'd go best on, whether on a general gifts site as "unique" gifts or geared toward a more specific audience.

webworker, first of all, thank you for your questions. I personally believe that our products can sell both as "unique" gifts and as gifts "geared toward a specific audience". After all, we sell both T-shirts (regular apparel) and hockey jerseys (sports apparel), porcelain dolls (regular dolls) and nesting dolls (can be sold both as ethnic and as educational dolls), casual fur hats (regular headwear) and military visors (military headwear), chocolate (food) and a whole range of tableware (cutting boards, glass holders, tablecloths, napkins, etc)... The list could go on and on, but here's a general look of who can sell our stuff:

Baby Merchandise stores
Clothing & Accessories stores
Collectibles & Art stores
Computers & Electronics stores
Food stores
Gifts stores
Jewelry & Watches stores
Sports & Outdoors stores
Travel stores

Hope this is helpful. Ask further questions and I will be happy to specify what fits best where...

Also - and in particular - whether all or some or most of the products are handcrafted or hand painted.

Yes, in fact, most are. Bottle holders, cutting boards, electric samovars, bells, chess, decorative eggs, guardian figurines, lacquer jewelry boxes, music boxes, nesting dolls and nesting eggs, computer mice, paintings, rolly-poly (tilting) dolls, US patriotic gifts, Gzhel porcelain, brooches, earrings, hair barrettes, keychains, fridge magnets, necklaces... All of these and many more are handpainted in Russia and imported into the US as unique handmade items.

Hope my answers have been helpful.

Best regards,

Geno

[Rexanne]

webworker,

The nesting dolls are great for kids! As Gino said, they can be educational or fun, but they're beautiful and hard to find in the US. I, personally, love the Beatles nesting dolls, especially the set that includes Yoko! :-)

[webworker]

All of these and many more are handpainted in Russia and imported into the US as unique handmade items.The reason I'm asking is that there are so many mass produced items on the market out there, that stressing that items are done by hand may help them to stand out from the crowd a bit and justify a little more expenditure by consumers than what's mass-produced.

I was looking on the site to see if items were hand painted or hand carved but couldn't find the information. I'm wondering whether it might be a selling point to help toward conversion.

[Geno Prussakov]

I was looking on the site to see if items were hand painted or hand carved but couldn't find the information. I'm wondering whether it might be a selling point to help toward conversion.

Good point! However, handmade items that have descriptions already do say that they are handmade. For example, nesting dolls (like this one: http://www.russianlegacy.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=407) have descriptions that go along these lines:

As all of our nesting dolls, this one is handcrafted in the heart Russia. It is handturned from linden wood and then handpainted by a professional nesting doll artist. It is a typical nesting doll, and each smaller piece of the set fits into the next larger one. Each doll is coated with 3-5 layers of crystal clear lacquer, and the tallest one is signed by artist.

webworker, do you mean that the fact that most products are handmade is to be stressed more vividly sitewide (as opposed to just saying so in descriptions)?

Geno