Making what the customers want

[Lobo]

We all seem to have some tendency to make what we like. This is fine when one is doing the work as a hobby or sideline enterprise.

I have posted a couple of times regarding the Tom Threepersons-style holster, and my project to recreate (first) the original design, and (second) the original carving pattern. This holster style bears little resemblance to holster designs most popular in recent years, so one might think that demand would be minimal. On the contrary, I am now receiving at least a half-dozen inquiries every week, and I'm now making at least 3 of these each week. I am about to send out at least five cut holster patterns for hand-carving to fill orders. It seems that there is quite a healthy interest in this fine example of early 20th Century design! This project has resulted in approx. 15% increase in order volume and, since it is a relatively expensive piece, sales volume has increased even more than that.

I also added a holster design for field and hunting use, at the request of a customer for a full-flap belt holster for better protection of his revolver in the field. Offering that style has also resulted in several customer contacts each week, and I'm now making at least one or two every week.

So, the bulk of my production remains holsters for concealed carry applications, as it has for years. But by adding just two totally unrelated designs I have increased total holster sales by about 20%, and total sales volume by about 30%.

Edited July 30, 2009 by Lobo

[Jared]

How much of the increase is actually the new style and how much is the older concealed?

[Lobo]

How much of the increase is actually the new style and how much is the older concealed?

Jared:

My orders for the more standard products have remained pretty constant. These newer products have accounted for the increase described.