We have all been there. Seen that super special item online, really had to have it, but contemplated if we should. Maybe it is too much money, or we just don’t trust online shopping. We are in a whole new world and there are lessons to be learnt.
I recall seeing this cardigan knit sweater online. I fell in love. It was pinks and greys and beige tones with a tribal pattern. It had a flattering shape and looked like the real warm, tight knit type. I weighed on it back and forth. The site was really nice. It looked reputable. I decided it wasn’t too expensive so I would order it. It was that nice. Once I added it my basket, I realised there was hefty shipping. But… if I ordered something else and brought up the total a bit, it would remove the shipping costs. So, I kept browsing. I found another sweater, just like the first, with different colors and pattern, but the same knit cardigan style. Order placed!
An eternity later, this smallish package arrived. I thought it was odd as I was expecting something much larger. Knits are not exactly squish-able into small bundles. When I opened the package I was in complete and utter shock. Not only was there no knit sweater, what there was consisted of 2 sweaters that were a almost t shirt like sweat shirt material with a pattern printed on them resembling the cardigan. This is where the cursing began. Looking deeper into the site, and the shipping label, I seen what appeared as an American location was actually somewhere in China. UGH!
I felt like a loser. I have been shopping online for years and never have I have been duped like this. I felt a fool. I reached out to my credit card company and they would not assist because I actually received a product. They didn’t care if it wasn’t the same one I ordered. When I reached out to the company who sent it, they said I could pay to send it back across the world and they would give me credit to buy more crap. Ummm…. No thanks. We call this a lesson learned – hopefully.
When it came time to start my own website, selling products that people are going to have high hopes for, I knew I would have to ensure people get their cardigan sweater and not a botched knock off. Sourcing the right print company is no easy feat. Not all companies have reviews, have current reviews, or post honest reviews. The sweater company never posted my review, and the ones they had showed people so happy with their purchase – clearly a lie. The only way I could know for sure is to order and see for myself. So, that’s exactly what I did.
I had a few stipulations. I needed certain products. They needed to be certain sizes. I wanted a Canadian printer if possible, expecting the majority of customers will be in Canada. And finally, the better the price, the better the deal I can pass along to my customers. I had one company I used a lot in the past, but their sizes were very limiting and they only carried one of the 3 types of mediums I wanted to offer for sale. But they did exceptional work, had decent prices, and were 100% Canadian. So, I continued to search for more mediums and sizes in Canada. I found a ‘Canadian company’ located in Ontario and spent hundreds of dollars ordering 2 different products, in two different mediums. After a week I received my shipping tracking. I thought it was impressive how fast they were since during the pandemic productions in North America have really slowed down. My other Canadian company was at least 2 weeks before shipping. I looked at the shipping information on the tracking number. It was coming from India!!! I might have lost my mind in that moment. This is not what I signed up for when sourcing a Canadian vendor. With my head hanging low, I thought back to that stupid sweater and searched deeper into this website. It took a while and I found they do manufacturing in USA, India, and Thailand. Confused how a company is ‘Canadian’ but actually does not produce ANYTHING they sell in Canada. I have been dooped. I checked reviews. All dated 2015. Oh my – I did this to myself. I was too excited at the variety and pricing that I missed the clues that would have steered me clear of this site. A few days later I received my items.
First there was a metal image of my ‘STILL’ fine art print. It was bound so tightly in plastic wrap that it was completely warped. The colours were dark and over saturated. It looked aweful. In fact, I don’t even want to hang it up at work, in my garage, or have it visible to anyone. It killed my love for this image because it changed how I saw it. The hanging hardware I paid extra for turned out to be two little wooden blocks they glued to the back yet still no way to hang it. Mind=blown. I could have glue gunned that on there myself and saved $15.
The next image was my first acrylic. I was super excited (well, before I knew it was being done abroad). I know I love the look of acrylic. When I pulled it out though, something seemed weird to me. It was not what I expected to see. I could see my elk in the image. But the image is covered in a sealed plastic paper. Where was the backing board? It took a minute for me to comprehend this as I pulled it out of the packaging. That’s when I seen these same little wooden pieces glued to the back of the acrylic. This was the hanging hardware I paid for – again! But they are glued to the image – literally. That’s when I see one little block laying in the bottom of the box. I pick it up and realise one side is green. It is a board from the back that fell off in shipping. I look closer at my image and I can see right through a small square to the kitchen behind. OMG. Who in their right mind affixes hanging apparatus to the ink of the image? Well, I know I hate this printer now. HATE. I study the image closely as I am still curious how the elk look behind acrylic. I see there are literally stripes of ink density on the rear of the animal. By now I am infuriated and I haven’t even addressed the usual brightness, contrast and saturation. This is what hundreds of dollars printed me.
This is where I really dove into the research behind the products I wanted to offer. I discovered trulife acrylic and its raving reviews and qualities. It is used by the best of the best in the industry. It is the newest medium to hit the market. It is expensive compared to the rest. But – it is the cardigan sweater! It is what you expect – the best! I found one printer in Canada, who manufactures 100% in Canada, has all custom sizing, and has every option I need for printing mediums. Their level of service has been fantastic. I decided I want to be branded as someone who offers quality over value, because the definition of those 2 things can make you or break you. This is why I, along with my printing partner, will always guarantee 100% satisfaction. I do not sell anything I myself would not be happy to hang on my wall. I am hoping you would be just as happy.
I wanted to share this story because I know sometimes people think ‘I could buy that online for half the price’. And you are right. You can source things cheaper, and of course without my images (because those come at a cost to me and to my customer). But note that even the cheapest of printers are expensive when you are talking about a speciality medium. And you get what you pay for. I refuse to sell you cheap products that will end up in a dumpster. Rather, I will only sell fine art photographic prints that will remain with you until you finally give in to that family member who is begging for it in 25 years.
Update: I received a replacement for the elk acrylic for which I demanded no hanging hardware to try to avoid the same issue. It arrived with the same hardware attached. And, as before, a piece was broken off and the entire image ruined. Sigh… the only good thing was I did get my money back for the acrylic image. But, it was a waste of time and material. Shop smart!