Just a quick note to let you know that I’ve been spending a lot of time working on the new Skincare Naturals site (which will be replacing the present http://www.handmadesoap.ca) and I’m expecting to have it ready to go live within the next week or two.
It’s been a big job since I didn’t use a traditional shopping cart, I wanted to maintain the flow of the website theme and frankly, had no idea what I was in for when I chose the shopping cart!
In case you have been having problems with my email address, I found the problem and it has been fixed as well.
I will be adding new in stock items, new bulk sizes, a sales page as well as building an article, recipe/how to, and resources data base, updating SKiN Tips and SKN News as well as working on new ‘how to’ eguides – the How to Make Body Butter eguide has been very well received and the Make It Special eguide has been very popular during the pre Christmas season.
I’m really looking forward to the upcoming season and updating you as I play with some of the new items coming up.
If you have any suggestions for ingredients, products or features that you’d like to see on the new site or blog, please let me know – your input really helps me to provide exactly what YOU are looking for.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Jan
I had an interesting comment last week that I thought deserved a post of it's own.
Hi Jan,
I noticed most of your blogs are of promoting other soap, body care or suppliers. I must ask why not more Canadian companies? As a Canadian yourself you must be aware of the economy happening here and every bit of promoting these Canadians would be of great help.
I am not lashing out towards other countries but as a Canadian I do believe in shopping here first.
Please add more links of Great Canadian sites.
Thanks
Laura
Hi Laura, thanks for your very interesting comment.
I agree that there aren't as many Canadian listings on this blog.
Last week when I wrote the cranberry article and included the US supply sites, I actually did look around for some of these ingredients in Canada and didn't find any, or I would have listed them here.
But that aside, as a rule there aren't many here for 2 reasons.
1 – The US links are affiliate links. That means that if someone purchases from them within a week of clicking, I get a %. I haven't been able to find any Canadian companies who offer this kind of program. I think that the companies are very high quality as well, so it makes it easy to link to specific ingredients etc with confidence and feeling like I am doing a good thing.
In case anyone is wondering, bottom line on adding paid links is this. I've worked my tail off for almost 9 years at my computer and packing orders, and everything else that goes along with having a business, doing the best I can. And I'm still not Donald Trump or anything close, the links actually amount to a very small amount, so small that I may not even bother with them in the future.
But what ever I can do to help bring in some $ around here is one step closer to my goal of being a successful home business owner just like anyone else and avoiding the new Tim Horton's that is opening here next year!
I add that because I know that some people may be under the impression that it's all fun and games. As I write this it's after 9:30, I've already been here about 3 hours, my butt is sore, my family is waiting for me to watch a movie with them – again. But I wanted to be able to get this out with this week's posts.
2 – I have a Canadian supplies site myself, so it would not be in the best interest of my business to promote other companies selling the same things on a regular basis with no give and take.
That said, I am open to trading links or running ads for Canadian companies anytime and as I build the content and resources here, there is bound to be more Canadian content, especially for unique, quality items.
RESOURCE SECTION OF THE MAKE IT SPECIAL GUIDE
My Make It Special Guide has quite a few links to Canadian companies that I included and would have spotlighted more, but I only had one response when I put out a call for contributors.
I had Sandy Maine from Sunfeather, Anne-Marie at Brambleberry and Marge from Natures Gift sent their contributions, but the only Canadian was Maureen from Soap and More, so she's in the guide.
If you know of anyone who would like to make a contribution, let them know. I am always happy to add resources to the Make It Special list that is a companion to the eguide.
HELPING HOME AND COTTAGE INDUSTRY AND WORK AT HOME MOMS
My real passion is in helping home and cottage industry and work at home moms, I know first hand how challenging it can be.
Most of these would fall in the area of finished soaps and natural skin care for sale.
I did put a call out for anyone who wanted to add their site in the comments section of this Handmade Christmas post and had very few takers.
I am hoping to have some good things going on here as time goes on, more in the area of information for everyone be it Canadian or US.
PILLOWS OF LAVENDER
NOTE: I am going to have more to say about Pillows of Lavender in another post. Robin is a friend and work at home mom in the US and runs an affiliate program as well. I don't know of other Canadian companies with similar products, but feel free to comment below. I just received my order from her and it is amazing, a little piece of heaven. And the service was awesome too. Shipping across the border, not so good. As usual. But if you live in the US and are looking for something different, go visit Robin's site.
CONTRIBUTIONS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME
Comments are easy, if anyone has an article they'd like me to post here, just send it over to me with some information about your company.
As long as it promotes natural ingredients or environmentally friendly items, I would be more than happy to have them as part of the Skincare Naturals growing information base.
CANADA ROCKS!
We have an amazing country that I am very proud to be part of.
I hope that I can be of help to my fellow Canadians as well as to everyone else with this blog and my business and am always open to suggestions.
Thanks very much for contributing your thoughts, I really appreciate your time, honesty and pleasantness.
I hope this clears it up a little, let me know what you think anytime!
In the end, that's what always helps to build a better resource for everyone.
Welcome to the new Skincare Naturals blog.
As we continue to evolve our website and business, I would like to ask you…
What would you like to see more of?
Less of?
Suggestions?
Just list them in the comments section where we will be sure to see them.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Janice
