Sad day today, closing business
- Thread starter darreny
- Start date
Certainly not the product at fault Darreny, I'd love one of those chopping boards if I had the money for one 
Makes me think that we need a goods and services offered subforum, I appreciate we don't and assume it's due to the nature of not wanting people spamming it continually and possible legal ramifications but with the correct restrictions I would like to think such a thing could be possible?
Makes me think that we need a goods and services offered subforum, I appreciate we don't and assume it's due to the nature of not wanting people spamming it continually and possible legal ramifications but with the correct restrictions I would like to think such a thing could be possible?
Caporegime
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Put your design on Kickstarter and see if people will fund your project. Get a job in the meantime and see how it goes.
Another avenue which is not for everyone but well worth considering is starting a YouTube Channel showing you making the items etc. I know I have started following a few 'Crafts' Channels like Blacksmiths/Rod Makers/Fishing Lure Makers and I'll be purchasing from them simply to support their channels which I find extremely interesting to watch and good to learn from.
This guy gets it.
Ad the old saying goes, every time a door closes, another one opens. You've done well and can be proud you managed it for three years. I chucked in the towel twice, both times under a year. All the best
What was it you did
Never tried marketing my self, however seen so many successful start ups by giving a freebie and allowing honest reviews to small/medium youtubers who are in the right area.
At least in the hiking world seen half a dozen + start ups do this and they all seem to be doing well.
Also Facebook page is very useful. And going to farmer markets for this type of thing.
The other issue you have is chopping boards like that are £10 in tk max and the like, obviously Nott such nice wood. But a but hard basing your business mainly on them.
A whole in the market I have seen, is one off wooden knife blocks. Especially more organic shape using whole branches.
Get a job and carry on doing what your doing, expand the range and keep it high end. Have to to make it worth while.
Steak is popular at the moment, you could do matching individual steak serving board, buy high quality Damascus steak knife blades and make like olive wood handles. You could then also have marching proper chopping board, spatula/spoon cup thing, kitchen knife rack.
As others have said, at least you've had the balls to try.
At least in the hiking world seen half a dozen + start ups do this and they all seem to be doing well.
Also Facebook page is very useful. And going to farmer markets for this type of thing.
The other issue you have is chopping boards like that are £10 in tk max and the like, obviously Nott such nice wood. But a but hard basing your business mainly on them.
A whole in the market I have seen, is one off wooden knife blocks. Especially more organic shape using whole branches.
Get a job and carry on doing what your doing, expand the range and keep it high end. Have to to make it worth while.
Steak is popular at the moment, you could do matching individual steak serving board, buy high quality Damascus steak knife blades and make like olive wood handles. You could then also have marching proper chopping board, spatula/spoon cup thing, kitchen knife rack.
As others have said, at least you've had the balls to try.
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Did you try approaching the likes of John Lewis, etc. to see if they would be willing to sell your items?
In terms of marketing, are there any major bloggers in this area that you can reach out to? The problem is, chopping boards are pretty niche. Your best bet may be to diversify.
Also, the youtube channel idea is a really good one.
EDIT:
I think your best bet may be to target food bloggers. It's a pretty big industry.
In terms of marketing, are there any major bloggers in this area that you can reach out to? The problem is, chopping boards are pretty niche. Your best bet may be to diversify.
Also, the youtube channel idea is a really good one.
EDIT:
I think your best bet may be to target food bloggers. It's a pretty big industry.
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Caporegime
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Better off going to niche craft shops before John Lewis, you probably don't have the production means to ramp out hundreds of them
Soldato
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Desks. There's money in big ass desks. Stick "gamer" before the word and you can charge a premium.
I would love to setup a business selling desks and chairs. Based on thr frequency of posts on OCUK, I'd be rich within a year.
I would love to setup a business selling desks and chairs. Based on thr frequency of posts on OCUK, I'd be rich within a year.
Associate
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Soldato
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Shops markups on most products (non-tech) are 2.5-3x so that seems normal. Why didn't you take them up? John Lewis are a massive name and most product developers would sell their left arm to have them as a stockist.
The chopping boards look great, and I appreciated they are very well made hand-crafted. I would snap one up at £30 quid, would think about it at £50-60 but wouldn't pay £99. Not least whenever I have had chopping board composed of exposed wood they always disintegrate after a certain number of dishwasher cycles. The wood expands and contracts and then the epoxy gives way.
And I'm with Russinating on this, A shop will normally have a 3x markup so why didn't you try to make a deal with John Lewis? Doesn't matter to you one but what the shops markup is if they are willing to pay you sufficiently.
And I'm with Russinating on this, A shop will normally have a 3x markup so why didn't you try to make a deal with John Lewis? Doesn't matter to you one but what the shops markup is if they are willing to pay you sufficiently.
You're not supposed to put wooden chopping boards in the dishwasher 
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Nice work there darreny. I dabble in a bit of woodwork on the side and couldn't imagine trying to make a living from it. Its very niche these days and with a lot of cheap stuff coming in from the middle east it means you have to work for a lot less if you want to compete.
.Nice work there darreny. I dabble in a bit of woodwork on the side and couldn't imagine trying to make a living from it. Its very niche these days and with a lot of cheap stuff coming in from the middle east it means you have to work for a lot less if you want to compete.
Soldato
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Those chopping boards look amazing 
Not sure where you are in the country, but I can tell you now that advertising is everything. Where I am, you can't find a decent joiner for love nor money.
Not sure where you are in the country, but I can tell you now that advertising is everything. Where I am, you can't find a decent joiner for love nor money.
That's because wood should never ggo into a dishwasher, it sucks all the oils out.
Secondly wood needs oiling which very few people do. Which is silly as a bottle of food grade oil costs a few quid and will last most people years.
Soldato
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Nice boards but I imagine the market for £100 chopping boards is quite limited. Have you ever considered making chess or backgammon boards? A well made one of those would be able to be sold for hundreds.
Timber cost per board is £44. They said they'd sold a few at that price which is why I went no further as I can hardly sell to John Lewis for them to retail at £250 and me having a website that sells them for £100. Also if they ordered a lot it would mean quality would have to suffer which would not make them worth their £250 price point