I've always considered myself a "small brand" with dreams of being a bigger one and it's a mindset that I struggle with daily. I even told myself not to use the phrase, "small brand" to describe the business anymore (even if it's just a rule I hold only in my head). The other way I tend to describe my business is to call it a "local brand", describing the fact that most of our operations are based in Hawaii (the place I was born and raised). I have a deep sense of pride being able to do this.
But one fact is true, it's expensive to grow a business here in Hawaii. And one of the big reasons is shipping costs. It's something none of us can overcome as it's just part of living on a beautiful island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. And when I started to focus on growing our customer base to other women throughout the U.S., we quickly saw the percentages of Hawaii-based customers vs mainland customers shift. This came as a surprise to the team and I. And with the shift, a new set of challenges arose and one that we can't ignore anymore is shipping . . . again.
We take the biggest hit when everything is done, ready to sell, and we need to get it in our hands from our California factories to Hawaii – I know, it's painful. The second shipping cost is from finding a large enough space to hold the clothing in Hawaii where we can organize, pack, and fulfill all your orders. And then the third comes from the shipping costs a large portion of you have to endured to get your order to your doorstep. Those who pay the most are on the continental U.S. because now we're shipping everything from Hawaii back to the mainland. And many of you have commented on the high cost of shipping - so much so that it became a bigger issue that needed to be addressed.
It's been a thought that I've been wrestling with for over a year now. And after talking to numerous fulfillment centers, I've finally found one that I feel like I can trust and who'll take care of fulfilling your orders with as much care and concern as we do. Don't worry - we'll still be on the other side of the line for your emails, direct messages and phone calls. And as we sit in meetings to discuss these changes, I promise to keep you in the loop as much as possible. My team and I have considered all of it, even the fact that our Hawaii customers may now have to pay more in shipping. But don't fear, we're working through a possibility of taking a bit of a "hit" on the shipping from our new mainland facility to Hawaii, and offering a flat rate to our long time Hawaii friends. I know that it's through your support and kindness that we get to do this job everyday! So I ask for your help one more time . . .
This week, we're doing a "Clear the Warehouse Sale" – as we attempt to let go of as much inventory as we can. This is to avoid having to pay shipping one more time to get the older inventory back to the mainland to be warehoused. We ask that you help us "lighten our load" by buying what you've had your eye on for a while or getting that second pair of pants you love. This may be the last time you see these sale styles, in these colors.
Thank you ahead of time for your support and for being here as I battle challenges of running this business. So many changes and each one is not made lightly. I see it all as a win-win situation . . .
with gratitude,
Allison
