Interesting eMail

[GMan]

I get interesting e-mails all the time, but somehow I missed that one.

[The Wizard of BC]

AAhh! but they don't. That's the secret.

The average guy out there will only wear his kilt once or twice. He has no idea what a kilt should look like or should fit like. All he wants is a cheap thing he can wrap around himself and pretend to be Mel Gibson.

The first "OOHH that is so hot" comment he gets and he will feel his money is well spent.

Have a product of ok quality. Follow that with very attentive customer service. Buy inexpensive, sell for a couple percentage points more. Then ride the wave of interest like you see here on this forum.

If any product has a low enough price, someone will buy it. If you use a little marketing sense, have a cool looking logo, a slick website that shows movie stars in kilts and has lots of pictures that you can download from the web, a smooth patter, and another money making business is born.

It's all about making a buck so you too can buy your kid the GI Joe with the Kung-fu grip.

If you get a couple of bad reviews, simply change the name of your company and continue business as usual.

Heck, you don't know how many times a week someone walks into my shop and says things like "You should find some oriental ladies to make these for you at half the price." or "Have you ever thought of taking 100 of these and selling them at the Ren-Faire?".

I am absolutely convinced that if I could make a kilt for less than $100.00 they would sell. It would not matter what the fabric was, what the construction was like, what the kilt looked like.
Just look at some of the posts and comments on this forum. A $100.00 kilt will sell. A $90.00 kilt will sell better.

[Colin]

Not to mention the fact that there aren't any **** kilt manufacturers at the top of this page as sponsors either.

Ah, but there are two sponsors (at least) that sell kilts, sporrans, etc that are made and manufactured in Pakistan or other off shore countries.

[Kiltedfirepiper]

hey steve ...I never really looked, but you know what ....you have a cool looking logo!


I totaly get where your comming from, I ( before I REALLY knew about kilts) bought some cheapos from Ebay and THEY SUCKED!!!!

kfp

[Mr. MacDougall]

The thing is, I'm a very poor salesman. If I don't completely believe in my product, I couldn't sell ice to Arabs. If I'm making something, I can sell it, because I know how it was made, and what its strengths and weaknesses are. If I'm trying to sell something someone else made, particularly if I believe it to be sub-standard, I fail. Utterly.

So, if anyone else wants to start a cheap kilt business out of their garage, as per Steve's suggestion, it sounds like these guys might be a way to do it. But for me? I'll stick to nursing, with the occasional costume piece made for friends.

[morrison]

I also get the phishing e-mails from Sider International. About 3 a week.

They offer Tartan kilts for $30.00 us. Canvas kilts for $30.00 us. And Prince Charlie Jackets for $96.00 us.

All anyone would need is a garage, some shipping supplies, and an e-bay account and anyone can be a kilt vendor.

Double the price you are charged and you can still offer a kilt to the world at at least half of what anyone else offers. That's 100% pure profit to you.

I honestly don't see why everyone on this forum doesn't do this.

Then when you have made some profits you can get a tent and go to some highland games. Wear a t-shirt that says something like "Only true Scots wear the kilt." which you order off another e-bay vendor and make another 100% profit.

You know what, this sounds so good I think I'll close my shop and do it too.

It's the thing about integrity.

I honestly don't see why everyone on this forum doesn't do this.

Besides that, garages are for unused pool tables and stacks of saved newspapers from twenty-seven years ago, and tool collections and old bikes and golf clubs and canoes and ......

[canawler]

AAhh! but they don't. That's the secret.

The average guy out there will only wear his kilt once or twice. He has no idea what a kilt should look like or should fit like. All he wants is a cheap thing he can wrap around himself and pretend to be Mel Gibson.

The first "OOHH that is so hot" comment he gets and he will feel his money is well spent.

Have a product of ok quality. Follow that with very attentive customer service. Buy inexpensive, sell for a couple percentage points more. Then ride the wave of interest like you see here on this forum.

If any product has a low enough price, someone will buy it. If you use a little marketing sense, have a cool looking logo, a slick website that shows movie stars in kilts and has lots of pictures that you can download from the web, a smooth patter, and another money making business is born.

It's all about making a buck so you too can buy your kid the GI Joe with the Kung-fu grip.

If you get a couple of bad reviews, simply change the name of your company and continue business as usual.

Heck, you don't know how many times a week someone walks into my shop and says things like "You should find some oriental ladies to make these for you at half the price." or "Have you ever thought of taking 100 of these and selling them at the Ren-Faire?".

I am absolutely convinced that if I could make a kilt for less than $100.00 they would sell. It would not matter what the fabric was, what the construction was like, what the kilt looked like.
Just look at some of the posts and comments on this forum. A $100.00 kilt will sell. A $90.00 kilt will sell better.

Wow. Keep in mind, that expressing contempt for Stillwater, Frugal Corner, etc. is the same as expressing contempt for their customers. I would have to guess that at least 1/2 the members of this forum are customers of Stillwater. Not everyone can afford or justify the price difference for a higher quality kilt. Rocky's casual kilts are not much more than your $100 price point. Do you also consider them to be in the same league as the Pakistani kilts?

[fluter]

AAhh! but they don't. That's the secret...

It's all about making a buck so you too can buy your kid the GI Joe with the Kung-fu grip.

I beg to differ: It's all about making a buck so I can buy more Freedom Kilts! Plus there are at least 4 tartans lined up waiting for me to order a tank in them, plus...

[The Wizard of BC]

Canawler,

You missed my point completely. I am not mocking kilts made overseas. And I am not downgrading or denigrating anyone.
Just for the record my own Stillwater arrived just today. Thank you Jerry.

Business is business. You are either in it to cut out the other blokes heart and eat it, or your like me and go hungry to afford some more fabric.

Let no one mistake this. There is a market for very inexpensive kilts. How many times on this forum alone have people started post about the high cost of custom kilts and wished they could go to their local retail store and buy a kilt for the cost of a pair of jeans.

Each person will make the decision for himself what he can afford for a kilt. Each person will decide for himself what level of quality he wants.

I have had some kilts come into my shop that were made overseas and they are a very high quality garment. And I've had some come in, Made in Scotland, that look terrible.

And that is the beauty of forums like this. He we talk about kilts. Good kilts, bad kilts, red kilts, blue kilts. Hopefully those who come here learn just a little more so that the kilt they buy is the kilt they want.

[RK-REX]

There is a market for very inexpensive kilts. How many times on this forum alone have people started post about the high cost of custom kilts and wished they could go to their local retail store and buy a kilt for the cost of a pair of jeans.

And how many folks are willing to spend 2-3 or 400 dollars to "try" being kilted. I know for me $150 for my USAK was a bit hard to swallow. Like you said, I'll pay 30 for a pair of jeans, or maybe 50 for a good pair of dress pants, but I know how they'll look on me and I'll most likely be able to try them on. For your first kilt, who wants to spend a several hundred dollars and find out they don't like being kilted. How they wouldn't is beyond me, but.....