The psychology behind buying.

[jennywren]

I sell direct to the public and for what ever reason they buy there is nothing like the pleasure I get when I have sold (mug, coaster, t.shirt or gifts that I brought in ) and they loved what what they have brought, sometimes they choose it, but generally it because I have suggested something suitable, even talk them out of sales as it seem not appropriate, I always what age group there buying for, and for who. But I love that feeling when they go away happy and feel that the person receiving them will love the item. I'm even happy if I have to send them away to buy else, they sometimes come back and say thank you, they found something else. I love selling but sometimes we are more than that, someone to talk to, console them when then buy memorial gifts and you be surprised at small way that selling helps so many people for so different reason, so instead of wondering why they buy, be glad they do and think what a difference we are making

[DREAMGLASS]

I am grateful that customer's DO buy my finished items. I have feedback from all over the world saying how their partner loves the item, or how the purchaser is really pleased with what they have received and that gives me a lot of satisfaction, to know I am generally doing things right for my customers. When someone pays international postage to buy an item from the far side of the globe, especially when you consider the level of international competition out there in 'net land', it does give you a buzz that you'd simply never get working for others.

One of the requests I often get is "do you sell the tees in any colour other than white" and realistically that's where I probably lose a lot of sales. Whilst pastel colours are available from suppliers, they can radically change the look of an image. Print yellows onto a terracotta tee and you end up with ghastly shades of orange, print reds onto a light blue tee and you end up with vivid purples etc. Without the white underbase, sublimation only really works with white tees and that in itself limits the possibilities. White is great for creating detailed designs, but lots of folks simply won't wear white tees (myself included). Black has always been king, and that is the biggest selling colour in my vinyl tees by a big margin.

[Kaz]

From a personal point of view, I don't like t-shirts with pictures/slogans etc on them, I prefer plain ones :O

I could never understand why someone wanted to walk about "promoting" someone elses business, and part of me still doesn't understand it. But understanding doesn't make me money, lol

As to the psychology of buying, if we knew that, we'd all be millionaires.

Last year is was skulls on tshirts that were the big seller and I didn't really get into it early enough. Looking round the shops at the early spring collections is giving me an idea of what's going to be "in" this year, and I'm working on my own designs (with the help of my teenager who is great in photoshop), if they sell they sell, if they don't, I'll go back to the drawing board. I learnt not to print up all the designs, but use a white tshirt with an overlay as a sample for websites, different for doing shows etc then I'd print one offs and take orders, which worked out OKish on the run up to christmas.

With this being my first year in the business, most of my time has been spent learnig techniques more than anything else, so hopefully over the coming year I'll be able to start making some money instead of laying out all the time.

[JSR]

I am grateful that customer's DO buy my finished items. I have feedback from all over the world saying how their partner loves the item, or how the purchaser is really pleased with what they have received and that gives me a lot of satisfaction, to know I am generally doing things right for my customers. When someone pays international postage to buy an item from the far side of the globe, especially when you consider the level of international competition out there in 'net land', it does give you a buzz that you'd simply never get working for others.

I had that feeling when I received my first orders from Norway a few years back. The customer must have liked the product, because she came back for more.

When you consider that the majority of my sales is putting other people's photos on items, a service offered by more people than I can count, the very idea that someone from abroad would seek out my unworthy services was very humbling.

[jennywren]

I am ashamed to metion, not wone of my web customers has ever written to me and say thank you whatever, even though they are abroad, no feedback at all from the website customers, you JSR are with Noryay under your belt will go and rack up a few more countries. I will probley will be still waiting for a very long time, I shall have to happy when I get a thank you for little old ladies that buy the puzzells for a pound, I think thats the difference between selling on the web and from my stall. From my stall I see faces, from the web e.mails. Huge difference

[JSR]

I am ashamed to metion, not wone of my web customers has ever written to me and say thank you whatever, even though they are abroad, no feedback at all from the website customers ... I think thats the difference between selling on the web and from my stall. From my stall I see faces, from the web e.mails. Huge difference

It does all come down to contact. If I'm doing a plain order in which someone sends a photo, I print and ship, then I'll probably never hear from them again. But if I've spoken to/emailed them to discuss just how they want the product, then that invariably results in positive feedback (which I then put on my testimonials page if the customer allows it).

[jennywren]

Thats so smart, never thought of doing that, I have always been under the impression that customers had to write it and post it. I'll have to look and see if I've got a testimonials page, if not I'll get it sorted. I have a eview section which nobody has ever used. Great tip, cheers for sharing

[DREAMGLASS]

From a personal point of view, I don't like t-shirts with pictures/slogans etc on them, I prefer plain ones :O

I could never understand why someone wanted to walk about "promoting" someone elses business, and part of me still doesn't understand it. But understanding doesn't make me money, lol

I always think that when I see adults wearing football shirts OUTSIDE of match days. Those club shirts often have their sponsors name splashed all across them. Who really wants to advertise Joe's Bathroom Centre, or some obscure insurance company across their chest?

[Ian M]

I always think that when I see adults wearing football shirts OUTSIDE of match days. Those club shirts often have their sponsors name splashed all across them. Who really wants to advertise Joe's Bathroom Centre, or some obscure insurance company across their chest?

They wear football shirts outside of match days because they are telling everyone that they belong to that group & in a way they feel that that shirt tells everyone where their loyalties lie. It can also be because of something else. If us older ones cast our minds back to the late 1970's you'll have always seen for many years Nikki Lauda the F1 world champion always wore the same cap with Parmalat on it. This was because when he did the sponsorship deal with them he promised to always wear the cap with their name on & this he did till they went bust a few years ago.

In the cold light of day companies who sponsor sports know that people will wear T-shirts etc & that is how they raise their profiles & sales.

I think Desmond Morris would refer to it all as a tribal thing & that is what it is really.

[DREAMGLASS]

I think Desmond Morris would refer to it all as a tribal thing & that is what it is really.

I wonder what the 'sublimation tribe' should have on their tees?

"Press for Action".... "Also available in white and white and white"..... "You're not drunk, just using bad colour profiles"...