So. What's going on? Advice, please. November 13, 2014 17:34 17 Comments

I am confused. I am in despair. For years, customer after customer complained that I needed to update The Blue Gardenia. Add a search. Add a shopping cart. Et cetera. And guess what? Sales are way down since we implemented the new site, even though I have lowered prices substantially.

For instance, one rare 1940s Vogue Special Design wedding gown was MUCH cheaper at The Blue Gardenia, even though ours was a better size. Two other sites had it, one at Etsy, one an independent site, but both had bust 30. We had the gown for $35. Theirs were $75 and $95. I have seen patterns we have for $200 go for $500 on Ebay.

I've lowered prices because my fiction is gaining attention, so I want to move patterns faster now. All except the rare ones are priced to sell. And these are vintage patterns, folks, not reproductions!

So, friends, what gives? What is it that you don't like about the new site? Sales are down 90% since we installed it. (And it cost a pretty penny for the redesign.) So tell me, what is the problem? We now have not one, but two layers of security.

Please share your thoughts. I beg you. This is far too much work to do to make only a few dollars a month. Because whether we have sales or not, we carefully check patterns and add new ones at least once a month, and sometimes more.