Hello friends. First, thank you SO very much for participating in my recent polls the other day. Secondly time to announce the two lucky winners of the melamine (chosen via random number picker) , congratulations goes to-
#4 ANNE DENT
and
#259 CHER
Please email your shipping info to [email protected] so your beautiful melamine can be on it’s way!
__________
Moving along…..I cannot tell you just how important and valuable hearing what you have to say is. I take everything to heart and read over every single comment. It was such fun to collect the data and read over your many many comments. And you gave such insightful, useful feedback, tons of wonderful recommendations but mostly you validated all I love doing so THANK YOU!
It was so amazing and validating to hear how excited you are over all my new products, made me feel so good about the decisions I have made, as when you go on this journey of creating and manufacturing, sometimes it requires a leap of faith and your wonderful words, compliments and encouragement made that leap so worth it!
As there are not pictures that correlate to all the text which is lengthy in this post, figured it would be a great post to add random blue and white pictures…why not. We know that never gets old:)
If you missed the post where I unveiled all the exciting new things coming this way, click here
There were some general “themes” or recurring comments so thought I would first address those, while saying thank you because 99.9% of you had such glowing reviews, I found myself blushing while reading them:)
1.
MANY asked about occasional free shipping. Citing that many sites offer it regularly or some offer it occasionally. Point well taken. My prices are very competitive FOR WHAT THEY ARE and we are a small company so those are two reasons why we do not offer free shipping. I operate on narrower margins than many companies.
HOWEVER I get that free shipping makes a deal awfully sweet. So I promise as soon as my IT person is back to working, we will offer a free shipping day. See? You ask and you shall receive. I cannot say this will be a regular occurrence but I can say that I will occasional do this at least once a season.
2.
Most found my prices to be on par or less than what they would expect but I did get a few people who thought some porcelains were on the higher side. Allow me to explain- there are porcelains and there are porcelains. There is indeed a difference and mine are the latter.
The porcelains you typically find in lets say Marshalls or Home Goods are typically bright white and bright blue, shiny machine made porcelains. These are made with decals and are NOT hand painted as mine are. My porcelains have an entire centuries old art behind them and I am including this video which I have shared in the past but its so good it bears sharing once again. It will give you a real appreciation for the pieces you buy from me and just what goes into making them.
3.
99.8% of you who referred to our customer service spoke of how much you love our personalized, prompt attention and that made me so happy. BUT three people said they were not happy with the service they got for one reason or another.
For those of you who said this, first thank you for telling me. And please please please if that ever happens again by all means reach out to me via email or phone. I need to know these things and always will do my darnedest to fix it!
4.
A number of people spoke about wishing that for some items, that there was more information, a more thorough description. This is very much on my list of “to do’s” for 2018. We are just starting to comb through the site and edit some of the product with more info.
Point well taken and we are addressing it. But remember anytime you want to call or need a quick answer for anything, just call 800-804-9565. We are here every day M-F 9:30-5:30 EST.
5.
Lots of you said you love when I share pictures of items “in action”, that it really helps you to see how they are used. I am very much the same way and love to see a product in a space or on a real person (clothing). I will make an effort to include more of such shots when adding new products to the site.
6.
Our little team really prides itself on our personalized service, our office is a place where we actually answer the phones and we work hard to get a resolution if there is an issue. You don’t have to be prodded to press 1 for this, 2 for that all to be disconnected. We pick up the phone and you will get to hear a live human voice, a luxury in today’s world!
We are tweaking many aspects of how our online shop runs and many of said that there have been vast improvements with things across the board. A few said things like updating out of stock items and providing a tracking is still spotty. We are on it and things are running a lot smoother but there is always room for improvement and we are continuing to seek out ways to get better and better.
Some said they wish we could offer a checkout system for flash sales/presales, unfortunately at this time we cannot. Those sales mostly are for items we only have 1 or 2 of so offering an online checkout does not really work. So there are only two ways to order, calling (easiest) or emailing for an invoice to be sent.
Certain items like the tulipieres and the new style planter with gold finials and soon several other items can be purchased as a presale on the shop site. You should check regularly as many new forthcoming items are going to be offered as a presale. Click here to see.
We are not perfect, we make mistakes but always do our very best to rectify them in a prompt manner. We love what we do and your happiness and satisfaction is of utmost importance. And once again any problem at all, can be solved and is just a phone call away. We answer our phones every day 9:30-5:30 Mon-Friday
7.
You are a very spread out bunch..equal distribution! I would say the states that came up most were California, Texas, The Carolinas, Missouri, Georgia but truly it seems like almost all the states were represented, love that! And then all kinds of countries, from England to Spain to Dubai to Turkey.…..wow!
8.
65% of you are between 50-70 years young. The rest are the “young chicks” or under 50🙂
9.
Almost 60% of you would love to see more seasonal objects and small gift ideas, definitely working on the seasonal objects already so I will be working on offering more small gift ideas.
The two most requested categories to add were outdoor accessories and bedding(good to know)! Pillows and rugs followed closely behind.
10 .
60% of you found my online shop via the blog, and a larger number than I expected 21% found me via social media (Instagram and Pinterest). 11% were recommended by a friend (thank you), 5% via a Google search and the rest was marked “other”…….really interesting!
11.
Of the new wrapping papers, the lemon topiary, the boxwood topiary and the tulips in the tulipieres were the three most popular prints! I cannot wait to get them and let the giftwrap frenzy begin:)
12.
About 65% likedand support the idea of adding the chargers as an extra time in my new melamine. Good thing because as of a few days ago, it’s in production I went with my gut and glad I did. I can hardly wait to get these in!
13.
Nearly a whopping 70% of you loved the new style blue and white Provence planter ( porcelain) and not all of you liked the pricepoint, lol. The cost on this planter is high but it is still going to be quite reasonable compared to most high end planters or fishbowls,etc….plus I think when you see it all done, you are going to fall in love!
The design has been tweaked considerably as well as the colors…..have patience, think you will agree it was worth it! Will share pictures when the new version is done
14.
And for the metal Provence planters, guess what two colors most of you think I should add? Dark green and light graywon hands down, so thank you!
15. The majority loved the idea of my introducing these beautiful chinoiserie brackets, so think these might soon be in the works!
______________
So that’s the synopsis of the polls that you all participated in and I soooo appreciate you taking the time to do so. This helps me immensely to be better at what I do which in turn will make us all happy:) Wishing everyone a wonderful day and great end to your week! Until next time…..
PS Second day of the warehouse clearing out sale part 1 is on, click here to see
Love your customer service, especially Margret. A free shipping day would be wonderful. I do find that your shipping is quite high, especially for local people who live on Long Island. Wonder if it can be adjusted.
Where was the Designer Showhouse you were part of? I go to almost all of them and was wondering if I missed it. Though, I would have noticed all the blue and white. Keep doing what you do best! Thank you!!
I never tire of seeing your lovely home, especially your outside space, and how you use your blue and white. Your home is beautiful and the grounds must be, as well. Thank you for the explanations on all the items we voted on, it was very interesting. I’ll bet your office is a great place to work!
I ordered your Pagoda flatware and was so surprised when it arrived . It is so much prettier in person and a very nice weight.. Can’t wait to see what you are working on next !
I received my order a few days ago, and I have just one question. Do you sell anything that is not absolutely lovely? Everything that I have purchased has been even prettier in person than it is online. Thank you for the time and energy you have devoted to your shop!
I almost hate to tell you this, but your prices are so below what I can find anywhere else. Half or one third. Having run a small company and doing all the shipping it is no small task. We shipped 1 million in products a year and we couldn’t offer free shipping. Your things come packaged perfectly and that is no small task for porcelain. You are right about the quality I have purchased a bowl, several vases (one very large), a lamp, and several ginger jars and other items. There is no comparison to the machine made products and they rival my antique porcelain. Thank you so much for what you do so well.
Good morning Tina I really enjoyed this post as I did participating in the poll I am a newer follower, I found you from Instagram and fell in love with your blog from the first day I discovered it . I have since ordered twice from you and can tell you that not only did everything come very fast but it was so wonderfully packaged and then when I opened the boxes everything was so beautiful, way prettier in person.
As someone who considers herself almost a professional shopper I will tell you that your prices are definitely below retail and I think those who would question the prices of your porcelain need to educate themselves because the pricing that you offer cannot be found. I saw one of the jars that you sell on frontgate for about three times the price, I would never put one of those cheap looking machine made porcelains from discount stores in my home. The saying that you get what you pay for is so true. You fill a void that is missing in the market – so thank you for all the effort and energy you put into curating such a beautiful collection of items .
Cheers from Boston
Annie
Thank you for sharing the results of the survey. I always participate and it was interesting to see the information. Always look forward to your post. Have a wonderful weekend.
As a former business owner, please let me reinforce the comment Tina made above regarding bringing problems or issues to her attention. The customer who will do this is the business owner’s best friend at that moment – otherwise how would she know there is an issue that needs addressing. It is not mean or hateful or negative to mention these things in a polite and businesslike manner. You’re doing the shop owner a favor. The worst scenario is when a dissatisfied customer just takes their business elsewhere and you have to no idea why.
Finally, the quality of the items I have purchased from The Enchanted Home is top notch. This is my go-to shop and first stop for gifts for friends as well as my own home.
How fun to see all the results of your poll- I participated and always eager to see an owner who takes price in their business and wants to make it better. That shows that you really care and your incredible and very much growing collection of beautiful items has won my heart. I love every single thing I have ever bought from you and btw they are packaged really really well.
One thing to consider- An Enchanted Home giftcard? I have friends who love the site and think a giftcard could be a really good idea. Have a nice weekend.
My first call to you, ] long ago and far away, was for wall brackets. I love the one you showed today. I hope that they will be large enough for my needs. I need a bracket that’s about 7 . 5″ deep. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
Dear Tina..As a long time follower I hope you continue to post your thoughts and observations on current events, cultural events, entertaining, etc,.. I always enjoy your Iphone musings and Seven on Sunday..Please, I hope your “store” doesn’t consume you and change the blogger I fell in love with..Yes, if anyone can do it all it’s you! All of your merchandise is lovely and of the very highest quality, but please, the retail aspect of your blog has been pretty heavy lately. It’s often mind blowing to me when I imagine how hard you must work. I do wish you the very best!!
LOVE your blog and site! Love all my purchases from you and how promptly they arrive, your office girls are super helpful and sweet- please don’t change a thing, very proud of your success. I know you have worked hard and it shows but I also can tell you love what you do. Thanks for sharing all the beauty!
Tina, I have ordered from you on three occasions . Each time Margaret has helped me, I love her !! We have become phone friends = ) She takes care of any problems and gets what you are saying, right away !! Margaret i the BEST !! Love all of the items that I have ordered !! Great customer service with Margaret = )
Very interesting video and had not seen it before. I do hope all these men and women get paid well for all their hard work! Hopefully that is reflected in your pricing. Beautiful pieces!!
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Hello friends. First, thank you SO very much for participating in my recent polls the other day. Secondly time to announce the two lucky winners of the melamine (chosen via random number picker) , congratulations goes to-
#4 ANNE DENT
and
#259 CHER
Please email your shipping info to [email protected] so your beautiful melamine can be on it’s way!
__________
Moving along…..I cannot tell you just how important and valuable hearing what you have to say is. I take everything to heart and read over every single comment. It was such fun to collect the data and read over your many many comments. And you gave such insightful, useful feedback, tons of wonderful recommendations but mostly you validated all I love doing so THANK YOU!
It was so amazing and validating to hear how excited you are over all my new products, made me feel so good about the decisions I have made, as when you go on this journey of creating and manufacturing, sometimes it requires a leap of faith and your wonderful words, compliments and encouragement made that leap so worth it!
As there are not pictures that correlate to all the text which is lengthy in this post, figured it would be a great post to add random blue and white pictures…why not. We know that never gets old:)
If you missed the post where I unveiled all the exciting new things coming this way, click here
There were some general “themes” or recurring comments so thought I would first address those, while saying thank you because 99.9% of you had such glowing reviews, I found myself blushing while reading them:)
1.
MANY asked about occasional free shipping. Citing that many sites offer it regularly or some offer it occasionally. Point well taken. My prices are very competitive FOR WHAT THEY ARE and we are a small company so those are two reasons why we do not offer free shipping. I operate on narrower margins than many companies.
HOWEVER I get that free shipping makes a deal awfully sweet. So I promise as soon as my IT person is back to working, we will offer a free shipping day. See? You ask and you shall receive. I cannot say this will be a regular occurrence but I can say that I will occasional do this at least once a season.
2.
Most found my prices to be on par or less than what they would expect but I did get a few people who thought some porcelains were on the higher side. Allow me to explain- there are porcelains and there are porcelains. There is indeed a difference and mine are the latter.
The porcelains you typically find in lets say Marshalls or Home Goods are typically bright white and bright blue, shiny machine made porcelains. These are made with decals and are NOT hand painted as mine are. My porcelains have an entire centuries old art behind them and I am including this video which I have shared in the past but its so good it bears sharing once again. It will give you a real appreciation for the pieces you buy from me and just what goes into making them.
3.
99.8% of you who referred to our customer service spoke of how much you love our personalized, prompt attention and that made me so happy. BUT three people said they were not happy with the service they got for one reason or another.
For those of you who said this, first thank you for telling me. And please please please if that ever happens again by all means reach out to me via email or phone. I need to know these things and always will do my darnedest to fix it!
4.
A number of people spoke about wishing that for some items, that there was more information, a more thorough description. This is very much on my list of “to do’s” for 2018. We are just starting to comb through the site and edit some of the product with more info.
Point well taken and we are addressing it. But remember anytime you want to call or need a quick answer for anything, just call 800-804-9565. We are here every day M-F 9:30-5:30 EST.
5.
Lots of you said you love when I share pictures of items “in action”, that it really helps you to see how they are used. I am very much the same way and love to see a product in a space or on a real person (clothing). I will make an effort to include more of such shots when adding new products to the site.
6.
Our little team really prides itself on our personalized service, our office is a place where we actually answer the phones and we work hard to get a resolution if there is an issue. You don’t have to be prodded to press 1 for this, 2 for that all to be disconnected. We pick up the phone and you will get to hear a live human voice, a luxury in today’s world!
We are tweaking many aspects of how our online shop runs and many of said that there have been vast improvements with things across the board. A few said things like updating out of stock items and providing a tracking is still spotty. We are on it and things are running a lot smoother but there is always room for improvement and we are continuing to seek out ways to get better and better.
Some said they wish we could offer a checkout system for flash sales/presales, unfortunately at this time we cannot. Those sales mostly are for items we only have 1 or 2 of so offering an online checkout does not really work. So there are only two ways to order, calling (easiest) or emailing for an invoice to be sent.
Certain items like the tulipieres and the new style planter with gold finials and soon several other items can be purchased as a presale on the shop site. You should check regularly as many new forthcoming items are going to be offered as a presale. Click here to see.
We are not perfect, we make mistakes but always do our very best to rectify them in a prompt manner. We love what we do and your happiness and satisfaction is of utmost importance. And once again any problem at all, can be solved and is just a phone call away. We answer our phones every day 9:30-5:30 Mon-Friday
7.
You are a very spread out bunch..equal distribution! I would say the states that came up most were California, Texas, The Carolinas, Missouri, Georgia but truly it seems like almost all the states were represented, love that! And then all kinds of countries, from England to Spain to Dubai to Turkey.…..wow!
8.
65% of you are between 50-70 years young. The rest are the “young chicks” or under 50🙂
9.
Almost 60% of you would love to see more seasonal objects and small gift ideas, definitely working on the seasonal objects already so I will be working on offering more small gift ideas.
The two most requested categories to add were outdoor accessories and bedding (good to know)! Pillows and rugs followed closely behind.
10 .
60% of you found my online shop via the blog, and a larger number than I expected 21% found me via social media (Instagram and Pinterest). 11% were recommended by a friend (thank you), 5% via a Google search and the rest was marked “other”…….really interesting!
11.
Of the new wrapping papers, the lemon topiary, the boxwood topiary and the tulips in the tulipieres were the three most popular prints! I cannot wait to get them and let the giftwrap frenzy begin:)
12.
About 65% liked and support the idea of adding the chargers as an extra time in my new melamine. Good thing because as of a few days ago, it’s in production I went with my gut and glad I did. I can hardly wait to get these in!
13.
Nearly a whopping 70% of you loved the new style blue and white Provence planter ( porcelain) and not all of you liked the pricepoint, lol. The cost on this planter is high but it is still going to be quite reasonable compared to most high end planters or fishbowls,etc….plus I think when you see it all done, you are going to fall in love!
The design has been tweaked considerably as well as the colors…..have patience, think you will agree it was worth it! Will share pictures when the new version is done
14.
And for the metal Provence planters, guess what two colors most of you think I should add? Dark green and light gray won hands down, so thank you!
15. The majority loved the idea of my introducing these beautiful chinoiserie brackets, so think these might soon be in the works!
______________
So that’s the synopsis of the polls that you all participated in and I soooo appreciate you taking the time to do so. This helps me immensely to be better at what I do which in turn will make us all happy:) Wishing everyone a wonderful day and great end to your week! Until next time…..
PS Second day of the warehouse clearing out sale part 1 is on, click here to see
Love your customer service, especially Margret. A free shipping day would be wonderful. I do find that your shipping is quite high, especially for local people who live on Long Island. Wonder if it can be adjusted.
Where was the Designer Showhouse you were part of? I go to almost all of them and was wondering if I missed it. Though, I would have noticed all the blue and white. Keep doing what you do best! Thank you!!
I never tire of seeing your lovely home, especially your outside space, and how you use your blue and white. Your home is beautiful and the grounds must be, as well. Thank you for the explanations on all the items we voted on, it was very interesting. I’ll bet your office is a great place to work!
You have at least one follower who is well past 70 in age. I have at least 10 or 11 pieces of your blue and white.
I ordered your Pagoda flatware and was so surprised when it arrived . It is so much prettier in person and a very nice weight.. Can’t wait to see what you are working on next !
I received my order a few days ago, and I have just one question. Do you sell anything that is not absolutely lovely? Everything that I have purchased has been even prettier in person than it is online. Thank you for the time and energy you have devoted to your shop!
I almost hate to tell you this, but your prices are so below what I can find anywhere else. Half or one third. Having run a small company and doing all the shipping it is no small task. We shipped 1 million in products a year and we couldn’t offer free shipping. Your things come packaged perfectly and that is no small task for porcelain. You are right about the quality I have purchased a bowl, several vases (one very large), a lamp, and several ginger jars and other items. There is no comparison to the machine made products and they rival my antique porcelain. Thank you so much for what you do so well.
Loved the video of porcelain production!,,
Good morning Tina I really enjoyed this post as I did participating in the poll I am a newer follower, I found you from Instagram and fell in love with your blog from the first day I discovered it . I have since ordered twice from you and can tell you that not only did everything come very fast but it was so wonderfully packaged and then when I opened the boxes everything was so beautiful, way prettier in person.
As someone who considers herself almost a professional shopper I will tell you that your prices are definitely below retail and I think those who would question the prices of your porcelain need to educate themselves because the pricing that you offer cannot be found. I saw one of the jars that you sell on frontgate for about three times the price, I would never put one of those cheap looking machine made porcelains from discount stores in my home. The saying that you get what you pay for is so true. You fill a void that is missing in the market – so thank you for all the effort and energy you put into curating such a beautiful collection of items .
Cheers from Boston
Annie
Loved the video and your products are so very nice.
Thank you for sharing the results of the survey. I always participate and it was interesting to see the information. Always look forward to your post. Have a wonderful weekend.
As a former business owner, please let me reinforce the comment Tina made above regarding bringing problems or issues to her attention. The customer who will do this is the business owner’s best friend at that moment – otherwise how would she know there is an issue that needs addressing. It is not mean or hateful or negative to mention these things in a polite and businesslike manner. You’re doing the shop owner a favor. The worst scenario is when a dissatisfied customer just takes their business elsewhere and you have to no idea why.
Finally, the quality of the items I have purchased from The Enchanted Home is top notch. This is my go-to shop and first stop for gifts for friends as well as my own home.
Hello…
Thanks for sharing…
You did not mention the tables…will there be different colors?
When do you except to have them available?
Much thanks
How fun to see all the results of your poll- I participated and always eager to see an owner who takes price in their business and wants to make it better. That shows that you really care and your incredible and very much growing collection of beautiful items has won my heart. I love every single thing I have ever bought from you and btw they are packaged really really well.
One thing to consider- An Enchanted Home giftcard? I have friends who love the site and think a giftcard could be a really good idea. Have a nice weekend.
My first call to you, ] long ago and far away, was for wall brackets. I love the one you showed today. I hope that they will be large enough for my needs. I need a bracket that’s about 7 . 5″ deep. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
The video was so informative. I love all the pieces I have gotten from you. Thank you for sharing your gift with all of us.
Dear Tina..As a long time follower I hope you continue to post your thoughts and observations on current events, cultural events, entertaining, etc,.. I always enjoy your Iphone musings and Seven on Sunday..Please, I hope your “store” doesn’t consume you and change the blogger I fell in love with..Yes, if anyone can do it all it’s you! All of your merchandise is lovely and of the very highest quality, but please, the retail aspect of your blog has been pretty heavy lately. It’s often mind blowing to me when I imagine how hard you must work. I do wish you the very best!!
LOVE your blog and site! Love all my purchases from you and how promptly they arrive, your office girls are super helpful and sweet- please don’t change a thing, very proud of your success. I know you have worked hard and it shows but I also can tell you love what you do. Thanks for sharing all the beauty!
Tina, I have ordered from you on three occasions . Each time Margaret has helped me, I love her !! We have become phone friends = ) She takes care of any problems and gets what you are saying, right away !! Margaret i the BEST !! Love all of the items that I have ordered !! Great customer service with Margaret = )
Very interesting video and had not seen it before. I do hope all these men and women get paid well for all their hard work! Hopefully that is reflected in your pricing. Beautiful pieces!!