Can you believe the webstore finally went live last Thursday and i've only had a chance to blog about it now? The past week has been one of the most intense and mind blowing weeks I've ever had and the next few are looking like they're going to be even crazier. I'd like to thank you all for such a warm and positive response to the new webstore - two thirds of the entire store had sold out in the first 24 hours, with only a handful of items still available now here. I honestly did not expect everything to fly out the door so quickly so i wasn't prepared for the amount of work that would be waiting for Chloe and i that day and the following morning.
I always find it strange how i love being run off my feet, it's like i thrive off working under pressure and very little sleep. The night before the web store went online i didn't sleep at all, partly because i was excited but also because there was just so much still to do! After being awake for 39 hours straight i was slightly delirious and couldn't even put together a few sentences for my blog, which it seems I've only just had a chance to do 6 days later. I've been looking forward to this moment for 6 months since we started the process of the re-branding for the store and building the website so i couldn't be happier being run off my feet again, and wanted to quickly walk you all through the new store.
I thought i should explain the new system the site is built around first. If you select "Add to Cart" this will place the desired item in your shopping cart - taking it offline for one hour - and if it's not successfully bought the item will be automatically be placed back in the store after 6o minutes. If you are simply window shopping please ensure you select "Add to Wishlist" instead, as i've had a few buyers upset that they missed out on their items because customers were placing so many items in their bag at one time and couldn't wait an hour for it to be re-listed.
Here is a preview of the new product pages which are divided into three separate 'mini stores' - shop vintage, shop accessories and shop new. I have so many ideas to expand each store, especially the 'shop new' section but right now i just wanted to get it online and test the waters.
The entire webstore was built from scratch by Tolstoy Design, who invested hours, days and months into making this dream of mine become a reality. Their clean, modern and minimal style with a sharp eye for detail was a perfect match for my store and i couldn't be happier with the end results. A very big thank you to Eli Rae from Tolstoy design for making this store as beautiful as it could possibly ever be. I know this next chapter with Gary Pepper Vintage is going to be exciting, exhausting and so much easier than Ebay thanks to you and the store you have built. It's not everyday you can find someone you can trust 100% with something so important to you, as well as someone who will put up with my indecisive ways and change something so many times, but it really is everything i wanted and more.
There are also new press, about me and lookbook pages, which Luke was kind enough to design and put together. Eli had the wonderful idea to make the press section different from any other website and what we ended up with was a mini slide show of images. Each press feature got their own individual slide - press features in print were laid out as a magazine with the cover and article with each online press feature laid out on a little Macbook Pro, which is suppose to create the illusion that you're actually viewing it either on your screen as if it was online or in real magazine. It's impossible to actually read anything on a press page because the images are just too small so we thought it would be a good idea to pull small quotes of what people have been nice enough to write about Gary Pepper Vintage so you could see what the article was about. These were then put into a little speech bubble and accompanied with a very cute little bird Chrissy Lau drew :)
There are also new press, about me and lookbook pages, which Luke was kind enough to design and put together. Eli had the wonderful idea to make the press section different from any other website and what we ended up with was a mini slide show of images. Each press feature got their own individual slide - press features in print were laid out as a magazine with the cover and article with each online press feature laid out on a little Macbook Pro, which is suppose to create the illusion that you're actually viewing it either on your screen as if it was online or in real magazine. It's impossible to actually read anything on a press page because the images are just too small so we thought it would be a good idea to pull small quotes of what people have been nice enough to write about Gary Pepper Vintage so you could see what the article was about. These were then put into a little speech bubble and accompanied with a very cute little bird Chrissy Lau drew :)
Chrissy Lau also did some new and absolutely stunning illustrations for the store, which includes this double head butterfly girl who now graces our gary pepper gift cards. The Gary Pepper Gift Card is the perfect way to say "thank you" or "i love you" to that special someone this year and is the ultimate gift for the girl who has everything. Gift Cards are available in amounts of $50, $100, $150, $200, and are valid for 12 months. If you're running a little late with your present this year don't worry, simply select to have your gift card sent electronically and it will arrive in the lucky recipients inbox within 24 hours, in which they can begin shopping straight away! A hard copy gift card will also be sent - for free - and will arrive a few days after.
Chrissy also created the beautiful kaleidoscope floral wallpaper which is now the main focus of my new branding and is now printed on my new swing tags and business cards (photos coming shortly and designed by Pete Thomas from Tolstoy Design). I'm constantly inspired by the beautiful creations that Chrissy comes up with and i wouldn't have been able to do this without her and her work either.
Chrissy also created the beautiful kaleidoscope floral wallpaper which is now the main focus of my new branding and is now printed on my new swing tags and business cards (photos coming shortly and designed by Pete Thomas from Tolstoy Design). I'm constantly inspired by the beautiful creations that Chrissy comes up with and i wouldn't have been able to do this without her and her work either.
One of the biggest thank yous I've ever meant to Eli Rae from Tolstoy Design, Pete Thomas from Tolstoy Design, Chrissy Lau, Luke Shadbolt, Chad Waldron from Waldron Bros Productions and of course, Chloe, who doesn't even know it but picked me up and took charge of the store when my body was running completely on empty. My store wouldn't be what it is without each and every one of you and time you have invested into Gary Pepper Vintage.
There are so many things i would like to explain in this post but instead of boring you with my explanations please just go and have a look for yourself, and remember to sign up for my newsletters at the bottom right hand corner as my subscribers will be the first to know about new stock, new competitions and any news about the store! New stock will be in store early next week, along with a few very exciting surprises too.
But for now, i need sleep and a home cooked meal. Enjoy and go explore the new site here! :)
There are so many things i would like to explain in this post but instead of boring you with my explanations please just go and have a look for yourself, and remember to sign up for my newsletters at the bottom right hand corner as my subscribers will be the first to know about new stock, new competitions and any news about the store! New stock will be in store early next week, along with a few very exciting surprises too.
But for now, i need sleep and a home cooked meal. Enjoy and go explore the new site here! :)
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BEHIND THE SCENES
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