I've never bought a lot from WSP, but they do carry a few of my standard FOs, and the Nag Champa that's better than any I've found elsewhere. So, i'ts not as if Soaper's Choice, or the Lye Guy started making these changes, (I'd be devastated if they went this route) but they're still enough to irritate me. I remember when their magazine was on line, and I used to get an email saying the new one was available, and I'd always look at it. Once in a while I'd be inspired enough by something I'd seen, to actually buy the ingredients and try it. Then came the day when it was no longer free, now you have to pay for it. Is it me? Moves like this just seem designed to aggravate people and lose sales. Having a free ezine, with pictures of products made with your supplies, and recipes to make them, seems like a fantastic way to increase sales! Why, oh why would you change that? And then of course, the big spike in prices, and the new shipping scheme. I never took a business course in my life, but all of these moves just seem self destructive to me. And big sales every few days, just make customers wonder what's going on.
If I were the owner of a business selling supplies to soapmakers, you can bet I'd be lurking in every soapmaking forum, to see what soapers were up to, what's the latest trend, what will they be looking for, and what do they say about suppliers. I'd find out what my customers want and do a better job of giving it to them than anyone else. Or at least try. People talk. Especially when they're dissatisfied, and word gets around fast. I'm really surprised that WSP just seems to be going hell bent in the direction they're going, and nobody's putting on the brakes. But what do I know? Maybe they're making more money than ever. Just seems kind of fishy to me.
