Need Your Advice: Discontinue This Quilt?

[stormcrow]

So I need your advice:

Does it make sense for me to keep selling the summer version of the Incubator (our full-length UQ)? It's this: http://hammockgear.com/shop/bottom-q...ubator-summer/

I've got the summer CrowsNest, which is a 3/4 version, rated to the same temperature... Plus people looking at summer quilts seem to be more 'weight conscious'.

I'm wondering if I should only have 3-Season and Winter versions of the full quilt... What do you think? Is there anyone who has been thinking about getting one of these, or should I just discontinue it?

[Hawk-eye]

Good Lord don't use me for marketing advice but seems to me the Crowsnest would have you covered as a summer quilt and a summer full length would be over kill.

Just the opinion of one old fart

[HappyCamper]

I see your point. You could do it as a special order and then people would know they'd have to wait on it if that's the quilt they really, really want.

[beep]

From where I sit, a full length summer UQ is an oxymoron!

Keep it as a special order option.

[Hawk-eye]

From where I sit, a full length summer UQ is an oxymoron!.

What if you changed seats?

Sorry ... sometimes I can't resist a good straight line

[RootCause]

I'm wondering if I should only have 3-Season and Winter versions of the full quilt... What do you think? Is there anyone who has been thinking about getting one of these, or should I just discontinue it?

Hi Stormcrow,
I'm not going to answer your question, but will ask some in return!

1st: does this product have enough margin in it to make it profitable to sell?
2nd: are you asking this question because you're trying to get some inventory built up so you can turn orders around faster?
3rd: is it possible to strike a balance? Keep it in the catalog, but make it a 'special order' item with a longer lead time?

The reason I ask these things is that you've got only a few months of runtime with your business. Many businesses (and products) are cyclical, and you won't see constant/consistent demand for them. Asking your customers what they want is a good idea, but often customers don't know what they want! Also, in my opinion many of your customers probably don't know that they are your customers- they haven't gotten in hammocking yet! Look at the growth of membership on this forum just in 2010 and draw your own conclusions about that.

As a business owner, you'll need to find your strength: high volume? Specialty, high margin products not available elsewhere? A blend of those things, where you've got some things you keep stocked, but others take longer to ship?

In MY opinion (which is probably worth what you're paying for it), Beep and HappyCamper are on the right track. Don't kill the product because you haven't sold many yet. Your business is still a-birthin'!

Best wishes and best of luck!

[opie]

I say keep it as an option. If you already have the patterns and it doest take anything special over what you put into your other quilts, it's
not costing you money to keep the option.

Unless you are limited on webspace, then I can see ditching the option. Personally, I love my summer incubator

[beep]

What if you changed seats?

Sorry ... sometimes I can't resist a good straight line

LOL...hmm...then it might be warmer in a full length UQ!!

[JayS]

Stormcrow,
The advice above is excellent. I would add a variant to ghandrick's questions: Is the full length summer quilt selling? How so as compared to your other quilts?

Good luck with sorting this out.
Jay

[hiker_DC]

I would pull it ONLY if you are losing money on the quilt. Keeping it makes a nice round selection of choices: summer, 3-season or winter all in either 3/4 or full length. Sounds like keeping it as a special order item might be the way to go.