Wholesalecrafts.com Reports 2010 First Quarter Sales Results
Mooresville, NC — Wholesalecrafts.com, the premier web service for sourcing American and Canadian made crafts, announces record breaking first quarter sales results.
Total online artist sales for January, February, and March 2010 were $737,259 – a whopping 40.54% increase over 2009, and the highest first quarter sales amount ever recorded. Retailers placed a total of 3,167 orders online – a 20.79% increase over 2009, and the highest number of first quarter orders ever recorded. The web service also reports 222 new retailers enrolled for a total of 18,298 retailers and 1,240 artist members to date.
“We are thrilled to start this year out with these types of numbers,” said Nancy Vince, President, Wholesalecrafts.com, Inc. “Every single month was a record breaker compared to the same month in previous years, which is a very good sign for both our industry and the economy.”
Wholesalecrafts.com reports “up-to-the-second statistics” on their site, which can be accessed by its members. The site reports total sales, number of orders, and number of inquiries made to artists. It is estimated that only 30% of retailer transactions are placed through their online shopping cart; the rest bypass their system by placing phone, fax or email orders directly with the artists.
Wholesalecrafts.com’s web service features handmade gifts, jewelry, fashion accessories, home décor, furniture, outdoor products and more in a variety of price points and styles. Enrollment is free for retailers and artists pay a service fee. Wholesalecrafts.com does not charge a commission on sales. Artists are also eligible for many marketing opportunities including a quarterly printed Buyer’s Guide catalog, co-op advertising with major trade publications, and Wholesalecrafts.com’s physical wholesale show, the American Craft Retailers Expo (ACRE). Upcoming shows include ACRE Las Vegas, June 5 – June 7, 2010 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, NV and ACRE Orlando, January 22 – 24, 2011 at the Orange County Convention Center, FL. For more information, visit www.Wholesalecrafts.com,www.ACRELasVegas.com and www.ACREOrlando.com or call 1.888.427.2381.
