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Laura Atkinson, Proprietor/Owner
Since June 2002, Laura Atkinson has
been the Proprietor/Owner of Magickalystics Metaphysical Online Store. We sell
Metaphysical books and giftware.
My products are geared towards the "New Age" market niche, which includes
Wiccans, Neo-Pagans, and other practitioners of Earth-based religions. These
consumers look for items generally categorized as "occult" (books tarot decks
and other divination tools, amulets, gemstones, etc.) or "alternative" (Feng
Shui paraphernalia, chakra reference charts, etc.) to aid them in their
spiritual growth. They also want clothing and accessories, jewelry, artwork,
and other items that allow them to express their religious beliefs and
practices.
Right now there's a glut of "new age resellers", affiliates, and "store in a
box" e-tailers, all using the same one or two wholesale suppliers as drop
shippers for their business. Being a practicing Wiccan myself, I am a consumer
in this market niche and am generally turned off by such sites. While I do
carry some of those same products and use drop shipping for them, I also seek
out unique items to stock my in-house inventory that other stores aren't
offering and similar product lines that are higher quality. Even then, I try to
keep my prices competitive, if not lower, and my shipping/handling charges
reasonable. Finally, in designing my own webstore rather than relying on a
prefabricated e-storefront, I've concentrated on keeping the website simple and
easy for my customers to navigate (which has also allowed me to really work on
"branding" my web pages with my company's identity).
For years I'd been frustrated at the lack of Pagan and Pagan-friendly shops in
my part of the DC area (the closest is a 30-40 minute drive). Finally, I
decided that if I wanted a store, I'd have to open one. So I started the online
store as a way to get started in retailing and test the waters without high
start up costs. I've learned a lot so far and am continuing to learn. Between
my initial start up and now, I got married, which is causing me to review my
earlier plans and make some changes, but a "brick-and-mortar" store is still a
goal within the next few years.
I use banner ad exchanges, reciprocal links, search engine submissions, word of
mouth, and business cards to promote my store. I also now have a presence on
eBay with links back to my main store. Plans for 2004 include a newsletter, a
brochure, a catalog on CD, vending at local crafts fairs and pagan
gatherings/festivals, and .
I carry items that range from 0.75 (small taper candles) to $450 USD (for my
largest lead crystal ball), but the largest part of my inventory--probably
about 75%--is made up of items between $1 and $50 USD.
You can buy my merchandise through the online catalog and shopping cart, through
my eBay auctions and store, or via mail order.
Laura Atkinson
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Magickalystics
Online Metaphysical Store
www.magickalystics.com
amalthea@magickalystics.com
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