IT IS WHAT IT IS

Why has The Ruby Orchard stopped ordering from me?

Every time I choose new products for The Ruby Orchard, I am taking a leap of faith. I’m betting — with hope and excitement — that my customers are going to fall in love with your creations.

And the truth is, it is always a gamble. No matter how beautiful, clever or well-made a product is, I can never be 100% sure how it will perform until it’s actually sitting on my shelves, being touched, admired and purchased by real people.

So when you submit your work, and you do a great job of presenting it… when you convince me that your products are worth a chance… when I place that first order — congratulations!  You are officially a Ruby Orchard supplier. That is no small thing. 

 

Now for the slightly uncomfortable part — the honest part.  I can’t guarantee that I’ll place order after order, or that I’ll remain a long-term stockist forever.  And if you’ve only received one order, followed by months of silence, I know how hard that can feel. You might be wondering what went wrong, or questioning your work altogether. It sucks — but please know this can happen to every supplier, even the big, established ones.

Here are some of the reasons I sometimes stop ordering, and a few gentle insights into what you can do.

Sometimes… I absolutely love your work, but my customers just don’t quite get it.
This is one of the hardest realities of retail. Taste is personal, and not every product resonates with every audience. When this happens, it’s not a reflection of your talent — it simply means this might not be the right space or customer base for your work. As painful as it is, the best thing you can do is move on and find the shops where your creations truly belong.

Sometimes… I’m taking the shop in a new direction.
Retail is seasonal, emotional and ever-changing. I might be shifting the look and feel of the store, experimenting with a new aesthetic, or responding to what customers are asking for. If you have a new collection, a new product, a limited edition, or even an idea for an in-store event — tell me.  Let me see that your brand is evolving too, and that you’re excited to grow alongside me.

Sometimes… I’ve found a similar product range that offers better value.
This one is tricky, but important. Retail margins matter. It may be worth revisiting your costings and wholesale pricing to see if there’s room to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality or profit. If you can offer better value and maintain your standards, I might just take another look.

Sometimes… money is tight.  There are quieter months in retail, and during those times I have to be careful. I’ll often reorder only the products I know will sell quickly.  If this is the case, give me a little breathing room — and then gently pop back into my inbox when things pick up again.

Sometimes… I didn’t hear from you — and I forgot about you. This happens more often than you’d think. If you haven’t checked in for a long time, there’s a good chance another supplier has filled that space. We’re not short of options. But here’s the good news: if you made it onto my shelves once, you can probably do it again. You already know I liked you and that your work sold — so remind me.

And then there are those suppliers… the absolute joys to work with.
They reply quickly to emails. Their catalogues and order forms are clear and easy. They deliver by hand when they can. They keep me updated with new products. They share my little shop on their socials. I’d love to say I don’t have favourites… but I do. Do these things, and you’ll be on my favourites list too!

And finally… sometimes I just get bored.  I get tired of styling the same products, and customers do too. I’m flooded daily with emails and pitches for new items, so to stay relevant, you need to keep things feeling fresh. A new colourway, a seasonal twist, a small update to a bestseller — it doesn’t have to be big, just thoughtful.

I hope this helps shed a little light.

I truly couldn’t have The Ruby Orchard stocked without you — your creativity, courage and hard work are what make my shelves special. Thank you for trusting me with your products… and I’m sorry if I ever forgot about you.