Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jaime Thompson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am the owner of The Vaude Shoppe, LLC. The Vaude Shoppe specializes in creating products that stimulate the mind, feed the body and nurture the soul. Our initial product line was only cold-process soap, and over the years, we have expanded our offering to include stationery that includes characters of color, household items, sewn goods, affirmation cards and soon to come – wrapping paper and coloring books.

Our CP soaps are different from other brands because while many companies offer vegan options, we also provide non-vegan as well as nut-free options for those with severe food allergies. We utilize natural ingredients, eco-friendly packaging and sustainably sourced products from vendors that promote livable wages for our international suppliers.

Since our inception, we have launched several themed soap collections based on pop culture and nostalgia entertainment, in addition to our normal offerings. In the past, we have curated a soap collection based off the movie The Wiz and the Netflix series Bridgerton. Current plans are to release new collections inspired by the movie The Little Mermaid, the novel/movie The Neverending Story, and the novel/movie The Color Purple in the late Fall.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Community-based events such as pop-up shops and local brick and mortar locations have been the best source of new clients. I enjoy meeting people and educating them on the benefits of cold-processed soap over mass-produced products. There are many people that do not know what cold-processed soap is, so engaging with people from the place that I call home and other events that are in different locations really expands my reach.

Everyone does not engage with social media. If people don’t know the benefits of cold-processed soap, there is no reason for them to go online and look for the products. Being face-to-face with people has allowed me to meet other creatives, be invited to other events (some of which are no cost to me, I am just asked to show up and bring my products), learn about other selling opportunities not just in my area, but in different states, and build my customer base. The quality of my products helps me retain my new customers.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

I operate on Amazon and Etsy as well as my personal website. However, I have found I have much more traffic through my direct website. Amazon is very convenient since they do the shipping for me. Shipping of certain products is easy, as my Amazon products are via Kindle Direct Publishing. Etsy is not a viable stream of customers for my business. I believe the market is saturated, and due to the fees that Etsy charges, it does not benefit my business. I have paid for Etsy ads and with this my engagement was very high. However, when items were purchased the fees really took a chunk of the product margin for the particular product. If a buyer is directed to your Etsy shop from a google ad, the fee is even higher. I recall one time, I received a ninety-six-cent payment for a $4 item. At the time, I was just introducing the product and had only purchased a small amount. With this product, the more you buy, the cheaper it is and since my initial purchase cost was high for the product, I actually lost money.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thevaudeshoppe.com
• Instagram: @thevaudeshoppe

Image Credits
Marcus Jones for photos that have Jaime in them Myself (Jaime) for product photos