Greetings from Spain.
Happy Halloween Weekend. Even if it is a lockdown Halloween I hope you can have some fun.
Here in Spain they have just imposed an evening curfew - from 11pm to 6am.. Some people are upset about it.. but for me 11pm is well past my bedtime and I wake up with the sunrise at about 7.40am. So I don't think I will get into trouble :)
Last week I was telling you about how things were slipping into "Warp Speed" at AW.. You can read about it here.
Tomas, James and Kane have been hands on in the warehouse in Sheffield.. really making it happen introducing an improved system. Still away to go, but almost all products are located, so easy to find, more label printers on the packing benches, more packing benches, an improved software system that automates more. Result an extra few hundred orders a day. We are catching up with orders and improving efficiency. It's amazing what some extra space and a bit of hard work and talent can do. Well done guys.
As well as catching up dramatically - it's all happening - two containers from Indonesia, one from China and one from India. So lots of new stock this week. The first Indonesia container had stock of the Natural Coco Lamps.. we practically sold out in hours of putting them back in stock. But more stock will shortly be available. It's great that the Indonesian stuff sells so well, this makes me personally very happy. Those artisans in Bali and Java we work with more than need the re-orders. It feels good to be able to support them with trade.
Regular readers will know I was in Bali locked down for a few months - able to work quietly with Ringo developing the products that are arriving. Bali is of course very reliant on tourism and a lot of the artisans supplied local gift shops. As the tourists all went home, the streets fell silent and this part of their trade dried up all together. The central wholesale market in Denpasar closed, partly because of covid, but also because no international buyers could come. So most export trade also shrank.
Inland Bali is a peaceful place even in normal times. But after lockdown it regressed to an Eden like idle, rural, green, lush, tranquil, no planes above, almost no traffic. When we called on a supplier to do business - we felt like we were tiptoeing through paradise.
It was a special bitter/sweet time - brought abruptly to an end by the fire at our warehouse in Sheffield..
I have this picture on my laptop desktop.. it's beautiful right?... but look very closely and you can tell it is in the time of corona.
So with no tourists many of the workers have gone home to the farms and rural life, living simply from the land. But there are still car leases, mortgages, electric bills to pay. So you would not believe how grateful our suppliers are to be supported by orders from AW (actually from you.. or even we could say - your customers). This story is repeated but with urgency in India, Nepal and Morocco.
More news from our Aromatics factory.. the "Beast" started to produce its first soaps this week.. we started making Chill Pills again.. and we keep expanding bath bomb production.. Hopefully soon we can fully meet demand.
The problems with mine shafts discovered under our new warehouse has - I understand - been resolved, the lease is in the final stages of negotiations.. so hopefully we can take official occupation on a brand new ten year lease very shortly.
Maybe by next week.. at which stage, I will announce the new name for our building. It's been decided, and I think it is apt, classy and suggested by only one of our customers. To be revealed soon.. maybe next week..
So here we are heading for more lock-downs across Europe.. it's a strange and sometimes terrifying world we live in. Christmas is coming and (even in the time of corona) - one thing remains true. Giving a gift an act of love, in which we (as gift traders) are privileged to be part of. Whatever they say, however they classify it.. an act of love is an essential item in these difficult days. Online trade in June boomed, and I guess there will be a second online wave.. are you ready? Check out AW-dropship.com - if you are forced to work from home this is your future..
We normally have a Halloween costume competition at AW - this year we cancelled it (of course) although a few staff turned up dressed rather strangely all the same.
Take special care - enjoy the weekend..
More news next week.