It seems we have a home shopping theme this week! Who knew Sheena would be the next up and coming home shopping TV personality?!? She really is great at it! I on the other hand would be horrible at selling anything on camera. I think it’s important to be confident about what you are good at AND what you suck at and I suck at doing anything on camera. I don’t know what it is, but I just freeze up and get weird. haha ….BTW- I love the TLC show Hoarders….I love any show that features people with issues. It’s fascinating and interesting. Speaking of… Next week Sheena is going to be “ranting” about her Zalloween weekend at Zappos! I can’t wait! I hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend with lots of treats and fun!   The disclaimer reads: “Sheena’s Weekly Rant is meant for entertainment purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of all Shoebizness contributors. Here on Shoebizness we like to highlight all different perspectives….  -Julia

HOME SHOPPING AND BEYOND….

I have retuned from yet another trip to Minnesota to grace the screen of a home shopping channel. Laugh if you will, but shoes do sell in that venue. Personally I don’t understand it, at all. However, being open to new experiences, I chose to research the average home shopper to better understand the hype.

It’s an odd thing, shopping from ones couch. It seems as though the shopper would lose that ever important try, buy, fly system that as been in place since the creation of the wheel. I mean, if you can’t touch and try on a pair of shoes, how can you purchase? The same can be said for online shopping. As we all know, online shopping is a huge, massively important vessel to sell product these days. And, it works. I would have to say in the last 3 years that has been the most blossoming part of our business at Matisse.

Anyway, back to addressing the consumer. This home shopping woman is one of two things; too busy to leave the house or office to shop, or she feels a connection with her hosts or channel and believes they are looking out for her best interest. There is a third category, but you can educate yourselves simply by watching a new show on TLC called: Hoarders. After actually having to stand there on live television for an hour at a time selling our shoes, I realized this was no joke. Women were calling in and asking questions and I felt completely engaged. Not only did the host of the show speak to the cameras as if she was talking to one person in particular, she made me feel the same way. Engaging and honest, this woman was a pro!

I found myself getting totally excited when a customer would call in and tell me how fabulous our shoes are and how she hates to shop and loves that SNBC offer such amazing product. I was in love with these callers. They were sweet, and positive and you could hear the excitement and happiness buying from TV was affording them.  I mean really guys…(tear)…how could one little pair of boots make someone so happy…

I decided I didn’t care why it make them happy, I was just going to do my job and smile and say thing like “I love these boots” and “these are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn” All true statements by the way. I would wear my earpiece and let the producers tell me when to look at camera 6 and so on and be happy. I was for the most part. And I can officially say, that home shopping hosts are the hardest working women in the entertainment industry.

Kudos ladies, kudos.

-Sheena

www.matissefootwear.com