Hello everyone

[mailorder]

I just wanted to introduce my self a bit before asking a few questions.

I own and run 2 online stores that sell shaving supplies and work as an estimator for a flooring contractor.

I have been an estimator for 7 years but installed flooring for 10 years before hand.

I bought my first on line store from a local person 3 years ago. Over time I decided I wanted to do some higher end shaving stuff and decided to become a competitor to my self using a large amount of the same inventory.

[vangogh]

Welcome to the forum mailorder. Funny, competing with yourself. I don't think any of us currently do that. Do you try to steal secrets from each other? Run any sort of company espionage against each other? :)

Looking forward to getting to know you and thanks for joining the community.

[AllCeasonsDesign]

Welcome Mailorder.
Enjoy the forum. I am fairly new here and have already found a wealth of information!

[KristineS]

Welcome to the forum. We're glad to have you here.

[cbscreative]

Welcome to the SBF. You found a great place to ask questions. There's a lot of resident knowledge here for both online and offline marketing.

[mailorder]

Thanks everyone to welcoming to the forum. I have found tons of good information reading through old posts.

Vangogh no I don't do espionage against my self, I would need to have a split personalty to do that. But I have learned a lot with competing stores.

[vangogh]

I was thinking that split personality would make for an interesting character in a psycho-dramatic hollywood story. I can see it now. The Spy Within or maybe Espionage thy Name is Self.

Can't you just see the posters and picture the trailers. :)

[mailorder]

I'm thinking it could work, but I think it should be done with 2 marketing or design firms.

[vangogh]

I think you'd have to work at both firms though.

[mailorder]

It's not bad on my side with the 2 mail order companies. When I get inventory I slit it up between the stores, If one runs low then I transfer the inventory between the stores as needed till I get in new stock. When I fill orders the only difference is what letterhead I print on (different colors help).

The biggest issue I have is when I’m (website host/designer) adding new stock sometimes the items get added to the wrong web site. Both web sites have the same basic stuff but the 2 sites split off in different directions. But with 2 companies I get to pay taxes and everything twice.