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.