Name of your website?Hawaiian Jewelry & Gift
Your name?
russell salmon
Your Location (city, etc)
kapaa
Please give us a short summary of your website?
The world's Hawaiian jewelry and gift superstore, located on the Garden Island of Kauai, with close to 1,000 unique products to choose from. We sell sea turtle jewelry and decor, dolphin jewelry and decor, wood art carvings, surf decor, freshwater pearl jewelry, mother of pearl jewelry, tiki statues, rooster decor, bone jewelry, shark teeth necklaces, hawaii souvenirs and much, much more.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
The customers at our retail gift shop continually tell us that we have the most diverse and unique Hawaiian and tropical products selection they have ever seen. Many people from around the world visit our island for only a few days, and stop into our store, and ask if we have a website. After several years of sitting on the idea, we have finally decided to take action and build our own website.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
We have never launched a website before. This is our first.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
We wanted a name that succinctly explained what we did and what we offer.
What makes your website different from other, similar offerings?
Our diverse array of products, not found on most other websites. Many of our products are handmade on the Garden Island of Kauai by local artisans. Also, with most of our products we offer interesting informational content including the symbolism and cultural history of the product.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
To serve as the world's largest unique Hawaiian products firm known for our aloha spirit, our low prices and our passion for providing unseen and novel jewelry and gift items for Hawaii travellers and businesses, alike.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
Like any other endeavor, including personal health, the more time, care and honesty you invest in your approach and your activities, with constant trial and error and self-reflection,the more success you will reap over time and a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment as well. It is a step-by-step, day-to-day process and continual education.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
As of now, we wouldn't because we want to see the results of our new website. We want to test, observe and learn before making any decision. More money to throw at a site does not necessarily guarantee a more effective or successful site, just like any other venture or endeavor. It is the time, care and effort that ultimately matters.
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
Yes we would. We have built our website and are creating our infrastructure to accommodate rapid growth, to include a bar coding system, wharehousing space and employee training and hiring.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
No more than any usual endeavor. Everything usually takes twice as much time and costs twice as much to start, and from there it is a constant evaluation and trial and error process forever.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Time. We are all attempting to grow, especially during a down economy, and we seem to be in a hurry to grow. However, like anything else worthwhile, the process takes time, and patience, while continuing to put in a great deal of effort.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
We just launched our website, so it is too soon to say.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
We just just launched our website, so it is too soon to say. It is a very interesting process because of the ability to electronically track consumer behavior, which is difficult in most other businesses.
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
3 days. The key is enjoyment, and we enjoy the process of growing including the effort and trial and error involved. We have been growing our retail business for 6 years already and are ready to take it to the next level and grow it for many more years, now in a larger capacity, with more global reach.
What is your website address?
Hawaiian Jewelry & Gift
