Learning from Someone Else’s Mistakes

I'm a big proponent of "transferrable skills" and learning from all kinds of other businesses. But it still gives me an extra happy moment when I find an example from our very own industry, that doesn't need any translating or wondering which parts apply and which parts don't.

Today is one of those days: PracticalEcommerce.com featured candle vendor Black & Light Co. I first spotted Black & Light at the Atlanta gift show a couple of years ago, and instantly sourced photos for my new products and trend coverage. Here, they talk about the back-end of the business, which is mostly ecommerce based, and the frustrations of the company's custom built shopping cart and technology vendors that go out of business.

The short version: don't reinvent the wheel when there are off the shelf solutions out there and don't spend a lot of money on more than you need, whether it is employees, server space or inventory. But don't take our word for it — click through and read all about it in the words of one of our own.