It's been a funny old year one way and another and some tricky decisions have had to be made along the way.
We have now sold out of our entire Mens' Range; we reduced them in price to get stock moving and suddenly, we have had a run on them and they have gone. For those of you with orders in the system, I am emailing you directly and arranging refunds with PROFUSE apologies for the disappointment and inconvenience. I cannot restock at this price and some of our Tunisian suppliers close down through our winter months.
The good news is that we are going back out in the early Spring when we shall be replenishing stocks of some popular lines and hopefully, finding some new ones to liven up the site. We are also going to be looking at introducing other Tunisian products alongside our kaftans which we are very excited about. The fact is that we have a lovely broad customer base who tell us that they love our products, love the quick and friendly service and the excellent value for money. You good people also like the fact that you are getting the genuine article!
So watch this space!!! When the new products are available for launch, our existing customers will be the first to hear about them and any new offers that we run alongside.
It might sound a long way off, but sadly time does fly and it will be here before you know it!
Friday, 6 November 2009
Friday, 10 July 2009
THANK YOU!
Hello to you all - it has been a long time since I updated the blog - way overdue by any standards! The purpose of this update is really just to thank customers of www.kaftanchic.com for their response to the site, the service and the kaftans. There are very few customers who do not respond one way or another when their orders have been dispatched. I have a wealth of lovely cards and letters from appreciative customers and some email correspondence - much of it from far corners of the globe - has gone back and forth via the ether with quite a rapport developing. I can't tell you how lovely that is and how gratifying it is to know that personal service and care with customers really does count in some quarters! I haven't posted specific responses on the website because I don't like to intrude into people's privacy but from the wealth of messages received, it appears that our customers are big fans of:-
- The personal touch
- Prompt service and response to queries
- The range
- The fact that the kaftans are the genuine article - many customers have lived in the Middle East and are pleased to have the opportunity to replace worn out kaftans much loved from times gone by
- The value for money
- The quality
- The trust factor
I sent out a newsletter to all kaftanchic customers around this time last year and a second one is going to come out any time now; if you regard this sort of thing as junk mail - I really am sorry - but given the relationship I have come to enjoy with my customers, I can assure you that it is not sent out in that spirit.
Thank you all so much for your positive feed back and encouragement!
Rosy
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Sale Time!
First of all - a Happy New Year to all! Our customers and those on our mail list will be receiving a New Year newsletter together with details of our January reductions. If you are new to our website - fear not! All the information you need is here.
There has been a lot of media hype recently about what does and does not constitute a sale and the current popular myth being peddled by those who really should know better, is that unless there is a minimum of a 50% discount, it does not constitute a sale. No wonder our High Streets are being decimated as store after store closes its doors. If goods are being discounted at such high levels it means one of two things; either the original mark up was totally obscene, or the goods are being given away just to get rid.
Our mark up on all our kaftans - (ladies' kaftans and mens' kaftans), tie-dye kaftans tie-dye dresses and ensembles is very modest and don't forget, we also include FREE postage and packing which includes overseas carriage. We also get fantastic feedback from our customers who are not only absolutely delighted with their purchases, they are also quick to remark on our fast and friendly service. From our point of view, that could not be better and thank you to all our customers who take the time and trouble to feed back to us.
Back to the sale! Many of our kaftans (mens' kaftans and ladies' kaftans) have been reduced from £25 to just £15 and yes, we do still include FREE P&P with those prices.
Our tie-dye kaftans have been reduced from £30 to £25 as have our tie-dye ensembles, from £35 to £25 and all our dresses have also been reduced.
If you look at our non tie-dye ensembles, you will see that whilst we have not included these in our sale, we do have an alternative available which, being new in, we do not have a picture of as yet, but which is very similar to the mauve, black and burgundy ensembles pictured, but, coming in Turquoise, Blue and Burgundy, have a VERY slightly less ornate trim and also have a subtle stripe in the trousers. These are priced at an amazing £20 and are well worth trying!
We hope you find a bargain to suit in amongst it all and as ever, are delighted to respond to queries either via info@kaftanchic.com or by telephone: 01805 804645. We are Devon based in the UK (although our kaftans and ensembles all come from Tunisia) so international dialling codes to suit your location!
Happy shopping!
There has been a lot of media hype recently about what does and does not constitute a sale and the current popular myth being peddled by those who really should know better, is that unless there is a minimum of a 50% discount, it does not constitute a sale. No wonder our High Streets are being decimated as store after store closes its doors. If goods are being discounted at such high levels it means one of two things; either the original mark up was totally obscene, or the goods are being given away just to get rid.
Our mark up on all our kaftans - (ladies' kaftans and mens' kaftans), tie-dye kaftans tie-dye dresses and ensembles is very modest and don't forget, we also include FREE postage and packing which includes overseas carriage. We also get fantastic feedback from our customers who are not only absolutely delighted with their purchases, they are also quick to remark on our fast and friendly service. From our point of view, that could not be better and thank you to all our customers who take the time and trouble to feed back to us.
Back to the sale! Many of our kaftans (mens' kaftans and ladies' kaftans) have been reduced from £25 to just £15 and yes, we do still include FREE P&P with those prices.
Our tie-dye kaftans have been reduced from £30 to £25 as have our tie-dye ensembles, from £35 to £25 and all our dresses have also been reduced.
If you look at our non tie-dye ensembles, you will see that whilst we have not included these in our sale, we do have an alternative available which, being new in, we do not have a picture of as yet, but which is very similar to the mauve, black and burgundy ensembles pictured, but, coming in Turquoise, Blue and Burgundy, have a VERY slightly less ornate trim and also have a subtle stripe in the trousers. These are priced at an amazing £20 and are well worth trying!
We hope you find a bargain to suit in amongst it all and as ever, are delighted to respond to queries either via info@kaftanchic.com or by telephone: 01805 804645. We are Devon based in the UK (although our kaftans and ensembles all come from Tunisia) so international dialling codes to suit your location!
Happy shopping!
Friday, 12 September 2008
Frequently Asked Questions
This kind of harks back to my time in industry with all its associated jargon: FAQ's used to figure quite highly in almost everything we did. However, it's not all bad news, they can actually be very useful!
I suspect this is a blog that is going to be added to as we go along, for now, I have listed frequently asked questions as I can remember them - I hope they are helpful!
Q: How long will I have to wait to receive my purchase?
A: We aim to send them out first class post on the day we get the order so all being well, you should receive your parcel within two days of placing the order (Post Office permitting!) Where we get orders through over a weekend or bank holiday, they are sent off on the Monday or Tuesday. If we go away for a few days' break, (doesn't happen often!) on our return, we immediately email customers with orders in the system and explain that we have been away and that the items will be sent out first class post that day. We are working on an automated 'out of office' message which would be good - especially if we are able to get away more frequently.
Q: How big are the kaftans?
A: This is an interesting one as theoretically, they are all one size. That said, some styles are bigger than others. Let's start with the mens' ones:-
Both chaps in the pictures are over 6' tall. The bearded wonder is my husband and partner in this venture and he is no longer the lightweight he once was. They are therefore what I would describe as being quite generous but bear in mind, the beauty of a kaftan is that it is loose and flowing so really these would be suitable for quite a variety of shapes and sizes.
As for the ladies...........the most generous of all is the polyester range with the sleeves that come just about to the elbow: this is number 8. This measures 34" across. The short sleeved polyester one, kaftan number 9 measures 28" across.
The tie-dye kaftans are also quite generous measuring almost 29" and kafan number 1 is a good 30" across. The other kaftan styles are around 24" across. I am sorry for the metric minded, but I am definitely a feet and inches kind of girl.
Q: Do the trousers on the tie-dye trouser suits have elasticated waists?
A: The short answer is no though the other style trouser suits do have elasticated waists.
The tie-dye trouser is actually a single piece of material, cleverly cut with four ties. You tie around your waist at the front, pull the fabric through between your legs and then tie again at the back. The result is loose, flowing trousers........lovely!
Q; How do I wash them?
A: The cotton ones should be rinsed through by hand in warm, soapy water, rinsed in warm water then hung out to dry. We do not recommend tumble drying. They are then ironed as cotton though where there is braided trim, (as opposed to the lacework panels on some), you do need to take care and probably the easiest thing to do is iron inside out.
The polyester ones just need a rinse through in warm soapy water, warm rinse then hang up. No ironing! It helps with the polyester kaftans if you add a fabric conditioner to the last rinse; some people are put off by polyester because of the risk of static, but adding fabric conditioner prevents this. We do always put a little note in with our kaftans and suits advising on washing instructions which we hope is helpful.
You will notice that we have added a picture to the blog - one of several group shots we took when taking the photographs for the site. (Whilst I would love to say we shot on location in Tunisia, sadly, the budgets didn't stretch to that!) To introduce myself and to give you an indication of sizes when you look at these kaftans, I am the one with the short, spiky dark hair wearing a black kaftan in this shot. I am a fairly standard UK size 16 (having kissed goodbye to the size 10/12 of my youth some time ago!)
I hope this information is useful and that you will return to our site to keep up with our blogs and make further purchases! We are great believers in the personal touch and hope it is something that our customers will also appreciate.
Bye for now!
Rosanna
I suspect this is a blog that is going to be added to as we go along, for now, I have listed frequently asked questions as I can remember them - I hope they are helpful!
Q: How long will I have to wait to receive my purchase?
A: We aim to send them out first class post on the day we get the order so all being well, you should receive your parcel within two days of placing the order (Post Office permitting!) Where we get orders through over a weekend or bank holiday, they are sent off on the Monday or Tuesday. If we go away for a few days' break, (doesn't happen often!) on our return, we immediately email customers with orders in the system and explain that we have been away and that the items will be sent out first class post that day. We are working on an automated 'out of office' message which would be good - especially if we are able to get away more frequently.
Q: How big are the kaftans?
A: This is an interesting one as theoretically, they are all one size. That said, some styles are bigger than others. Let's start with the mens' ones:-
Both chaps in the pictures are over 6' tall. The bearded wonder is my husband and partner in this venture and he is no longer the lightweight he once was. They are therefore what I would describe as being quite generous but bear in mind, the beauty of a kaftan is that it is loose and flowing so really these would be suitable for quite a variety of shapes and sizes.
As for the ladies...........the most generous of all is the polyester range with the sleeves that come just about to the elbow: this is number 8. This measures 34" across. The short sleeved polyester one, kaftan number 9 measures 28" across.
The tie-dye kaftans are also quite generous measuring almost 29" and kafan number 1 is a good 30" across. The other kaftan styles are around 24" across. I am sorry for the metric minded, but I am definitely a feet and inches kind of girl.
Q: Do the trousers on the tie-dye trouser suits have elasticated waists?
A: The short answer is no though the other style trouser suits do have elasticated waists.
The tie-dye trouser is actually a single piece of material, cleverly cut with four ties. You tie around your waist at the front, pull the fabric through between your legs and then tie again at the back. The result is loose, flowing trousers........lovely!
Q; How do I wash them?
A: The cotton ones should be rinsed through by hand in warm, soapy water, rinsed in warm water then hung out to dry. We do not recommend tumble drying. They are then ironed as cotton though where there is braided trim, (as opposed to the lacework panels on some), you do need to take care and probably the easiest thing to do is iron inside out.
The polyester ones just need a rinse through in warm soapy water, warm rinse then hang up. No ironing! It helps with the polyester kaftans if you add a fabric conditioner to the last rinse; some people are put off by polyester because of the risk of static, but adding fabric conditioner prevents this. We do always put a little note in with our kaftans and suits advising on washing instructions which we hope is helpful.
You will notice that we have added a picture to the blog - one of several group shots we took when taking the photographs for the site. (Whilst I would love to say we shot on location in Tunisia, sadly, the budgets didn't stretch to that!) To introduce myself and to give you an indication of sizes when you look at these kaftans, I am the one with the short, spiky dark hair wearing a black kaftan in this shot. I am a fairly standard UK size 16 (having kissed goodbye to the size 10/12 of my youth some time ago!)
I hope this information is useful and that you will return to our site to keep up with our blogs and make further purchases! We are great believers in the personal touch and hope it is something that our customers will also appreciate.
Bye for now!
Rosanna
Wednesday, 3 September 2008
Welcome!
http://www.kaftanchic.com/ has been let loose upon the unsuspecting world for just over three months now and in that period of time we have encountered some lovely people all over the world who share our love of kaftans and tie-dye. Having enjoyed some very pleasant interaction with our customers we thought it would be a nice idea to launch a blog to keep in touch, flag up any news or special offers.
We launched the website with a fashion show held locally in Devon where we are based and the ladies modelling the kaftans, sundresses and trouser suits on the website itself, gamely modelled for the local crowd. It was quite authentic with upbeat african music to help us try and capture the mood of sunny Tunisia where our authentic kaftans come from. Several of our customers have passed comment on how much fun the website looks and I can say that we did have enormous fun putting it together; we were very lucky to have some game gals to call on with a couple of husbands being roped in for good measure!
We are gradually building our Client base and the best way to grow is by word of mouth so if you are a happy customer, please recommend us to your friends and family. In addition to advertising and promoting ourselves locally, we have advertised in 'The Oldie' magasine which has extended our Client base across the UK and overseas.
It is a pity that summer in the UK has been so dismal this year but there is still the chance of an Indian Summer in September and October (says she optimistically!) and of course, lots of people head abroad for winter sunshine so there is still scope to purchase a kaftan, tie-dye sundress or trouser suit as a Christmas present or for yourself if you are heading for the hotspots or off on a winter cruise. (Lucky you!)
We also feel that kaftans make a great alternative to a dressing gown either when you just want to chill out at home or for people in hospital or nursing homes so it definitely isn't seen as just a summer purchase.
We do hope that if you have come across us before, you will continue to catch up; I am thinking we might add some quirky bits to the blog in future and maybe some cartoons as well so - to coin the phrase - 'watch this space!'
We launched the website with a fashion show held locally in Devon where we are based and the ladies modelling the kaftans, sundresses and trouser suits on the website itself, gamely modelled for the local crowd. It was quite authentic with upbeat african music to help us try and capture the mood of sunny Tunisia where our authentic kaftans come from. Several of our customers have passed comment on how much fun the website looks and I can say that we did have enormous fun putting it together; we were very lucky to have some game gals to call on with a couple of husbands being roped in for good measure!
We are gradually building our Client base and the best way to grow is by word of mouth so if you are a happy customer, please recommend us to your friends and family. In addition to advertising and promoting ourselves locally, we have advertised in 'The Oldie' magasine which has extended our Client base across the UK and overseas.
It is a pity that summer in the UK has been so dismal this year but there is still the chance of an Indian Summer in September and October (says she optimistically!) and of course, lots of people head abroad for winter sunshine so there is still scope to purchase a kaftan, tie-dye sundress or trouser suit as a Christmas present or for yourself if you are heading for the hotspots or off on a winter cruise. (Lucky you!)
We also feel that kaftans make a great alternative to a dressing gown either when you just want to chill out at home or for people in hospital or nursing homes so it definitely isn't seen as just a summer purchase.
We do hope that if you have come across us before, you will continue to catch up; I am thinking we might add some quirky bits to the blog in future and maybe some cartoons as well so - to coin the phrase - 'watch this space!'
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