# Looking for guidance on new opal inlay website



## Opalinlay (Oct 27, 2020)

To the fellow woodworkers, 
I just started my new online business opalandfindings.com I'm hoping to find ways to organically grow it. In this market its hard and need to find solutions and be proactive so it doesn't fail.

My shop focuses on supplying crushed opal for inlay. In fact I'm the only small buiness veteran owned business in the USA to cary all the colors of synthetic crushed opal for inlay in the north america. I decided to invest into it as i love woodworking and couldn't decided on just a couple of the 91 colors, i had to have them all. Over the last year the manufacturer decided to raise the MOQs on me. Not just the standard 100 grams but now 1000 grams per color with a min of 10 colors.

As i love making whiskey barrel wood rings with opal inlay, i told the wife let's just do it so i created a second website opalandfindings.com. 
Now as the site is just 2 weeks old and the opal Co. took all my money i need to find a solution to sell the opal and ring core blanks.
Your recommendations on places to post would be great.


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

welcome to the forum - what part of the world are you in ?
photos will always help put us all on the same page in the thought process.
signmakers use synthetic stones to embellish the more "upscale" signs for advertisements.
so there are more markets to look at vs just rings made out of wood.
you just have to be careful on forums as not to cross the line in just openly promoting
your business and not participating in the forums as a contributing member.
just promoting your business only is considered SPAM and can get you gone pretty quick.
please read the forum rules before you post any more information about your companies.

.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

You're in a crowded market with established players. That will make it difficult to break in. No offense to you but, given the choice of buying from a known source or your site, I'm going to go with the names I know. Even my local Woodcraft is selling 2g for just a couple of bucks more per gram than you are. There, I can actually see the product before I buy.

Posting in forums isn't the answer for getting your business going. It's all about SEO. Being at or near the top of page one of a search for something like "crushed opal inlay" is critical for bringing traffic to your site. Rather than spend your time posting links to your site on places like LumberJocks, get up to speed on SEO. You also need to be patient. You won't climb to the top of the search engine results overnight.

To develop a reputation here on this site, you'll need to make helpful and relevant contributions to member's questions and comments. That's what will make members take the time to look at your stuff.

Don't be put off by the spam comment above. I don't see your post as being spam. Repeatedly posting nothing but that URL, without truly participating in the forum, would be another story. You can, however, include your URL in your signature and your profile. That, combined with being a contributing member of our forum, will generate interest among the members here.


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

> being a contributing member of our forum, will generate interest among the members here.
> 
> - Rich


yep

.


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## Opalinlay (Oct 27, 2020)

Thank you for the tips and help and tips. As for the pricing, I can spank woodcrafters pricing up and down the street all day. I also carry all 91 colors. My best bulk price is $5 a gram; they only offer 2 grams for $20. If need be, I can lower my price to where they have no desire even to carry it.

As to your comment, "you'll need to make helpful and relevant contributions to member's questions and comments." Thank you for the advice I will do. 
John, thank you for the update on the comment, "so there are more markets to look at vs. just rings made out of wood." 
I will take that to heart. I do not just carry wood ring cores, but I carry almost 70 types, and I'm a registered jeweler now. I do custom castings in silver and gold but carry tungsten, stainless steel, ceramic, titanium, 5 types of wood ring core blanks. My first love is woodworking, and I'm looking to break into the market more and with the enjoying the woodworking aspect more. 
Again thank you for your observations and advice,

Ken

Owner and Creator

www.CremationCreations.net
www.OpalandFindings.com
www.CremationJewelrs.com
Etsy: CremationCreationsCo

Avid Woodworker and Silver Design Specialist

Youtube
www.youtube.com/channel/UC3CCaykxKPuqVOo-noHzEdg


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