Q&A: LISA WATSON, QuiltnCraftLink

 

We live in an age where having a website is practically a necessity for any business, regardless of their size. But having an informational website is one thing; maintaining an online store and fulfilling orders is another. And for many small businesses—like your local quilt shop—selling items online may not be an option in terms of time, financial resources, and technical know-how.

 

Longtime quilter Lisa Watson conceived of a solution to this issue in the form of her QuiltnCraftLink website, which she recently launched. In addition to providing an online home for individual quilt shops—all in one place—Watson also hopes to solve the consumer dilemma of having to shop from multiple stores (either online or in person) to purchase all of the supplies and fabrics needed for a project. Consumers can shop from and support several small businesses in a single transaction.

 

We spoke with Watson about QuiltnCraftLink to find out how the idea developed, what she hopes it accomplishes, and how she would like to see it grow from here.

 

 

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eINSIDER: First, please tell me a bit about your background—both personally and in the quilting world/industry.

 

WATSON: I was born in Ohio, and have since lived in California, Illinois, and Arkansas. I have been sewing and quilting since I was seven or eight. My mom taught me to sew, working on Barbie clothes, stitching them by hand at first, and then graduating to the sewing machine. Her mom, my grandma, started my enjoyment of quilting with zig-zag-stitch appliquéd Sunbonnet Sue squares on pink broadcloth. The Sunbonnet Sues were made from scraps of Grandma's dresses. I have yet to finish that Sunbonnet Sue quilt, as I didn't enjoy the hand-embroidery of their feet and hands (in black thread...arghh!), but I will one day finish it, to honor my grandma and my start in the world of quilting.

 

I graduated college with a Home Economics degree, minoring in both Business and Journalism. After graduating from college, my journey through the quilting industry has included working for Wal-Mart as the fabric buyer's assistant, and then many years working for the fabric company, Textile Creations. I have a passion and heart for the quilting industry, not only because of the joy that quilting provides to me personally, but also because of the outstanding creativity and inspiration among quilters and the entrepreneurial spirit of the shop owners doing business in a field that they love.

 

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eINSIDER: When and how did the idea for QuiltnCraftLink come to you?

 

WATSON: The idea for QuiltnCraftLink came to me about six years ago, after I'd tried to order the fabrics specified in a quilt pattern. It was a pattern that had been around for a while, and the fabrics were a bit older, so no one single quilt shop had all of the pieces that I needed to complete the quilt. By the time I was done, I'd had to order from several quilt shops, entering my shipping and payment information multiple times. I thought at the time, "There has to be a better way! There should be one place to order from everyone…and there could be!"

 

After coming up with the idea, I talked to a couple people about it, but none of them shared the vision of its potential at the time. I personally didn't have the resources to do it on my own, so I tucked it into the back of my mind. About three years ago, I decided that I should pursue the idea of the website again. I was then able to find software that could accomplish it, with some improvements. I've been working on it ever since, and now it is up and running. Making it a reality is wonderful to me, because it was once just a dream. By nature, I'm an entrepreneur, so this is very exciting to have this opportunity, and to help other entrepreneurs in the process.

 

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eINSIDER: For our readers, please explain what exactly QuiltnCraftLink is and how the site works.

 

WATSON: QuiltnCraftLink is a website where consumers can order from more than one quilt shop at a time, and then check out using a single cart and transaction. The website divides the order behind the scenes to the various shops included on the order. This helps the consumer by improving the efficiency of the shopping experience, and allows them to support independent quilt shops. The site’s search function even enables them to find items from shops nearer to them, if they desire.

 

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eINSIDER: Is the site better suited to shops that don’t already maintain their own website, or can retailers who already have a site also benefit?

 

WATSON: I feel that it can be helpful to both groups. Shops without a site can have an internet presence and sell their products online. They can get inventory online far easier than setting up their own site.

 

Shops that already have their own sites can benefit as well. They can gain a broader audience—more than hoping someone finds them on Google—and the goal is to make QuiltnCraftLink THE destination for quilters and crafters to find the items they need. I plan to market the site via trade shows, consumer shows, magazine advertising, and articles in publications whenever possible.

 

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eINSIDER: You say that you have a heart for the industry and an interest in it continuing to grow. How do you feel a product like yours helps to facilitate that growth?

 

WATSON: My heart was broken when our local quilt shop went out of business, and that is happening more and more within our industry. I think that QuiltnCraftLink can help prevent this by allowing shops to get their products in front of more consumers in a relatively easy way, compared to setting up and managing a whole website of their own, which takes time that they often don't have. Or, for shops with existing sites, instead of relying on their local customer base as the primary users of their site, they can attract additional customers with the extra marketed presence.

 

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eINSIDER: Is there anything else you’d like to share?

 

WATSON: I participated in Quilt Festival with a booth and spoke to many consumers there about QuiltnCraftLink. People thought it was a great idea, and would make it super convenient to shop for supplies online. They were excited about it!

 

Now, it is just a matter of adding more shops, to make it a real destination point for people. There are other places that people can buy fabric, but they often have to wade through the books and DVDs and household items to get there. QuiltnCraftLink, by contrast, is a specific resource and a home just for people who quilt, sew, and craft.

 

If you’re interested in participating on QuiltnCraftLink or would like more information, you can email Watson at info@quiltncraftlink.com or call 877-221-1371.

 

 

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