It has now been 6 months since Spelen en Spellen went live as a webshop. Initially, getting the full stock proved to be difficult and many of the products that I had wanted to carry were not available when we went live. Now, many of the products I wanted to carry are up and running though some are still tough to get in stock. I have also created a Bluesky and TikTok account for the shop and have been getting the word out about the shop's existence where I can.
This first 6 months has been a great learning experience for me. I have started creating social media posts and reviews that I am proud of. I have also created several Bloggy Bundles and plan to continue to do so in the future but at a reduced cadence. The website is in a good place despite the trouble given by the backend tool I am using insisting that I replicate most of my work over and over.
All that being said, I am happy with where Spelen en Spellen is but I had hoped that I could have a physical location at this point or at least have news on the coming of a physical location. The Amsterdam real estate market, however, has not been kind. Additionally, banks and landlords are looking for a shop with longer history or more sales. As a brand new business, I am in possession of neither of those things but I have a plan!
Starting today, I am offering two lifetime discounts for the shop that will be applied to every purchase you make for as long as Spelen en Spellen remains open. For €100, the Platinum Friend discount will grant a 10% discount on all purchases, discounted or free entry to pop-up events, and a bookmark designed by the incomparable hollypop.ink! For €50, the Gold Friends discount will grant a 5% discount on all purchases, discounted entry to pop-up events, and the bookmark by hollipop.ink! If you are looking to support the shop but €100 or €50 are out of your budget, the hollipop.ink bookmark will be available for purchase at €2.50 when it is in stock at the end of the month.
Here's a little preview of the bookmark as it's drafted up.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
hollipop.ink is a tattoo artist and illustrator based in the Netherlands. She is known for her cute and nerdy art style that uses bright colors to spark joy. Check out her work and maybe book an appointment with her at: https://www.instagram.com/hollipop.ink/