The Loopy Ewe

Sheri Berger

She started a scrap booking business which lasted for almost 15 years. When the market for scrap booking began to diminish, she sought out a new opportunity. In a search for a new job, she turned to one of her hobbies and opened an online yarn shop. She struggled at first to find how God would use her through this business. After consulting a friend, she understood that she was supposed to continue to work with her shop. Her friend told her to, “Get over herself and let God use her for his purpose.” She then suggested that she read Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans I have you declares the Lord.” The company started in her basement with a very small amount of customers. Today they operate out of an 1800 sq. ft. warehouse with several employees. Some of the challenges that have been presented with this business is connecting with customers online and making her store unique.
To explain how they connect with customers, she provided four main questions. The first is how can you find customers or a niche market? The Loopy Ewe found a niche market with the yarn industry. The second question is how to get customer’s that continually need yarn. Many people that begin knitting only stick with it for a certain amount of time. The challenge is to find customers that are consistent with their knitting. The third question is how to maintain customer loyalty. The key is to find customers that come back to your store rather than competitors. This is done by providing high quality products and customer service, as well as keeping up with the competition. Another important part of this is establishing a unique and well designed website. One aspect of the customer service part of the Loopy Ewe is handwritten notes with every order. Another thing they do is give a gift for every order. The website also contains a blog that personalizes the website and makes customers feel like they know the owner more. The fourth question was how to get customers to tell their friends.
The company attempts to involve customers by personalizing the site and asking for feedback continually. The online store even gives information about events or ideas that are going on with the company. The online yarn industry has grown significantly for the Loopy Ewe and it has become a highly productive operation.