Profile of Success — What’s Good For the Goose …
HOW THE WEB HAS AFFECTED THE BUSINESS: Plotnick-Snay says Gooseberry Patch was on-line back in the early 1990s. Once it put on-line ordering capabilities on the site 10 years ago, the volume began to grow. About two years ago, the cataloger realized that although its customer base was growing older, they were using the Web site for shopping, getting recipes, comparing prices and products, and sharing information with each other.
About Gooseberry Patch
Company founded: 1984
Headquarters: Delaware, Ohio
Primary merchandise: cookbooks, calendars, organizers, kitchenware, housewares, gourmet foods and food kits, quilts, candles and wreaths
# of SKUs: 900
Customer demographics: women ranging in age from 35 to 65 who enjoy spending time with family and friends; average age is 45; median income is $70,000
Sales channels: catalog 70 percent; wholesale distribution, 27 percent; licensing, 3 percent (approximately 51 percent of catalog sales are ordered online)
# of employees: 80 to 180, depending on the season.
