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Last modified by Shop Dad on 2023/08/30 03:32

OnlyGoblins Wiki is a Place to Collect Resources for New Shops

A note about this wiki from ShopDad:

The first six months are a wild time for any new shop. There is a huge learning curve across many disparate fields; from engineering to art and from marketing to accounting. The number of shops that last less than a year is very large, and the number of shops who successfully transition from a part time gig to full time status is very small. We can do something about this if we work together and support each other.

Why would we work with our competitors? Because they aren't. They are our colleagues and friends, and even if you don't particularly care about that, consider that they are just as likely to be a new customer's first impression of indies as you or I.

Picture shows projections for the size of the sex toy market in 2022 as 32.72 billion dollars and 2030 as 62.32 billion dollars

From BedBible

The sex toy market is HUGE. Much larger than what a few dozen, a few hundred, or even a thousand indie shops can support. At least it would be, if we compete with the mass production companies that rule this sector to grow the slice of the pie that is indie.

None of us can do this alone. No single shop has the production capability, the reach, or the knowledge. Together, maybe we do. Half of that will be larger and older shops sharing knowledge about how to maximize SEO, bulk cast, navigate taxes, and reach into larger marketplaces via wholesale. The other half is making sure new shops have what they need to make safe, high quality products; so every time they bring a new customer into the indie space, that customer loves what they get and decides to keep shopping indie.

If I could have my way, the future doesn't look like one shop rising above the rest to rule 90% of the sales in a niche market of only a few thousand customers. It looks like walking into a brick and mortar store one day and seeing this:

Picture shows title "Shop dad's five year plan" top panel is a customer in a store filled with gray and boring toys. Bottom panel is five years in the future with a portion of the gray toys replaced by colorful indie toys.

Helping new shops make it is where this wiki is meant to do something. The indie space has been collaborative since the beginning, but much of those collaborations have been widely dispersed and sometimes siloed. OnlyGoblins Wiki is a place to collect as much of that collaboration and knowledge as possible.

This is not meant to be a place of authoritative voice. It is not a place to post the "only right way" to do things or pass judgements. It is a place to provide a hand up and give some useful guidance. I don't even believe there SHOULD be a "one right way to do things;" because to do so and push it onto others slows down innovation. Every one of our shops being a little engine of innovation is one of the biggest advantages we have. 300+ innovators is certainly a force to be reckoned with, what if we work together to make it 1000?

In my short few years I've already seen garage-sized workshops break the mold and create totally new products (the open pen by Lycantasy comes to mind) that you can only find from indies. I have also seen shops work together to correct issues impacting us all (The great 10NV mold fiasco for example). So maybe, what there should be plenty of is: "if you see this problem this is how you fix it" and "here's how we did it as a starting point" out there.

While you are here, if you see something you disagree with, something that is wrong, or something that is missing, send an email. There will be things that will range from patently wrong to maybe just a little misleading. Knowledge changes over time and editors are just people. It won't be taken as a personal affront if you want a change or addition.

Two last things:

1. The indie space generally, and OnlyGobins Wiki particularly, are not spaces for bigots. 

2. The shops who have been kind enough to allow the use of their resources are not responsible for the wiki as a whole. They are all independent people just trying to lend a hand. Maybe consider shopping from them to show support.

If you want to reach out you can send email to ShopDad@OnlyGoblins.com I would welcome any write-ups for pages, videos, or guides you would like to submit; and it nets you a personal thank you from me and your name on the list of Outstanding Goblins.