Saturday, May 5, 2018

Pricing is a Guide

Did you know that the average consumer considers price as the number one determiner of quality.

It's not such a bizarre concept, think about it when you've made a comparison on products that you may not be familiar with.

Depending on the task at hand and whether or not you want the product to last - chances are that you do not select the cheapest amongst the options.

Think about clothing and your opinion on the quality of a pair of jeans.

If you're like most people, then the scale will look like this :

$20 / £12  ::  nope, they'll self destruct after the first time worn 
$50 / £30  ::  could be OK, but probably won't fit all that well

$150 / £90  ::  yes - this is the pair I'll choose
$350 / £220  ::  I'd buy these for a very special occasion

$800 / £500  ::  are you serious?
$1,200 / £700  ::  now we know your joking

The common perception is the first 2 pairs will be substandard in some way, probably poor construction and certainly low quality material.

The middle 2 pairs will be the best value and will be made from a nicer, longer lasting material and will fit nicely too.

The last 2 could be a practical test to see if you'll actually spend your money on such a thing?

Of course, these 3 price brackets are a random guide and while based on some fact, the numbers could be skewed to reflect a certain position.

The point is that most consumers use price as a guide for quality.

Does the cheapest price always win, or are some people more cautious of what actually goes in to a product?


Thursday, March 22, 2018

Be a Bit Creative

Bags made by Bag People are in great demand; more and more companies are getting on board with our exceptional product quality and customer service.

Another option we give to our customers is the choice of fabric colour.

You decide what fabric will suit your needs (we can assist with the decisions if needed). Then you let us know what fabric colour will work best with your logo and brand presence.

You are the customer, so you're in control. You know what is best so just tell us.


Email us to find out more.


Saturday, March 3, 2018

DuraPaper - String and Gong Strong

DuraPaper launched in December 2016.

It is genuinely reusable paper bag.  It combines the wonderful finish and feeling of paper with the extra long lasting base of laminated woven PP.


So what's good about DuraPaper?


  • grown on tress
  • super strong (carrying up to 18kg)
  • ethically sourced
  • long-life reusability
  • 98% biodegradable
  • water repellent
See the DuraPaper website for more details.



Wednesday, February 28, 2018

What is the Cost?

Is the cheapest price always the best value?

In the bag business the cheapest price usually wins the order, this is unfortunate because it leads to the wrong products being supplied and worse still, very poor quality products that do not last as long as they should.

Here's the formula for deciding what's important to you when choosing your bag supplier.

You fill in the blanks with. Good. Cheap. Quick.

I want bags that are _______ and _______, but not _______.

There will be 3 outcomes :
:: Good and Quick, but not Cheap.
:: Cheap and Good, but not Quick.
:: Quick and Cheap, but not Good.

At Bag People, we've found that customer never ask product products that are "not good", but we're always asked for cheap.

We can do cheap products, but we need a bit of time for delivery (usually about 8-10 weeks).

Other than than, we can fill all of your needs.

Quality is one of our Cornerstones and as such we won't sell you short. Don't damage your brand with bags of inferior quality.

Ask yourself "what is the cost?

Contact Us to find out more.

Thursday, February 8, 2018

Brilliant Canvas Bags

Fashion meet function or is it function meeting fashion?

Our Heavy Weight Canvas Bags produced in luxurious super-heavy weight fabric.

Not just one step above the plain old Cotton Shopper.

These bags blow Cotton completely away.

There's no real comparison.

Black - White - Natural.

Email us now info@bagpeople.com.



Thursday, January 4, 2018

Welcome 2018

Signing off from last year and signing on to this year have been almost seamless, we only really stopped for Christmas Day and New Years Day.

I'm not sure what phenomenon caused the extra activity over the holiday break?  But it's a good sign for our business as we press in to 2018.

In Australia, we'll be increasing our stock holding (again) and it won't be too long before we need larger premises (again), but with every move we make - it's always controlled.  We grow to 120% of capacity before relocating.

With more stock we can offer faster and more accurate turn-around.

I say accurate because in the past we have needed to substitute products for customers die to limited stock.  Don't worry, the substitute is always a higher specification.

But now, with the extra stock capacity we're able to supply the items on order.

In the UK the business is going from strength to strength.

The team there are working very well with large volumes and premium brands.

That said, they're also working very well with custom printed smaller orders.

Their capacity is from 100 bags through to 50,000 per container.

This year we expect business to build again.

With a number of regions and governments banning plastic bags business should be good for a reusable bag company.


Friday, December 22, 2017

Farewell 2017

2017 was an amazing year.

A number of initiatives really started to gain momentum.

We got behind the Boomerang Bag concept and have really seen it fly (https://boomerangbags.org/), we make regular donations to our local sewing group.

We've seen a number of our customers grow and develop their brands and bring reusable bags in to their product mix with great success.

The guys in the UK have uncovered a very niche market with Divot Repair Bags... what will they think of next?

We've also tried to educate a bit more.  Not in the realm of why reusable bags are worthwhile, but around some of the lesser known elements of reusability.

Biodegradable vs. Photodegradable
Green Washing
Understanding Terminology

Lastly, I think it's our customer focus that makes us stand out.

This will continue.


Saturday, December 16, 2017

Cotton Prices

Our post from March 2011 (Cotton Price Talk) saw the absolute peak of the Cotton Price for the last 45 years as shown in this chart.


The price has normalised (quite quickly) since then because of the simple commercial laws of supply and demand.

My hunch is that with the proliferation of Plastic Bag Bans around the world the price of Cotton will continue to rise and we may see pricing like $1.50 in 2-4 years, maybe sooner.


Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Cost or Investment

There is a lot of consciousness around the issue of plastic bags and their environmental impact.

Despite that, the move towards reusable bags is largely led by individuals in their own quest to do small things in their daily life that make a difference. The next step is for businesses to raise this awareness even further with their packaging options.

Many retailers and other businesses ask Bag People what to offer their customers as a plastic bag alternative.

Given the range of bag styles and range of price, there is always something that will meet our customers' needs. One of the obvious "barriers" is the reusable bags cost more than plastic bags.

Part of the process for our customers in choosing a bag, is working out how the bags will be offered. They often ask :
* "Should we sell them for a profit or at least cover costs?"
* "Can we offer them free as an incentive to purchase up to a certain amount in store?"
* "Should we just give them away? The cost of this will surely be outweighed by the marketing opportunity when our customers carry our bag about."

The answer is any or all of the above. We have seen all of these options work well for our customers. Yes, eco-friendly bags are more expensive than single-use plastic bags, however, the opportunity to engage with customers at a new level is truly exciting.

Ask Bag People for more details.


Monday, November 20, 2017

What about GREEN?

Following on from our last post, have you been thinking about it?

Check out Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwashing) on the subject.

They basically say that Greenwashing is a deceptive marketing activity used to promote the perception that a product or service aims to be environmentally friendly.

They also make the observation that greenwashing can be spotted by making the comparison on spending.  Whereby more money is spent on advertising being "green" than is actually spent on environmentally sound practices.

Many suppliers of reusable bags will make all kinds of references to all the certifications and standards.

Your challenge is to test them.  Ask the question.

Their ACTUAL certification credentials are a matter of public record.  Ask the question.

They should be produced within minutes of making a request.  Ask the question.

If someone is making a statement or promise of something.  You owe it to yourself to ASK THE QUESTION.