*Real Value
1. Hats and caps that use fine materials. Usually, but not always, this means natural fibers such as wool, cotton, and linen.
2. Manufacturing in the context of place and history. Usually this means a long tradition of making headwear in factories that have been around for decades if not centuries. Know how and attention to detail in places like this is par excel lance.
3. Safety, both in the factory as well as for the consumer. Established manufacturing concerns tend to be proactive, the mere possibility of harm precludes going forward with making the product. (A less concerned factory is reactive, i.e. until problems surface, they behave as is there is nothing to worry about.)
Old World hat and cap manufacturers are a dying breed. Because these places and the goods they produce represent Real Value*, The Village Hat Shop is working to keep them alive.
Quality
As the Internet economy grows with more and more businesses competing in each business sector, it is clear that what matters now and will matter even more in the future is "quality." The quality of the web site itself is one measure of this. Respect for the customer's intelligence will be evident at a good site with information beyond pictures and price tags. The ease of navigation through the site and demonstration of an appreciation and understanding of what the merchant is selling are other examples of this quality. Of course, good quality merchandise stocked and priced competitively with the ability to ship it quickly is paramount. Finally, what everyone knows when coming into contact with a business: the quality of the service and the authenticity of the people involved. Is this person really talking to me? Get in contact with us and you'll quickly discover that you are at the best place to find hats.
The Promise of the Internet is Still Alive and Well at VillageHatShop.com
In many ways, the early Internet has lost its way. Spam emails, pop-ups, banner ads, and similar nonsense are annoying at the very least. Also, default email communications from merchants undermine the promise of this medium to recapture the days when merchants and customers actually communicated with each other. The "Global Village" hopes of Marshall McLuan and Buckminster Fuller are being supplanted by an Internet that is simply another impersonal, big business dominated, sales channel, like what we encounter in the rest of the marketplace.
If you are looking for authenticity, where when you ask a question or make a comment, a response from a real merchant will be forthcoming, then you have found the right Internet shop.
We have never had a pop-up window or a banner ad at our site. We have only sent general emails to those who have requested such and opted into our newsletter. Furthermore, all other correspondence from us has been personal, either a reply to the point of your inquiry or a confirmation of your order.
Insist on trading with businesses that treat us like the important customers that we are, and not like consumers, where the primary business objective is to enhance the bottom line for stockholders.
Internet commerce, for the most part, can and ought to be person-to-person; for all our sakes don't settle for less.
