The next e-mail from my parents generation shows the intense interest a shopping site can create.

” Hello Gerrit
Thank you so much for keeping me on your mailing list.   I have so enjoyed going through everything on your web and being able to navigate through it all is a great big plus, as I am not all that “au fait” with IT and yet it was so easy !   I’d love to pop in some time and just browse in your showroom and see all your lovely tiles, and the progress of your studio, if that would not be an inconvenience.    I remember you saying that visits were only by appointment, but I would not disrupt your work schedule !
I hope that you enjoy a happy festive season and lucrative business in the New Year.
Regards …… Kathy Dolpire”

Most interestingly we have found that the bulk of the sales so far were to the older and mostly late adopters of internet, e-commerce and communication facilities.

South Africans opt paying for their purchases by electronic bank transfer from within their own online banking accounts into our bank account and it is important to note that one telephonic conversation will be needed to instill confidence. Credit card payments from international clients are the most popular but even this will change in 2010 when electronic bank transfers from Europe and North America will become possible.

We are new in the e-commerce arena and success depends on dedication to service, promptness, quality and telephonic followup. The good old familiarity of a voice seems to be the most important aspect when clinching the sale. If the delivered  product outshines the image of the product acquired from the website then one can be ensured of a loyal following!

The team at Southern Art Ceramics, and most importantly Martle’ at Aqua IT Consulting  made all these online developments a reality! The perseverance and dedication by the graphics team and others involved with the continuous photographing, editing, loading, sales ….  and development and redevelopment of these websites will make these ceramic art and handmade tile websites a rich and fulfilling shopping experience!

I am grateful to be part of this e-commerce venture, a venture that will need constant nurturing and improvement.

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This time round I was send a few images of a lodge somewhere in Mozambique where the client has used the Peter Kroll tiles in the past. To match a tile, the size and the colour ask for several tests to be done, like shrinkage tests, batch testing of different pigments, etc.

Pigments from different mines,  small differences in temperature, various clay bodies and the composition of the base glaze will result in different colours.

To formulate the final result within two tests cycles is almost unheard of, and it is a huge relieve, especially with short deadlines, if the colour of the small test tiles match the bigger sample tiles from Peter Kroll .

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Gillian Greer was commissioned to hand paint this thoroughbred racing horse, in memory of Tony Taberer of Avontuur Wine Estate and Stud Farm.

The confidence in the use of brushstroke and the proud glittering eye makes for an exceptional arttile. It draws and holds the attention of the viewer as only a champion can!

The rich brown colours of the coat invites the viewer to stroke the strong neck of this powerful race horse at Avontuur Wine Estate and Stud Farm.

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