I went to the store but the shelves were empty....

It would be quite strange to go grocery shopping and upon entering the store finding that not only the shelves were empty but a picture of the missing products occupied each empty space.  Your options might include leaving the store in frustration or thinking " if I had only got here sooner, I could have purchased a can of soup".  The natural reaction would be to find another source, never to re-visit the empty store.

If you have never had this experience, you might visit strangedog.com to purchase a custom Kindle cover.  There's a strong chance that you will see many pictures of Kindle covers, most with a sold out indicator.  Unfortunately the option of finding another source is not available as these are the only genuine handmade custom covers.  You might conclude that this is a poor way to do business and never return.  I agree that the strangedog store is a poor business model but there is a semblance of rationality behind the empty shelves. 

Several months ago, after much trial and error, I created a functional Kindle case that not only worked well but allowed for unique personalization.  I posted a couple on eBay to a slow start but eventually sold a few.  The original customers, obviously pleased with their cover as well as the reasonable price spread the word.  The cover was featured on Kindle web sites, Amazon discussion threads were started and I was inundated with email request for custom covers.  Not having an ecommerce site, I continued to sell exclusively on eBay.  The good news was that every cover I made sold out instantly with the bad side that once sold the picture disappeared along with all traces of the fact that there was another option for a personalized cover.

While not my first choice to set up and ecommerce site, I enabled the ability to purchase from strangedog.  This allowed me to post the styles and quantity available as well as an indication when sold out.  In regard to poor business practices, there is a option to post a picture and take orders, yet I chose not to take this path even at the cost of missing potential sales.  This decision also has some shaky logic!

In addition to making custom Kindle covers, I also have a real job that pays the bills and keeps the children in college.  Unfortunately this job requires frequent air travel, multiple days away from home and often on short notice.  Making and selling custom Kindle covers remains a diversion from my real job, actually a self supporting hobby.  I agree with the many suggestions received that I could simply take orders, outsource fabrication and charge more but that is not my objection.  I suggest that you visited my site to purchase a unique handmade cover.  The fact that they are handmade on a part time basis by a single craftsman, will always limit the number available.  While simply taking orders would certainly be more profitable, catching up a backlog in every spare moment would quickly resemble a second job.  Cutting corners or outsourcing might produce more covers but handmade quality and uniqueness would not be a result.

I have created and sold more than 200 custom covers with every cover sold shipped within 24 hours.  Out of this number sold I have received two negative complaints.  One being the cover was a little rough and the second regarding a crooked strap and loose pocket.  Although months apart, both of these covers were created during a week in which I attempted to increase production beyond my comfort level.  Although on both occasions I resolved the problem to the customer's satisfaction, I was embarrassed that I let these slip through.

As any craftsman, I pride myself on the quality of my work.  I take pleasure in cutting every piece of cloth, chipboard, leather and cutting and bending the metal clip.  I personally hand make each cover, trimming every loose thread and fitting it to my Kindle.  If it's not perfect, I would rather throw it away than sell regardless of the fact that it's only $24.95.  In order to continue this standard, there will never be an abundance of covers nor mass produced versions.  I gladly read and respond to all request and suggestions from my site and use these request to plan my week's production.  My desire is that your first reaction at finding an empty shelve is not to look elsewhere but realize the product is worth the wait.

Frank