Designs from the Alps – Interview with MiaDeRoca
The Alps: that means high peaks, steep rugged rocks, a rich tradition, hard living conditions, as well as green valleys and rolling hills. MiaDeRoca is an online store run by Regina Kainz and Florian Fischer for everyone who loves the Alps, their products and wants to have some of the Alp’s spirit at home. And it is for those who love high quality products and hand crafted commodities.
Find out more about this interesting shop in the following interview.
What is the idea behind your online store?
With MiaDeRoca we are offering products that are not available everywhere. We are specialising on beautiful things that are produced in the Alpine region or are inspired by the Alps, its symbols and its traditions. Our product range encompasses funky handbags, messenger bags, exclusive purses, garnet jewellery, woollen caps, porcelain, fake deer trophies and exceptional cookie cutters. It is very important to us to visit and get to know manufacturers and designers that provide products for the MiaDeRoca shop. We have had the luck, that so some very special and exclusive products were developed. MiaDeRoca is in fact the combination of all things we love to do – travel, explore, scout local products, test and promote them online.
Why did you decide to start an e-commerce business?
Like always, there have been several reasons. Since 2003 we have been running an internet marketing business and had developed and optimized online shops for customers, we were more than ready for our own adventure. The second reason is of course, that we love the region were we live and that we love, that the Alps are extremely diverse, encompass several nations, all different dialects and traditions. And the wonderful MiaDeRoca shop enables us do look for interesting design and manufacturers from Vienna to Monaco. The planning started 2006, the English webshop was launched in autumn 2007.
Could you tell us about your professional life before you started your online store?
We run an internet marketing business focusing on the German speaking market, but work internationally as well.
Do you work full-time or part-time for your online business?
MiaDeRoca is in fact an online family-business. Regina Kainz and Florian Fischer work part time and we do have employees on our payroll during the more busy months.
Where are your customers located?
Our customers are located all over Europe. If we would put a pin on the map for every purchase we had since 2007, there would be a big punch of pins within the boundaries of Germany, several in the UK, quite some pins in Ireland and of course a nice bulk in Austria.
Which shop-system are you currently using?
The Shop System is based on Zen Cart. Numerous modifications have been developed to improve the usability and to make the shopping experience more powerful and better than at standard webshops.
Which payment systems does your Shop offer?
Prepayment and PayPal. We will add other payment methods as well.
What are the advantages of your online shop against a high street store?
One of the advantages is time flexibility – you can shop whenever you want, you can take as much time as you want, buy and leave or read thoroughly through the descriptions, look at the pictures, sleep it over and then go for it. The MiaDeRoca advantage is of course the product range, our customers find a selected range of products from handmade bags, exceptional jewellery to unusual cookie cutters.
Do you also run a high street store?
We did run a fantastic high street shop in the medieval centre of Salzburg from November 2007 until April 2009. We had some customers who bought online after visiting the high street store and we had customers who visited the store after exploring the online shop. Unfortunately the high street store soon was too small for all the products and logistics needed for the online shop, and city centres are wonderful to stroll and walk, but not ideal for daily deliveries and the quick shipping of products.
What measures have you taken to increase consumer confidence?
We follow all legal necessities, we try to provide clear information on the shopping process and of course the Trusted Shop Certification shows that we are certified by a renowned company.
What did you do to increase the visibility of your shop?
We promote MiaDeRoca in several ways. Offline promotion has mainly been through press releases and press contacts. Internet marketing has its emphasis on search engine optimisation and networking.
Are you using web 2.0 approaches for your online business?
We run the MiaDeRoca magazine, a blog where we post Alpine recipes, sightseeing tips, book reviews and some crafty stuff.
Where do you gather information about online shopping and web-retailing?
Through all kinds of media, be it books on consumption theory, blogs on usability or discussion boards on internet marketing. And we value the information exchange with fellow shop owners.
Which recommendations would you give to other e-tailers?
An online-shop is never finished, it is a continuous process.
What are your plans for the future?
We are constantly adding new products to the shop and are scouting new designers. There is a big number of creative and skilled minds in the Alps! One new section we will introduce during the next weeks is “DIY Projects”. There will be basic patterns to felt knitted bags or to crochet iPod purses or flower scarfs. In autumn, right before the second birthday of MiaDeRoca, we are planning some nice give-away and lottery.
If you want to get more information go to MiaDeRoca or visit the MiaDeRoca Magazine which presents on monthly basis interesting facts about Alpine Lifestyle.
