Wasup everybody this is Armand Dushae owner of DMBGS by Armand Dushae A line of coinpouches handmade in California that have recently been added to the Karmaloop Kazbah line-up
At 19 years old I launched my company, & in the 10 months since then [ with only about 4 months of actually going hard] I've achieved some degree of success, so hopefully I can contribute to the discussion . Here are some factors that have helped the progress of my product-
- Specialization , My niche is coin pouches. the t-shirt market is over saturated. Unless your brand is fundamentally unique you will need spectacular designs or a celebrity cosigner to succeed. Try to create something (other than a logo) that gives your products that signature look.
- Made In USA , People love the fact that something is homegrown , especially in the current state of our nations politics & economy.
- Good Marketing, If you aren't sending out 15+ emails on the daily ( to stores, stylist, blogs, etc) , all over every social network, and active in the local fashion community then you're not on your job. Youtube is a marketing tool that has greatly helped my brand as well as given me the opportunity to help other brands. My series Tha Trend was instrumental in getting DMBGS known on a larger scale.
- Attention to Detail, things like paying the extra 15 cents per label to have metallic thread, specialty packaging, & lining every bag with silk are the little factors that I'm convinced set my products apart from every other coin pouch on the market.
- In House-Production, I understand everyone isn't a screen-printer or designer but if you can have manufacturing local it gives you the opportunity to quickly ride the "waves" of any current events. One example of what I did was release a Giants Superbowl coin pouch 30 minutes after New York won. It sold out before the week was over (granted it was a limited collection)
I know a lot of you underground lines are probably wondering the affects of partnering with Karmaloop Kazbah & how it boost sales. In the past week & a half I've received orders to Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cali, Mississipi, Texas, Florida, New York & North Carolina . Karmaloop Kazbah is definitely the way to go if you want that worldwide exposure, though they take their 35% and make you pay for shipping , its definitely worth it. Another benefit of partnering with the Kazbah (that's arguably the biggest perk) is the fact that your contact information is on the top of your vendor page. If you have a dope product then web-stores, boutiques, brands & blogs will begin to slowly flood your inbox with business proposals & marketing opportunities.
Any questions hit me up
-Armand Dushae
P.S. Any brands looking to have coin pouches produced I offer the lowest minimums, most customization options & am willing to work with you on pricing . The profit margin is much greater than t-shirts. Also anyone wanting to collaborate , I'm all ears [& Karmaloop Kazbah encourages us to list our collaboration products, so it has the potential to be lucrative ] . Contact : dimebags@armanddushae.com [case-sensitive]
