Tailoring Directly to Their Customers

BIGGEST MISTAKE MADE; SUBSEQUENT RECOVERY: In 2003 and 2004, the company mailed a women’s and children’s catalog spin-off. The catalog failed to generate sufficient revenue, and the Prenners discontinued it. “It was beautiful and seemed a natural extension of where we were going,” Sue says, “but it wasn’t the right way for us to go. We haven’t eliminated women’s products from our main catalog, however.” In fact, the company operates a women’s store across the street from the traditional Ben Silver store in Charleston, S.C. The catalog also contains a large women’s apparel section. «