By Melanie Harris
Aspiring Tarot entrepreneurs and artists can benefit from marketing and selling their products online. Leisa ReFalo maintains a successful webstore that sells Tarot decks and accessories, so we talked to her about her own experience, to glean some tips for those who would like to try their hand at online merchanting.
Tarot Reflections: What first inspired you to sell Tarot products online, and can you describe the scope of the store when you first started out?
Leisa ReFalo: I needed a way to make Tarot of Color available for direct sales. The first version was an html page with Paypal links with small pictures of each item. Shortly after, I added the glass divination items (Kaleidoscope Tarot and Runes), as well as some bags.
TR: Tell me about the recent expansions/additions to your website.
LR: I've recently added boxes made by Enchanted boxes. I found them while looking for something special to put Kat Black's Touchstone Tarot in. We are going to publish a limited edition run that should be out a year before the mass-market edition. I love the boxes they make, especially the ones that look like books. Kat & I talked about designing something custom, but it would delay the project by 6 months, and we didn't want to do that. Now we are talking about Kat making the bags, which I think will be special.
TR: Do you manufacture the products you sell yourself?
LR: It's a mixed bag. I do manufacture some of the things like the candles. I work with printers to create the journals, decks, and books that I publish. I also have wholesale accounts for other items.
TR: How do you advertise your webstore?
LR: I probably should do more than I do. I don't pay for advertising. I use my podcast, and that's why the show notes are so extensive, so people will wander in via internet searches.
TR: Which of your products is the most popular?
LR: The Alchemical Tarot is my biggest seller.
TR: What do you see for your store in the near future? Any plans for further expansion?
LR: Since I produce so much digital material, I'd like to add digital downloads of audio and documents.
TR: Do you have any advice you'd like to share with those who dream of creating, publishing, and marketing their own Tarot products?
LR: Expect it to be a huge growth opportunity. Everything I have produced has challenged me technically and creatively. One thing that is great about the Tarot community is that it is really supportive of self-publishing efforts. You can work up a lot of interest online with forums and email groups.
TR: What new products do you think today's Tarot community wants and needs?
LR: I'm not sure I can speak for the Tarot community. I think clearly we don't need another trite beginner’s book. What I would like to see are more products to help personalize and deepen the journey.