Furriers and Social Media.

[Mr_G_Furlover]

Mr. G here, I'm new but used to be on the old fur fashion guide.

 

I posted this last night on the thread regarding disappearing furriers but wanted to repost it on it's on thread to bring awareness to it.

 

One thing I feel is hurting some furriers in The United States and possibly elsewhere is the poor use of Social Media. This includes Twitter and Instagram, which in my opinion is a perfect social media platform for any furrier to showcase their wares and even discuss fashion in general.

 

I see a lot of Russian furriers using social media aggressively, posting pictures multiple times a day in some cases. They're really getting out there.

 

But in a Major City in the Midwest United States, is a furrier that while it has a web page, has No Instagram and a twitter account not updated since December of 2016.

 

A second example is an older and smaller furrier that is located near me. They do have a web page, but they have No twitter account and no Instagram page.

 

I'm sure there are others that also fall into this category. It's like they're not even trying! Something I find terribly disappointing. As I said, social media, Instagram especially is a great platform to advertise and reach young people. Not to mention that social media can be used to counter act the online propaganda of a certain anti-fur organization that I will not name. They use social media and quite often.

 

Not all American furriers have dropped the ball, Flemington Furs in New Jersey has used it effectively and even have their own hashtag #fureverflemington My congratulations to them, more should follow their example.

 

If furriers in the US and around the world want to survive and thrive, they need to use every tool available. Did I mention that both Instagram and twitter are FREE! I just don't understand why they don't use them and aggressively so.

 

So my advice to any furrier, make sure you have a twitter and Instagram, use them aggressively, use hash tags and follow people, get out there.

 

I just wanted to toss this out there, make people think and possibly prod one or two furriers to start using every tool available to advertise.

 

Thanks

 

Mr. G

[AKcoyote]

As I said on the "disappearing furriers" thread, possibly very true. However many remaining furriers in the US are small mom & pop shops and cannot afford the time or personnel to do social media properly.

 

Also there are very few furriers who might read your comments here. Thus I think your point, while well stated, is extremely unlikely to have any effect.

[Mr_G_Furlover]

I do realize that my chances of reaching a furrier with this post are essentially a shot in the dark, but I'm a fur lover and I support the fur industry so, to not at least make the effort to bring this to someone's attention, I wouldn't be true to myself. Even if I can just make one person think about it, then the time I spent posting it, was worth it.

 

Besides, even a shot in the dark occasionally hits something.

 

Some furriers are small but the first example I mentioned is a pretty big furrier in a major city in the Midwest. They have radio and tv ad's. But as I mentioned, No Instagram account, a twitter account not updated since Dec of 2016 and a facebook page not updated since September of 2017. In this case, there's really no excuse for them to just drop the ball on social media. It's like they just gave up and assumed that having a web page would be enough. In this day and age, a web page is a necessity but not enough in itself. It's been proven that business's that don't change and adapt with the times, have a regular habit of going out of business. Sad but true.

 

 

But even if I don't actually reach any furriers, there is one thing people here can do!

 

I know some of the people on this board have furs and plan to buy furs in the future. Next time you're at a furrier, make a point to ask them if they have a twitter feed or an Instagram account.

 

If they say no, just remind them that's both are easy to learn and are free. It took me all of 30 seconds to find a YouTube video on how to use Instagram. As I said, easy to learn!

 

You could also remind them that a certain unnamed animal rights organization, has both of those things and use them quite frequently. So they are reaching the people the furriers aren't. We here on this board don't want that. Encourage them to embrace social media to attempt to reach new and younger customers.

 

I can't afford a fur at this time and if I could, I'd have a closet full of them. So, I'll support the fur industry in a different way, by getting people to think about how the fur industry could do better.

 

Mr. G

[elbas3175]

My theory is that they perhaps sell more expensive garments than most of the Russian / Chinese sellers. So it might be that they feel most of their customers are from the older generation, who won’t use social media.

 

But you would think they should be targeting the younger generation as well.

[Panther10]

Day furs is active on Facebook quite a bit. As are a few companies like Kaufman furs and AK Fur gallery. I assume that some groups aren't allowed to have an active social media presence because it's not in their business charter? Or maybe they are only allowed to advertise their business and their products in a specific fashion and that doesn't include places like Facebook or Instagram? Maybe furriers don't want to put a target on their back from the animal rights folks? Who knows really...

[paul2809]

I honesntly think that social media is a good tool.

One can target specific crowds in hopes of sales...

Ive seen day furs on facebook...

Problem that i see is that there are alot of 3rd party busineses that are taking over.

Ive always have liked buying from local stores bc i believe that you can get a better deal directly from the furriers them selves..and from mom and pop shops....

For instance..

I live 30minutes south of a german town called

Fredericksburg, Texas..

This is a small town built around the german traditions and many eateries and its all centered around that small town feel.

I and my significant other have sampled some of the best in that genre of food..

My point... Not to get to far off topic.. To buy local..

Its helping the small shop owners who support thier families...

Im all for that... Thats me..

Im just a simple man..

[Cyclobasti]

Mr. G here, I'm new but used to be on the old fur fashion guide.

...

I just wanted to toss this out there, make people think and possibly prod one or two furriers to start using every tool available to advertise.

 

Thanks

 

Mr. G

 

I think it's great that you bring up this topic, there are probably more threads to it but this is the first one I've come across today so I wanted to comment on it.

Instagram is the biggest social media platform at the moment and a lot of so called "furriers" who buy furs off alibaba.com and sell them under their name for double the price use it. Not only does that empower fur farms that treat animals like shit, but they also take over the market, because they're still cheaper than a proper furrier selling garments with saga furs or with the origin assured tag.

 

That being said, for someone who makes as little money as me and has a strong fur fetish, I'm very tempted to buy some as they are easier accessible.

Also it seems very easy to establish a business like that.

 

I really hope that this reaches over the walls of the Den and that proper furriers get more involved in social media. Also I hope that furriers on this forum like mailonfurs take this to heart ))))

[Aliceinfur]

I also wish that furriers used cocial media more aggressively, specially here in Montreal. They should show how beautiful and warm furs are!!!

[AKcoyote]

I also wish that furriers used social media more aggressively, specially here in Montreal. They should show how beautiful and warm furs are!!!

There are multiple issues with your wish:

1. Many of the remaining furriers in N. America are small one or two person shops who cannot afford the time/talent to properly run a social media campaign.
2. Quite a few remaining furriers are older and totally unfamiliar with the potential benefits and hassles of social media.
3. Those who might be aware of social media are afraid of attracting the attention of the peta and other anti-fur types.

There are probably additional issues, but the above are the main ones I could think of at this time.

[Aliceinfur]

True. Most of the furriers I know are small and not familiar with social media and PETA people are really aggressive online.

[Ravens8]

That doesn't make sense. For most small businesses, advertising and promotion is the biggest business expense they have. With the arrival of social media this expense can be reduced to a fraction, and can be monitored and updated within minutes. The use of social media is not hard to learn for anybody, and the business savings are massive.

 

With PETA openly admitting they are media sluts, and the way they are using social media to completely destroy the fur industry, to say "Oh I don't understand computers and social media" is the feeblest excuse out.

 

It is akin to fighting a war where your enemy is using guns, and saying "oh I don't understand how to use guns, I'm going to stick with bows and arrows. If someone doesn't understand how to use social media, any business owner, even the oldest geriatric one will have someone close to them that does, whether family or employee.

 

Plenty of furriers use youtube to promote their wares, so they can't all be clueless.

[AKcoyote]

Ravens8,

You miss the main point that many small furriers are barely hanging on and canNOT afford ANY advertising.

 

While we, and a few folks like us, like to buy and have furs, the general population does NOT consider furs necessary or fashionable. The anti-fur types have basically won through the use of terrorism, dis-information, and brainwashing.

[Ravens8]

No AK I totally get the point. If they've reached tat stage then there is nothing that is going to save them.

 

What I am saying is those furriers that haven't reached that stage yet, for them, there has never been a better time to get cheap and easily arranged advertising.

 

But the fur trade in general. and individual furriers (except for a few) seem to be totally comatose in promoting their trade.

 

The different fur councils should join forces and hire a major PR and Advertising company to promote their story. Should have done it years ago, probably too late now.

 

But I still believe people would be surprised if an International "Wear your Fur with Pride day" was organised and everybody knew 100 % that others would wear their fur coat too, then you would see hundreds of furs on the streets on that day. Most people you talk to love to touch fur, see fur, and like fur, but are too scared to admit it. When my wife wears her furs out, (or used to) the glances people gave as we passed were of appreciation, not distaste. The fake atmosphere of Political correctness is all pervasive but has no substance. It is rule by fear, which is what the antis have been working towards the last 40 years.

 

If there was a" wear you fur day" my wife would probably not wear hers because she would be afraid she would be the only one, and stand out like a sore thumb. And every other fur wearer would probably be thinking the same in the UK.

 

I agree with your last point. It was a very easily won battle, since the fur side simply rolled over and accepted defeat right from the start.

 

How many people know the other side of the story re: animal welfare of fur farming, and the skinning alive lie? Hardly anyone on the street. Why? Because they have never been told. The only way they would find out about it is if they proactively looked for the information like we do. And why would they do that? they are not fur fanatics like us. But on the other side they have the anti fur argument continually thrust in their face by the media. Newkirk admits happily that she is a media slut.

 

Since fur wearing was the status quo 40 years ago, you can guarantee that if an equally strong and continuous media campaign by the fur industry had been conducted, then we would not have the situation we have now. But they didn't, and now whole countries are talking about and seriously considering banning the sale or import of fur.