What story could possibly be told around e-commerce.
Is it about extending and expanding our reach and our impact and audience? Sure.
Is it about generating a new source of revenue to keep us afloat in uncertain times? Definitely.
Is it about the anxiety of launching an online storefront and figuring out things like shipping labels and package weights for the first time and making sure everything is configured and integrated correctly? Heck yes.
It’s all of those things.
And, it’s also about all of the people that follow us from afar and have never been able to visit or moved away and haven’t visited in a while.
Suddenly, we’ll be able to be closer to you, reconnecting, or connecting in a new way for the first time. This all feels important…
Ultimately, this is a story about sharing the things that bring us joy with people we care about.
This isn’t a story about Cyber Monday deals and CEO bonuses or big expensive new warehouses. This isn’t just some money grab.
This is about survival, resilience, connection, community, magic, and love. And that’s actually kinda beautiful, if you ask me.
Picture this, instead: an adorable little shipping counter, tucked in to an already cozy back room. It doubles as a repotting bench and was part of a film studio in a past life, a kind gift from another business owner friend. We’re stocked with boxes, packing material, tape, labels, and more, ready and waiting with anticipation to assemble your orders with love and care.
Guys, we even made our own seed paper for the thank you notes. Off the rack isn’t good enough when you’re sending something you care about this much.
We did our best to think through every possible detail, to put a little of our heart and soul and Botany magic inside every box. When you receive a package from us, we want you to feel it.
I want this experience to be full of beautiful surprises and delightful moments. Yes, I’m sure it will come with plenty of stress, too, as we learn new things and generally just feel out how this is all going to work. I’m determined to enjoy this process of learning and discovery.
Before we quite literally “get to the goods” (Discounts! Free shipping! What?!), I also want to share the labor of love this moment has been for so many members of our team. I decided after months of hemming and hawing to finally commit to a holiday season launch of e-commerce back in late July-ish, I think. The indecision wasn’t coming from a lack of enthusiasm, more so a lack bandwidth.
For anyone “on the outside” – e-commerce is not for the faint of heart, especially when we’ve poured so much energy and time into our brick-and-mortar space.
This is a brand-new process with brand new systems, technology, integrations, SEO… and we’re still not perfect by any stretch. This has been a lift, and our dynamite team has conquered it with grace, elegance, joy, and optimism, and I’m grateful to them for all of it. Happy Launch Day!
Without further ado, here come the juicy details.
We’re offering two promotions to celebrate this moment: FREE SHIPPING, and 10% OFF all online orders between now and November 30. Enter code ALWAYSOPENONLINE at checkout for the 10% discount, and the free shipping should apply automatically.
I’m sure we’ll encounter glitches – if you find one, kindly send us an email so we can do our best to fix it.
It’s also important to note that we plan to begin shipping holiday orders on November 22, so if you place an order in the near future and need it delivered sooner, please reach out and let us know ASAP. We’ll do what we can to accommodate you.
It’s also worth noting that what we’ve listed online is just a sample of what we have to offer in the Shop itself, so if you like what you see and “you’ve been meaning to visit” – maybe this is the sign you’ve been waiting for?
We also haven’t listed any plants, and we don’t plan to. Shipping non-living, fragile hardgoods is stressful enough: putting a tender living thing in a box and plopping it in the mail, especially as we head in to winter… that feels like a recipe for stress we just don’t need right now. If you’re in the market for a new plant, you’ll just have to visit us in person 😉.
As I continue to practice “sitting with the big feelings” this week, here’s what bubbles up when I get quiet for a moment…
“I can’t wait to share Botany with people who have never been in to the Shop before. I’m excited to add more products from local makers in the future. We’ll be able to reinvest whatever new revenue comes in back in to our community, our team, and our space. I’m excited for us to get really good at this. Suddenly and rapidly, we’ll be empowering more people to grow more plants in far more places, and I really, really love that.”
Just remember, we can vote with our dollars. If any of this strikes a chord, buy some soap, some fertilizer, or a cute journal.
When you do, you allow us to still be here, sharing and dreaming and growing, together. This is what keeps the lights on, folks.
I can’t wait to send you a little something from the Shop.
With Gratitude,
Ben | Botany CEO & Founder
(re)introducing PETRICHOR
This is one of my favorite stories to tell whenever I talk about the Shop.
Back in 2022, in the midst of our first full year in business, I realized that fragrance was going to be a big part of the in-person experience. Plant stores, by default, tend to smell fresh and earthy, thanks to the living things that share the space with us. We also aren’t all the way a “greenhouse,” and so while the fragrance of fresh soil and living things was present, we needed… something just a bit more.
I’ve always thought of the Shop as a blend between retail and home. What does home feel like to me? What makes it special? What am I most excited to share about it when I have people over to visit?
Fragrance is a big part of this. Not only does it “set the vibe” it also helps our brain retain memories. For instance, we have an outdoor incense in stock right now that reminds me so powerfully of many childhood adventures at Fernwood in Niles, Michigan. I don’t know exactly where on property I’m remembering, but the connection is undeniable. Apparently, Cinnamon Honeysuckle is a theme, somewhere.
I mention this to underscore the commitment it required for us to say, “We want to develop our own Shop fragrance.” This felt… important. Significant. The fragrance we chose would ultimately define who we are. It should speak to our soul, remind us of good memories and joyful moments, and connect us to the earth.
Petrichor quickly became the top choice. If you’re not familiar with the term, petrichor is the intriguing fragrance that arrives just before a summer rain.
It’s refreshing and cleansing, hopeful and energetic.
Now, we aren’t candle makers, nor did we have any spare time or capacity to learn and test out recipes and combinations.
When our dear friends, now neighbors, dropped off a few candles as gifts (for them it was a hobby), my first question: would you be interested in helping us craft a signature fragrance for the Shop?
I’m grateful the answer was yes. I described what I was hoping for, just as I did above, and Petrichor (the candle), arrived a few weeks later. At first, they made just one – a prototype, to make sure the recipe was right. They managed to add even greater depth to the base “petrichor” with notes like patchouli, cypress, vetiver, hemp, and smoked oud. In their words, “Petrichor brings the dreamy aroma of a rain-soaked woods indoors.”
I had no notes. They absolutely nailed it.
We ordered the first batch – a dozen, I believe – and when they first dropped in the Shop back in 2022, they sold out in less than a week. We quickly ordered two dozen more, and then thosesold out a few weeks later.
People were hooked. We were hooked. Petrichor was an instant success, proving itself as a main-stay staple and one of the first evergreen Botany products created in collaboration with our neighbors.
If you check out the Fragrance page on our new online shop, you’ll see some of our other favorite candles, a sampling of the full range we carry in the Shop. You’ll also find Petrichor, in its signature amber glass jar and beautiful label.
Of all the products we’re sharing with you today, this is perhaps the one I’m most excited for you to discover. We’re starting with another batch of 24 today, and I suppose we’ll see how they long they last.
Rest assured, if we sell out – they’ll be back.