Why We Usually Make Our Animal Handbags Pre-Order Only

When a new addition to our Wicker Family first visits the Wicker Darling website, they might be taken aback by all the SOLD OUT signs. But there is a very good reason for this - it’s because we usually use a pre-order process on our figural animal handbags. 

What does this mean?

It means we don’t keep the bulk of our products in stock, because our bags are handmade to order. 

Now, I’m always receiving emails about WHY that is, and if a retired style can be acquired even though it says “SOLD OUT.” So today, I’m going to be explaining - in detail - exactly why we use the pre-order process, what it is, and how it benefits you. 

How our pre-order process works 

My starry-eyed seraphs, there is no need for confusion. I’m here to break down exactly what our pre-order process is, and how it works. 

It’s really quite simple. You see, each month, we release up to three limited-edition accessories. These are usually only available through a pre-order process. 

Of course, occasionally, for holidays or special occasions like Christmas, Valentine’s, or our Anniversary, I will do a flash restock or in-stock option for our unique handbags for sale. But this is the exception, not the rule.

The rule is this: 

Once a month, and typically towards the end of the month, I will choose a few signature styles to make available for pre-order. It’s possible it will be an older design in a new colour way, or a completely new creation! You won’t find out until a week or two before the release. 

In our mailing list, our website, and the Wicker Darling Instagram page, we will announce the dates of the pre-order window. This will be a period of time (usually around five days) where you can make your purchase.

At this time, you can click on the purse design you want, fill out a payment plan request form, or simply add it to your cart if you want to pay in full. Then, you’ll fill in all the relevant shipping and billing information, and you will have a unique purse created with your name on it!

Will this purse be heading for your doorstep?

Not right away. 

You see, our pre-order animals are all completely handmade purses. And they are handmade to order. So we won’t begin the construction of your adorable animal handbag until after you have ordered it. This is what the pre-order process is all about.

But why do we do it this way? Well, for a number of reasons. In fact, we toyed around with in-stock and pre-order only wicker purses and found that, by and large, our customers actually PREFERRED pre-order purses - and this is why. 

6 reasons we use a pre-order process for our animal handbags

Here are just a few of the reasons we release our figural wicker purses on a pre-order only basis:

1. It makes purchases time-zone friendly

Wicker Darling is blessed to have many fans all over the world, and it simply wouldn’t be fair to my Wicker Family in the UK or USA if I released my animal handbags on a convenient time zone for me here in Australia. 

We have toyed with flash in-stock releases in the past, and they are always a complete scramble - a scramble that generally favours my Aussie clientele. The preorder process is a way to even the playing field, so to speak. 

With pre-orders, you don’t need to have any anxiety or set your alarm for 4am so you can snatch up one of my handmade handbags before anyone else. This way, you have an entire week to complete your purchase.

No matter what timezone you are in, how busy your work schedule is, or when you have scheduled a long-weekend getaway, you will always have time to make the purchase of your beloved animal handbag through our pre-order process. 

2. It does away with buyer’s remorse 

I would absolutely hate for you to regret purchasing one of my lovely animal handbags - but I can understand how a split decision on a tight budget could make one a bit anxious. 

I want you to feel 100% confident in your splendiferous purse purchase, and the pre-order process helps with that. 

You see, with pre-orders you have multiple days to debate your decision, and to draft up lengthy pro and con lists of buying a wicker purse (there are more pros, I promise). You can be absolutely sure that you want this newest addition to your family of animal handbags. 

The pre-order period can also give you the extra time you need to move some finances around, if needed, to secure your purchase with peace of mind. 

3. It keeps the cost of our animal handbags as low as possible

At Wicker Darling, we pride ourselves on offering the highest quality designer animal handbags at an attainable price point. But it’s our pre-order process that helps us keep our prices where they are. 

Most companies absorb the extra cost of unsold stock and storage expenses by raising the price of their products. But, you see, if we have no extra purses to store, then we eliminate the need for the wastage that excess stock creates. 

As is, we can price our designer animal purses to nicely compensate the talented artisans who weave them in the Philippines, cover the costs of our high-end materials, and of course, ensure I have money to put dinner on the table for myself and my son. (Which we greatly thank you for.)

But I don’t add extra costs to my animal handbags willy-nilly. They are priced with great care and thought for the incredible individuals on our ateliers, and YOU - my extra-loveable and outlandishly quirky customers. 

This can be done, partly in thanks to our pre-order process. It allows our team at Wicker Darling to know exactly how many bags to create. No waste necessary. 

4. It eliminates unnecessary waste 

Speaking of waste, selling our animal handbags via pre-order allows us to make Wicker Darling more environmentally friendly. 

Many fast-fashion products end up filling landfills instead of closets, and we never want that for our adorable animal-shaped purses! Because each pre-ordered purse is spoken for and has a special home waiting for it before it is even purchased, it means we can avoid wasting any materials. 

If you are concerned about the environmental impact of our animal handbags, you might be wondering: ‘Is wicker sustainable?’ If so, you’ll be happy to know that it is! (At least at Wicker Darling.)

We are strong supporters of slow fashion and keeping our carbon footprint low. That’s why we source all our materials locally in the Philippines and sustainably source and weave the materials for each rattan handbag in our collection. 

So there you have it! You can feel good about your purchase - no matter how many animal handbags you buy. 

5. It protects the limited-edition quality of our purses

One of the reasons our animal handbags are so well-loved is because of how unique they are - and we want to keep it that way! We don’t want to keep our figural wicker wonders permanently in stock, because it would take away from the special something a limited-edition collector’s item possesses. 

Having our handbags made to order through pre-order not only helps us cut back on costs and material waste, it also allows us to control how many of these beautiful pieces are floating around the globe. 

When you order one of our designer bags on pre-order, you know you are receiving a one-of-a-kind, handmade piece. And we think it makes your purse all the more special. 

6. It allows for the use of payment plans 

Because we have our animal handbags made to order by hand, there is a substantial amount of time between your first payment and the moment you receive your finished purse. 

That means there is ample time available to pay off your purse slowly while it is being created for you! 

Enter purse payment plans! 

Because I know you don’t currently possess one of my purses to run off with without paying (I’d hardly blame you, they are REALLY cute), I feel confident allowing you to pay for your purchase in instalments. 

This would NOT be the case if you were buying an in-stock item. 

Our pre-order process allows you multiple options for payment: upfront payment in full, payment through Afterpay for our customers in AUS, NZ, UK, and Canada, payment through PayPal Pay in 4, or payment through our own in-house purse payment plans. 

This can help to further reduce buyer’s remorse - it’s okay if you don’t have the extra funds for your purchase during preorder! You can slowly earn the ownership of your stunning wicker animal handbags while we make them. 

Isn’t that convenient? 

Come see what animal handbags are new this month 

Drop by the Wicker Darling website to see what upcoming designs will be available for pre-order next! 

To be the first to find out what new animals are coming, sign up for our mailing list. There, you will get a sneak peek at our new designs before they release to the public, and you’ll get ample warning for when the pre-order window is going to open. 

If nothing is currently available for pre-order, and you simply MUST have a treat yourself gift, we also carry a range of in-stock accessories that can ship out to you immediately. This is also great for gifting to others, or if you need a little Wicker Darling pick-me-up while waiting for your pre-order purse to be made. 

So, what are you waiting for? Hop on over to see what unique purses are in-stock or available for pre-order today!