Co-operative Bank not so Good with Money

When we set up Scamper we opened a bank account with The Co-operative Bank. They didn't have the best rates but they had the best ethical policy on the market so we thought that was worth paying for. However, since we opened our account we have had almost endless problems. Incorrect charges, duplicated transactions on statements, mail sent to the wrong address, and repeated failure of the Internet banking system. We have stuck with them hoping that we were just unlucky, and that things would get better, but we have reached the point where it is just too dangerous for our business to continue. So now we're looking the switch,but it seems that there is not a lot of choice in the market. Most banks don't have a good ethical policy, and those that do often don't have the right facilities (e.g. for international banking), and even of the mainstream banks the reviews seem to be pretty poor. A recent poll by www.smallbusiness.co.uk found that 65% of small business owners are dissatisfied with their bank.

So we're looking for suggestions. If you can recommend us a good bank, preferably with a decent ethical policy, or if you want to warn us against a particularly bad bank, then please do comment or e-mail us.

Maple Rush Jewellery Brand

Over the last few months we've been beavering away in the background creating our own jewellery brand. Maple Rush produces fun, beautiful beaded jewellery with an eco-friendly slant. It's been a great journey for us to find a balance between being a responsible brand and creating something truly worthy of our target customers attention and wallets. We have had to make some compromises along the way, but after a few months of development we think we have got it about right. The jewellery is handmade in the UK from waxed cotton cord and recycled glass beads from Indonesia, which if we say so ourselves a really stunning. We have also been trying to minimise packaging and use recycled materials were possible. However, in line with our own theories on green marketing and confirmed by some initial market testing, we are not promoting it as a ‘green brand'. Instead we are focusing on the fun style and quality of the products in the brand personality, which is summed up by the slogan 'yummy, handmade jewellery'.
Another big challenge and great experience has been planning the retail channels. Initially we intended Maple Rush to be a web-based brand, but there was one fly in the ointment. Despite the many advantages of online sales such as higher margins and low overheads, it doesn't work particularly well for selling large numbers of handmade (and therefore unique) products, as each one needs to be photographed and catalogued, which is far too time-consuming, relative to the price of the product. Initially therefore, we have put a basic brochure site online at www.MapleRush.com and will be retailing products direct to the public at the Birmingham Christmas Fair in Victoria Square during November and December. This will provide a simple retail outlet during the peak sales season and allow us further market testing on designs, pricing, packaging etc. What then? We'll have to wait and see, but there are at least a few options. Standardise the products and sell online, customize the products further and sell online but at higher prices, or maybe focus on direct retail channels such as fares and events. Feel free to drop us a line and share your thoughts.