I received a catalogue in the post the other day and, although I tend to discard unsolicited mail pretty quickly, I had heard of this particular company so I decided to keep it and have a look.

I actually ended up visiting their online shop and saw a couple of things I liked. But, as I was getting ready to checkout, surprise surprise! Not one but two lots of postage were added to my order, one for each item I was planning to buy. I got a bit annoyed about it and left the shop without buying anything.

Later that day, whilst checking stocks for Caradiaz, I got thinking about the increasing number of online businesses that are being set up nowadays on a ‘dropship’ basis (i.e. not holding any stock). All you need is a website where you can display other people’s products and take payments et voilà! When orders come through, you forward them to the different suppliers and they send them off for you – hence the multiple delivery charges.

But what happens when something goes wrong (and inevitably it will at some point)? I have ordered from online shops that messed me about and ultimately were unable to deliver the goods, simply because their supplier had run out of stock but hadn’t actually told them. It was hugely disappointing and then it took forever to get the money back - another sticky issue that we shall discuss some other time.

Customer service is paramount. Mess it up and your customers will never come back, neither will they have anything good to say about you – and we all know how powerful word of mouth is so nobody wants that kind of bad publicity.

So whilst dropshipping is a cheap yet legitimate way of starting an internet business, I can’t help but wonder (I’m beginning to sound like Carrie Bradshaw!) whether these type of businesses can really earn themselves a good reputation and a place in the online market or ultimately they are going to succumb to non-dropshipping competition.

Picture courtesy of Punchstock

A little surprised arrived in the post this morning: the new Spring issue of Asiana magazine featuring two Caradiaz pieces.

We were contacted at the beginning of last month by one Asiana's fashion contributors requesting 'flower-themed' jewellery for an upcoming photoshoot... et voilà. The pieces featured are the striking Celestia Necklace in its golden version and the vibrant Butterfly Cuff in red leather.

Images courtesy of: IandI Media Limited

Season after season, designers continue to show their fascination with exotic animal prints in their dresses (Diane von Furstenberg, Dolce & Gabbana, Jean Paul Gaultier, Paul Smith), tops (DKNY, Giambattista Valli, Ralph Lauren, RM by Roland Mouret), shoes (Calvin Klein, Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Roberto Cavalli), bags (Balmain, Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch) and scarves (Alexander McQueen, Carolina Herrera, Roberto Cavalli, Yves Saint Laurent). We wore them last summer, we are wearing them this winter and, weather permitting, we shall be wearing them as of Sunday, when spring officially starts.

I actually love animal print and over the years I have bought some really lovely pieces, which I still have and wear when suitable, like the gorgeous leopard print skirt I bought from Hobbs almost ten years ago (and still looks fabulous!), my beautiful snow leopard coat (not fur!), some scarves (one of my weaknesses), several handbags (another weakness and one that my little girl seems to have inherited, much to my husband’s dismay…) and my comfy cheetah print ballerinas, which I am wearing as I write this.

So when it came to sourcing new jewellery for the season, animal patterns were very much on the Caradiaz list. And we got some fabulous pieces, such as the Mowani necklace, a graduated chunky chain long necklace with leopard print links, the matching Mowani square bangle, the Namibia bangle also in leopard print pattern but irregular in shape, the super-chunky, barrel-shaped Maaje bangle in neutral with matching Maaje clip earrings and the striking (and very popular) rhodium-plated Sahara hoops.

Image: Mowani necklace & bangle

Caradiaz is delighted with its latest piece of media coverage.

Yes, the latest issue of Style magazine, hitting the shelves today, features the ultra-glamorous Noor Necklace in their piece 'The Glamorous Gladiator' (page 27).

Watch out, Maximus!

Image courtesy of Shortlist Media Ltd

Our stunning Rocío Brooch was chosen by Vogue.com earlier this month as one its favourite fashion accessories for this spring.

And they do know what they are talking about! With leather as one of the key looks this season and the brooch making a come-back as a must-have accessory, this fabulous oversized leather flower brooch in hot pink and green is not to be missed if you want to be bang on trend.

Picture courtesy of Condé Nast Digital UK