New Year New Us!

Welcome to our new and improved home!

We thought it was time for a makeover. Our look was, well, so 2016.  Everyone deserves a new ‘do after 5 years.

For our redesign, the goal is to help our customers better understand our features and benefits at a glance. The big headline of “Get Shorter Straps Without Sewing” plus icons will hopefully do the trick. (and, they are pretty!)

Saving Straps On the Move

We also wanted to make our site more mobile-friendly, as ~70% of our visits are from a mobile phone. We have new mobile-friendly hero images (just visit us on your phone, if you haven’t already, and you’ll see!), descriptive icons and reviews from our customers. Even our mobile navigation offers a better user experience.

Our shop page, specifically, is now a full product page with more information about buying, using, and exchanging Strap Savers. No more sifting through our FAQ (which is now accordion-style and easier to use) We were also able to include some of our beautiful lifestyle images. We think that this will help to better explain our product. 

Getting the word out

We’ve spiffed up our marketing plans as well. A friend has been kind enough to help us build a new adwords campaign – and offered to pitch in on some social media marketing. It’s not just about building a good website but also a great go-to-market strategy. Sure, we’re not exactly brand new but to those that haven’t heard of us, we are! 

Personally, I’m looking forward to 2021 for so many reasons – and not just because 2020 was incredibly difficult (understatement, I know). Even though New Years is somewhat arbitrary (isn’t  every day the first day of the rest of your life?), but humans love milestones and a fresh start. I’ll buy in to this for all of the right reasons (but none of the icky ones)

I couldn’t have done it without you.

I want to thank everyone who helped to make this happen – Beth, who did all of the beautiful design work. Marc, for all of his tech advice and general support. Courtney for her help with Google Ads and pulling me back from my scorched-earth keyword approach. And, of course, all of the friends of the Strap Saver who helped to test and offered opinions on UX. 

From all of us at The Strap Saver, we wish all of you a safe and healthy 2021. 

a girl with a computer sitting on a blue chair looking at 5 yellow stars and the text: let us know what you think

Please, Please Tell Me Now!

In the epic words of Duran Duran:

Please, please tell me now
Is there something I should know?
Is there something I should say?
That would make you come my way

And now you’ll have the opportunity! The Strap Saver is now accepting reviews on Google. To tell us (and everyone else!) how you feel, click here, log in with your Google ID, and speak your mind. We want to hear how you liked your purchase and how happy you are with our customer service. We’re excited to share the feedback that we receive.

We know that nothing is more important than the words of your fellow shopper. While we love the Strap Saver and will mention it to anyone who will listen, we certainly understand that you might not take our word for it. With every new product, there is always hesitation. Sure, we offer a “love it or your money back guarantee” and a generous exchange policy, but that still requires effort.

So…. Rescue a favorite bra? Get the perfect fit from a treasured dress or tank top? Get some extra workouts from a tired sports bra? Extend the life of the perfect bathing suit? Think The Strap Saver is the bees knees? Shout it out! Sharing your experience will help to guide your fellow consumers through the wild world of internet shopping to the safe haven of custom-length straps without sewing. (ok, I might’ve gone a little too far there)

We can’t wait to hear what you have to say, so get your Google id and click here. (although, if you have something you’d rather tell us in private, you can always contact us directly through our website or email us.)

If you don’t have a Google id, It’s easy to sign up for one. Just click here! While we don’t endorse Google products specifically, we do use many of them in the day to day running of the company and like anything that helps us get the word out!.

Red bra on a clothesline with clothespins with hearts on them, text reads fall in love with our sale

Sale Around The World on Valentine’s Day

It’s almost Valentine’s Day!

While that marks the start of my favorite season (chocolate bunny), it also means it is time for annual sale! Once again, we’re marking down all of our Strap Savers by 20%. Yes, that still includes our “save $5 for every additional pair” pricing. The first Strap Saver is $12.50 and each additional pair is $8. We still have free first class shipping in the US and $2 anywhere else in the world. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation will still receive 5% of all sales. Woo hoo!

For our international customers, I’ve spent some time doing some serious math. We’re going to cover all of Valentine’s Day, from Auckland, New Zealand to Honolulu, Hawaii! We won’t limit your opportunity to save because you happen to live on the other side of the globe. The sale will actually run 8AM on Wednesday, February 13th to 6AM ET on Friday, February 15th at 5AM ET.

Like last year, we’re not going to require a coupon code to receive the discount. We really hate games with sales. It is simple – you buy, we apply the discount, and you get a custom fit from your favorite strappy clothes.

To recap:

Annual Sale

2/13 6AM ET to 2/15 5AM ET

20% off the entire site (excluding gift certificates)

No coupon required!

Although our sale will technically be 47 hours long, it only happens once a year. Don’t miss your chance to stock up and save. Bathing suit season is in full swing/right around the corner – depending on your hemisphere! Your straps deserve a little love this Valentine’s day.

two envelopes, one black and one hot pink, a strap saver glued to a card and a satin package with the text change can be good

Check Out the Size Of Our Package!

Things are always evolving in the Strap Saver Think Tank – we’re always trying to improve our product and our process. Today, it’s all about what the product looks like when it arrives in your mailbox.

It started with rogue Strap Savers. Yes, these are tiny parts and it’s easy to forget to slip one in an envelope or to have one go astray when open the package. To combat this, instead of just popping them inside of our signature pink bags and sending them on our way, we are now securely attaching them to cards sealed inside of plastic bags.  Now the packager and the customer can double-check that their order is complete. If there are any discrepancies, we can fix them ASAP!1

Once we attached them to cards, the entire package was much flatter, which made me wonder if we could use paper envelopes instead of bubble mailers. The bubble mailers are pretty, but it’s so much plastic. It felt icky for mother earth and since our new packaging added a layer of plastic around the card, I had hoped that we could do better.

Ask the internet and ye shall receive! (this time, anyway…) We found these beautiful #7 coin envelopes in 80 lb paper that come in sexy black, just like our bubble mailers.  Even though the new envelopes are much smaller (6.5” X 3.5”), compared to the bubble mailers (7.5” X 5”), they still fit up to 3 pairs of Strap Savers. Overall, it feels like a win-win-win! (us, the customers and the environment!) Don’t worry – each package still comes with our hand silk-screened pink bags for Strap Saver storage. After all, this started because these things are easy to lose!

I was nervous when we realized we’d have to make these changes.  I was concerned that it would take a long time to figure out, that it would cost a lot of money and/or that I would be unhappy with how the solution looked to the customer. Overall, it took us a few weeks and I think we have something even better at a comparable price. One more obstacle conquered on the road to success!

1Our Return Policy is the same. Customers can always exchange their Strap Savers for any size/color/strength if they have ordered incorrectly, or return the product for a full refund – minus any additional shipping – within 30 days – if they aren’t 100% satisfied

A frog in a planter with pepper plants

Waiting for the Summer Harvest

Lately, it’s becoming been harder and harder to keep up with this blog. It’s not that I don’t have things to say – we all know I never am lacking words. It’s just that the ones that I do have don’t feel right. I try to take care to speak in a light, funny (at least to me!) way, even for more serious topics. Right now my jokes feel flat.

It’s not because the business isn’t going well – it is. I’m caught up on the books! (promise kept, so far anyway!) We’re moving forward with new ideas for social media and paid search campaigns. Our communications channels are strong and we’re sharing important messages that we think will interest our customers. Saving straps is a way of life! (nope, not really… but caring enough about how your clothes make you feel IS a way of life and The Strap Saver can be part of that.)

I’m definitely not done speaking. (Stop laughing. I might actually stop talking someday…) There are still so many subjects to explore. We’re working on the Top 10 Straps to Save. I have another blog about what it’s like to have a breast MRI (spoiler alert: my results were clear) I am working on a few additional installments of “Bras Around the World” but I’m not sure I’m doing this with my usual joie de vivre – and frankly, I don’t want risk boring either of us.

I think I need a slightly less demanding blog schedule while I find my voice again. (unless you’re out there, Cindy, and you have a moment to ask Santa when you see him…) I don’t want the blog to go unattended and not say why. For now, I’m going to keep tending to the business – much like my newly planted container garden – and publishing when I can.  More to come once the flowers are in bloom and I fully reclaim my verbose, sarcastic self!

The New easier-to-use Strap Saver shopping Cart

Buyer Be Aware: New Shopping Experience Ahead

AlssssThe New easier-to-use Strap Saver shopping CartHave you ever had something that you really didn’t like, but since it worked and you didn’t have the funds to fix it, you just lived with it? Well, guess what?! Our time has finally come! We pulled up the equivalent of our 70’s combo of burnt orange, avocado green, harvest gold and brown shag carpet* and put in some sleek new hardwood floors on our website. The real stuff too, not just a picture of wood!

Behold!  Our new shopping cart!

After months of a lousy interface, rounding errors, gift certificate glitches**, we now have a beautiful shopping and checkout experience.

The updated features include:

  • Choose a Strap Saver in 3 easy options: color, length, and strength
  • Pay directly with credit card (via secure connection) OR use PayPal
  • Create an account for faster checkout and to track order status
  • Order $10, $15 or $25 gift certificates easily
  • Choose your shipping option and see your final total before checkout
  • Prettier, easier-to-use interface

Could saving your straps with The Strap Saver be any easier?

We’ve also updated the FAQ to reflect the more commonly asked questions. We created sections so that answers are easier to find. We even added links to specific videos on the Viral Videos page, depending if you are looking for the Single or Double Strap Saver solution.  (no more of that pesky scrolling!) As always, if you can’t find an answer, please feel free to contact us.

Beth and I are very excited by our new look and want to thank those that helped us – Jena, Teri, Tiffany, Marc, the folks at WPEasyCart and last, but never least, the developer, Robert. His magic is taking Beth’s complicated designs and my wish list and turning it into a flawless, functioning site. It’s been a long time coming but we’re so happy with the results.

We’re not saying that shag carpet (or macramé wall decorations or plaid furniture) doesn’t have it’s place. It’s just not for us, not on our site.  Our customers deserve sleek and simple solutions, just like our product.

*you make think this is a silly reference, but I had this exact carpet in my bedroom as a child. I kept a piece of it – it’s in a box, somewhere.  If I ever find it, I will share a photo with you. It has to be seen to be believed.  (kind of like the bridesmaid dress)

**a customer could enter ANY series of characters into the gift certificate field – including boobies, courtesy of Marc, and get Strap Savers for as little as $1.  It doesn’t work now, so don’t bother trying :)

The Bra Zone book

Crossover to The Bra Zone and Win!

Win one of three autographed copies of The Bra Zone and a $25 Gift Certificate to The Strap Saver It’s amazing how little we know about our boobs. I’m not sure why. Over 50% of the population has them and we’re constantly bombarded with images of them. I feel like we’re only told what they are “supposed to” look like or to get a mammogram.  I think most of us are at a loss. This is what makes The Bra Zone* by Elisabeth Dale of The Breast Life so awesome. It’s a book that shines a light on what’s really going on under our shirts.

Elisabeth starts The Bra Zone* with her own story of confusion as she develops breasts. She is, unfortunately, forced into an unattractive foundation at an early age because of her size. (been there, done that) Elisabeth continues to explain why finding a good bra has always seemed so difficult. The book goes on to detail what constitutes a good bra and how to find one that works for each of us. It’s not necessarily that we’ve been doing it wrong all this time, but with the right information, we can do a better job of finding the right bra for our shape and size.

To explain – The Bra Zone* is about understanding that there can be many choices in size, style, fabric, etc. in a quest to find the perfect bra. As Elisabeth mentions in her book, it’s a lot like shoe shopping. Most of us have gone up or down a half size (or more) depending on the style or designer of the shoe. It’s no different with our foundations. We’re not one size, we’re a whole zone of sizes and styles depending on our need at the moment – and that can change throughout our life. The Bra Zone is also about embracing this – and understanding our size options. Too often we blame our bodies when our size changes. We don’t get angry at our feet when we have to ask for a different size, we shouldn’t get mad at our boobs either.

The book walks through the basics of how and why our breasts are what they are, and how they will change throughout our lifetime. (now I’m not looking forward to what’s coming in menopause…) Elisabeth also explains some myths about breasts and bras (spoiler: they do NOT cause cancer), types of bras, what they are supposed to do (as opposed to what we want them to do) and what might work best for different situations. There’s even a handy-dandy section on bra accessories – and you’ll never guess who’s featured! (when you get your copy, you may or may not need to immediately open to page 82-83 and ooh and ahh.  Change the may or may not to must…)

I’ve only been in the ‘biz for 2 years now and had no idea how much I still had to learn until I read The Bra Zone. It reads like a friendly “Breast and Bra 101” and is perfect for…  well, anyone with boobs or about to get boobs. Our appearance is so important to our self-esteem (it shouldn’t be, but it is!) and this book goes a long way to explaining how to work with what you have and what’s in the market. So, after you buy your copy*, get one for the teen in your life.  The sooner they have this information the better!

For many of us, bra shopping is a lifelong endeavor. The Bra Zone can help turn a necessary evil into something fun and exciting – since it will no longer feel like we’re trying on bras in the dark.

*This particular link is an affiliate link for Jill’s Wish.  A portion of any purchase made through this link will help women who are undergoing breast cancer treatment to pay their household bills.  

AND – Elisabeth has been very generous to offer us THREE autographed copies of her book to give away!  We’re going to match it with three $25 gift cards to The Strap Saver – for 3 awesome prize packages.  The winner will be selected on August 31st.  Details to enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Woman balancing her arm to show the strength of The Extra-Strength Strap Saver, As powerful as you are

The Extra-Strength Strap Saver

Woman balancing her arm to show the strength of The Extra-Strength Strap Saver, As powerful as you are

Editor’s note: The Extra-Strength Strap Saver is now available in 3/4″ and 1″ in all 3 colors: Black, Tan and Metallic! Run, don’t walk, to buy yours right now!

Once upon a time we had a wonderful customer – we’ll call her Andrea – that emailed us and said “my Strap Savers bent – is that supposed to happen?”.  Wait, WHAT?  They aren’t supposed to bend! She was very kind and described her situation and we let her know – quite clearly – that is not how they work.  We were determined to get to the bottom of the situation and make it right for her.

Andrea was very helpful – first sending us photos and then returning the product.  We sent her another set with the same result.  Thanks to the laws of physics, it turns out that our ¾” and 1” Strap Savers can only take so much force and hold a finite amount of weight.  As making our customers happy is our number #1 priority – they’re the boss – we went back to the labs to solve this new problem.

Thanks to the help of our engineers, we developed The Extra-Strength Strap Saver – and had it tested. The regular ¾” Strap Saver will only hold about 3lbs of weight, so we’re only recommending for regular bras and bathing suits up to a size 40DD, tank tops and light dresses. (Your mileage may vary, boob weight is not an exact science!) The ¾” Extra-Strength Strap Saver will hold up to 10lbs of weight and we think it will work best on regular bras and bathing suits size 40DDD and larger, sports bras and heavy dresses.  If you’re having problems with your regular Strap Saver, let us know and we’ll exchange it for the new Extra-Strength Strap Saver.

We sent Andrea the very first pair of Extra-Strength Strap Savers to try, after all, she’d earned it by being so helpful. We were delighted to get her response:

“I just wanted to let you know that I wore the new Strap Savers the other day and I was SO impressed! They didn’t budge – stayed in place and didn’t bend AT ALL!!   Yaaaay!  So happy with them!“

Now that they’ve been field tested, we’re excited to offer Extra-Strength Strap Savers in ¾” and 1” to you in Metallic (more colors coming soon!) at the same price as regular Strap Savers – $15 for the first pair, $10 for each additional pair – feel free to mix and match – with free standard shipping in the US and just $2 additional to anywhere else in the world.  (Don’t forget, 5% of all sales go to Jill’s Wish!)*

To recap:

Regular Strap Savers: bras & bathing suits up to a size 40DD, tank tops & light dresses
Extra-Strength Strap Savers: bras & bathing suits size 40DDD & larger, sports bras & heavy dresses

Buy yours today!

Who doesn’t love a story with a happy ending?

 

*As of 11/30/2017, 5% of all sales go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The Strap Saver and Jill's Wish Join Forces

We Got Hitched!

The Strap Saver and Jill's Wish Join Forces

EDIT: As of 11/30/2017, 5% of all sales will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

We’re very proud to announce a new partnership and the fulfillment of a goal for us: 5% of all sales will be donated to The Jill’s Wish Foundation. Jill’s Wish helps women who are undergoing breast cancer treatment (either newly diagnosed or terminal) to pay their household bills. Each fulfilled “wish” is a grant of up to $1500 for household bills and living expenses.

We all know someone who has been touched by this disease and how awful it can be – I cannot imagine having to worry about paying rent and utilities in addition to coordinating doctors visits and combating the side effects of treatment. Jill’s Wish looks to help alleviate that burden.

A little history – Jill’s Wish was founded by Jill and Bart Conelly in 2013. Jill was diagnosed with Stage IIIB breast cancer at age 31 and the Conellys had their own financial struggles during her treatment. They started Jill’s Wish to provide assistance to others so that they would not face the same problems at such a difficult time. Instead, this time should be about focusing on being with family, friends, treatment and recovery. Unfortunately, Jill passed away earlier this year and we never had the opportunity to meet her but we want to help her mission live on.

One of the original reasons we started The Strap Saver was to give back. As many of you know, I have a family history of breast cancer, but none of my relatives had to worry about a roof over their head or food on the table as they fought valiantly against this awful disease. I’ve always considered us lucky that we were able to concentrate on more important things.

I’ve been looking for a partner for us for a while and hadn’t found a good fit.  I was inspired to look into Jill’s Wish after reading Dana Donofree’s tribute to Jill in February. We met Dana, of AnaOno Intimates, a few months ago and some of the story felt familiar. I also reached out to Dana because I saw her on the Today Show, although it only took one email to get a response – and she invited Beth and myself into her studio. We had a wonderful afternoon and we left feeling inspired. Dana had been through treatment that had changed her body chemistry forever and she was still moving forward with energy, grace and success. She was honest and open with us and it was refreshing in a world where everyone likes to pretend things are perfect. (except me, of course, as you can tell by reading this blog.)  Authenticity is rare and beautiful – and it poured off of Dana in waves.

As for why we chose Jill’s Wish – it’s their mission and their method. So much attention is paid to treatment but less to what happens after the women leave the hospital. We think this is an under-served area and probably causes more stress and setbacks than we’ll ever understand.

Even though I trust Dana, I did my own research. I have a responsibility to you – our customer! Charities can be fishy business (we’ve all read about The Wounded Warrior Project) and I wanted to make sure that our money was going to the right place. The requirements for a grant are strict to ensure that they go to those that need it the most. The charity also pays the money directly to the housing lender, utility company/etc so that they know it’s serving the intended purpose.

Business can also be shady when it comes to charitable giving – with unpublicized caps (up to $10,000 and they run the promotion long after they’ve reached their maximum) or offering a percentage of the profits and profits never materialize. We’re going to give 5% of sales. So if you buy a $15 Strap Saver, we’ll donate $.75. If you buy 2 for $25, we’ll donate $1.25. If you buy 100, we’ll donate $50.25. So, buy 100! It’s for a good cause! There’s no limit and no number games. If you have any more questions, just ask. We are going to be completely transparent about this.

If you’re inclined to give more, head over to their website and donate directly or grab one of those awesome Rock What You Got tees (Jill’s favorite saying – I so need one of these). If you shop Amazon, you can contribute a percentage of your purchases without changing your experience by using their Amazon Smile page. We’ll have some updates on Jill’s Wish and all of the good things that they’ll do in the coming year – thank you for supporting us so that we can support them.

We hope that you approve of our choice – let us know!

The Testes Saver - Use the Strap Saver on an athletic supporter!

Are You Ready For TTS?

The Testes Saver  - Use the Strap Saver on an athletic supporter!Is your junk weighing down your expensive jock strap? Are you tired of spending your hard-earned money on protective gear that that doesn’t keep the boys where they belong? We’d like to introduce The Testes Saver! It’s a revolutionary new device that helps you to shorten the straps on your athletic supporter while leaving them adjustable. It takes seconds to install and is perfect for the man who is constantly on the go. It’s made of stainless steel, so it works as hard as you do!

Extend the life of that costly cup and keep your family jewels locked up tight. Playing sports and working out will never be easier or more carefree, knowing that your dangly bits are safe and secure. Why throw out perfectly good protection when you can extend the life of your jock strap with The Testes Saver?

Buy one for yourself or help support the athlete in your life!*

*We can neither confirm nor deny whether The Strap Saver will work with a jock strap but we are not actually releasing a version specifically for that purpose, mostly because none of the men in our lives would model for us.  Happy April 1st!