Why We went into Business | American Mystique

When we first got into business, the century was turning and there was a lot of hope in the air for the country and especially for us with a new business startup. We went into the Leather Bomber Jacket Business! It was so cool to be in our first business and to be on a brand new store on a brand new medium, something folks called “the Internet”.  Originally, we were American Mystique.  Since then, we have updated our brand and name to My Bomber Jacket.

We weren’t even sure what this new idea, called “the Internet” was going to entail. We started up in the early fall in 1999 and sold our first four jackets in the first 3 months. We couldn’t have been happier! It was a WOW moment and soon more and more folks found us and bought our USA Made Bomber Jackets! Yes, we were a little stunned that we could sell A2Leather Bomber Jackets and G1 Flight Jackets “Online over the Internet”! It was all so new to everyone, not only to American Mystique, but with our customers as well.

What became apparent was we were offering a USA Product, Military Bomber Jackets, that many buyers could not find handing on the racks in the local stores. Leather Bomber Jackets from American Manufactures were just not to be found. However, customers and shoppers soon learned that the product they were searching for was available “Online” and made with high quality. Boom went our sales and many happy customers later, we added a unique line of Nylon BomberJackets to go with our business model.

We first sold Cooper Sportswear Bomber Jackets. We then added A2 Bomber Jackets from The CockPitUSA to our product Lineup, and later, the most famous and high quality Sterlingwear of Boston Navy Pea Coats. It was a Product lineup that was very hard to beat in quality and craftsmanship. Plus, the extra bonus of offering for sale high quality products made in the good ol’ USA. Yes, the prices were higher, but you pay more for higher quality.

As American Mystique got started and grew some, it became apparent to us that business was perform differently Online than with a brick and mortar store. The new Online Internet World, especially its Retail version was not exactly winning over customers and establishing trust. What was really wrong? Why were customers hesitant and unsure of the online world. Honesty and good ol’ fashion Customer Service.

It seems that many of the new ‘tech-heads’ that made these new online stores were not so inclined to offer Customer Service and many of the new Online Businesses would not offer something as simple as a phone contact number or other pertinent information regarding how to return an item. Plus, some Online Buyers were not receiving the G1lambskin Jacket what had been purchased, or something far different from what they expected. This was a mighty huge problem for honest Businesses to overcome. But we stayed the course. How you might ask? By just being ourselves and making sure that American Mystique offered the Customer Service we soon became famous for.

We knew that Customer Service is a very personal thing to a Customer who wanted to buy or had made a purchase with us. It was also personal to us as well. We learned something very special – “Smiling through the Phone” is possible and a crucial element in Customer Service, especially when selling wool pea coats. It’s important the Customer or Caller who makes inquiries about a product knows or feels you are smiling at them. If you are not smiling over the phone, then you really do not understand Customer Service or your Customer’s needs.