Kari Jackson

2059 Edgewood SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

P: 616.949.5335
C: 616.446.6833

email: diane@cjonesgroup.com
cjonesgroup.com

Kari Jackson

Kari Jackson has been a business owner since 1983, with 24 of those years spent in the gift, collectibles and home decor industries. During those 24 years, Kari owned a gift store and a distribution company while also manufacturing and marketing a product line of body lotions and creams.

The marketing for her distribution and manufacturing businesses involved the production of successful mail-order catalogs, brochures and post card mailouts. She has attended many catalog / fulfillment / sales forums over the years.

For the past 17 years, Kari has co-owned Atelco in Paducah, Ky., a contract outsource company devoted almost entirely to fulfillment, sales and customer service for companies in the gift industry.

Clients of Atelco have included About Face Designs, Cardew Designs North America, Royal China and Porcelain Company, Madame Alexander Dolls, Goebel/Hummel Figurines, Brownlow, Lenox China, Enesco, Christopher Radko, Kennedy Center for Arts, Luckie Street, Travelin’ Dog, Bridget Dobson China, Collectors’ Information Bureau, Disney, Poole Pottery of England, Cottage Garden, Boyds Collection, Picnic at Ascot and Ertl Toys.

Kari has helped companies save both time and money by assessing current costs vs. outsourcing of fulfillment, warehousing and customer service. She can perform in-depth research to assist in locating appropriate outsource companies and determining:

• Labor required for a pick/pack operation vs. outsourcing, with consideration given to seasonality.
• Cost of owning/leasing a warehouse vs. monthly warehouse storage rates.
• Cost of purchasing and maintaining forklifts, racks and other equipment.
• Labor costs and other expenses for customer service vs. outsourcing the entire customer service/order entry staff.
• Techniques to increase sales through improved customer service.

During the past four years, Kari worked part-time as a buyer for a general store in Watkins Glen, N. Y.