Woman Finds Accidental Success Selling Tumbleweeds Online
Like many a person who found their way online in the '90s, Linda Katz is a Web entrepreneur. The thing is, she joined the ranks by accident. Back in 1994, Linda was teaching herself how to build a Web site. As a joke, she assembled the Prairie Tumbleweed Farm page. To Linda's surprise, people began ordering tumble weeds -- thats right, giant, dried-out dead bushes.
The Prairie Tumbleweed Farm web page hasn't changed much since 1994, and it shows. But there is something charming about the extremely basic page that should have died more than 10 years ago as the joke of an HTML novice.
$15 for a small tumbleweed, $20 for a medium, and $25 for a large have let the likes of Barney the Purple Dinosaur, Johnny Depp's 'Neverland,' and even NASA help this accidental business woman, as they have all needed her wares for props. Linda won't divulge how much she makes, but she says her site makes more than $40,000 a year.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
tarin5 @ Nov 27th 2007 3:05PM
cool,very interesting! go girl
Denis @ Nov 27th 2007 3:12PM
Now why couldn't I have thought of that! Way to Go!
Jennifer @ Nov 27th 2007 3:15PM
God bless a woman with a little creativity and a sense of humor! Good for her!! (Now if only I could find my "tumbleweed" success!)
Erwin Cruz @ Nov 27th 2007 3:23PM
YOU GO GIRL.........BUT, beware.....some coniving-a55 politician will figure out a way to make you pay for some kind of license or how to get their fingers in your pie.......
Russ @ Nov 27th 2007 3:30PM
At those prices, I have about $1000.00 worth of them blow through my yard every week.
zylenebody @ Nov 27th 2007 3:33PM
I have used the web to grow my business from nothing into something. Anyone with imagination and drive can work from home and build an incredible business - and most important have a good quality of life with family and friends not working all the time! www.zylenebody.com
Shelly @ Nov 27th 2007 3:36PM
This is GREAT!!! I make dog clothes!! LOVE IT.
Shelly
Leagen @ Nov 27th 2007 3:36PM
How do you Pack and Ship a Tumbleweed? I bet it is cheap to ship since it can't weigh much.
cyndy @ Nov 27th 2007 3:39PM
...that is funny!....
T @ Nov 27th 2007 3:39PM
I heard about her years ago and I'm glad she survived the dot com bust. What a lucky woman!
cyndy @ Nov 27th 2007 3:41PM
check this out: www.mebabyboomer.com
Ida @ Nov 27th 2007 3:49PM
In the 1950's after all the kids were gone from home, and she didn't want to buy a Christmas tree, she saw some tumble weeds and took one in. She spray painted it green and put small balls on it and it was a beautiful "tree". The next year she painted one red and decorated it. She was very creative.
Nanci H. Flynn @ Nov 27th 2007 3:50PM
This gal sounds like a Proverbs 31 woman ... wtg, girlfriend, you're a credit to us all!! I have gadzillions of oak and maple leaves all over my yard ... anybody wanna buy 'em?? NOT!!!
Ida @ Nov 27th 2007 3:51PM
Sorry, on my previous message I was speaking of my perfect Mother. If she knew she could have made money on that one, WOW!
Carol @ Nov 27th 2007 3:55PM
Denis,I haven`t seen anyone else spell their name like you do except for my ex-husband,,,God I miss him ;~( I never should have left. Oh BTW,I have enough tumbleweeds to supply that lady for quite awhile.
Carol @ Nov 27th 2007 4:08PM
Hey Denis,,you don`t by any chance team rope and shoe horses for a living do you??? Probably not. You`re probably not him anyway ;~}
john @ Nov 27th 2007 4:29PM
I have been selling these on ebay and elsewhere.
daisy @ Nov 27th 2007 4:30PM
The internet is phenomenal for growing a business. I always wanted to have a franchise but did not want to put up a lot
of money. I also am a mother of 3 and wanted more of a home business
rather than a bricks and morter.
I got involved in an online shopping business that is totally free
and you make money from day one. The company gives you a website
(for free) that offers people cash back on all their purchases at
over 1000 top online stores including The Gap, Sephora, Best Buy,
Target, Macy's. People shop on your site and get back between 4-55%
on CASH on their purchases. You get a percentage as well. And if
they recommend to others you get a percentage of that too. I have
not quit my full time job yet, but I am looking forward to just doing
this and staying with my kids soon! The site is
http://www.dailyoink.com The site is odd to navigate at first
john @ Nov 27th 2007 4:31PM
I have been selling these on ebay and have told hundreds elsewhere. John
Vivi @ Nov 27th 2007 4:34PM
Hey maybe it is Dennis. Maybe it is Denise