From top left, clockwise
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Five Rules for Etsy Success, Part I
Anyone attending the Virtual Labs when I'm in there being an opinionated buyer has likely seen some version of my Five Rules for Etsy Success: 1) Don't sell crap 2) Have great photos 3) Make your tags, titles and descriptions work hard 4) List often 5) Promote, promote, promote.
This time I'll ramble on about Rule 1. It's true that "crap" on Etsy is very much in the mind of the beholder.
I often see stuff that makes me wonder what the heck the seller was thinking, but then I'll also note that they've made sales of items I wouldn't have in my house. That serves as a useful reminder that one person's crap is another's wonderfully creative or useful thingie.
So, how to avoid trying to sell crap? First, love what you make. If you don't think it's awesome, why should anyone else? If it's just out there because you think it will sell, you're not being true to yourself, or respecting that potential buyer.
Then, ask yourself some questions:
• Is it the best quality it can be for the price?
• Would you buy this item if you couldn't make it?
• Who is your competition? Does anyone else sell this item?
• If it is a commodity product, such as jewellery assembled from standard components, what is it about your product that makes it better or more interesting or more appealing? Think about materials, technique, design, and of course YOU.
Great photos, brilliant tags, titles and descriptions, strategic listing and relentless promotion can take a shop a long way toward success, but it all starts with the items.
If you're feeling stuck, try brainstorming some ideas alone, or with friends or Team mates. Ask your customers or readers of your blog what could make your items better, or what they're looking for that you don't have. Research your competition. And of course subscribe to the Etsy Success newsletter and read the monthly Etsy Merchandising Desk articles for timely information about current and upcoming trends, features, and events or occasions that can spark fresh ideas.
This time I'll ramble on about Rule 1. It's true that "crap" on Etsy is very much in the mind of the beholder.I often see stuff that makes me wonder what the heck the seller was thinking, but then I'll also note that they've made sales of items I wouldn't have in my house. That serves as a useful reminder that one person's crap is another's wonderfully creative or useful thingie.
So, how to avoid trying to sell crap? First, love what you make. If you don't think it's awesome, why should anyone else? If it's just out there because you think it will sell, you're not being true to yourself, or respecting that potential buyer.
Then, ask yourself some questions:
• Is it the best quality it can be for the price?
• Would you buy this item if you couldn't make it?
• Who is your competition? Does anyone else sell this item?
• If it is a commodity product, such as jewellery assembled from standard components, what is it about your product that makes it better or more interesting or more appealing? Think about materials, technique, design, and of course YOU.
Great photos, brilliant tags, titles and descriptions, strategic listing and relentless promotion can take a shop a long way toward success, but it all starts with the items.
If you're feeling stuck, try brainstorming some ideas alone, or with friends or Team mates. Ask your customers or readers of your blog what could make your items better, or what they're looking for that you don't have. Research your competition. And of course subscribe to the Etsy Success newsletter and read the monthly Etsy Merchandising Desk articles for timely information about current and upcoming trends, features, and events or occasions that can spark fresh ideas.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Life of an Item with TreeandSap
I am very excited to introduce you to the shop of Tree and Sapling, named after my husband who is 6'7" (Tree) and myself who is 5' (Sapling). Our shop is inspired by mine and my husband's need of products that are skin quenchingly good and deliciously scented! Trying to decide what products to do wasn't as easy as coming up with our shop's name. Loving everything beautiful and unique, I was indecisive and couldn't settle on an inspiration for our very first product.....
So... through my indecisiveness of what to start with, my husband had the idea to create a shave item that could help protect his skin from shave burn and the rawness caused by wearing a collared shirt and tie every day to work. Mix this with the scorching heat of Arizona, the standard shaving products currently on the market left his skin feeling sensitive and more prone to getting burned by the sun.
After researching ingredients and adding everything to my shopping cart, looking at the total, and then taking everything out of the cart again, I settled on a cosmetic base that has lots of lush ingredients and room for me to add some of my own.
I now spend lots of time mixing, measuring, and smelling to get everything just right and usually use all the bowls, spatulas, and measuring cups belonging to Tree and Sap until the sink is overflowing and I am happy with the outcome. I then assign my husband to dish duty so I can start all over again with another product!
Photographing the products and capturing the perfect snap is second best to trying the product out when it is first created. What could be better than always having a cabinet full of fun filled products!
Stop by Tree and Sap's for your next shave jellies, soaps, whipped soaps, salt scrubs, or sugar scrubs with more to come!
So... through my indecisiveness of what to start with, my husband had the idea to create a shave item that could help protect his skin from shave burn and the rawness caused by wearing a collared shirt and tie every day to work. Mix this with the scorching heat of Arizona, the standard shaving products currently on the market left his skin feeling sensitive and more prone to getting burned by the sun.
After researching ingredients and adding everything to my shopping cart, looking at the total, and then taking everything out of the cart again, I settled on a cosmetic base that has lots of lush ingredients and room for me to add some of my own.
I now spend lots of time mixing, measuring, and smelling to get everything just right and usually use all the bowls, spatulas, and measuring cups belonging to Tree and Sap until the sink is overflowing and I am happy with the outcome. I then assign my husband to dish duty so I can start all over again with another product!
Photographing the products and capturing the perfect snap is second best to trying the product out when it is first created. What could be better than always having a cabinet full of fun filled products!
Stop by Tree and Sap's for your next shave jellies, soaps, whipped soaps, salt scrubs, or sugar scrubs with more to come!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Mosaic Monday...Love is in the air
5. SmithAndDaphne 6. hoganfe
don't forget to tag items in your shops with labratsteam so the team can find you
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