My poor Etsy shop - sorely neglected for a long time. Why you ask? Well, I have still to figure out a key factor in the Etsy story. One that I should have figured out before I opened a store. Oh well, sometimes hindsight is great, isn't it?
I make one of a kind jewelry. I also sell my jewelry at outdoor craft shows and jewelry parties. This means one thing. Each time I sell something at these events, I have to unlist them from my Etsy shop. This cycle seems to have repeated itself so much this year that I stopped listing new jewelry on Etsy. I have entire new design categories that my Etsy shop has no clue about.
One suggestion was that I only list items priced between $25 to $50 in my Etsy shop and keep the others to be sold at craft fairs. Well, that plan doesn't quite make the cut. I do sell quite a bit of jewelry at the $25 to $85 price range at craft fairs. The broad price range and eclectic mix of jewelry is what makes my designs popular with my customers.
The other suggestion was to change my view of only making one of a kind jewelry. So, if I sell a necklace at a craft fair, to simply make a similar one for Etsy. That way I do not have to unlist the sold item. This one is hard for me. I am not drawn to making the same thing over and over again. A lot of artists do this and there is nothing wrong with it. It just doesn't inspire me. In fact, this is the main reason that I do not do a lot of commissioned work. The few times that I have taken on a similar painting project for a customer, I found my energy dip, found that I came up with some excuse or the other to not complete the painting. Hubby had to keep reminding me that the deadline was fast approaching and I better get my butt off the ground. It became a chore that I did not enjoy. Sigh!
Hmmm...I know that from a pure business perspective, making copies is a must. But then, I am not a pure business woman, am I? I am a pure artist, with my own eccentricities (grin).
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14 comments:
That's a tough one! I think you'd be shooting yourself in the foot to not offer a wide price range at a craft fair. After all, not everyone is going to drop $100, but they may $25 so why should you lose out on that sale?
Hmmmm...I'll have to ponder this one.
I completely understand: it's not as much fun reproducing something that you've already done. I hope you are able to come up with a great solution. I think your work is absolutely beautiful.
I can relate! Selling online and offline with my one-of-a-kind silks means I'm constantly updating my shop removing sold (off line) items. Plus there are some silks that never get listed. It's the plight of an artist :) Hopefully one day I'll discover the secret formula so I can share it with you!
By the way, I've passed on the One Lovely Blog award to you. The details are here: http://expressionsinsilk.blogspot.com
There must be an easier way...We do only one local show a year...but plan to do more when we retire from our career jobs...anyway, I put my Etsy Shop on vacation mode for the weekend...but then had to keep a good record of everything that sold and delete it on Sunday night...
If one did several shows, I can understand how time consuming this could be...let me know what you come up with...
Happy Monday ~Natalie
that's a wacky place to be. what about listing everything on etsy and when you go to a show -- put on your "vacation" message. This removes everything on your shop til you get back. You can replace what sold with new things and reopen your store. Maybe that would help. I totally understand about not wanting to make multiples of anything. I too pride myself on everything I make being ne of a kind. Hang in there -- you'll work it out! :) Summer is a busy show season!
I kind of look at it this way...
Etsy is a place for storage on some items. It costs 20 cents to "store" it there and if it sells that's great! If it doesn't, you were only out 20 cents and someone may have really liked that piece but will like your next one even more and may have the money to buy it.
I too hate to do a design again once it's finished, but what I find is that if you make two together stage by stage, it's not nearly as daunting.
I make one-of-a-kind jewelry too, but quit relisting over and over some time ago. And I feel I'm at the bottom of a large barrel of jewelry. Very disheartening! Luckily, I have other outlets to sell at!
I can really relate to not wanting to do commissioned work. I don't do it for the same reason. I like your blog and will follow you!
Umm... maybe you can start thinking in terms of having a dual business. You probably do many craft shows so maybe you can set aside pieces specifically for those and then leave what's listed in your Etsy shop there. That way your Etsy shop can remain stocked and you can still have pieces to sell at your shows.
Good luck.
Even my ceramic tile coasters are one of a kind because I can't make the same thing twice either. It bores me to tears.
What if you put everything you make in your etsy shop and just put it on vacation when you have a show. Then when you take it off vacation, just unlist the items you sold???
That way your shop would be full and people could see all of your awesome stuff and you could still sell it all at the shows.
Just a thought. :)
I have the exact same problem. I don't take commissions at all. I don't update etsy because I sell out at shows. I don't copy at all. I know a designer who does quite well on ebay, and it's all duplicates. It works well for her, but it would drive me crazy because my art is my therapy.
Thank you dear friends, for your ideas and comments. I will post again once I figure out a solution:)
I agree with some of the others, why limit yourself price wise? i think its good to keep the options open, offer a huge variety in prices and pieces. and i think there's something to be said for the fact that you offer one of a kind pieces! makes the buyer/receiver of that piece feel that much more special!
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