Blogger was down yesterday when I tried to upload my pic of the day, and today I can write, but it's not letting me upload a picture... So, text only it is. (I'll try to load a pic later today - probably just too many people blogging away right now!)
I have been on cloud nine the last few days - everything's coming up Etsy! :) Now that I have signed on, I can't believe it took me so long. I had two sales in the first three days of being there... no site can compare to that. I feel so much better about sharing my work there, and I'm excited about the range of items I can sell/show. I'm thinking about greeting card packages, bookmarks, zines, handpainted furniture, and decorative sculptures. There's just not enough time in the day for all the things I want to get my hands into! I have got to focus on painting, and painting up a storm, for the upcoming open studios show, and other shows in the near future, but in the long run, I think Etsy is going to be a perfect place to share the range of mediums I enjoy working with.
I'm making a bold step changing selling venues right before the height of the Holiday season, but I feel like it's the right choice to make, even right now. I was thinking I'd take my time to close my eBay store, but after working on eBay for hours last night, I'm almost finished going through recent works I'm sending to Etsy, and older works I'm discounting on eBay as a moving promo. I'll probably only give it a few more weeks (as opposed to months) before I close shop there. I'm thinking I'll continue with one eBay auction a week, but as I keep repeating, I'll be focusing on Etsy for 99% of my online sales in the future.
The forums on Etsy show what a fabulous community of creators are on the site - everyone is so helpful and supportive, there is very little ego or negetivity, and there seems to be a universal feeling of satisfaction with the site. I would recommend Etsy to any creative person to explore. It's the smallest of investments (10 cents a listing) - it's really worth a shot!
2 comments:
Hi Jessica, thanks for visiting my blog and for your comments. I thought your name looked familiar and when I clicked on your blog I now know why. I had you marked as a favorite seller on eBay. You have a great style! I wish you much success on Etsy. I am thinking of giving Etsy a shot again. I'm regrouping, so I took everything out of my shop. I really have to take another look at pricing too. Because as you know on eBay it's auction style and on Etsy it's a set price. One of the things I learned at the art networking party I went to was to price right, and to not under-price. I think that's definitely what I've been doing on Ebay. Best of luck to you, and I've added a link to you so that I can check back!
Hello Cynthia, so happy to hear that you had seen me on eBay! I really hear what you're saying about pricing. Recently I sat down and figured out a system for myself after doing a lot of research on the subject. Just like you said - underpricing is of no help to you as the artist, and as it turns out, the entire art community. I have also made the mistake of OVERpricing based on where I'm showing. (ie should have put Boston prices on the paintings I showed in London). So I decided on a system for myself that is based on size + materials. I will give this price range about 6 months to a year, and if I have consistent sales at those prices, I'll increase by a small percent.. and so on. The investment aspect for buyers is important to consider and I'm finally getting in line with that. It gives me a sense of security when it comes to explaining my prices, and not making a loss, and it gives buyers security that they won't pay $400 for something someone else gets for $50.
That's why I've decided to move on from ebay for the most part, and focus on Etsy. Who knows - so much of the journey is experimentation! Try this, try that, see what works for you, and follow directions that feel right.
I'm happy to have made a new friend in art, Cynthia - thanks for stopping by!!
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