Today I've had a glorious day of resting and spending time on craft related forums and chat rooms. Hello everyone from Etsy! ~waves~
I've learnt many things, but most of all I've fine tuned what I think is the right way to sell an item on the internet. This is mainly aimed at Etsy - but it can be interpreted for selling your art anywhere on the internet. There are so many sites where you can sell your handmade creations. Etsy, eBay, Mintd and lov.li are just a few and each one has its positives and negatives. Try a few and see what works for you.
There are things on this list people may disagree with but when has everyone agreed with my opinion? Never, and that is because this is my opinion, and you have your own. However these are the points I try to stand by when I list my items and what I hold other sellers to when I look for items to purchase.
Apologies to all those people who may have read this in the Etsy forums already, but the posts there move so quickly I wanted to share this with a few more people! xox
ITEM DESCRIPTION
- First of all ensure that it is clear, concise and relevant. I don't want to hear how you had to go to the store 6 times because your machine needle kept snapping until you finally finished the piece.
- Ensure that you cater your description for a variety of ages and nationalities. Not everyone can speak english and there will be those who use language translation programs, or who only know basic english. Make it easy for them.
- Make your item description easy to follow when you read. Don't jump all over the place.
Avoid using slang - it confuses people. - Check your grammar and your spelling. "I done this drawing on a watercolor paper"
- Do not shorten words. "in. = inches, mat = matted, pg = page" but do use symbols because they are internationally used.
- List both imperial and metric measurements
- Tell people about what you've created. Is it a bag? A notebook? A purse disguised as a cake?
- Let me know about the materials you used. If you used Photoshop to create a digital image - I like to know that. If it was hand colored and then digitally painted that information to me is important.
- Provide washing instructions for fabric items. Is it hand wash only or can I just use the washing machine? Hot or cold?
- Be confident with your listing with your wording, but don't be overconfident. Don't tell me that you think it could have turned out better.
- Don't brag about how good you think you are - that is for me to decide
- Is the work signed, dated, or numbered?
- Is the piece limited?
- Can it be customized?
- How will it arrive?
- How will it be mailed?
- If it is a paper work, what kind of paper is it?
TAGS / KEYWORDS
Etsy uses tags for items which are essentially keywords. On Etsy you are limited to 14 tags for each item. Ebay uses keywords in the item title. Both tags and keywords help your item gain traffic through various sites.
- On Etsy try to use all of your tags.
- When using tags or keywords ensure the words you use are relevant. I cannot stress this point enough. Do not write that an item has color when your work is black and white. Do not write red when your work is pink. Do not say it is a zine when it is a lino print. Do not say that a print is a photograph when it is not. Most of all do not say it is an original work when it is a replicated print. Ensure your keyword is relevant and correct.
- Avoid slang. Don't use words like "Fuzzy" or "Gazillion" or "Sunniez". Most people will have no idea what you are talking about.
- Use words that people will search for. If I have a rabbit picture I could use rabbit, fluffy and bunny but not hop, teeth and carrot - unless they were part of the picture.
POSTAGE
- Please state postage costs that are reasonable. Don't charge me $10 and then post the item for $1. Don't quote $20 when I can see you can send the item for $3. Unless it arrives triple gold plated you are not providing a satisfactory experience for your buyer. Who, for most of the time, will not return again, will negatively mark you and highly recommend everyone else shops elsewhere. I like return customers, and like me you should do everything to keep them coming back. Don't ever do it. You never know who will buy from you.
- Please state international postage costs on your item if you are going to sell internationally. I am not going to message you to ask you. Why should I go out of my way to contact you? As the seller you should be better prepared and take the time to find out the information for this earlier and state it with your listing. Personally I am an impulse buyer. If I like an item and I like the postage cost then I'll buy it. However if there isn't a postage cost, no matter how much I like it, the chance of me returning to buy it is very slim. Think about a bricks n mortar store. If they didn't have a pillow in stock that you thought was cute, but would be getting one in around 8 weeks time, would you go back to get it? I doubt it.
- When you post my item, ensure you post it with love. I don't like getting something shoved in a bag without being carefully packaged beforehand. I like to know you think I'm important. If you happen to include a small gift, and a business card that is even better. A handwritten note... I've hit the jackpot. Personally two business cards is even better. One for me and one for a friend...
- Factor in all 'other' costs with your listing price. Do not attempt to contact me after the auction to tell me that you are charging me an extra fee on top of what I have already paid. It is not my problem if I pay by paypal or you have to travel an extra 10 miles to reach a post office that will post my item to me. I think it is rude and unprofessional. Work your figures out beforehand and ensure they are part of your listing price for your item. Mark your items up for an extra 50 cents if you need to. As a buyer I would have no idea how much you were originally stating your item for. If I like your item I will buy it.
PROMOTIONAL IMAGES - LOGO BANNER & AVATAR
These things are very important when you are selling. They are essentially your trademark and what your buyer will recognise you for.
- All promotional images should fit into the style of your store. There is no point having pink fluffy poodles if you are selling neo gothic clothing.
- Consistency. If you use one logo on one site, use the same on another. Your avatar and logo should be carried throughout every single site you can display them on. That includes forums, chatrooms, subscriptions and online stores.
- When you update your avatar & logo ensure that it is carried throughout every single site.
- Your promotional products in your 'real life' store should match your online stores unless you have different products listed under different labels.
IMAGES
On the internet the only chance you have of viewing the item is through images, so they play a vital point in selling an item. Don't forget that a buyer doesn't have a chance to touch, feel and try on an item so you need to reinforce the fact that your viewer really wants to own that item.
- All images should look professional. They should be the right proportions, clear and not in anyway out of focus. Broken camera? Didn't have time to retake photos? Don't list the item. You are negatively impacting on yourself by lowering your standards to list that item. You may have been able to sell it ten times over... but now look... it's still there for sale.
- Ensure your photo displays an accurate representation of your item. There is no point having a teapot pouring out tea if it is an ornamental teapot which shouldn't be anywhere near water.
- Ensure your item is as close to a color match as possible. There is no point having a picture of a girl with dark blue hair, but when you get it, it is a soft green.
- Stop editing your photos on the computer. Unless it is a digital image, stop trying to make the image prettier. I will be upset if I buy a DVD and find that the dent in the case was 'digitally' edited out.
- Ensure your photos aren't too dark and that the items can be viewed. No point in having a photo where I can't really see what it is-but-I-might-if-I-look-at-thescreenalittlecloser-no.. . how about I-lighten-the-screen....
- Multiple images are fantastic.
- Show the item in action. If you are selling an artwork, put it on your wall and take a photo. Put a pillow on your bed. Have a model wearing your clothes. Please, however, do not put a size 16 female into a size 10 outfit.... use your common sense. You want to enhance your photos in your listings and drive buyers to purchase from you - not turn them away.
- Don't put really big and good photos on the listing they could be preventing sales. How? Well if I can print your image off
my fancy printer at home, why would I need to buy your artwork? Sadly there are a lot of people out there who do copy listings, steal artwork and photographs with the intention of using them without the owners consent. Take the essential steps to ensure that your work is a bit more harder to steal. Put watermarks on your images, only load photos that are no more then 150dpi, and do not put a picture of the entire final work up. There are plenty of sites to read about this, just have a search through Google.
- Also think about why am I going to buy your item or your print?
BLOGGING
This is a craze that is still sweeping the world wide globe. Essentially this is a way to communicate to others by posting in an online diary. Blogging has hit the news headlines many times due to what the author has expresssed in their posts. People have been sacked, sued, but a lot of people have also been propelled into international stardom and the jobs of their dreams.
- Every artist & crafter has a blog at the moment - so what is going to make yours stand out from the crowd?
- I want to read a blog that I can relate to and that lets me know there is a person behind it. I don't want to read a marketing blog where there is a post with pictures and statements that there are new items in the store... and that is it. Sorry everyone but for me that is bo-ring. I want to know about what is created - what is behind it? I want to know what else is happening in your life. Your successes, your failures. Your craftshows, fairs, gallery exhibitions, studies... etc. I'm nosy! I like to know what your inspirations are, and even a tiny bit of personal information. Was it just your birthday? Did you burn the carpet? Are you a really bad dancer? A mixture of images and writing is great because I'm a visual person. Humour is a lovely thing too. :)
- I don't want to read a blog full of ads. I've been down that path before and it didn't work. Is it really worth having that huge slab of ads like google adwords plastered across the top of your blog? Is that $1.04 really worth it? I have this terrible tendency to shut down blogs now with those ads.... I would rather that person spends time on their blogging or their artwork. :)
I know that was long, but I hope it helps people in their quest to find a niche in the online selling world. I've sold on the internet for over 7 years now. I started selling on eBay, and now I sell on Etsy along with many other sites. There was a time I was earning $1200 a week from eBay, but now I'm happy making my own creations. I've sold over 3000 items on eBay, and plenty more since. I've also worked in retail for 7 years, so I know customer service is essential and vital to a business. Even more so if your business is just establishing itself.
Don't forget - it's not about how much you earn but rather the service you provide. When selling your own creations there is always a market out there for your goods. It is about the quality of your work, the way you present it and how you market it that is important.
I'm off to paint! xox
If anyone has anything else to add, please do so. XOX
