After a week of being an
online seller,
I hardly have the huevos to come on here and issue a manifesto
on online selling. But I
can share what I've learned,
just as the generous and thoughtful Adrienne of
The Flying Bee
has done with me. Tirelessly answering question after question,
I'm not sure I would have had the courage to make the big leap
without all her help, but just as she gave freely,
I now pass her imparted wisdom on to you!
I've had six sales in as many days on my new
Etsy Shop,
which is encouraging enough for me to soldier on
in this brave new (to me!) world of the online marketplace.
But first, a word from our sponsors....
Look at the cutie-patootie on sale in my
Etsy Shop!
"In another life, this sad little bowl likely was used to hold onions,
which means she's lost her head...haven't we all though, at one time or another?
Repurposed, she's a fab little work of art called The Cry Baby Bowl!
Full of charm and attitude, this little treasure measures
4 1/2" wide by 4" long by 2 1'2" tall.
Deforest of California, Hand Painted. Embossed with date (1956) on back.
Give this sad little girl a home!"
It's a short list really, but I think a helpful one, if for no other reason
than you can gain the benefit of learning from my mistakes!
Tip #1: Have your ducks in a row before you list that first item. Make sure you have plenty of boxes, packing materials, a good postage scale, tape measure, quality photos...you get where I'm going. I only thought I was prepared, but countless trips to pick up lacking supplies prove otherwise.
Tip #2: A little creativity goes a long way. We bloggers are an imaginative bunch, so this isn't a problem for us. We have no trouble whatsoever imagining the re-purposing potential in something like the
Cry Baby Bowl. But to the casual shopper who stumbles upon your Etsy or Ebay shop, it might not be as readily apparent. Give 'em a little help, open up their world to the wonder of upcycling. Spare no adjectives!
Tip #3: The art of the pretty package. A little oomph goes a long, long way. You don't have to go broke making your packages memorable for your customers. Here's what I'm doing this Holiday Season to foof up my outgoing orders...
You see these lush looking beauties?
Six for a dollar at Dollar Tree! I plan on tying one of these
around each item after wrapping it in tissue paper.
Cheap and easy, but looks like a million dollars.
I've also included a few peppermints inside an inexpensive organza bag with some of my orders, too.
Now I'm not advocating you go hog-wild with the freebies! The bottom line is now and always has been delivering a quality product at a good price. But if there's something cheap and easy you can do that will A) make your shop and brand stand out and B) make your customer feel special, why not do it?
Tip #4: Become Besties with your friendly neighborhood post office staff.
Now I know that you can print postage online and do a lot of that stuff yourself from the comfort of your own home, but you never know when you're going to need some last minute bail-out assistance from a real live person.
Tip #5: This one is for booth or shop owners....if they're not coming to you, bring it to them.
Let me explain. I don't know how many times in the past couple of months I've whined to my husband about certain items in my booth just not budging. I've told him "Oh, if only all my bloggy friends could take a stroll through my booth, I'd be scrambling to keep stuff in stock"! Depending on where you live and sell, your way-cool chippy, peely, rusty treasure might sit collecting dust season after season. Which is why online selling is so fab for peeps like us. For example,
Exhibit "A".
I know my local market well enough to know that the delicate oil painting above would likely be met with curious looks and be passed over for the ceramic rooster in the next booth over. They simply wouldn't appreciate its shabby, imperfect beauty, but I didn't let that deter me.
Listed on Etsy November 17th, sold one day later.
This isn't rocket science! If I can do it, you can, too!
Tip #6: Cross advertise. Post your Etsy address on your blog. Post your blog address on your Etsy shop. Have both printed on your business cards. Now is not the time to be shy! Get your name and your brand out there!
And finally, and to my mind, most importantly...
Tip #7: Share freely what you've learned. Give unselfishly to anyone in need, set aside all competitive impulses. Call it karma or the golden rule, but always remember that what goes around, comes around. Play nice. Share your glue and crayons.
Fiona and Twig, over and out.
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