Craft sales

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Craft sales

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Handmade Lives

Joined: 30 Dec 2011
Posts: 46
Location: London UK

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 12 8:14 am Post subject: Craft sales

I am a bit shame faced about doing this as I have been neglecting Downsizer from time pressures but I have written a piece which I hope you would find interesting and perhaps useful.

I have been thinking for a while about who craftepeople should try to sell to.

Most craftspeople tend to market their crafts to people like themselves but that really doesnt make much sense when most craftspeople have very little money. The group I think are still buying strongly are the Boden Brigade.

I try and explain in this article and offer specific advice on what to do to appeal to this group.

https://handmadelives.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/customer-segment/

DawnMK

Joined: 01 Dec 2008
Posts: 895
Location: Buckinghamshire

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 12 8:40 am Post subject:

in our shop we sell craft supplies and run workshops we always get people asking were they can sell there craft makes and some of them are very talented, we always suggest etsy and folksy as customers on there are looking for unique hand crafted items, selling fees are reasonable, the seller can put up loads of photos and reach a market place worldwide, some of our customer have been very succesful with sales on there .

Pilsbury

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 12 9:12 am Post subject:

When we ran a craft shop we took matters into our own hands and made arrangements with the local shopping center to hire a big empty space in the atrium, I hired tables and went there early Saturday morning to set them up and had the people who bought from our shop there to sell their goods, we charged only enough to cover cost and had one table for ourselves advertising the shop.
When the center manager got greedy we moved it to a hall in town and began offering free tea and coffee to get people in. It worked really well and we always had 20 or more stalls.

alice

Joined: 18 Feb 2006
Posts: 2820

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 12 10:45 am Post subject:
I think all the points you make there are absolutely spot on. Especially the pricing, paypal, the postage, and the being positive (particularly not labouring over the terms and conditions) - all the Ps in fact! And avoiding custom made - but that doesn't begin with a p of course.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 12 11:20 am Post subject:
I tried to follow the link to your blog and my computer froze. Ain't nobody got time for that!

Handmade Lives

Joined: 30 Dec 2011
Posts: 46
Location: London UK

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 12 10:13 pm Post subject:

Midland Spinner wrote:

I tried to follow the link to your blog and my computer froze

There is nothing sinister there I promise I just checked the link and it is healthy. But I know just how you feel, its scalded cat time as you never know where the gremlins lurk.

But computers do have their moments and its not always linked to your last action its appears to be just coincidence.

touchwood

Joined: 12 Jul 2009
Posts: 116
Location: Carmarthenshire

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 12 9:10 am Post subject:

I've struggled with trying to decide the best way to sell.

I've done craft shows (still do occasional ones) but found them very hit and miss especially taking into account the time input and cost.

I've spent hours setting up my website with very little result and even more time on Facebook, attracting plenty of followers but generated very little sales.

I've "dabbled" with a number of online sites..again with little outcome.

I then took someones advice, decided on 1 site (I chose Etsy) made a concerted effort listing 20+ items over several weeks. It took a while but I started getting listed in treasured items and favorited and gradually the sales have started to happen. Nothing thats going to make me a fortune but really encouraging. In the last 2 weeks I have had 2 shops ask me for wholesale prices, 1 of which placed an order by the following day.

Strangely enough Facebook also seems to have taken off, it got seen by someone in Australia and spread, in the last 2 days I've had 6 enquiries about posting downunder.

It may be a 5 min wonder but it's certainly given me a boost and hopefully may provide a bit of encouragment to anyone feeling a bit disillusioned with it all.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 12 9:16 am Post subject:

Handmade Lives wrote:

Midland Spinner wrote:

I tried to follow the link to your blog and my computer froze

Tried it again today, it finally worked but took ages to load. You have a lot of graphics in that post - perhaps a few fewer pictures would make your posts easier to read - if I click a link and it takes more than a few moments to load I usually click back & don't re-visit. If you really need to use lots of pictures / images I'd suggest putting a warning with the link so people can choose to visit when their computer isn't also processing other things. You'd probably get a few more hits that way.

Handmade Lives

Joined: 30 Dec 2011
Posts: 46
Location: London UK

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 12 10:49 am Post subject:

Touchwood Thats the way things go, nothing is happening, the whole world seems to ignore you, whatever you do, then out of the blue you get a little run of interest and HOPE returns.

Getting noticed needs persistence and optimism of steel. I wrote another piece about what order to go in on getting noticed on the web the principle being to build a little platform of interest before you create your own site. I see your own site as the ultinate goal as then there is no imediate competiton to hand.

The piece is here https://handmadelives.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/online/

earthyvirgo

Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 12 11:38 am Post subject:

Handmade Lives wrote:

There was quite an interesting link from the MOO website mentioned on Twitter yesterday, suggesting that 'creatives' (and others I imagine) are not that hot on marketing.

They see it as something to do when orders start to dry up, whereas marketing is far more effective when done on a drip, drip, drip basis.

I find Twitter in particular an excellent tool for keeping my visibility ticking over with very little overhead.

EV

Handmade Lives

Joined: 30 Dec 2011
Posts: 46
Location: London UK

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 12 11:51 am Post subject:

[quote

They see it as something to do when orders start to dry up, whereas marketing is far more effective when done on a drip, drip, drip basis.

I find Twitter in particular an excellent tool for keeping my visibility ticking over with very little overhead.

EV[/quote]

I so agree about keeping your visibility ticking over that's exactly what you have to do Its not a big deal once you have got started but its very hard work to build. Its like plate spinning.

The trouble is if you market when orders have dried up your desperation shows, people are attracted to sellers with queues at their stalls. You have to share the successful times however busy you are as then you can moan at the low times without seeming a looser. I have been known to have a good moan and everybody comes running O you need some sales, lets see what we can do..

Its about sharing the whole picture.

earthyvirgo

Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 12 12:22 pm Post subject:

Quote:

They see it as something to do when orders start to dry up, whereas marketing is far more effective when done on a drip, drip, drip basis.

I find Twitter in particular an excellent tool for keeping my visibility ticking over with very little overhead.

EV

Handmade Lives wrote:

I so agree about keeping your visibility ticking over that's exactly what you have to do Its not a big deal once you have got started but its very hard work to build. Its like plate spinning.

The trouble is if you market when orders have dried up your desperation shows, people are attracted to sellers with queues at their stalls. You have to share the successful times however busy you are as then you can moan at the low times without seeming a looser. I have been known to have a good moan and everybody comes running O you need some sales, lets see what we can do..

Its about sharing the whole picture.

I have heard of some galleries putting 'fake' red dots on paintings to try and encourage a rash/rush of sales but I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with that.

EV

Handmade Lives

Joined: 30 Dec 2011
Posts: 46
Location: London UK

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 12 12:30 pm Post subject:
No I wouldn't be comfortable with false Solds either, but what I do on my button website is put Solds on rather than take down the item as seeing that the choice is decreasing does encourage people to buy now, rather than going off to have a think.

earthyvirgo

Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 12 12:48 pm Post subject:

Handmade Lives wrote:

No I wouldn't be comfortable with false Solds either, but what I do on my button website is put Solds on rather than take down the item as seeing that the choice is decreasing does encourage people to buy now, rather than going off to have a think.

Likewise.

I also leave my 'sold out' editions on my current website.

On the new site, I'm considering have a distinct section for these but wondering whether this will isolate them and people simply won't look.

I might simple show them at the base of each gallery section. I think this is what Angie Lewin does.

EV

Handmade Lives

Joined: 30 Dec 2011
Posts: 46
Location: London UK

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 12 4:34 pm Post subject:

I think leave them mixed in otherwise it is no spur to sales. But it is a balance between the website looking unattended and fresh sales popping in. I think a section of previously sold might look dangerously small and doesn't fulfil a purpose you don't want browsers you want buyers.

I think websites should look as if they are expecting sales and too many byways take the customer off their main intent. People only have limited time to shop so don't distract them too much, it only needs to be supper time and they are gone.

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