etsy shop help :: flickr

have you joined flickr yet?  flickr is a place to share your photos, and can also be used as a social networking site (we needed another one, right?).  flickr is fun to get involved with though.  it’s an easy way to share your photos with family, share your work with consumers or show off a little amateur photography.

wishing star

it’s free, easy to join, and allows you to upload your photos quickly and sort them into albums.  so what does this have to do with your business? when people see your work on flickr, they may just make it all the way to your etsy shop.  not only can you upload images of your products, design process and creative spaces, you can begin joining relative groups and adding your photos to them.

weightless white on white

by adding your photos to flickr groups , you can further expand your online presence, exposing more people to your work, photography or passions. most bloggers or editors will browse flickr looking for inspiration and fresh talent, so it’s a worthy source to consider! the more groups you join and the more photos you add to them, the more exposure you’ll get.

*search for flickr groups here

a gathering of birds

you can also add contacts on flickr.  no need for approval (like facebook) but by adding contacts, you’ll be able to see a stream of their latest work on your homepage.  the more contacts you make, the more will contact you back, and the more people will see your work.  see where i’m going with this?

note: flickr doesn’t allow you to post a link to your shop in your photo descriptions (you could get the boot!) but you can use your shop name and use keywords like ‘etsy, handmade, jewelry, pottery’ etc.

velvet snow

ready to join flickr, or better yet, a group?  to help get you started, i’m happy to introduce the brand new…

going home to roost flickr group!

feel free to join and share with us how you roost.  whether it’s your decorating, creating, gardening, homesteading, studio, or anything else- you can add your photos that show us how you roost.  and, you can bet i’ll be browsing for inspiration and new roosters!

who will be the first? ;)

Tags: etsy, flickr, flickr group, photos, shop help, social networking

what time is it? may 28th.

may 28th is by designer latvian and is based out of toronto.  i just love the way these watches make me feel- all urban and spring like.  wouldn’t you like to sport one this summer?  i love the feminine, retro and geometric design of them all, perfect to jazz up a comfy outfit.

elsewhere :: {site} {papernstitch} {etsy}

Tags: etsy, handmade, may 28th, time, watch

the kitchen roost

i can’t believe it’s friday already! have you had a good week?  i feel like ours here has kind of been all over the place, but i’ve really enjoyed it and appreciate you hanging in there with me!  now for the news i’ve been wanting to share with you…

i opened a new etsy shop! haha, yes that’s right. feel free to whop me up side the head and ask, what are you doing?! i concluded that it was time to get all of my kitchen goods in one shop separate from the other, so alas, the kitchen roost was born!

to jump off the new shop, i’m also introducing a new line that i’m calling the organic kitchen. in addition to my usual aprons and tea towels, i’m now offering new tea towels, veggie produce bags and reusable shopping bags, all made from 100% organic cotton canvas. and, the appliques are all scraps leftover from aprons, so i’m saving those from heading to the dump.  what do you think?

i’ll be busy this weekend transferring all of my aprons and tea towels to the new shop, so when you’re looking for my kitchen goods, make sure to head to the kitchen roost! xoxo!

Tags: eco friendly, etsy, organic, produce bag, roost, shop, shopping bag, tea towels

etsy shop help :: joining an etsy team

have you joined an etsy team yet? joining an etsy team provides so many benefits and is a great way to become more active in the community.  it allows you to meet other etsyites, collaborate, and increase your opportunities to network and promote your shop.

large heart frame 3-d picture

by joining a team, you’ll be able to share your skills and expand your social circle.  you’ll be able to work together with other etsy sellers- and, the possibilities are endless when so many creative minds come together!

red heart cuff links

ok, so you might be interested, but how do you know which one to join? here’s a list of all of the active teams, and yes, there’s a bunch! so grab a cup of tea and enjoy browsing.  once you find a few you’re interestd in, you can check their team’s pages (usually off-etsy). some teams have open membership, and others have selection criteria or a juried process for admitting members.

hand cut red and white felt heart

many teams are very specific, so once you read through them you’ll most likely only have a few that spark your interest.  you can then click on the team and get info about requirements, how to join and what’s expected.  that will narrow your options down some more and when you’ve got a few that you’re really interested, you can contact the leader and see about joining.  there’s nothing wrong with shopping around for the right team!  you’ll need to find one that fits you, your goals, and your schedule.

red hearted felt box

there are over 150 etsy teams and etsians are forming new ones all the time.   if you can’t find a team that suits your needs, you can always start an etsy team yourself!  we won’t dive into that today, but here’s a great article if you’re interested in starting one.

red heart carnival tickets

some teams require more involement than others, so it’s important to look into what’s expected.  the key to benefiting from a team is being an active member, so when you decided to join, make sure you have the time to commit.  being active in a team will certainly pay off and can be a very fulfilling!

shining sparkly heart

etsy has so many great articles on teams, but here’s a quick list of helpful information for team newbies:

how to join an etsy team

all about esty faq series: getting to know the etsy teams

etsy team guides

etsy teams

etsy teams frequently asked questions

etsy team’s articles

list of teams

valentine’s hearts ipod case

are you a part of a team?  we would love to hear your experience and advice!

xoxo, bonnie

Tags: community, etsy, savoir faire, shop help, teams

vote in rikrak studio’s handmade olympics!

hi dear ones!  did you happen to follow the poppies awards last week?  well, i wanted to give a HUGE thank you to each of you who voted for going home to roost, it won 3rd place in the blog category! i was so excited!  thank you thank you thank you! and alas, if you fingers aren’t too tired of voting yet…

i’m really excited to announce that both of my etsy shops, going home to roost and old renewed have been nominated for rikrak’s handmade olympics! yay!  one of my aprons is nominated for favorite handmade goodie that inspires loveliness and wellness (what an pretty name!) and one of my vintage frames is up for favorite eco friendly goodie.

voting ends wednesday, february 17th so try to check out all of the amazing events before then.  if you would like to vote for going home to roost or old renewed, you can just click on the buttons below.  and, don’t forget to vote for all of your other favorite artists, too! have fun!

click to vote for going home to roost’s reversible apron!

click to vote for old renewed’s vintage frame!

are you nominated as well?  let us know in the comments so we can vote for you!

Tags: contest, etsy, handmade, olympics, vote

been cooking up a batch of aprons!

i always feel a bit funny posting about myself, ha!  but, i just finished my latest batch of aprons, and i’m too excited not to share them with you!  they are all reversible and full of spring goodness.  i just love the color palette of them all together.

i had tons of fun making them, i love picking out the fabrics and deciding what to put on each of them.  this time, i was racing against the sunset to get my photos taken.  at 4:45 both of my cameras had died, and yes, somehow i couldn’t find either charger! what?!  so, i ran to my mom’s house, grabbed her camera and got the last of them taken, just before it got too dark.  ah!

oh, and here’s a valentine’s day apron that i just couldn’t fit into the collage!

on a slightly different note, have i mentioned how much i love to go antiquing? i couldn’t think of anything more fun to do on a day off! but, i usually come across these lovely finds and never know what to do with them.  so, in addition to my vintage frames at old renewed, i’ve decided to add vintage finds as well!

this little guy came to me this week, and i thought he was perfect for valentines day! he’s a little mouse-y bank! i’ll be adding more vintage finds as i can, so stay tuned if your a vintage junkie like me!

i hope you enjoy! xoxo, bonnie

recap!

{new aprons} {vintage frames} {valentine’s mouse} {valentine’s apron}

Tags: aprons, etsy, handmade, mouse bank, valentine's day, vintage

etsy shop help :: bundling your goodies

hi lovelies!  today we’re going to talk about using bundling as a market strategy.  also, i thought i would kick off february love with this valentine’s themed post!  i meant to start feb, 1- but what do ya know, it’s already the 3rd!

ruby red cupcake liners

bundling means combining two or more of your products in one sale.  items that look great together or are otherwise compliments work great for this (think all inclusive).  it’s common to offer the bundle at a slightly lower price than if your customer had bought all of the pieces separately, but is not necessarily a must.

hand stamped kiss bookend

bundling can be used as a marketing strategy to attract a broader range of consumers.  if your buyers are looking for deals, convenience or advice on which items compliment each other, bundled pricing can help aid in your consumers decision.

tiny heart pins – reclaimed leather

as an etsian (or any other indieprenuer) bundling your goods and prices can offer lots of benefits.  you can save on shipping, showcase your items together and potentially sell more to each individual consumer that comes your way.

blue fabric bird – i carry your heart -

by offering complimentary items as a bundle, your consumer will feel like they are not only getting a great deal, but may also be more inclined to buy the bundle then if all of the items were listed seperately.  think packaged deals, gift ideas, and matching sets.

pencil hearts

bundling is also a great way to (somewhat) disguise the prices of the individual items.  separately, a consumer may feel like one item is overpriced, while the other item is reasonable or even too cheap, but since they’re bundled the final price may feel  ‘just right’.

sweetie pie greeting card

bundles are a great way to simplify consumer’s purchasing decisions, when many people may not be able to ’see your vision’.  i’ve caught myself doing this, knowing that this apron really looks good with this tea towel, but assuming that the customer would see that, i haven’t decided to bundle.  after researching for this article though, i’m going to work on adding bundles to my shop!  it never occur ed to me that some buyers may not want to spend the time trying to mix and match items, so it’s really a service to them in making it easy to see what goes together.

love birds letterpress

i’m sure for many shops, it will be hard to try to read your buyer’s mind in picking out complimentary items.  so, i would only offer the bundle as an option, and keep the items listed separately as well.  this way, you’re not being pushy, just creating combinations that you feel will enrich your customer’s browsing and buying experience.

ship valentine

if you decide to offer some sort of discount for your bundle, it doesn’t take much to excite a potential consumer.  things like a total savings of 10% off, free shipping or $10 off will help them feel like they are making a good decision.  discounts of any kind will help them see why buying a bundle benefits them.

vintage red cardboard valentine

so, go have fun mixing, matching and photography all of your bundled goodies!

custom mini embroidered banner

if you’re already bundling (yay for you!) what’s been your experience?

xoxo, bonnie

resources :: the art of pricing: bundle up on your way to higher sales

Tags: bundle, consumer, convenience, customers, etsy, pricing, sales, shop help

etsy shop help :: custom listings & unhappy customers

today we’re going to talk about two subjects not necessarily related (hopefully!): filling custom orders and how to handle unhappy (or rude, wacky or otherwise offensive) customers.

you make it happen

let’s begin with the first subject: filling custom orders.  of course, you can do this right from the comfort of your own shop, but also through a service etsy calls alchemy.  alchemy is a space on etsy where buyers can post requests for custom goods, and sellers then bid on the opportunity to turn that idea into a real item.  personally, i’ve never ventured into the land of alchemy, but i’ve heard good things.  do you have any experience? {for more on alchemy specifically, read this article on building a better alchemy listing}.

follow your bliss

i love doing custom orders. nothing get’s me more excited than to get inspired by someone else, and make something just for them.  regardless on whether you’re using alchemy or making a custom listing in your shop, custom orders do come with a few questions and policies that you should consider before you begin.

let the sunshine in

first, you need to decide on how to charge your customer.  some charge 100% up front and others charge 50% down and 50% after approval of the finished product (before shipping).  if you charge 50% upfront you may want to specify that it is not refundable, in order to cover the costs of materials and your time.  here’s a great forum on what other sellers are charging as well as their how & why for doing it.

success

secondly, you need to decide on your refund policy for custom orders, specifically.  if it’s something you could resale in the future, you may be able to keep your existing refund policy.  however, if it’s something very specific, like a portrait, you need to let the customer know up front that once you begin, it is not refundable.

karma

now let’s talk about the unhappy, inconsiderate or otherwise unreasonable customer.  this could be in regards to a custom listing but applies to any off convo that gets your teeth to grinding!  some customers just aren’t the warm and fuzzy crafter like we all imagine.  as sellers, we must always put forth our best work.  even though difficult customers aren’t the norm, it’s nice to know that there are tons of help available to you from etsy & other great sellers!

kindness and love

this article outlines how to turn a negative experience into a positive one, and also gives you some suggested responses to common issues.

*first things first, always contact your customer to acknowledge their order, thank them for it and let them know when it will ship.  making the buying experience personal from the beginning will always help put your customer at rest.

*if you do end up getting an upset customer, try to remain calm and ever so professional.  even if they are being uncooperative and unfair, it’s in your best interest to make the outcome a positive one.  so, seek help and take a deep breath (maybe even some yoga?) before you begin typing.  be understanding, kind, and offer as many solutions to the situation as possible.

*try your best to avoid getting defensive. it can be really easy to try to defend your work (or should i say 2nd child?), but placing blame or showing impatience won’t help the unpleasant situation get resolved.  try to avoid any negative, demeaning, or accusatory language like, ‘it’s not my fault’, ‘you must have’ or ‘did you not read my policies’.

random acts of kindness

*make right any mistakes you make.  wether it’s slower than promised shipping or not your tidiest work, leave the customer feeling like you care.  offer upgrades on shipping or shipping refunds, future discounts or in the most extreme cases, refunds for the product. having a clear and thought-out refund policy clearly stated in your policies section can make these difficult situations much easier.

*finally, if you get a real stickler and despite your sweet tones, apologies and suggested solutions, it might be time to thank them and move on.  better to get on with your work then spend much valuable time on someone who is just not willing to cooperate.

going, going

finally, the lovely lucinda has created one of the most useful forums i’ve ever read! there are (currently) 94 pages of incredibly thought out & positive responses to potential buyers unhappy comments and conovs. she must have an incredible background in human resources because her answers to these issues are ever so polite, thoughtful and productive towards a solution.

you can be who ever you want to be

as a few examples, she answers questions such as,

“how will i know your xxx won’t fall apart?”, “did you know xxx sells this for a lot less than you?”, and “can you tell me where you get your resources online?”.

whew! these are sticky questions!  if you can’t find your answer within the forum already, she welcomes you to add your questions- and her response are definitely worthy of your read!

tell people

so that concludes this (kinda lengthy?) shop help post.  we would all love to hear you stories, experiences, thoughts & suggestions.  will you meet us in the comment section?

xoxo, bonnie

Tags: alchemy, custom, customers, etsy, help, listing, response, shop help, unhappy