No sales yet, feeling disheartened :(

Hi, if you are on facebook pop across to the Folksy Shop Group

The main way to get noticed is to promote I use twitter, facebook (facebook mutual groups are great, there are lots of groups for selling handmade) flikr, instagram, pinterest, stumble and when I have time craftjuice, I try to share promotion around and not be spammy, sharing work in progress blogs and other useful stuff helps too as people like to see a variety of things and interests, also do join in with likes and comments etc. don’t just post and run :slight_smile:

It took me nearly 4 months to make my first sale back in 2010 and I’m now on my 3rd Shop having merged my older two when the plus account came out, I have had this shop since 2013 I think.

Good luck :four_leaf_clover:

Aw, thank you so much x

I would just like to add that many shops go through quiet periods, particularly during the summer months.

It’s a slow time of year, and I have made the Best Seller list a few times with combined sales of less than £40 in a week, so it appears to be slow for many of us!

Sarah x

1 Like

Also don’t forget Folksy also have lots of tips on their blog for shop owners on how to make your shop the best it can be, interacting on social media, taking photos etc:

1 Like

Hi - sorry to jump in on this but… what is a mutual promotion thread? and are mutual grous on FB different craft groups/chat.
I’ve also had no sales but hoping Christmas will bring some!!
thanks Catherine x

@Pawcrafts Pinterest Promo - Pin an item from the shop above to one of your boards would be a good example of the mutual promotion thread. You pin something from the shop above to one of your boards so your followers see it and then the next person pins something from your shop so their followers see your work and so on.

Also there’s the weekly new listing thread where if you have listed something you can put that onto the thread and other’s on the thread will either pin it to pinterst or tweet it or facebook it. In return you do the same for the other items on the thread.

You’ll find these mutual promoting threads in the ‘Showcase’ part of the forum

Thanks, thought that was it but better check in case I’ve missed something key!
Thanks x C :cat2:

That made me look. I’m in at number 18 with a grand total of £78. Might have just scraped top end 30s with that when it’s busier. Usually wouldn’t have made a dent at all with that amount.

1 Like

I have used folksy on and off…This year I decided to try and make a real push on it, i listed 20 odd items to see if it would do anything? I havent paid for folksy plus, as I didnt recieve any sales from it last time I did it? I haven’t had any sales this year so maybe I’m doing something wrong…I don’t know really!!

You have a lovely shop and great jewellery @Alexandraflynn. I would try to use all 5 photos to show different angles and the photos you have taken outdoors are much clearer than the white background ones. You have a multi coloured pearl necklace which looks washed out on the main photo but the second shot taken outside is much clearer and shows the colours beautifully so I think that would be better as your main photo. Good luck with your shop I’m sure the sales will come.

These are lovely items, but with 17700 items in the jewellery category when I checked just now, you are in a quite a crowded market! The usual advice is promotion, promotion, promotion - here on the forums, FB, and all the other platforms. Good luck, you deserve to sell!

welcome to folksy Angela…it took me 3 months to get my first sale but I love it here and now have on the way to 300 sales…it DOES take time…just keep listing and keep sharing . The folk on the forums are fabulous and always here to give help and advice…chat as much as you can to get yourself noticed…good luck.

@Alexandraflynn have you done any promotion of your folksy shop as part of the push? A quick look at your social media looks like you are directing people to your own shop (which makes sense as that would have fixed costs and no extra commission which you would have to pay here). If you are hoping to pick up passing trade (ie those just browsing folksy) then you need to make sure you have plenty of tags and a good description to make sure you are found in internal searches. I was told to write descriptions as though I’m describing the item to a blind person as search engines can’t see the photos so I always include details like colour, texture even though they are obvious in the photo. Having both the colour and the material in the description also help getting found in more searches eg if someone has searched for purple pendant rather than amethyst pendant if I’ve described it as purple amethyst pendant I will be found by both searches. As Helen has said jewellery is crowded (and the 17700 figure is for necklaces/ pendants only, there are almost 15000 pairs of earrings and those numbers go up around christmas as everyone makes sure they have a well stocked shop) so you need to make sure you are being found in as many relevant searches as possible.
Good luck.
Sasha

Hi Sasha!

Thanks for the replies guys! I started to do white backgrounds because it was better than coloured backgrounds…more professional lalalala, so thats what I did. Personally I prefer it when I do the coloured backgrounds! If I was do to a more lifestyle shot, maybe someone could give some advice on backgrounds? Photographing silver is a nightmare, even though I’m alright with a camera! :slight_smile:

Yes…Social media…So, on my websote, I have at the bottom of my sight, the link with afew shop items to folksy…I was thinking I might start selling some items specific to folksy…I know I do instagram and facebook and twitter. I generally proote it on facebook when I have something new? Not sure what else to do when its any other time!?! Twitter…I’m a complete mess when it comes to twitter, I have absolutely no clue even now why I have it and what it does for me!! Instagram I’m much better on obviously with it being pictures…but you cant link to anything on instagram which is abit pants I think!

Any advice??!! (sorry for the essay, which I hope actually makes any sense!!?!)

:slight_smile:

thankyou!! :slight_smile:

i wish there was a social media fairy who did it all for me!!! :grin:

1 Like

For a fee there is a social media fairy - she’s called Susan @dottiedesigns and runs Britishcrafters (http://www.britishcrafters.co.uk/)

2 Likes

Thank you @teabreaks :blush: I have sold 5 items now which has given me the boost I needed. I love making things so I will keep working hard at it. I love folksy and the support from everyone on it, it’s like one big crafty family!

1 Like

Thank you @SashaGarrett Made me smile!

2 Likes

Hi @dottiedesigns! Yes I’ve used this in the past, quite a while I must say as it seems to have changed quite abit!!! I feel my brain is slightly aching after looking at the options!! :smile:
I see Your fully booked for September, how quickly do you book up? As I may try
The medium package for October?? X