Any advice welcome

Hi I don’t like to post with not so happy things but wondered if anyone has any advice.
I make jewellery and my last sale was back in last November feeling a little disheartened. I have worked on my photos and know still not brilliant but seems to be the best pictures I can get.

Is there a time when its best to just accept this isn’t working for me or can someone see where I may be going wrong any advice appreciated. :smiley:

Debbie. x

I know exactly how you feel, I haven’t had a sale on here since last Christmas. I know my photos need work too but I know they’re not all bad. I think I’m gonna see it out to the new year and see how the Christmas period goes and then re-think whether to keep going on here or not but you’re not alone in your disheartenment. To be honest I think it’s been quite hard for a lot of people this year and jewellery is just a very competitive market. I know that doesn’t help much but I think your photos are quite good, so maybe stick it out at lest to the end of the year and see how it goes.

2 Likes

Hi - I’ve had a look at your shop and your jewellery is very attractive and your photos look fine. Are you promoting on social media and the forums every day? I find my sales stay pretty regular, if I promote. People don’t know you’re there if they can’t see what’s on offer. There are lots of jewellery shops on Folksy so you need to find your target market and promote, promote, promote. Then you get people who follow you and keep coming back. Hope you do well in the run up to Christmas.

1 Like

Sorry to hear you are in the same boat thought I was the only one without a sale for that many months I hope things pick up for you it is disheartening.
You have some lovely beaded jewellery in your shop so hopefully things will get better in time for Christmas for us both.

Thank you for looking and your advice. x Debbie

1 Like

I’ve just had another look at your photos and maybe they just need lightening up a bit. Try just a plain white background - that might make your jewellery stand out more - because it’s really lovely and it’s a shame not to see it clearly.

1 Like

I agree with Natasha your photos are good - well exposed, clear and with consistent styling. I think you could work on your listings/ titles/ tags so that you come higher up in searches (both internal and google). I ran a search for ‘bird necklace’, 461 results and you didn’t appear until page 3, I wouldn’t normally scroll through that many pages of results. When I changed my search to ‘silver bird necklace’ (more appropriate for finding your work I thought) I was down to 252 results but gave up going through them before I found any of your work (my silver bird necklace was there on page 1). Jewellery is a very competative area so you need to make sure you are found on searches and if you sort it out now it should pay dividends come christmas.
Hope that helps
Sasha

2 Likes

Hi I have promoted lots in the past but finding it hard now as not designing many new things due to not selling and don’t like to keep posting similar things.

I worry about making new pieces and then not selling and as you say there is so much jewellery on here its hard to stand out unless its something quite unique.

I study silversmithing so maybe I need to be a little braver and add some new Pieces when I feel confident in the new techniques I have learnt.

Thank you for your advice. Debbie x

Thank you and hopefully it will get better for all of us. I think the key is to give it our best shot and keep trying x

1 Like

You need to use your tags to get found so you’ll have to edit your listings

Here’s one with no tags at all

https://folksy.com/items/6604964-sterling-silver-oxidised-Dandelion-earrings-

1 Like

Hi Sasha

Thank you for looking at my shop you may not remember but it was your advice that helped me with my pictures so glad you think they look better now :smiley: I am still not totally happy with them but they are the best for now.

Thank you for advice about the tags,listings, titles I will look into that and try and work out what needs to be done to help.

Thank you Debbie. x

@PatchouliJewellery I think your jewellery is lovely and your photos look good to me. Promotion is probably the answer and I struggle with this as well. I would carry on at least until Christmas and yes get brave and add some new pieces! I have pinned and liked a couple of your items. Good luck, you deserve to sell more. Pauline.

1 Like

Thank you Pauline will try my hardest to promote and thank-you for the pins. Wish you lots of luck to.

Debbie x

Also looking at this one it looks expensive until you read the description which says it’s hallmarked silver.
https://folksy.com/items/4983032-Butterfly-Stamped-Pendent
Hallmarked silver added to the title would be a good selling point and again no tags.

Think about what words and phrases a potential buyer would use to search for your jewellery.

2 Likes

Hi Pauline

OK thank you not sure what these tags are will have a look on folksy for past advice thank you for spotting this I have never fully understood this search thing, hopefully this may help. Debbie x

Tags are one word or phrases you’d use to find an item words you’d type into a search bar.

hope that helps

1 Like

Hi Pauline

Just put tags into the search box on talk folksy and as I have not listed anything for so long I knew noting about the tag thing that had appeared doh… I understand now Yippee. x

Hi Debbie @PatchouliJewellery

Promotion is the key and being active on social media platforms. Folks like to see new things so try to keep your shop fresh.
I know it’s hard at times. I’m having a dry spell myself at the moment, but I keep myself busy making new things, promoting and plodding on lol.
I wonder sometimes if my little shopping basket is broken. :wink:
Let’s hope the sales fairy returns to us soon.

All the best with your shop

Karen

1 Like

Just been to look at your shop and your items are gorgeous. I agree with others about the use of tags - I picked my 3 favourite items from your shop and none of them had tags. Also definitely put the word silver or hallmarked silver in your titles so they are picked up in the search.

You say you haven’t listed anything new in a while which could be another problem as I believe Folksy searches favour more recently listed items. If you have nothing new to show maybe it would be worth relisting a few of your items as completely new items, I know that has disadvantages regarding previous favourites being lost and any links in gift guide etc but it might be worth thinking about.

Try joining in some of the promotion threads here on the forums and maybe join instagram, craft juice and twitter if you haven’t already. Also Facebook has a facility to put a “Shop Now” button on your page which you can link to your folksy shop. Good luck.

1 Like

Hi Karen

yes will try and promote a bit more and make a couple of new pieces to freshen things up.
I hope your dry spell passes am sure it will, yes maybe are baskets are broken :laughing: wishing you lots of luck Thank you. Debbie x

1 Like

Hi Roz

Thank you for your ideas everyone has been so helpful feel better already and will soon get to work on my my tags and other bits now I know about them no Idea how I missed that one, although I do spend my life half asleep :laughing:
Will try and join in more with promotion threads to. Good luck to you to.

Thank you. Debbie x