We need a pet heading on it’s own. As a pet owner on any site that I go on if it has a pet section I go and browse. It took me ages to find where the pet section is the first time. Pet owners spend a lot of money on their pets, I know I do and this is one item that Folksy is currently missing out on bigtime. With the lockdown and owners working from home more pets were getting stressed so owners were spending more on them to alleviate their stress. I find that I have many repeat buyers with many of them coming back each xmas to buy their pressies and spend good money.
Sorry if my reply is long winded but I would love it if I could sell them better on here.
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This is exactly what I was saying. I keyed in Dog Jackets - which I sell on Folksy - just to see what the search produced. It came up with ‘Mens Waistcoats’! I then keyed in ‘Dog Toys’. I was presented with a necklace with toy dogs on it. Not a toy for dogs!
Our pets, which normally rate highly in our lives, do not have a major heading like Weddings or Jewellery do. Pets are sub-sub headed again under Home-Wear and not obvious for any pet lovers searching for per items!
I would say more promotion and visibilty, a lot of UK etsy sellers are looking to move over but dont because of poor traffic.
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Most times I add a new listing to Folksy, I also add it to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest adding folksy.com, shops, and my shop details. I’m also on Google analytics. With their site now revamped, they have left off all the social media icons which you used to be able to click on to add your newest item. I’ve been with Folksy for over 3yrs with just under 200 items listed & sold less than 10 items! So few people have never heard of Folksy!
I agree with the many others who have said that the search function definitely needs improving as it brings up some very random items.
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For me it has to be the search too - for example if you put in ‘bread boards’ you get 3075 cards and stationery in the ‘refine’ and yes some have the word ‘bread and ‘board’ which would account for some like ‘mortar board’ and ’ gingerbread’ but so many don’t and I don’t understand how they get in this section. Another ‘refine’ gives you ‘clothing and accessories’ - again there are ‘emery boards’ and ‘surf boards’ but there are also bags, hats, baby carrier pad covers , without the word bread or board in the tags that are nothing to do with bread boards and don’t have material with bread boards on! - the refine needs to be relevant - people looking for bread boards are not looking for a T shirt with a surf board on! There is nothing worse than scrolling through a load of items that are nothing to do with what you are looking for - but the search problem doesn’t stop here because the ‘gifts for’ guides I think are a fantastic idea but they must include all obvious relevant items , I don’t like the fact that it is a tiny selection and yes you have a ‘see more button’ but it just gives you other gift guide categories.
I have to agree with the frustration of Folksy not being well known too - I have been on here years and have not met one person who has heard of it when I tell them I have a shop on here. - I just keep hanging on thinking in time it must get more well known.
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Folksy needs a buyer phone app. I can’t understand why they haven’t got one. It’s madness not to. Perhaps they are working on it. I hope so.
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The search function - I get very frustrated when trying to buy items and often give up.
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I would say being able to leave public replies to feedback. As said in a thread I’ve made: I’ve had false negative feedback and can’t say or do much about it.
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Percentage of Discounts should be display directly on the product prices with cross off original price, % discount shown and a new price shown.
Search button , promotion and branding nobody knows about Folky and it’s really hard to sell anything on here l have since put my shop on holiday mode l am about to leave folksy if l am being honest.
I agree about the search functionality, particularly when the product categories available to select for searching via the homepage don’t mirror the those available when listing an item - e.g. unless I’m missing something it seems pointless to select ‘copper’ under ‘earrings’ when listing an item when this category is not available in the homepage search options - feels a bit like chucking it down a black hole.
It would also be really helpful to be able to copy, edit, delete and hide an item from the listing in your shop without having to hunt it down through the listing pages as this can take ages. I know this one has been flagged before and has loads of votes so assume is not an easy fix.
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I do the same Joy and I’ve found that people appreciate it too. Like most things we do as sellers, it was informed by what I like as a client 
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I know Northern Ireland is classed as being in the UK but given all the new rules about customs ,EORI numbers etc I don’t want to process orders outside mainland GB.
I have that I only post to the UK in my shop announcement.
@folksycontent is there a way to put Northern Ireland in the Europe section so those that don’t want to deal with customs don’t have to.
Since writing this someone has said that you can still post with Royal Mail to N Ireland as normal! Now I’m confused as not sure what is right.
Wow! You’ve uttered exactly the same words as I have at Hanhcrafts4Pets. I make & sell pet accessories - dog jackets, harnesses, bandanas, dog toys, pet beds & more. I’m seriously losing out because there is no major heading for our pets. I have just under 184 items listed, been with Folksy for over 3 years and sold very little!
But with some local craft fairs, I can sell just under £200 worth of goods in one day!
Folksy really needs to get their act together & give sellers the justice they’ve paid for!
I think you’ll find I gave a very similar example. I make & sell pet accessories Handcrafts4Pets. Out of curiosity I keyed ‘Dog Jackets’ in the search to see where some of my dog jackets came. At the top I was presented with Men’s waistcoats, a chunky knitted coat amongst other items! How’s that for a sad joke!
To separate sold and expired items to make it simpler for those of us who make a lot of one off items. At the moment I can’t remove sold items from the lists as the image disappears on a review.
Search function definately needs improving to be more specific to the search words as a whole. eg type ‘wooden boxes’ and items that are sold within boxes or are made of wood pop up before a lot of the boxes that are made from wood themselve. Type in ‘Gifts for Dog lovers’ and items that have nothing to do with dogs appear on 2nd search page presumably as they have ‘gift’ in the product title.
I know , just had a look! you would at least expect the dog coats first! and then again in the ‘refine ’ list has cards and stationery (1491), jewellery etc, these are not a ‘refine’ of the listing , a lot of cards with dogs on (without coats!) - these should be ‘related items ’ as they have the word ‘dog’ in . If I were looking up dog coats I would expect relevant refine words like , waterproof, fleece, patterned, plain and refines like that.
If you look in the ‘gifts for animal lovers , it’s even worse the text says quote “Gifts for dog lovers The best gift for dog lovers. If you are looking for a present for a dog lover (or just want to treat yourself) have a look through our guide to the best gifts for dog lovers in the UK. We’ve scoured Folksy for the best dog collars, dog accessories, dog treats and of course dog clothes - and combined it with art and jewellery that pays homage to the man’s best friend. Everything in this guide is made by British designers and makers, so there are plenty of ideas for unique, unusual and original gifts.”
Look the words that have been used in the text,’ dog accessories’,’ dog clothes’ ‘dog collars’ well there are98 items and there is one dog collar and a bandana.
Under the gift for dog lovers there is another red banner saying ‘see more gift ideas for animal lovers’ with the text ;" The best gifts for animal lovers ! We’ve put together a selection of presents ideas for people who love their pets (sometimes more than their friends or family) This guide is chock full of gift ideas for animal lovers, handmade by British designers and makers. So if you’re looking for pug gifts a cat cave to treat your kitty , a goldfish tote bag or a dog bow tie look no further"
Well with 47 items it certainly isn’t 'chock full! and has 18art, 13 homeware, 11 jewellery 1 card and 4 accessories and not a dog collar or dog coat in sight. this ought to say a 'minute selection . but more worrying is the first one ‘gift guide for Dog lovers’ doesn’t even say that it is just a selection and a poor one at that. I had high hopes foe the gift guides because they focus on one subject but they actually make it worse because people will think that’s all there is here in this what is supposed to be dedicated section.
I really think Folksy put their ‘proverbial foot’ in it when asking " Big question - if you could fix one thing on Folksy what would it be.
Many of us have stated the problem of ‘search’ and saying exactly the same thing.
BUT, is Folksy going to do anything about it to improve this matter?
Somehow, I don’t know how anyone else as a seller feels, but asking this question shows a little incompetence, or was it just curiosity?
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