Perhaps you haven’t read the whole thread, or if you have then you haven’t really understood what those who have expressed their disappointment are concerned about.
Choosing to offer store wide discounts is of course an individual sellers choice. No one is disagreeing with that nor has anyone suggested that Folksy shouldn’t run a promotion that not everyone wants to take part in.
The concern that has been expressed is about the potential negative impact that this sort of promotion could potentially have on the site as a whole, for all sellers and not just those who choose to take part. Aside from the possible pitfalls of attempting to entice customers with big discounts, the concept of black friday carries with it a whole raft of negative connotations all of which are in conflict with the general ethos of handmade.
No one is complaining and no one is doing any sneering (as you so politely put it). Those of us who are in disagreement with the idea of promoting black friday discounts have expressed our misgivings on the matter in the only way we can, by commenting on this thread.
You always want to pick holes in whatever I post on here LOL! (I usually just ignore you, but have decided to be polite and reply just this once )
Yes, actually I have read the whole thread It’s Folksy’s site, it is up to them to make this kind of decision.
Everyone is welcome to their opinion on this thread, those who are for and those who are against - and if you read the thread you will see I am not participating with my main shop, and the only reason I am participating with my second shop is that I want to clear the stock as I have no time to promote it.
However, all I am trying to point out is that you can’t please everyone all of the time when you run a site like this.
I’m fairly new to selling on Folksy, having only sold a few handmade cards. I’m happy to take part in Black Friday, and will be offering 50% off all my cards at https://folksy.com/shops/kazboxer. Now, if I can just figure out how to actually do it!
I will be taking part in the black Friday sale, it might be another American selling gimmick but it does work.
My shop will have 20% off to help Christmas sales. www.folksy.com/shop/fashionmagpiejewellery
One question when you say to use the #blackfriday do you mean in the description? @folksycontent
If you can add #BlackFriday as a tag in a few of your product listings (not in the description) that will help people find them, Leah. If you go to edit a product listing, you should find a list of tags that you can add and change. I hope that helps.
I started writing this before many of the more recent comments were added so some of this post may already have been said,
Whether a hobby or not this is a business and I am not convinced that they should be treated differently. An artisan is an artisan whether full or part time. In my estimation, many artisans cannot live off the income their art generates so have to have a day job. I don’t see any cultural differences and certainly a part time maker can be producing art that is coveted by “lower and upper” class equally. (although I absolutely abhor those terms and their connotation). I have found that those that “sneer” usually have limited skill or appreciation of the arts and as such have little to contribute to this community…
I shouldn’t need to justify a business decision to those in a public fora, however I feel bruised by the words that have been used so I feel forced to defend my actions. It is sad that I must feel that way but…
My reasons for going on sale are strictly economic. I sell my original art and some mosaic supplies in the shop. I am not planning on continuing the supplies except for destash; I am too busy with commissions to consider expanding the supply side. I have some artwork in the shop that I also want rid as I am constantly changing and developing my style and they don’t really fit where I am at the moment, They are of top quality and design, just are not what I do anymore.
I am putting those supply items on sale as it will free up both space and money. I don’t think that the people who are looking for the best price on supplies are “lower class”, just smart. They are most likely not interested in purchasing my art as they are usually mosaic artists themselves.
I don’t agree with those that choose to ignore this opportunity are any better or more talented than anyone else of this site. I think there are way too many that have an attitude that you can’t be a handmade, one of a kind creator and follow trends in retail.
Regardless of the attitudes and derogatory words of some, I am determined to make my shop as successful as other ventures that I have undertaken in the past. However, I do not feel welcome here and feel like a pariah so this is the end of the forums for me.
Hi Leslie
I have been following this thread from the beginning and I completely agree with you! I was quite shocked at some of the comments made after you posted and think they were more than a little rude and probably offended more than a few people!!
It’s a one off sale, special offer whatever you want to call it for four days. Not sign your life away. Folksy are just trying to do their best for all of us and yes of course including themselves. If you want to join in great if you don’t or can’t fine. Why it had to turn into a scolding session that probably scared the living daylights out of anyone who did want to join in I don’t know!!
I had told myself to bite my tongue and keep out of it but I just wanted you to know there are people on the forums who do not feel the need to dress anyone down for any decision they make regarding their own business.
And I for one have decided I will support Folksy and everyone who has happily embraced this opportunity by adding my shop to the event (I will let you know Camilla on the other thread).
I have had head my head bitten off before on here but you know what, I still enjoy coming on here and virtually everyone on here is lovely. Don’t let one or two spoil it for you.
And your shop is beautiful I hope you do well. x
Thank you for your support. It is greatly appreciated, By the way, your shop is gorgeous Excellent quality and your pictures are out of this world! I hope you have a great gifting season,
There is no obligation on the featured sellers to offer a discount, @HelenSmith. I always ask them, but it is up to them if they want to run one or not. We have found that the incentive of a time-limited offer works well, but if shops are constantly running offers and discounts it can definitely devalue their product (think sofa stores).
We decided to try a Black Friday promotion this year and ask you all now so we could get as many people involved, talking about it and sharing offers as possible. At the end of the year, we will go through the stats @wellpresented to compare them with other years and this one and see what effect it had on sales, so we can decide whether to do it again next year or try something different.
It would be really wonderful if we could afford an M&S style advertising campaign @rosesworkshop but sadly we just don’t have that sort of budget. However we do have other things planned too, to highlight all the wonderful handmade gifts there are on Folksy and encourage people to buy from independent makers.
On a final note, there are several makers who have felt intimated by the comments on this thread and have not felt comfortable posting their offers. So please remember that this forum is intended as a place where Folksy sellers can help support each other.
I don’t think anyone was scolding anyone just people saying why they didn’t want to join in, why they didn’t think it was right for Folksy and those who wanted to join in and thought it might be right for them.
Thanks Camilla - it will be interesting to see the stats when this is all over. I will be at fairs during the period in question so it is possible that my shop will actually be in holiday mode!
I am also pleased that you have raised the subject of the unpleasantness which arises in the forum. If I complained to you every time I got something nasty in reply (on the forum or otherwise) you would have a very full inbox. This is the reason I normally do not raise my head above the parapet on the forum but I was interested by this topic. If exercising my right to free speech has offended anyone I can only say that it was intended to do so. Nobody has managed to offend me in this thread; we all have the right to act as we choose on this matter, preferably without telling other people how to run their business. It is clearly a subject which has got under the collective skin; it’s not for me but I wish those who are participating lots of luck and sales.
I haven’t yet decided whether to participate, but if I do, do I need to use the hashtag thingy before BlackFriday? I don’t know how to do it on my keyboard!
I’ll be offering 10% in my shop too. I don’t really like Black Friday either but would hate to miss out on potential sales. I’ve bobbed through and tagged as #BLACKFRIDAY too as requested. Please include my shop in the offer, thank you.
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It’s Folksy’s site, it is up to them to make this kind of decision.