How to improve my site

Shop Talk
1

Can someone take a look at my site as I have not sold anything since January
I am open to any critics , what would you do to improve , many thanks

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2

Hi Pauline, do you mean have a look at your Folksy Shop? Iā€™ve had a quick peek and thereā€™s a nice mix of items there, though I do think your photography could do with some improvement. How much promoting are you doing? I havenā€™t come across your shop before, I know selling involves spending lots of time promoting your wares on social media etc. Good luck

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3

Hi.
Iv had a look at your shop and you have some lovely items.
I canā€™t see some of the items,clearly in the photos.

I find taking photos hard so donā€™t want to sound hypocritical. But I couldnā€™t see what some items are.
Hope that helps.

4

Iā€™d add a banner and avatar to your shop. Having a professional looking banner helps create a good impression for buyers. Even if you arenā€™t great with computers they are very easy to make by just using a good photo with some text on the top.

Hereā€™s a link to the sizes you need to make the banner and avatar - http://folksy.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/57278-creating-a-banner-and-profile-picture-avatar

And hereā€™s a link to a free online banner maker - http://www.bannerfans.com/banner_maker.php

Or you this is a link to the Design Services section on Folksy, they can help you create a matching set for your shop - https://folksy.com/supplies/design_services

Hope that helps.

Jo

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5

hello :smile:
Iā€™ve looked at your cross stitch rug and you need to add a close up so we can see the neatness of the stitching. Also a photo of the revised side.

The description is a wee bit short. Try to think what would a potential customer need to know about this item as they canā€™t pick it up and examine it like in a bricks and mortar shop.

We also have tags now so youā€™ll need to go and add tags to all your listings.

Elephant bunting for example looks like itā€™s being displayed on the floor, which will put a lot of people off no matter how clean our floors might be. If you need to use the floor I would suggest first laying down a clean white sheet to place your items onto. This is what I do if I need a larger area to display an item.

You need to take more photoā€™s for all your items. Rule of thumb are overall photo, close up of different parts, top or side or back of item Photo of one individual elephant would be great as well.

Descriptions overall really do require a lot of work. Put in your descriptions both metric and imperial sizes and materials used. Size overall ie length of bunting. Size of the elephants ie wideth and length.

Also beware of typing errors thereā€™s one in your inspiration of the item and youā€™ve put the size in there instead of in the description of the item.

I notice you donā€™t use proper sentences with full stops and Capital letters to start a new sentence. This means itā€™s hard to read your longer descriptions and inspirations behind your items. For example the listing of your zigzag rag rug.

Also you have put in some kind of measurement I presume itā€™s in inches (imperial) but you donā€™t say so.

You have shown the back this time however itā€™s very lost as itā€™s almost the same colour has your carpet. I would suggest placing a plain darker piece of material down first ie a large dark coloured sheet. Than place down the zigzag rug, then take the photo that way the white back of your rug will show up better.

Lovely butterfly pinboard however so much is missing in the descripton ie what is made from ie is plywood, is there wadding and what type ie cotton, or polyester? What is the material cotton or rayon or polyester-cotton? How is it be hung if bought? Is it glued or have you used pinboard tacks/pins? What size is it?

Again what does the back look like? There is also a typo in your materials

You have a good selection of items but your photoā€™s and descriptions do require work.

How much promoting are you doing and how often do you promote? What social media site are you using to advertise/promote your items on?

Do you use business cards/fliers to give out to people?
Why not take part in the Showcase part of the forum that way others seller will get to see your items.

We also have threads where we promote each other items which will help you reach more potential customers in the Showcase part of the forum.

I hope some of this helps and if you need more help just ask as weā€™ll help as much as we are able.

Best of luck with your shop :slight_smile:

7

I agree about the banner and also using bannerfans.com - itā€™s a doddle when you get the hang of it; I do all my banners for here and display adverts for my other business on there - never lets me down!

8

Hi Pauline. Iā€™m no expert by any means but I have tried to help.

Would it be an idea to put your items in categories, i.e. cushions, bunting, toys, rugs. Which is done in your shop setting, collections, where you can create a collection.

Also you have put the details about your items in the ā€œinspirationā€ section, I would add this to your description paragraphs, so itā€™s clearer.

You have lots of lovely things in your shop, and it looks as if you will be busy over the next few days, it does take time to get organised. Best wishes. Marg.

9

I tend to buy online a lot. So as a buyer (not a seller) in general Iā€™d want to see:

-A professional overall look

  • Ideally a ā€˜house-styleā€™ in terms of photos- I think this adds to the professional look and allows it to all fit together.
  • no blurry photos- I want to see a few different photos, each of a different part. E.g. An overall image, a close up of stitching for example.
  • no house photos. I know this might sound petty- but I really hate seeing the inside of peopleā€™s houses in their item photos. Itā€™s very ā€˜eBayā€™. Create an area in the house where you can display things to photograph them- even if itā€™s just a temporary thing you put up every now and then to get all your photos taken.
  • Really good and thorough descriptions. I want to know how big something is (measurements in cm & inches) what itā€™s made from exactly (especially if itā€™s a fabric). If youā€™re asking Ā£50 for something for example I want to know why- thatā€™s a lot of money and I want to know Iā€™m getting something really good for that.
  • In terms of folksy I want either some good inspiration (not just- I fancied making this) Or I think leaving this section out altogether is better.
  • If there are a range of things, Iā€™d prefer categories. I may be looking for a cushion, so I donā€™t want to be trawling through other things as well- this isnā€™t usually a problem if the seller doesnā€™t have loads of items, but if you do Iā€™d categorise them.
  • Correct spelling, grammar and punctuation in all descriptions, titles and further correspondence.- This is a total turn off for me & a lot of other buyers.

This is what Iā€™m looking for when I buy something- whether it be on Folksy, Etsy, House of Frazer, it doesnā€™t matter to me.
I think we have to remember that buyers have very very high expectations these days- if they canā€™t get what they want from you, theyā€™ll be able to get it from someone else.

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10

Hello And thank you for all your comments which I will take on board .
I am not on any social media as I have only had an I pad for two years , still very much a leaner,
Also I agree my photographs do need to be better.

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11

Thank you for your thoughts when we have finished fitting our kitchen will get working on the bits and pieces.

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