Hi Everyone,
I sell original character art through my folksy shop…
Not had any sales since February 2025.
I am also promoting on six social media sites, every day. No idea where I am going wrong, or what to do next, except close my shop down.
Positive Feedback Would Be Much Appreciated.
Don’t even feel like creating anymore…
Sally-Anne.
Hi.
It is always sad to see someone contemplating closing due to lack of sales. But after a quick look at your shop I am sure there are lots of tweaks that might help.
My first observation was that you only have one collection, jewellery boxes. What about the rest of your items?
Then I clicked on one item at random, this one
There were no tags! Make sure you use all 15 tags with words or phrases people might use to search.
The description starts by talking about you and your shop - the description needs to be describing that particular item. What it is, how itcould be used, how it was made, size etc.
There may be other things after a longer look, this was just after a first glance.
Hang on in there, make some adjustments, and see how it goes.
Hi Sally-Anne, you need to make sure you shop is optimised for the Folksy search. Your item descriptions need to explain the product is and you need to use the tags to help the Folksy platform algorithm find your products depending on what buyers are typing into the search bar. Their keywords and your tags need to match up for your products to be shown.
I had a quick look at your Instagram and can see you are posting regularly but the captions don’t tell me why I should buy from you or how to buy. You need to share more about your story, why you create the lovely pieces that you do, why they would make a good gift or as a collectable art piece.
Folksy do a lot of promotion with the Themes of the Day as Folksy Friday’s which are a great way to get more involved on social media.
I would suggest taking some time to read the Folksy blog and seller tips and advice for making the most of your Folksy shop.
Hi,
I don’t have any real feedback, but maybe just knowing there are others who feel like you helps?
I know how you feel. I’m on a few websites, I’ve been on one for a long time and had sales but nothing that’s anywhere near regular. i’m always super happy when someone buys something and I didn’t go into selling thinking I was going to make loads of money but I hoped a bit of pocket money at least.
It’s really disheartening and does make you feel like you lose that spark to create.
I’m very new on Folksy, I knew it would be harder to drive people here to get sales but I thought it was worth a shot and I’m just not getting anywhere.
I try not to be jealous of other sellers, I still love what I do but I see on websites that people are doing so well with cross stitch and it just makes me feel I just don’t have that something that means people rarely want to spend money on my things.
I try to plod on, I keep designing and enjoy the process and hope that sales begin again.
Maybe just take a breather, create for the enjoyment without a real purpose and maybe come back after a bit of time out.
Claire x
I too picked one of your items at random (link below) This one says that the drawing is available in various sizes. You don’t say what they are, there is no indication of the size of this particular item, or a drop down variation list to enable a shopper to choose a size.
I’m afraid online buyers really do need spoonfeeding, so you have to give as much information as possible.
You could perhaps also add extra photos to show the scale of the item.
As others have said, you need to use tags to make your items searchable.
Speaking as a fellow artist, art is a tough sell at the moment, so you have to use as many tools as possible: photos, tags, accurate descriptions.
I would make some tweaks before throwing in the towel and I wish you luck.
I see you have been given all this advise already!
Thank You. 
Yes. This was BEFORE I changed my business name…
Same advise applies, whatever your business name!! Still need individual descriptions that describe each article. Still need tags …
I second the comments above. The listings tell me nothing about what the item is.
As a fellow artist I know how hard it is to sell art but as the others have said…you have no tags.
So if as a fellow fairy lover, I searched for fairy or fairies, I wouldn’t be able to find your shop.
Tags could be, art, fairy, fairies, original art, hand painted, fantasy ,cute, gift, collectable…etc…you can have 15 in all . Also the themes of the day… find themes that fit and add the given tag to all your items that apply. I spend quite a lot of time each day, specifically devoted to coming onto the forums, chatting making friends and getting to know people. That way when someone wants some art, they might remember your name and see if you have anything suitable.
Are your items on card? Paper? canvas? canvas board,?,…are they ready to hang.?..are they signed on the back?..etc …etc…You have to remember that people can only see photos of them and need to know this information.
There are even some simple games on the forums, just good fun but you get seen.
Art does sell but you need to work at it…I have currently sold 2181 paintings…so you can do it as well.xx
The first thing that struck me were your photos. One photo set against a greyish background won’t be very appealing to someone who’s looking for say, home or wall decor. I know some people are dead against it but using AI to enhance your photos is the way forwards IMO. This doesn’t mean that you must use it so it changes the look of your art but more to enhance it and put into settings that appeal to people or give them ideas of how they might use your artwork. You can state that AI has been used for some photos. I do it all the time and it doesn’t seem to affect sales. In fact, I find that it actually helps.
You don’t say exactly what size your work is, or whether you do sizes to order. But the below gives you an example of how to use AI to show potential buyers how it might look framed and hanging on a wall.
Hi, I feel the exact same, I’ve been on Folksy for 3 years and I’ve sold not one thing apart from to my sister and one item to a friend of a relative. I feel there’s no point, I’m making things and they’re just getting stored away in boxes. I’m considering closing my shop too at the end of this year if it continues like this. Really saddens me because it’s such a joy to make the items.
I use the full compliment of tags, I’ve redone a lot of the photos and really improved them, I’ve redone items titles and descriptions, tagged to the Theme of the day, still to no avail. I don’t know what the solution is but I know how you feel..
In light of this can anyone advise where I’m falling short or any advice to improve things…?
That’s a shame @HappyHedgehogShop your photos are really good, all tags etc used.
Do you use social media regularly? I had a glance on instagram and your posts seemed weeks or even months apart. Perhaps have more online presence as we really do have to do our own promotion on Folksy even if it’s just once a week just to show people what you are making and remind them you are there as It’s a shame when you have done so much work on your photos and listings to close shop.
Thank you Debby. It has been sporadic on Instagram for some time but, again, I was disheartened by the effort put in for total lack of any return (lovely comments which are always a boost but nothing comes of it). I’ve signed up to the Market for Kindness on Facebook which I heard of through the June Daily Listing Challenge and, although it’s early days, a week into the market and nothing and yet other sellers seem to love the market because they get plenty of sales through it. I’m doing the market this month and there’s another one in November and following that if nothing changes I thought it might be better to just close up because it’s getting embarrassing when family & friends ask how it’s going and ‘are you selling plenty’, my reply is always a ‘nope!’ nada enchilada 
Good luck with the market but do try and post regularly on socials, it really is the only way anyone will find you. To begin with it might be slow but hopefully people would get to know you and your products if you posted more. I can understand though how it must become disheartening, hope it picks up.,
Did you know your FB link doesn’t work.
Also can I suggest two things as your work is great and no reason for it not to sell.
You have I think 35 collections. A customer can’t buy from a collection so to get to your clickable listings they already have to scroll past 12 or 6 lines ( phone / laptop).
I find that very off putting and rarely bother scrolling shops where the listings are pushed so far down. Far more important to get the customer within ordering distance quickly than showing how many types of things you sell.
Your listing titles will not work well I think with either Google or the Folksy search. The important keyword of earrings in the one I checked had about 7 words before it colour and pearl etc.
You need your Keywords first, description after.
You have such a lovely shop x
Thanks again Debby 
Awh thank you Claire
