Hi, I have been a member of Folksy for about 4 years now. The community is fantastic and very helpful. So I’m putting this out to you all for some help.
As we all know sales at the moment are not great so I was wondering what other platforms people used.
I was looking particularly at Numonday and Mademe. Basically because they only have small annual setup fee and sales transaction fee no commission. 
This would be an additional selling platform not a replacement 
Do NOT go near NuMonday or MadeMe. Because of their fee structure there is no incentive for the market place to even attempt to attract buyers and everyone I’ve ever come across mentioning them in forums has complained about how slow (non existent) sales have been on those platforms. Some have also complained about how hard it is to cancel the annual fee/ close their shops.
Have no experience of these ones but don’t imagine they get a lot of traffic.
I previously tried one that was completely fee free (nothing lost and all that) but there was no action at all - some might say you get what you pay for 
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It became too much hassle to maintain it (didn’t want to have to make additional products and have them languishing so had to remember to remove the ones that sell over here). I eventually just took the stock out of it.
I do hate to say it but Etsy is an alternative. It is big, impersonal and not much fun but does get sales results. I run both shops but my heart is very firmly with Folksy as you get a great community and lots of help to build your shop. If you do run two shops it means you need to be very careful you don’t put the same item on both and it is more work as well - I’m hoping that one day I will be able to just concentrate on Folksy. Other alternatives are high street galleries and Craft fairs but they can be expensive or take large commissions.
I think that all depends on what your ambition is for your shop. I wouldn’t use either of the two you mention, purely because from what I’ve seen they don’t try and sell the sites, so what hope of anyone seeing your shop.
For me personally I had a look at Etsy and I know a few people who have a shop there with similar items to mine and do much better over there, their fees are much bigger too, however, I much prefer the ethos here on Folksy, I love that it is purely for genuine handmade things, not mass produced, but with that comes a lot of self promotion from oneself and few sales.
If like me you do what you do because it’s a creative outlet that you love as opposed to a full on business where you want or need to make a living at it, then I am staying where I am here on Folksy and just doing local craft fairs (which seem to work much better for me), if on the other hand you do want or need to make a living at it then maybe the other side is the place to be.
As Fififoxi does you could try setting up a shop over there and see how you get on.
Thank you all for your thoughts and advice. I have a shop on E:nauseated_face:
y but nothing in at the moment. No sales previously so its dormant for now. I am in no way trying to make a living from my Art but its nice to see them go to a good home. I do fairly ok at markets and fairs when I go. I was just getting some feelers.
Thank you my Folksy friends. Keep persevering
I know of a few folk who sell their paintings successfully on eBay. Quite expensive commission wise, but does reach a large market.
They usually do a social media announcement when they are adding items and they usually get snapped up quite quickly.
Wouldn’t touch NuMonday with a barge pole. I don’t know about the other one.
Good point Deborah, I also know someone who uses eBay quite successfully.
I got put off eBay (not Paintedhorseart related stuff) when they changed the postage and made using Royal Mail difficult for me, their drop box for packlink is four miles away, my local PO is a five minute walk and eBay fees are ridiculously expensive now.
Having said that it might be worth a try @SoothingimagesbySteveWoods and see how you get on and as @DeborahJonesJewellery says you could post on your social when you list something.
Thanks. I’ve tried ebay but has say its expensive. I also have a Facebook shop and use Instagram.
I’ll just keep plodding along. I have a couple of Christmas markets coming soon so we’ll see what they do.
I use Etsy and get regular sales tho not huge… but it ticks along and keeps me making. I know their fees are seen as high… probably 10% these days and more if you get a sale through their advertising, which you only pay for if you get a sale. I don’t mind paying fees because I’m not going to do markets so my things wouldn’t be seen otherwise.
I also use Amazon Handmade UK. Slow but steady sales there too.
I’ve been on here for 12 months and only made 4 sales so not sure how long I’ll be staying as that is much lower than the other 2 platforms I use.
Interesting to hear views about the two selling sites. I have considered them both but never took the plunge. I love Folksy and even when it’s quiet wouldn’t want to shut up shop. I sell on both the E sites. Being on the auction site for years and I get most of my sales there. The other E site I tried last year as someone gave me a code for 25 free listings if I opened a new shop. I have more sales on there than here at Folksy but way below the amount I sell on Ebay. But selling is not my main income, I just want to be able make things and there is only so much space in one house!
I have just set up a shop with buyindie.co uk. It’s new and part of British Craft House but cheaper, £6 per month and no commission payable. I love Folksy and have been on Etsy in the past but I only want to support a UK company. Fortunately this is not my main income, cos if it was I wouldn’t survive😊
I second . Me too. Going to be excellent.
Little correction though …it isn’t part of TBCH. It is a completely separate platform .
I absolutely Love my Folksy shop and wouldnt dream of being without it, had a customer phone me just this evening asking about what is going to be a rather good suncatcher order 
and as the query came via Folksy the order will be put through Folksy … but things are not busy for any of us at the moment so the more strings to my bow the better.
I saw mention of BuyIndie for the first time yesterday. I wondered how it differs from British Craft House, might have a little look today.
Buyindie is created and run by the same lady as TBH and she does a sterling job of promotions so I’m glad to see she’s launched a cheaper platform for sellers. I had to leave TBH because of the fees which were too high for me to sustain along with all the other platforms I’m on. I really wanted to stay too as this lady does so much to promote and get the site out there. I may join this newer one as £60 a year fee is an affordable option.
She’s a very clever and passionate lady, it’s great to see her continued success.
If you register before the 31/10 you get your first month free plumporridge
Thanks for helpful tips!
Oh dear, buyindie looks fab, I tried to set up a shop there this morning but blimey, for a tech dinosaur like me it was just too much!