Do you list the same physical item in both shops, or is it essential to have separate stock for each?
I’m in a bit of a catch 22 situation, I don’t have a bottomless financial pit to keep creating items, but unless I am doing that I have no interest in my shop at all, and nothing to promote. I haven’t made anything new for a fortnight now. Not everything I make reaches my required standard for a shop either.
This is my only income as I’m at home looking after the small holding while my husband works. And I’m starting to feel bad he’s working overtime each weekend so I can get metal and tools, when all I appear to have done is alert half the crafters in the Northern hemisphere to what I’m doing, rather than break out of that marketplace. I feel I’m letting him down, and I may have to eat my words on ethics and integrity and give Etsy another go as well because we can’t carry on this way, it’s not sustainable.
I only have my Folksy shop now, but when I was selling through my own website as well, I kept the stock separate e.g I would have 5 packs of item 1 on Folksy and another 6 packs on my website. Keeping the stock up to date was a bit confusing as it was separate on paper but not in reality.
I love your red enameled heart ear rings, by the way.
Good luck with your shop.
Emma @TheHawthornHeart
I list in two places - on here and on E*tsy.
Same stock in both shops even the one of a kind items.
BUT and it’s a big but - you need to be able to delist an item quickly if it sells on one site and you can’t repeat it.
I receive my emails on my phone so I always know asap if something has sold.
Overnight would probably be the main time when I might come unstuck.
I have been selling this way for over three years now and have never had a problem.
Should a problem happen, then I would email the second buyer and apologise, explain the position and offer them an immediate refund.
Or they could choose something else and I would probably discount the postage for them or something similar.
I do keep a rolling stock record of my items and how many I have of each.
I am very strict about taking something off my stock list if it sells and I take the list with me when I go out.
I have 3 places where I sell my items but I never list an item in all 3 places unless I can produce another one. I’ve never had a problem where one item has sold at the same time in all 3 places.
I have 2 shops on here, and one on Etsy, and I make sure I don;t list any item in more than one shop, simply because I am too forgetful about remembering to hide an item if it sells elsewhere LOL!
I have 2 shops on here and 2 on Etsy. My applique shops each have separate stock, there might be items the same on both but they are duplicate I don’t think I could manage those any other way as I have too many listings. In the other two shops some of the things I list twice mainly the knitted baby clothes they don’t sell as quick and like Shirley I delist or hide an item when it sells, but you really have to keep your eye on the ball and I am constantly checking and rechecking my stock!
Rosalind x
I’m on here, Etsy and have my website and I list one of a kind items on all 3 at the same time. I have a bit in my blurb that explains it’s a first come first served thing. But I realise that probably wouldn’t have been read so like Shirley I’d be prepared to apologise profusely and offer a discount on another item if I really have no way of replicating the item, or an immediate refund.
And also like Shirley I’ve done this for 3 years and it’s not happened yet, and the only time I’m not really ‘around’ to delist items if they sell on one of the sites is overnight. But almost without fail I have sold international overnight orders on Etsy, I’ve only ever had one here in the whole 3 years, so there’s quite a slim chance that the one off item will be found anywhere else by an international buyer.
In the end I suppose it all depends on the amount of sales you get, and if you can ‘man’ your shops quite regularly. If you’re getting 5 or 10 sales a day, but you can only get onto your computer once an hour, there’s a greater possibility of a double sale than if you only sell 1 or 2 items a day and you have prcatically instant access to your sites when a sale happens.
Hi Emma
I have two shops one here and one on etsy and have the same items. Sadly I have decided not to relist any more item in my folksy shop as I have not sold anything for months. My etsy shop although slow is still making sales here and there so I am focusing on that ) good luck
I have three places (online) where I sell my paintings but they are only listed in one place at a time…if they don’t sell here, then they go to one of the other shops and those that don’t sell there come here…and I just keep moving them around until they sell.
Most of my items are one-of-a-kind, but I take the risk and list the same stock on Folksy and elsewhere. I do have to keep an eye open and de-list items every time they sell elsewhere. So far, so good, I haven’t had any problems, but obviously, it is a risk and I must be prepared to cope if an item sells in two different shops at the same time!
I do put my shops in holiday mode when I go away anywhere where I won’t have internet access, so there is no risk of my missing a double-sale like this while I’m away.
In the end, it’s a risk and not perhaps the best “business sense”, but I can’t make enough books to keep my shops stocked individually with enough good quality items, plus I don’t have a high turnover, so this is my choice.
I would obviously recommend that others consider very carefully before doing the same, it’s not the most sensible choice and could bring you problems.
Hello Emma,
I have 3 online shops (here, Etsy & my own website) and have the same ‘one off’ items listed on all three. As has previously been mentioned it’s doable if you can stay on top of orders and stock management. I’ve been working this way for a couple of years now and so far have not come unstuck with duplicate orders but I am always quick to remove something when it sells elsewhere. I must admit a smart phone and tablet have been invaluable for this. I’ve even been to events with all my stock and kept my online shops open. It was great to be able to do this last year in Nov/Dec but needed help from hubby and a good internet connection at the venue to keep on top of it.
I agree with Lizzie, I don’t think you have anything to worry about with your work, it’s lovely.
Bobble…what a lovely name for a sheep
We keep sheep too (southdowns) fortunately they have only destroyed food buckets and fences in their moments of over excitement and always in pursuit of food.
I like copper jewellery but unfortunately it doesn’t like me and my skin reacts badly but my sister can wear it and much prefers it to silver. I’ve sent her a link to your shop.
definitely no crap items in your shop! just need the right audience which I know is very difficult. I have a website but I haven’t paid it any attention for a long time, I used to sell beaded jewellery on there, but mostly sold at coffee mornings over Christmas which generated quite a large chunk of money, I still do these as it’s great for Christmas expenses and buying more equipment! (I’ve bought a sizzix big shot by the way, good recommendation ) I always found it difficult to generate sales through my website. So anyway im saying goodbye to it this year, and just sticking with Folksy, I don’t think I could cope with another selling platform, maybe if I didn’t work, I would. Folksy and facebooking etc keeps me busy enough, I’d get in a right mess if I had another shop I hope you find a way of getting your lovely work out there to the right people :o)
@WashedandFound Suzanne, perhaps you could change your website, so it showed a portfolio of work and had a link to your Folksy shop? Then you haven’t lost it, should you need to wake it up again in the future…
you have just reminded me that I do actually have a free weebly site that is a gallery of past work, (I really do have a mind like a sieve!!) I should really update that. The other one I pay for, so it’s time to let it go, it served it purpose - I think im ready to say good bye :o)
) good luck
:o)