Today I had another potential customer who told me she could find my shop in Folksy. She had typed it in the Search box, but hadn’t realised that you have to click the button that says ‘items’ so it changes to ‘shops’ - hardly suprising, as I think it’s not at all obvious!
Because she had told me, I was able to send her a direct link, because telling a customer ‘you weren’t clever enough to figure out how to use the site’ doesn’t seem a very good move! I wonder how many customer have tried it and moved on?
I raised this as a suggested improvement some time ago, but it’s only had one other vote! Hasn’t anyone else encountered this?
I had something similar happen a couple of years ago,
Now I use my shop name as one of my tags. I do this with a few items so when someone searches for my shop when the button says ‘items’ the ones tagged show up and I can be found.
Ok, I’ve just read this back to myself and the grammar is awful but hopefully you get the gist.
That’s a good plan. I’ve just been through and added ‘Thank you for visiting Helen Clifford Art’ to the bottom of all my descriptions, which has done the trick. (Must remember that when I get all excited by all those Views tomorrow morning!) I could have put it in the ‘designed by’ bit as well, I suppose. These are work arounds, though.
I totally agree that it isn’t obvious. My Mum couldn’t find my page on Folksy when I first started and she is hardly a novice when it comes to social media! Folksy does have a number of quirks that regular users know about but for a new customer don’t work intuitively and I think that’s a bad thing.
Unfortunately I don’t have any suggestions for improvements as I’m not a techie
Hi Helen,
I am new to Folksy ((2 weeks) and I am encountering the exact same problem, albeit I see this post is a good few years ago.
I’ve told friends and family and am having to tell them to click the item tab, change to shop so they can find me.
It’s not obvious to everyone you need to do this and my concern is, I’ve done so much work on my shop, but I’m simply not being found.
No sales whatsoever. My feedback is people can’t find me, unless they know about the item change to shop.
On Etsy you only have to put either items or shop in search bar and it comes up.
Surely Folksy could do this with their search bar. After all they need people to sell on their site, so why wouldn’t they make it easy for customers to find us.
Would like to raise this, but not sure who to and by the sounds of it, they haven’t done anything since you raised it Helen.
At this rate, I’m considering going over to Etsy, but really wanted to give Folksy a chance.
Any other Folksy shops having the same problem, feedback greatly appreciated.
Lynn
Forget me Not Crafts and Design
I notice you have no Social Media links at all. If you read some of the posts on here from people asking advice about how to get sales you will find that every single one tells you you really really need to promote yourself so people can find you. You are selling jewellery and there are A LOT of jewellery shops out there so you need to put in some promotional effort of your own to make your shop visible.
Hi Joy,
Thanks for your advice, I am in the process of setting up an instagram account, which I will link. I think this will help get me out there, but thanks for pointing it out.
I have today put my shop name today as tags, as someone else suggested and it’s worked for finding my shop, thankfully.
I’ve noticed if you put in handmade crochet earrings, in yahoo, mine do come up on Folksy.
I’m working really hard on it atm, hopefully another few weeks may see some action.
I will check out the wedding category you mentioned, as I thought I was in the jewellery category, so I’ll get in to that.
Thanks again Joy, really appreciate it. I will check your shop out also and favourite you, as it’s good for all of us Folksy sellers to support each other.
Lynn xx
Thanks Joy, great to talk to you, lovely friendly crowd on Folksy, glad to be part of it and will keep crafting, we are a passionate lot for sure.
Lynn xx
Good luck with your shop. xx.