I am having one of those rollercoaster times when my enthusiasm for craft selling fluctuates between huge enthusiasm/new ideas/high motivation and crushing “what’s-the -point?” lows.
I’ve had a shop on Folksy ( https://folksy.com/shops/SilentCompanions ) for nearly 3 years but have never had more than a dribble of sales. I tweet, pin and use FB to promote my shop but seem to get minimal returns on my efforts. On my down days, I wonder if people just don’t like what I make.
I am reaching the point where I need to make a decision whether this is a viable pursuit for me as I really can’t afford for selling my makes to be just an expensive hobby. If I am going to continue, I need to raise my prices and commit yet more time to “making it work”. Otherwise, I am seriously considering closing my shops and giving up.
I would be really grateful if you could take a peek at my shop and give me your feedback. Thanks for reading,
Hi Kirsty! I have just had a look at your shop and I think your creations are lovely. I have favourited 2 of them (the daisy hair clip and the gingerbread man) so hopefully they will pop up on the Folksy front page in a minute or two.
I have just started my second year of my Folksy shop and have had no sales for nearly a year now despite promoting on FB, Twitter, etc, all the usual places. I’m afraid, therefore, that I can’t offer you any advice on improving sales because that is just what I need myself.
The only thing I have observed by watching other sellers is that it really helps to be on the front page. That makes sense because there are less buyers than crafters on the Folksy site and most online shoppers are lazy and don’t want to look at too many pages.
I wish I could be more upbeat but the description of what I do as “an expensive hobby” rings very true at the moment but I did just want to say that your stuff is as good as anyone else’s, even dare I say it as good as Folksy’s favourite children…
Photos seem a little dim on my monitor but otherwise nice, perhaps you could use some editing software to brighten them a little.
Your “dribble” is twice as big as mine on Folksy, but I sell in many other places too. Have you got all your eggs in one basket?
If you have to take a part-time job to subsidise your shop through the recession then so be it; even Tesco has bad times If making is what you really want to do, then don’t give up.
We are too new to offer any advice but can say we think you have a lovely shop. I think it must be down to lack of exposure as there is nothing wrong with your products. We have pinned your lovely personalised bear and liked your fb page. Not sure if it will help a big deal but it certainly cant hurt.
Agree with the whole expensive hobby thing but as Rose said if its your passion dont give up.
I think there’s something for everyone in your shop Kirsty. I like the bears! I have less than a dribble of sales but I do enjoy it so keep going. I’m not sure that that qualifies me to give advice really, but I think the variety in your shop is great and I think the prices are very reasonable - had you thought of increasing them a little? (I’m no expert in your kind of crafts though … so treat that with some caution!!) Would it be worth playing a little bit with the photos do you think?
If you enjoy it I’d keep going if I were you
Ali x
I like your shop. As far as dribble is concerned, I would hate to think what you would call mine, Lol!!
Just a suggestion. But have you thought of trying to connect with a mums type group, blogs etc? IG has a lot of blogger’s. Your bears would be this type of target market I think?
Hi Kirsty, this time of the year is more difficult to sell, people are spent out from December, also many have are still waiting for their wages having been paid earlier in December, hang in there sweetie, you have beautiful crafts and they will sell, stay positive, do what you can to get lots of views, also how about making some necklaces, I can see you make bracelet’s another idea is is turn a craft into some brooches, Jewellery sells !!!
I hope this is some help, I am new to Folksy, I Joined last week, I am looking forward to my first sale.
Hi I’ve just looked at your shop and agree with others there are some lovely things in it,I particuarly liked the bears and elephants.
I’ve been listing papercuts since Oct 2014 and have sold nothing yet, so I’m in no position to offer advice. I’ve recently started on Craftjuice and that does generate a few more views - are you on that? Anything to get more views is the answer, I think.
I think maybe you’ve just lost your mojo which is easy to do at this time of year, mine seems to have gone on holiday too! Sometimes I have a break from making and I find that helps, or I just have fun making things for myself and then I find the ideas flow more and new designs come along as a result.
I love your felt bracelets by the way
Thank you everyone for your words of encouragement. And thanks for the pins and likes! My enthusiasm for making hasn’t diminished too much (lots of new ideas in the pipeline) but my enthusiasm for selling (and marketing/promoting/listing/photographing/etc) has taken a bit of a hit!
Photos are definitely something to look into - most were taken before I moved from a very dark house (where the photos seemed to come out grey even with good lighting!!).
I do sell on one other site at the moment (although that site is even worse tbh!) but I struggle to manage listings of one-off items as I can’t list them on more than one site at once! Murphy’s Law says that item would sell on both at the same time I would like to do more ‘in-person’ selling but I’m struggling to find fairs/markets that attract the right type of customers.
I will look at raising my prices - I had to stop listing my miniature bears as I reached a point where I couldn’t bear (sorry! ) to part with them for the price I had them listed, but wasn’t brave enough to ask a higher price. Craftjuice sounds like a good idea, will look into that too!!
It’s good to have so many lovely people on here to help me see things differently!
I agree with the others, your photos need brightening. You can do it in one click using free software eg picasso. I personally use coral paintshop pro, and very quickly turned this (which for some reason won’t load)
I love your shop ,January is a tough time a lot of people spent to much at christmas as I did, hope things pick up soon, don’t give up you make lovely things I do love the elephants they are so cute x
Iv just had a look at you lovely items.
They are so nice. Iv marked your shop as a favourite.
I think it’s like people say January is always a rubbish month. No one has any money.
I know iv only sold one item on here (fingers crossed things get better)
But I also do Alot of stalls.
Try the website I put in my first post
If you do want to do in person selling. (www.stallfinder.co.uk)
I would try also mother an toddler groups my local one let’s me set up a stall for the mum’s. You would do brilliant at something like.that and then you could give out cards or.something.
Have you been on mumsnet. That would be a brilliant place too.
I hope any.of this helps.
I’m sure things will pick up. Iv just sent afew of my friends a link to your folksy page too.
I think the items you make are lovely, especially the elephants. My sales on here aren’t great despite the fact that I do all the same promoting as you. Craftori is another site worth looking at. I haven’t had many views from it but don’t have much listed. One of the other threads on here is about Craftori and the seller who started the thread get lots of views from it, hence the reason I am going to start putting more items on there. I am too hoping that once January is over the sales will start coming in, even if its only a dribble !!!
I think your items are gorgeous ans have fave’d your shop, I have a new great nephew so will be looking for cuddly toys I’m sure. Like the lady above I also think the only thing is maybe your pics could pop a little more, it;s the thing I struggle with continually. My shop is quite new here and I;ve yet to have a single sale but have sold elsewhere for a while now, I popped your Ellie into PicMonkey which is so simple to use and just did simple brightening, you can do a lot more.
Don’t be disheartened, I too am trying not to panic lol…it is January after all and you have a fantastic product!
I agree with the photo thing and as I can’t sell anything on here for toffee have no advice re sales. I run British Crafters, don’t think I have seen you over there? https://www.facebook.com/BritishCrafters and have scheduled one of your flowery items to come on tomorrow onto the page. Do pop over & say hello!
PS - It is January and I expect most people are quieter than normal
If making is what you really want to do, then don’t give up.
I would like to do more ‘in-person’ selling but I’m struggling to find fairs/markets that attract the right type of customers.
