I think the Forum Police must all be on holiday! Otherwise we would have been roundly told off for being “negative” (or telling it like it is, in other words)… 
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I’m sure they will be on soon with some statistics to cheer us up! I don’t usually like contributing to any negative threads but find this situation really frustrating. I’ve really enjoyed the Folksy experience but it just obviously isn’t working for me anymore!
I don’t think they are on holiday. I’d never had one of my items on the front page (other than when newly listed or once on the pinterest section that others curate). One of my beaded bracelets appeared on the front page the day after I started this thread. I’m sure that’s just a coincidence though.
I have been on Folksy since Jan 2010 and used to average 15 sales a month. July 2014 is the first time since then I have taken so little that I have not had to pay my Folksy bill.
I am busy elsewhere though and my Etsy UK sales are good now - where as back in 2010/11/12 they were all the the USA so I do wonder if Etsy have cornered that part of the market in the UK?
I have loved being on Folksy and promote it in preference to Etsy on Twitter etc but with 1 or no sales a month there has to come a point where it is not going to be worth putting much more energy into it.
You can jolly up posts or give super positive statistics galore but clearly there is an issue if shops that have sold really well just don’t sell on here anymore! I used to be found via Google mainly and my thinking is that with all the changes to the site in the last year or so I just seem to have vanished. Organic shop visitors are under 10 a day.
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My heart’s with Folksy. Their ethos fits with mine, the fact it’s a British site and, bar supplies, everything is handmade and/or crafted. It also means it’s a niche market because of that. When I promote I promote my shop here rather than my FB page or even my own website!
So for the moment I’m staying put and promoting all over, although at some point I’ll have to take a review if things haven’t picked up after Christmas just from a business POV.
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Same here too I’m afraid Dottie @dottiedesigns.
Something has gone wrong somewhere.
Shirley x
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I went in to a fabric shop the other day and was telling them about my shop on Folksy. They had never heard of it, but had heard of Etsy. I gave them one of my cards with my web address, which links straight to Folksy, and asked her to spread the word.
It’s the same all over. I haven’t spoken to anyone yet that has heard of Folksy! (other than on here)
Kim
x
I’m wondering if it’s linked in some way to the introduction of the plus account.
The upfront fee is a guaranteed income for Folksy - if sales are slow, no-one is going to walk away when they have paid upfront for a year - likewise, when it comes to renewal it is difficult to not renew ‘‘just incase,’’ which maybe leads to complacency.
It has also led to shops relisting their entire stock in one go, on a daily basis - I’m no technical whizz, but maybe this is clogging up the search engines?
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@Deborah, I totally agree with everything you say, you nailed it!!!
You know I would say at the beginning of this year when I appeared on the Folksy blog “best sellers” of the year I initially thought how amazing!! Those thoughts didn’t last so long, I now view this as my personal downfall tying in with Deborahs comments!!
@Dottiedesigns sorry to hear about your lack of sales… but what you do on the other front I think is amazing!!
Off topic but can anyone help me understand how you get the clickable link to your shop after your name??
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I think you’re right about Etsy Dottiedesigns, people in the public just don’t seem to know about Folksy but have usually heard of Etsy. It’s a shame!
Lana, if you log out of the forum (click on your avatar, top right) then log back in, your shop link should appear…
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hehe Thankyou Christine:))
Silly me thought it was some kind of badge of merit!!!
I’ve been looking at NOTHS, their information pages state 50,000 items for sale from over 3,000 designers, is there anyone on here who is also on NOTHS. I might not be looking at the correct info, as Folksy has 6,000 designer/sellers. Marg. x
Recently applied to NOTHS but wasn’t accepted but. to be honest I wasn’t so bothered. If you are lucky enough to be accepted I think a good opportunity for many sales as they are so choosy about the shops they accept you can be assured that there is very little cross-over with products. They are careful to choose shops that dont sell similar products. Reason to expect many sales!! Good luck if you are accepted…
Never purchased anything there myself!! but indeed everyone has heard of it!!
Thanks Lana! Yes, it is amazing lol! xx
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How things have turned around. Folksy was always good for me and there were lots of times I was on the top sellers list. This month I have had one sale.
Its very sad 
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It is sad Valerie @valerie - I thought it was just me, but so many of us who used to do well on here are struggling to even get views these days
Shirley x
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I’m sure I’ll be paying you a visit soon Dottie…
with regard to shops selling similar items as mentioned in past posts. I must say I am getting rather irked with this recently… Seems to me a lot of these shops are enjoying their own pie, they sell their own design of jewellery yet they also want a piece of other peoples pies!! There’s no escaping it!!
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I know exactly where you are coming from 
This is such a disheartening thing when you try to make items to sell and no one looks at your page. I have had three sales which were close together and that’s my lot. I do think it’s true that too many shops selling the same items.