I know there are often sellers who have two items featured, sometimes sellers with 3 items featured…but in this collection there are sellers who have 4 or 5 items featured! And quite a few sellers have a lot of featured items, not just one or two.
Think how many different shops could be featured in these collections if there were a limit of 2 items per shop! (Even better, just 1 item per shop…)
I do like the collections, but it’s getting a bit boring looking at them and seeing the same sellers over and over again. I’m lucky enough to have been included a couple of times, but there are sooo many shops on here that never seem to get featured.
I don;t think my face ever fits…which is a shame as I have been here for over 4 years . I know there are over 22,000 shops (so admin tell me) and I appreciate that it is difficult to give everyone a turn , but if some are getting 4 or 5 features, I have to agree that it does seem to be a bit unfair. …I live in hope…lol
I have to confess I rarely - if ever - look at them anymore. The last time I did take a browse through them, I saw the same items and sellers cropping up in several of the collections and in the Folksy favourites too. It all got a bit boring and I haven’t been back since.
Hi Sara, I’ve mentioned this before, about the features been very ‘samey’ and just following current trends. Craft and art is a lot do with individuality and not just about following these trends. I’ve always thought there’s a lot of shops on folksy goes un-noticed but just as deserving.
The same goes for the front page/pinterest boards.
Steph
It all starts to look a little sloppy and lacking in any originality.
Such a shame when there are so many talented sellers on this site with great items that could do with that little extra promotion. Have to say if I was new to the site and flicked through the guides I would be under the impression that there isn’t a great deal to choose from on here what with the same things - in different colours and the same shops coming up again and again.
Surely in the spirit of fairness then one item each is sufficient?
I do hope that Folksy won’t go the same way as Luulla… I signed up for Luulla when it was new, fresh and funky. There was a good mix of interesting and eclectic handmade items. However, they allowed mass-produced items and have gone all out for the money. I don’t want to sell there any more - it’s boring and full of same-old-same-old mass-made items. If you don’t have loads of items in your shop, they don’t want to know you - and you can only have loads of items if they’re all cheap and quick to make and/or, they are made by machine (or sweat-shop!). They have gone for the trendy and fashionable things - different is not good at Luulla.
I really hope Folksy will continue to actively pursue the “different”, “unusual”, “real hand made” and “real art” things. There is a definite marked for these things and I’m proud to involve myself, and my business, with such people. I don’t want any more to do with Luulla - they have sold out and I’m disgusted with them.
And yes, I agree that more sellers need their opportunity to get their items seen. If they have clear and attractive photos, then they should qualify to have items shown in relevant showcases. It’s just lazy to select the items from a small number of shops and not take time to find a good mix of stuff, from a good spread of businesses. After all, we all pay our way!
It does seem a lot of us are thinking along the same lines, and it’s a subject that’s been mentioned before by quite a few sellers apparently, just hope folksy take note!! @LizzieMade have to agree with you there Lizzie, we do all pay the same!!
I also rarely look at the front page collections anymore, for many of the reasons stated in above postings.
The same sellers featured over and over and then multiple items from the same sellers in one collection.
I don’t feel it’s particulary varied or representative of Folksy as a whole.
One reason continually given is that photography has to be fantastic - which I would agree with in principal if I didn’t also see photographs in collections with poor lighting, shadowing and cluttered backgrounds.
I’m sure a couple of months ago there were a few weeks when the front page was looking really varied and fresh, but it seems to have reverted back to formulaic again.
@sianfolksy1@Folksycontent@uxtest Sian, Camilla, James, there are some very valid points being made here - perhaps you could think about changing your approach when choosing collections?
I totally concur with al the above comments - like Margaret and many others, I just dont go to the front page any more, its quite frankly boring with capital B
I dont want to knock anyone featured on the front page. I think Ive only ever had my work on there once years back,so Im probably just jealous, but I have noticed that the style of th e photo is very similar, almost catalogue like, plain crisp background, all very stylish.
I understand items need to sell and photos obviously help the sale but what about us with no photography budget and access to their dads camera at best.
I had an item on the front page yesterday but that was on the pinterest board bit but I do agree about the collections - just had a look at the adorn one and it is quite samey - not very colourful but maybe it’s just not my style. I don’t tend to follow trends that much, I go with what I like.
I 'm sure when talk folksy took over from the old seller forums that Admin said they’d be more '‘viisible’'
It would be nice to have some feedback from admin to some of the points raised in this topic.
Well I currently have 3 items in 4 collections but in admin’s defence, they didn’t put them there … I did, including the one in adorn:)
Oh they put something in each of those collections a way long time ago but the Father’s Day, Bloom and Gifts for Gardeners collections are well over a year old and just get cycled onto the front page every once in a while, adorn has been doing the rounds since before xmas. I’m sure admin do sometimes add new items to the collections but I’m also sure that a lot of them are items that can be restocked or listing urls that sellers, like me, use again for similar items to get the benefit of the collection tie in, I do try to pick items that I think fit with what’s already in there but I’ll be swapping items that aren’t pulling views out for something else to make the best of it too. I think not restocking or reusing a url that has at one time been included in a collection is a bit daft and wasting a perfectly good opportunity. They don’t generate a lot of views, but you only need the one and touches wood each item I’ve had included in a collection has sold, although as I say it never does generate a flood of views so if you don’t check them all regularly you may never have any other way of knowing if one of your items has been included.
As far as photos go, mine certainly aren’t the best but they do get picked for collections/folksy favs etc from time to time and I try to use my best photos when reusing old urls for new items. My photography budget is paltry …
one sheet of ply scrounged (with permission) from a skip and painted white with leftovers from home deco - free, one cardboard box with tinfoil taped to the backside - pence for the foil, one tripod - a fiver on fleabay, one nikon S3200 - about £50 atm, a window - came with the house … and tons and tons and tons of time taking tons and tons and tons of photos and a whole heap of luck that there are 4 or 5 decent ones in amongst them … and the patience not to make do with the crap ones and try again tomorrow. Admin did say a while back that cut outs aren’t their thing, shadows and shading and props and stuff in the background (so long as it isn’t dishes or grundies on the line) are their thing. Quirky photos, something a bit different, a bit off centre often get picked by some members of admin.
Photography is like everything else in the world, part with your cash or part with your time for a decent result, the money I don’t have, the time I can make.
I’m redder than a deep shade of beetroot here! Thank you so much that is such a lovely compliment. I haven’t done much illustration lately but being on here around other artists who really enjoy creating is giving me itchy fingers
