AAA Cafe' Daily Chat 01/21/2015

[NaturalClocks]

Welcome to new members, welcome back to returning teammates! If this is your first time here - this is a place to ask questions, share your most embarrassing secrets, or just chat about the slow and boring bits of your day…we want to hear from you!!

Be sure to check out the discussion board. There are games to be played and threads to explore. The more you promote your fellow team mates, the more you get promoted, so be sure to participate on a daily basis. Check out our blog and our Facebook page, as well as the other links provided below.

IMPORTANT LINKS:
* Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/301427606658253/
* Etsy Calculator: salecalc.com/etsy
* Etsyology: www.etsyology.net/
♥ Online Photo Programs: fotoflexer.com/ or www.picmonkey.com/
treasurypin.com./ and editor.pho.to/
arwmedia.net/tools/pixlr_express.php
* Etsy Craft Tools: www.mycrafttools.com/
* Etsy Gadget: www.estygadget.com
* Craftopolis -Edit multiple listings: www.craftopolis.com/#com=ee
* Etsy Banner Maker: bannerfans.com/banner_maker.php?bnew=1&pses=1a256d05
* Craftcount - craftcount.com/teritory.php
* Google+ tutorials blog.kissmetrics.com/personal-google-plus-account/ and moz.com/blog/tips-to-use-google-for-s
* Chrome Treasury Box: brittanysbest.com/treasurybox-chrome-extension/
* Google+ information plus.google.com/communities/112658132414010568954
* Etsy team page: www.etsy.com/pages/aaasupport
* Check your keyword relevancy in search: www.tools4etsy.com/Wall-e/Relevancy/Keyword
* 50 Reasons you're not getting Etsy Sales: www.handmadeology.com/50-reasons-youre-not-getting-etsy-sales/

Please don't forget to post in the AAA Support Team thread in the promo forum :)) www.etsy.com/uk/teams/21915/promos/discuss/15267796/

Good morning team!

It was snowing nicely last night, but it has either rained a bit or the temperatures have gone up in the meantime, as there isn't much snow left on the ground. I'm flying to Italy on Monday for a week's holiday, so roads, rails and airports have better be clear then! It'd be highly ironic if my desire for snow backfired on me and disrupted my travels LOL!

First of all it looks like there are some news regarding digital downloads and EU VAT rules. No official announcement has been made in the Announcements section of the forum, but some sellers have found this blog and posted the link in the main thread they've got going on the subject: https://blog.etsy.com/en/2015/update-european-union-rules-on-digital-item-sales/ . At the moment that only covers sellers inside of the EU, and as previously indicated by many sellers that did a bit of research, Etsy is indeed responsible for collecting the VAT and they will be doing so for all EU transactions. They are still working on the best way forward for non EU sellers, so hopefully there will be further news soon.

Ok, the next big occasion is Valentine's Day. Mary wrote the other day that the money spent for Valentine's Day total a staggering $13.6 billion! Gulp! Do you have any Valentine's related items in your shop? Have you benefited in the past? Again, I'm not sure that a clock is what somebody would buy to give a loved one (there again, love is supposed to last all year around, right?! lol), but I've got 2 that could be quite relevant, one with hearts in fabric and a metal plaque that I listed last night that says Love Is All You Need. I didn't even think of Valentine's Day when I bought it, the idea only came up yesterday when I was listing it. It can't hurt to put a tag on it, can it?

Have a great day everybody!

[NaturalClocks]

This is the metal plaque clock https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/219328983/metal-wall-clock-recycled-upcycled?ref=shop_home_active_1

[NaturalClocks]

CherryPicks wrote this in yesterday's chat: "I saw the specialist today. Prognosis -- Possible Brain Tumor or Ménière's disease. If tumor it will be benign. MRI is being scheduled."

I'm sure that you will all join me in offering Cherry best wishes, positive thoughts and prayers. Please keep us updated Cherry. Big hugs.

[Former_Member]

That is a great clock!

I have no valentine related items, I must say that it is not a holiday that interests me a lot, and that is probably the reason why. From a business owner perspective it is not a very clever one though :p

[Former_Member]

Good morning, team.

Cherry, I said this yesterday but I'll say it again today. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Please let us know what the MRI results are. God and Goddess bless you.

I have five items for Valentine's Day, all of them heart-themed. But like you, Val, I don't expect totes are high on anyone's list for a Valentine's Day gift, lol. So I label the totes as friendship gifts.

Downloading more designs today. These are also astrological designs, but this time it's the astronomical constellation of each sign, superimposed over a drawing of the critter associated with the sign. These will add 12 more designs to my shop. I hope to start embroidering these in early February.

Have a great day, everybody.

[Former_Member]

I could definitely see someone buying their loved one a clock val! The ones that you listed sound perfect!

Best wishes for Cherry, hope to hear good new from her!

Alanna, I could definitely see someone using a cute tote to package a larger gift while also being environmentally friendly, have you thought to maybe add a gift bag tag to some of your listings?

[Former_Member]

As for myself, guys never buy their girlfriends skirts or bandeaus, so I don't see any valentines business for myself, though I think I may put up a discount code for 10% off or something just cause! I know I have been absent from chat forever and please forgive me! I have been full of family issues to deal with which seem never ending. But I will do my best to come in here more often!! Hope you all have a great day!!

[ItsSewYouDear]

Good morning team!

Charity, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Whatever it is, I wish you a quick and speedy recovery. Keep us updated.

Val, I love your new clock!

I have had heart shaped pouches in my shop pretty much since I opened-or soon after- last year. They never really sold well, I sold one here and there, until this month, I think I sold 6 of them in the last 2 weeks. I am running low on them, so I think I'll make a few more today and list them and see how it goes. Selling on Etsy is so unpredictable, I never really know what sells and what doesn't! To me when I think of Valentine's, I think of jewelry. cards, candy and flowers, but personally, I won't mind a clock or a tote :) so who knows?

My dishwasher (that is 9 months old I may add) gave out last week and won't work, so I am expecting a repair guy today. Yay for me (sarcasm). Hope he fixes it. Meanwhile, I need to take care of some orders and hopefully make a few new items.

Happy Wednesday all!

[CherryPicks]

Thank you everyone for your support. I appreciate the fact that we all care about each other on this team and can look to each other for comfort when it is needed.

LOVE the clock Val! Big Beatles fan!

I have some "amor" items in my shop. If a person thinks outside the box then I have a few Valentine's Day items.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

[COLDHAMCUDDLIES]

I've sold a couple of Toys for Valentine's, notably the Baby Koalas, but I really don't go big for that particular "celebration". Beginning to gear myself and the Shop up for Easter specifically, and think I may have another Craft Bazaar in that time frame too.

All the best Charity - you've been added to my prayer list, so keep us posted as to proceedings along the way. Benign or not, if it has to come out or be zapped, it's going to be a difficult time for you. Will be thinking positive thoughts for you.

Snowing again - hasn't really stopped all day, but it's not leaving too much of a covering thank goodness. Some kind soul is presently scraping pathways for us from the respective front doors of the four blocks of flats in the complex. Definitely an improvement on the Boxing Day fiasco. Managed to get to and from the Post Office to get my paper, send off the twin Sleepy Koala and then picked up one of my neighbour's papers. I'd forbidden her to step outside if there was any snow on the ground - fortunately she decided to do as she was told! A "victory" for common sense, if nothing else.

What's happening to Blake, while you're away Val? Is he staying at home and someone coming in to feed him, or will you put him in a kennel or allow him to visit a neighbour to have his own little holiday?

Right - must away to see what's happening in the rest of Etsy.

[Former_Member]

CherryPicks, all good wishes for a speedy resolution, big hug to you.

Val, the clock rocks, I hope it flies off the shelf very soon.

No snow here Isobel, stay safe :)

[Former_Member]

Cherry - My thoughts and prayers are with you as well. I hope they can find out what is going on and be able to help you through it. My wife also has vertigo but not at all to the extent that you do. I wish you the best.

I have not had time to make Valentine's items yet for my shop. I have been so terribly busy with my taxes right now trying to work through them. I do have a few new items I have been working on though.

Val - That is a great clock I am sure it will go quickly.

Have a great day!

[Former_Member]

I'm thinking anything can be a valentines gift, so I'm tagging stuff with valentines gift. Who knows what someone's beloved might dig?

Cherry--sending light and agape. Rescue remedy may be of assistance with some of the potentially freaky thoughts that might be running around in your head.

[Viyoli]

Good evening Great team.

Cherry, best wishes, hope to hear good news, you must have positive thoughts and prayers. You are in my thoughts and prayers all the time.
Big hug!!!!!
Val love the clock, great idea, Maybe you can add more tags of Valentine. its help. wishing you a great vacation enjoy, where are you planing to be?

I have gemstone harts necklaces, and some necklaces that have the meaning of love.
wishing you all a great day!!!

[NaturalClocks]

Hey Bekka! Lovely to see you again! Hope it's all going ok for you now.

Thank you everybody for the love given to the love clock lol!

I know Aisha, I've never been one to celebrate Valentine's Day. I suppose that the first couple of years Paul and I made a bit of an effort, then we realised what a con it was LOL.

Blake will go to his dog sitter Jane, Isobel. Oh no, I wouldn't leave him on his own nor put him in a boarding kennel (the kennel would be the last resort in an emergency in case Jane was not available). I found her through a dog sitting company, she's wonderful! These dog sitters are basically vetted people/families in the area that take dogs into their houses while you are away, so the dog will only be disrupted a bit from being away from his/her home and his/her owners but their routine won't change as far as the run of the house, feeding times, walks etc is concerned. And they do match the dog with the sitter as much as they can, Jane is just perfect, she's a widow living on her own, so no other dogs or children in the house trying to keep Blake lively, not at his age bless him! It doesn't come cheap at £20.00 a day, but it's worth every penny for my Blake :) He always sulks the first day of course, but then he settles down and he's fine.

Vicky, I'm just going to Italy to visit my family, near Turin in the North West.

[naturepoet]

VAL Love the new clock. Great idea.

Cherry, have added you to my prayer list.

No snow here, but is chilly. Not as cold Around 15 degrees F. Compared to the last couple of weeks, this is good.

[910woolgathering]

I don't know that I actually have any Valentines day purchases. I label and post pink or red items as such, not sure if it helps or not.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/219331813/gold-and-silver-cowl-crochet-neck-scarf?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/219435728/cream-and-pink-cotton-head-band-crochet?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/219409685/green-triangle-scarf-cowl-neck-ribbon?

new items for the day.

It was warm here for about a week, looks like we may have snow tomorrow

[naturepoet]

For those of you who sell digitals and vintage books, here is some information you should know.

Assuming that your postcards were created before 1923, they are now in
the public domain, and may be copied freely.

The Library of Congress makes this clear, stating that "Works
copyrighted before 1923 are now in the public domain". This (and more
information) can be found in their slickly titled "Copyright and Other
Restrictions Which Apply to Publication and Other Forms of
Distribution of Images: Sources for Information":

www.loc.gov/rr/print/195_copr.html

If you think the work was created after that (between 1923 and 1964,
when new legislation came into force) then you have a rather tougher
situation on your hands. You must take steps to trace the original
copyright holder. This is a long, hard, and not particularly pleasant
road to journey on, and the difficulty probably outweighs the reward!
The information is available here:

www.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ22.html

And more information

www.copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/p10_duration

[GlensWorkshop]

Good Afternoon Ever yone,

I've been absent for a few days. Do not have a good reason, it was just that was what I felt like. It's easy to get a lackadaisical attitude here in Key West!

A couple of DIY projects for the camper did get some emphasis including adding some LED lights to the awning roller and installing a WiFi network and a better antenna for picking up outside WiFi networks.

CherryPicks - my thoughts and prayers for the best possible outcome and the strength to cope with whatever comes are with you.

I do not have any Valentine's themed items. Targeting products to holidays is not one of my strengths.

Also published a new listing. GlensWorkshop now has both a Caribou Antler Bullet Pen and a Caribout Antler Bullet Pencil.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/219390716/bullet-pen-30-cal-gold-handmade-alaskan?ref=shop_home_active_...

[BekisBeads]

Good evening all. I like Glen haven't been around for a few days and also have no excuse ;) No snow just horrible freezing rain.

Most of my bracelets already have hearts on them so everything is Valentine's related, however, as the majority of buyers will be men I'm not sure how I'm going to get the message out there. I've been running an ad on Facebook and it's really irritating. If I direct it solely at UK users I get 1 click a day to my Etsy shop. I've put a few on Ebay as an experiment and suspended the Etsy Facebook ad and done a new one for Ebay. Guess what, exactly the same audience and 5 - 10 clicks a day. I don't want to sell on Ebay, I feel it cheapens my makes and the fees are horrendous but it seems if I want to sell to my own country I have no choice. Anyway moan over.

Cherry my thoughts are with you and I'm sending good wishes. I hope things go smoothly and let us know what happens with the MRI.

[RedRiverValley]

Charity, praying for good news, peace and strength! Please keep us updated as you are able to.

Val, I hope you have a wonderful time with your family in Italy. Some much deserved R&R!! And I love the new clock!

John, good for you for starting on your tax stuff. I really need to stop avoiding it. I don't have my W2 from my full time job yet, so that has been my excuse to avoid the rest of it.

I have 1 Valentine's item but like betterwyth said anything can be a Valentine's gift. Holiday decor is strange, at least in my shop. Some of it sells well and some sits forever. Last year my Halloween and Easter stuff sold well and my Thanksgiving and Christmas didn't. I'm not sure if I should keep targeting specific holidays or not.

Here's my new one for the day
https://www.etsy.com/listing/219418255/mocha-wall-art-coffee-decorations-wooden?ref=shop_home_feat_4