AAA Daily Chat March 21, 2015

[naturepoet]

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/
* Betsi Lite: www.blugrin.com/ (make sure you click on Lite at the bottom of the screen, as that is the free edition!)
* New Category List: www.etsy.com/help/categories/seller#node-id-1250

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, everyone. Welcome to all new members.

Today let's talk about pricing our items. How do you calculate the cost. Remember to take in account all supplies, even the small things like thread or glue. Then there is your time, the cost of packing supplies and the time and gas it takes to go to the mail box or post office.

One easy way to calculate your cost is to use Etsy Calculator. The link is the second one on the list above.

It will be interesting to hear how you all go about pricing your items.

[Former_Member]

Good morning, Mary and team!

Woke up this morning to a sale! Huzzah! I'll work on that this morning and mail it by this afternoon.

My luncheon yesterday was wonderful. We all met at the Cheesecake Factory. I was a good girl and had a salad, then blew it all to heck by having a slice of Godiva chocolate cheesecake. It was soooo good!

All the photos I took yesterday turned out too dark, so I'll redo those this afternoon. I couldn't even edit them, they were so dark.

Pricing - I try to add up all my supplies, but probably forget a few, like Scotch tape. Aside from the tote and thread, my supplies consist of mailing envelopes, tissue paper to wrap the tote, thank-you seals, washi tape, and business cards. What I stint on is labor. My totes would be more expensive if I priced my labor to what I think it should be, but I don't want to price myself out of the market. I also look at what my competitors are charging.

Up until a week ago, all my prices were the same - $25. Then I decided to go the "99" route. I also reviewed how long it took to do each tote, and changed a few prices. Now my totes range from $21.99 to $27.99. Not a big change, and it was easy with the new quick edit function.

And that's all, folks. Talk to you later!

[naturepoet]

Alanna, so sorry your photos were so dark. I hate retaking photos. LOL

Glad you are reconsidering your prices. Charging the true value of our time would make items very expensive. Even vintage items, I add gas, packaging, cost but don't charge a high enough price for my time. Going to auctions, threft shops etc., is very time consuming.

[NaturalClocks]

Good afternoon team!

I'll pop in later on when I'm back home from work, , luckily it's quite busy today in the brick and mortar :)

[GoldFeatherStudio]

Alanna, I can't blame you! You can't go to Cheesecake Factory without getting cheesecake!! Yummmmmm

I find pricing very difficult because the supplies I use to make my art come from my personal supplies (so I use them for more than just making things to sell). Also art supplies last a really long time, so it's not like I have to buy new each time I make a piece...

As unscientific as it may be, I really just poked around Etsy to see what other similar shops were charging for similar items. I've also put all the same prices on the same-sized paintings/drawings, even though some took more time and some took less--I figure it evens out if I price it somewhere in the middle--and really how much is my time worth?

I've been told my prices are fair, but I guess we will see once I've been around a little longer!

Have a great day everyone!

[DoorCountyVintage]

i guys just letting you know the thread you asked for is back! Hellp a Teammate is up and ready for participants!

[COLDHAMCUDDLIES]

Ellen - I'm with you on the pricing spectrum! Initially, most of my fabric supplies came from a factory which specialises in making cushions, curtains and such like and I took the off-cuts, which would have ended up on the local dump, for which the factory has to pay. So, I was doing them a favour in taking their throw outs, and doing myself a favour too. Still have a good supply of faux fur fabrics.

When making the plushies and fleece toys, I can get quite a few toys out of a metre (yard) of fabric, so it really is pennies for each item. So, presently I don't really need to cover my costs too highly here.

Pricing the hours I take at even the minimum wage in the UK would, in my view, render the Cuddlies out of reach to most folk, so I don't really charge for that.

I've looked at what others charge for similar items, and do much the same. When I first started, I was accused of under-cutting some of the toy makers. But I stuck to what I was comfortable with and am achieving what I set out to do. Cover my costs, ensure that I can re-supply so I can keep my arthritic fingers moving, and then add about 5% on top. The only thing I do charge the right amount for is the fastest delivery postal route - and refund any extra payment if the item eventually travels for less. Buyers can choose for their Toy to for for the slower option, and interestingly, don't do so very often!

It seems to be working so far.

Hope everyone is having an enjoyable week-end.

[NaturalClocks]

Pricing can be quite a challenging issue. Considering that many of my clocks are made with stuff that I find laying around (driftwood, old pallets, pebbles, sea glass, leaves, slate), I can say that my cost of materials, in those cases, is pretty low.Glue, bubble wrap, screws, boxes etc are all taken into account. Pricing time is a different matter, some items can get done pretty quickly, others take longer, but like Isobel said, I just can't charge for the actual time, I'm working on some clocks made with an old pallet for example, if I had to charge for the actual time employed I would need to price each one at £70.00 at least, that's just utopia LOL.

I use the same sort of science Ellen: I always look around Etsy and see what other sellers charge for similar items and settle somewhere in between.

I'm glad you enjoyed your lunch with your friends Alanna. Ahhhhh, Cheesecake Factory, that sounds like heaven!!

Right, 6.14pm here, only got home 20 minutes ago, so I must be going and catch up with a few things before dinner.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

[naturepoet]

Alanna, I've never been to the Cheesecake Factory, but you did right by enjoying yourself.

Pricing digitals is easier in a way. You have to take in the cost of paper and ink. Some don't take long, while others take time. That's why my digitals are not all one price. Depending on the type of paper, it can be quite expensive and ink for this printer is atrocious if I offer them as prints.

[naturepoet]

New today

https://www.etsy.com/listing/227075773/lady-in-large-hat-with-white-roses?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/227077503/lady-reading-collage-dowloadable?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/227068936/eiffel-tower-and-roses-downloadable?