Weekly Chat Cafe' 10/11/2015 - 10/18/2015

[#1]

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
* Promoted listing guide m.youtube.com/watch?v=zXhsyqXBWPM

Also, don't forget our promotion thread on the forums! Here is the link:
www.etsy.com/teams/21915/promos/discuss/15267796/page/157


Hey gang with the majority of responsibility firmly placed back on my shoulders I have decided to turn our daily chat into a weekly chat, Monday's will still be RAK days but other then that we will be free styling since I have no free time right now, Come here to get to know your fellow sellers that is how I built myself up to nearly 600 vintage sales! Ask Questions, post you NEW items and just in general let us know who you are and let us really get to know you!

Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.
Thomas Carlyle

[naturepoet]

Isobel, thank you and great job on the Hedgehog campaign

[Former_Member]

Beautiful items, Mary, and I love your hedgehogs, Isobel.

Slept most of today, still fighting this cold. Pam and I watched Guardians of the Galaxy this evening and thought it an absolute hoot. It's part of the Marvel Comic Universe, and in 2018 and 2019 the Guardians join up with the Avengers, which is mind blowing. Can't wait, although there will also be new movies in 2016 and 2 in 2017.

I was never into Marvel comics as a kid. Mostly I was into the DC Comics characters -- Superman, Batman, and especially Wonder Woman. But I'm enjoying the Marvel movies more than any of the DC comics movies except the original Superman movie with Christopher Reeve.

It's early, but I'm off to bed.

[ZingRetroFinds]

Hi friends,

The Chat has become so much more openly social. I really love it. RAK's to come.

Kitty, you demolish houses on top of running your store and staying on top of your health. Wow! You are one energetic lady.

Isobel, I love the hedgehogs. I am sure they will be a hit.

Patricia, Good luck with this new job hunt. I agree that Art is always a comfort.

Mary, glad to hear that your views are doing so well.

Alanna, hope you and your sister are doing better.

I am designing new jewelry for a local juried craft fair. I did get a nice dress shop to carry some of my jewelry.

Have a great day.

[KrochetKingdom]

Hi Folks, the team is buzzing again. Great.

Patricia - hope you find the best job suited to you. It is difficult these days.

Mary - glad that you have views. Mine are low at this time.

Isobel - always good to see you. Your hedgehogs are adorable as usual. I gave them some love. Also enjoy your blogs. You are so good at it.

Donna - I wish you success with your jewelry.

Kitty - I would love to be a part of demolishing houses. How do you manage with all that you do.

Alanna - hope you and Pam get well soon. Camphorated oil was a part of my childhood as well and worked very well.

Have been RAKing today.

Everyone have a great day.

[Former_Member]

Hi Hi!

Just wanted to share my adventure with Square, in case it happens to you.

So, I am having that show coming. I decided it will be nice to accept credit cards, and not being in US, I can't have the Etsy equivalent to Square.

Now, I live in a country side, I recently moved, I recently married, I have no official workplace in the conventional sense of it, I did not want to give my SIN number to them and last, my first language is not English. You'd think the last item will not count seeing I am bilingual and I fill form all the time online. I was a webmaster, so I sort of know my way around a form, right?

Nope.

All of the items mentioned above made it failed when I filled in the form. And after a while, it gives you the message that you cannot have Square. Contacting the Customers services gave me a sinking dramatic view. The person told me I was banned FOREVER because I could not fill the form properly three time in a row. My email, my company name and my phone number as well as my address will prevent me to EVER apply again. I was toasted. That is what they told me, no sorry, no explanation,no we will reset try again...

Anyway, this morning, I challenged that again but not by calling the customer service, they keep saying I can't have it.

I went back to the form, in French this time, so I would not misunderstand a little point or something... I used another email address I have and a street address that was not a postal box (even though if one write to me with that street address, it will never get here, it is a village...no mail delivery)... filed up the SIN they request grudgingly and went through all the steps...

And Fantastic! It worked. SO now as far as I know, a Square Reader is coming within 10 days and even if it was not getting on time, as far as I know, I can accept credit payment entered manually.

So if ever you are told you are banned... just change your email... make sure you covered all the alternative... make sure you remember the details of your credit, like when and where did you apply for a car loan because you have less than 10 minutes to reply to them... if you take more than 10 because your computer is slow or internet is slow... you're boot out. Hard to be relax, do it on a laptop or computer, not from the cell... I had my cheque besides me for the transit number (it is written on them) and the institution number, I had a few more tabs opened so I could refer and my word with document and pdf... so in a click, I could copy paste the information.

On one end, I am happy they are so making sure about information before attributing a Square, but, on the other, I am still a bit shock I was told baloney about if I had second chance in applying when I made honest errors.

Anyhow...

Hey, Isobel.
Yes, having oldbies is good around. I just prefer not taking chance when I joke, because maybe some people not knowing me nor you might come to your defense, thinking I am more than just pulling your leg;-)

Hi Mary... got your new stuffs cover. Happy to see you here too.

Anyway, chin up everyone, we're still around!

Eejee

[Former_Member]

Well, we've had an interesting day. Maintenance knocked on our door at 8:15 and informed us the power would be out until 5pm while they worked on the wiring in the electrical closet. The power just came back on, so I can finally get online. I spent most of the day reading in my Kindle as the batteries slowly drained. They never got below 54%, though.

My cold is getting better. It never went into my chest, thank goodness. I've felt weak as a kitten all day, though, so it's early to bed for me tonight, even if my Ravens are on Monday Night Football. Maybe if I don't watch, they'll win, lol. The last time I missed a game they beat the Steelers in overtime.

Hope everyone is doing well. See you tomorrow!

[KrochetKingdom]

Eejee - what an ordeal. Glad that you worked around your issue with Square. I will remember that in case I need to use them in the future.

[COLDHAMCUDDLIES]

Well I've sat around for the second afternoon in a row for the engineer to come and look at my living room window - which when we last had a frost was showing distinct signs of the seals having broken - with condensation blocking the view (and letting in the cold air, and my heated air out!!). The maintenance department of the complex is going to get it in the neck tomorrow! They've got rotten contractors, who seem to do their own thing, and folks can wait literally months for things supposedly "urgent" to be done. Because it's a contract, the idiotic landlords seem to be reluctant to enforce their side of it - and we tenants suffer as a result. OK rant over.

Thanks for the nice comments on the Hedgehogs, blog and campaign I'm currently engaged in. Have been accepted as a Trade customer by the fabric firm and been invited to call in to match my current fabric (for the hedgehog bodies) with what they have in their stocks. The photographs on line seem to indicate there could be a choice of two! Tentatively scheduled for Thursday morning, while en route to do part of my weekly shop. The 'bus passes directly past their factory so I can get on one, stop off and do my business, and get on the next one passing in my direction. Think there could a choice of three outside their place, which is not bad!! The public transport up here is a much better deal than it was down in Wiltshire, which does make life a lot easier, I have to say. Don't really like being reliant on Clare to get me around all the time.

Clare, while surfing Facebook earlier this evening, sent me a link to the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust (we do live in Nottinghamshire - just, because Derbyshire starts about 2 miles away!) who seem to have got on the Hedgehog preservation bandwagon too. So, I've sent them an email (after I'd sent an email letter to the West Midlands Hedgehog Rescue outlining my background and what I suggest we do together) with the suggestion that maybe they'd like to collaborate with me in media matters in the overall Hedgehog situation. Nothing ventured, nothing won, eh? I'm quite prepared to do it myself, but with a Wildlife Trust (and their existing media contacts on board) think there could be a whole heap better chance of publicising the Coldham Cuddlies for sale than me on my own. Keep you fingers crossed folks - this could be the break I'm looking for. Whilst I really do want to help the Hedgehogs, I can't, obviously, unless I sell more Hedgehogs first!!!!!

Hope you feel better soon Alanna. Sorry you were minus power all day. Hope it wasn't too cold in your apartment as a result.

Good to see you around again Marion.

Good luck Donna with the new material for the Shows.

See you around tomorrow, hopefully.

[colonialcrafts]

good evening, Hi to every body. Long time no see me... I have been so swamped with other things, I've barely been getting anything done on Etsy besides renew stuff as it came up. I have gotten a few new things listed.
I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts about the Etsy thing of joining the PayPal and Direct Checkout all into one? I liked having my paypal on separately as it gave me some money that was "put away" if I wanted to buy something online. Now will it all go right into my checking account? As the Direct Checkout money does? And are the fees the same, or cost more?

[Former_Member]

Isobel, it never got below 68, which is what we keep the thermostat set at anyway. I'm glad the power came on at 5pm. I was seriously looking at getting out candles, since it was starting to get a bit dark (it's also been cloudy all day).

Great good luck with your hedgehog opportunities! What a wonderful thing that would be. You go get 'em, girl!

Elizabeth, I'm not really sure myself how that works. I would check the forums, past and present.

[COLDHAMCUDDLIES]

Further news on the Hedgehog front to share. Everyone seems to be getting on the bandwagon at the moment. Clare found me a link to the local Wildlife Trust, who are recruiting for members, and also urging folks to let them know about the critters in their locality. So got in touch with them, having just written to confirm my agreeing to fund the W.Midlands Rescue centre I found at the week-end. Then today, on the lunchtime local TV news, there was an item by the E.Midlands News Desk along the lines of the Saturday one from the West Midlands. Got in touch with them by telephone, and they've already rung me back and taken my details, promising to get back in touch if needed, and to let folks know what I'm trying to do in the interim. Have a date with the fabric folk on Thursday - so it's all beginning to happen.

Philippa coming up to be officially intoduced to Elliot at the week-end and we're off to see a good long-term family friend so that she too can meet Elliot. She's well into her 80's and so not likely to be around for all that much longer, so we try to get to meet her when we're all together when we can.

Hope all goes well with folks.

[naturepoet]

Eejee, have missed seeing you around. Congrats on your marriage and move. I love the country.

Sounds like they gave you quite the runaround, but you have conquered. Congrats again.

[naturepoet]

Not much going on here. I am crazy busy and have spent most of today fund raising for a friend here on Etsy. Her niece was in a fire and she is in hospital with burns over 90% of her body. Her two little boys succumbed during the ordeal. The fund raiser is to raise money for the boys' funerals. They were 3 and 5, I believe. I have the entire Christmas section of my shop donating profits to the cause.

New today

https://www.etsy.com/listing/253552119/antique-christmas-postcard-lady-with?ref=shop_home_active_1

New yesterday
https://www.etsy.com/listing/253504699/lady-in-parka-with-penguins-christmas?ref=shop_home_active_19

[naturepoet]

Elizabeth, unless Etsy forces me to put both Pay Pal and Direct Checkout into one, I will be keeping them separate for the same reasons you gave.

[Former_Member]

Hello, everyone. It's been kind of a slow day, except for taking Pam to her doctors' offices. We've just come back from her second appoitment, and I plan to relax for the rest of the evening, and then celebrate the Full Moon tonight.

I think I said in an earlier post that my embroidery machine is back. Unfortunately, I haven't had the strength to bring it into the apartment. So it's still out in the car, and I hope to get it in by the end of the week. I have a few more things to embroider, and even though they're Halloween related and it's a bit late for Halloween stuff, at least I will have them for next year.

Although I'm not up to getting my machine out of the car, I feel better and a bit stronger than I did yesterday. I'm virtually over my cold now, and just need to regain my strength. I am so glad that mine didn't go into the chest, as Pam's did. Of course, I am also not an ex-smoker as Pam is.

See you all tomorrow.

[naturepoet]

Alanna, glad you and Pam are doing better. Will keep you in my prayers. Though I don't celebrate the Full Moon, I do love to see it when it is at it's fullest.

Isn't there someone who could help you get your embroidery machine out of the car? I hope by the end of the week, you are stronger.

I haven't had my flu shot yet but I've heard that this year's is going to be bad and go directly to the chest. Maybe, like me, you and Pam should take at least 3,000 mg of Vitamin C daily. That will help ward it off.