Hurray for September Sales!

[KnitAndCrochetPalace]

It is September 1, not even noon where I am and I just sold two items!!!!! Yea!!!!! May this be the beginning of a good month and may all of you have many sales also.

[StitchingPixie]

Hi, I'm new here, and I think it was Andia'sCreations who recommended that I join a crochet team. Today has been a rotten day so far, and I have not sold anything I have made for about seven months. I was asking people from another team about whether I should change my shop name. The verdict was split. Any suggestions?

[KnitAndCrochetPalace]

AcrylicPixie I know how easy it is to get discouraged. There isn't any rhyme or reason as to how sales are gotten here. I go months without making a sale and all of a sudden one comes my way. I am so appreciative of every sale I get. Everyone tells me to keep changing my titles, tag words and above all work on pictures. I noticed a glare on some of your pictures. Are you using a flash? I have been advised not to use a flash. Retake them and keep adding to your items. Taking pictures is the worst for me. I can never seem to get that part right. I don't think you can change your name. You might change your avatar to show more of what type of things you sell and again try to use one without the glare. How are you promoting your shop? I hope these suggestions help and please don't consider me an authority by any means. These are just my suggestions from what people have told me. I am sorry this is so long but just want to encourage you to keep on trying. Here's wishing you many sales in the future.

[lovinghandscrochet]

Hooray for your sales! I haven't made any sales yet. I expect I will either today or tomorrow since I rarely go a week without sales and it's been nearly a week since my last sale.

[KnitAndCrochetPalace]

Good luck lovinghandscrochet and I hope your sale comes today!

[Former_Member]

LABOR DAY WEEKEND SALE!!!!!!
From Friday through Monday use coupon code LABORDAY to save 25% off of any item at KnittingNY! Sale items not included. ;*)
Have a fantastic long weekend!!!

Plus all through September I'll be having a September BOGO Sale - Buy any item and get a Knitted Candle Holder Cover of your choice for FREE!!!! :*)

[Former_Member]

Yeah! Sounds great.

All month long, save $5 when you spend $25 or more in my shop!

[StitchingPixie]

I will check my pictures, and try to improve on them. Actually, I wouldn't mind if some of my older listings don't produce sales, because a local seniors' facility would probably accept things like keepsake boxes for the holiday gift baskets they give their residents every year.

[StitchingPixie]

I didn't really notice the glare until now. Maybe I shouldn't photograph things that are just laying on my OOAK blanket chest. Now that I think of it, what would be a good way to display dog sweaters without having a dog around?

[Former_Member]

Congrats on the sales KnitAndCrochetPlace! That's fantastic!

AcrylicPixie, I don't see any reason for you to change your name at all.

As for your photos, they do seem a bit dark and have a touch of glare to them. If you are using a flash, I would suggest that you use natural light instead.

You might want to check out the Sellers Handbook in the section on Photography. There are some excellent tips there.

And here is one very good article about controlling the brightness on your photos.
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2008/how-to-brighten-your-photos-with-paperama/

http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/the-etsy-seller-handbook-all-our-how-tos-about-selling/

[lovinghandscrochet]

Thanks, KnitAndCrochet. My sale did come yesterday, and it was an actual item sale (not a pattern sale)!

[KimberleesKorner]

Congrats to everyone who has already had sales this month.

AcrylicPixie: I don't see any reason for a name change either. Maybe use a lighter background for your photos. Also, you might want to consider increasing your inventory. I read about doing that on an etsy blog a while back. I have slowly been trying to do this over the last 4 months and have seen my sales increase.

[KnitAndCrochetPalace]

Thanks everyone. Hi crochetgal. I'm working with the yarn I purchased from your shop. It is a pleasure to work with it and will post my item when I get it finished. Here's to many sales to everyone on our team!!!

[Former_Member]

Hello, everyone! I just marked down most of my items, so many sales! Clearing out some space for new collection that is almost ready for fall and winter.
Please, check it out.
Thanks!

www.etsy.com/shop/JuicyBerries?ref=seller_info

[Former_Member]

I'd love to see your finished piece KnitAndCrochet place! Its such a yummy yarn!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/77611197/boutique-midnight-wool-blend-yarn-aura

[Former_Member]

How to photograph a dog sweater without having an actual dog: that one is easy! Buy a toy stuffed animal! The local seed and feed in my area uses stuffed animals to display their dog accessories.

You won't have to feed it or clean up after it or apologise to the neighbors when barks all night. :D

[StitchingPixie]

Thanks, Sabrebabe! That sounds even better than just stuffing old paper into a dog sweater. I have considered giving a lay minister I know one of the smaller dog sweaters I have made. Gem is at least partly Boston terrier, and Debbie's other therapy dogs are big, shaggy Grand Pyrennes. Once, just before a blood drive, Debbie was pushing Gem around on a cart, with "Give Blood" signs on Gem's back. I volunteer once a week at the same local hospital where that happened. I started crocheting a newborn's hat because the hospital's auxilary has a "baby shower" going on this month. What they're actually doing is collecting hats, snowsuits, washcloths and other such items for their needier Maternity patients.

[knittylittlesecret]

Acrylic, maybe you can take your photos outside? That way you have the natural light, no flashburn. And take the photos in the evening, 2 hours before the sun goes down, that way it's a natural light that won't mess with the colours. For the ornaments, if you take the photos with them actually hanging in a tree?
Other than that, though, just be patient. It took me several months to make a sale and so far I've only had 3. You just have to be patient is all.

I find for myself if the photos are really nice then I'm more likely to look at the item.
I do think, though, that for myself I need to change the titles of the items. I'm just too lazy right now ha ha

[designbcb]

Ahhhh, what a weekend - I had to remake a poncho 4 times before it came out right. I fulfilled a hat order and when I logged on for the first time today I found out I made my 50th sale!!!

this is how i wanted it to be!!!

crochetgal- is that all you have of the boutique midnight?

[Former_Member]

Congrats on the sale Designbcb! Fantastic!

On the boutique Midnight, I've got
http://www.etsy.com/listing/78358904/boutique-midnight-wool-blend-yarn-misty
http://www.etsy.com/listing/78586580/wool-blend-yarn-moonlight-worsted-weight
http://www.etsy.com/listing/77611197/boutique-midnight-wool-blend-yarn-aura
in stock.

If you want the Whisper, Serenade, Harvest Moon, or Shadow please let me know and I'll make try to get them again. This yarn has been extremely hard to keep in stock!

[Former_Member]

One note for you 'yarnaholics' on the team, I'm going to be doing a 'by the bag' sale on my SWTC yarns

http://www.etsy.com/shop/crochetgal/search?search_query=swtc+-real+-sequin&search_submit=&search_typ...

I won't have every colour of every yarn available but what I do have will be 20% off the bag price! The sale will start this upcoming weekend (September 10) but if there is anything that you want, you can reserve it in advance. Just shoot me a convo!

[designbcb]

woke up to two more sales!!! YEAH! Can I NOW say that I am in business?

[KnitAndCrochetPalace]

I got my 20th sale yesterday. I can't help it. I still get excited.

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/57847842

[Former_Member]

Have my firts sell on august 7, after long long time to open my shop, on the beginning only use the showcase to promote my items, just spent so much money and not result at all. Less than a month started joined teams this is my second one and still no sales.
Any advide? I am still and don't want to give it up.
thanks

[Former_Member]

Congrats Designsbcb! That's wonderful!

KnitAndCrochetPlace, way to go! I still get a tingle with every sale!

Inspirebynancy, I've never found the showcases to be worth the money spent. You can add 35 new items to your shop and gain much more exposure for that same $7 than with one day of showcases.

Firstly I'd suggest that you update your titles so that they reflect what is being sold. A title such as 'lilac' isn't going to bring anyone to your shop. Lilac what?
http://www.etsy.com/listing/79588936/lilac

Is is a sweater or a shrug? to me it looks like a shrug. So maybe a title such as 'Ladies Lilac shrug, made to order' would work. Is it knit or crochet?

In the description you need to tell as much about the piece as possible. What was the inspiration? With wearables, the materials are extremely important. Is it an acrylic? a wool blend? something else? What size is it? How big is size 7? What are the measurements? Its made to order but how long does it take before its ready to ship?
What colours are available? that would be a great idea for a photo.. a swatch sheet.


When it comes to photos, use all your slots. Because people cannot see the item in person, its up to you to show it from all angles. Show the back, the sleeve details, etc.

On your tags, you could use phrases such as 'ladies shrug', 'crochet shrug', etc.

You may also want to put some shop policies in place. They are just as important as the individual listings.

When it comes to sections, I would suggest that you have at least a page of items in a section and until you do, maybe merge some of your sections together.

Sections are like departments in a store. It looks pretty sparse when there is only one item. People like variety!

You may want to read Critique Your Own Shop - Shop Critique Check List" at
etsymentors.blogspot.com/p/critique-your-own-shop.html