Is my focus on the wrong item?

[madlywish]

Hi Everyone!!

So, I make rag quilts and quilted items. Recently I started making holiday wreaths with felt flowers and they have been selling like hotcakes!! Of course, the quilted items have a higher price tag, but I admire several shops with similar products who are successful.

I love the quilts, they make me happy and they satisfy the need to create that my brain demands. But, are they not unique enough? Perhaps the market for those items is just smaller than the wreaths?

I don't want the few sales I've had so far to tank after the holidays because of the quilts. Thoughts?

Thank you and Happy Holidays!!!

[Former_Member]

You can only sell what people want to buy. Market itself shows what will become popular, listen to the demand and follow where it leads you :) Whenever I make a new hat design, I never know if it will become popular or not ... and sometimes the one I did not expect much success from becomes a great seller. Once you find something people like, it's easier to create things in similar style or model.

Congratulations on finding something that sells :)

[Former_Member]

Agree with what Mel says... dont spend too much time trying to outguess the market let the sales lead you to what people want. Dont be afraid to test out new items and be patient with them.

Have a great holiday season..

[madlywish]

Thank you both!

[PiecesofMeCardsnMore]

You could transition your wreaths to spring and summer with brighter colors. You can also market your wreaths for Valentine's Day and Easter.

The wreaths are very pretty! I really love the simple design. :)

[Former_Member]

As others said, congrats on finding what sells! I know the pain of "other people make bank off what I'm selling, why not me?" :) Now it's your turn to be admired.

Folks around here definitely love to keep decorations on their doors, as Judy said, so I would bet you can keep selling some kind of wreath year-round. Even just spring, summer, fall-themed, or Fourth of July even.

[Former_Member]

congrats on finding something that sells. I haven't found one yet.

[Former_Member]

Congrats on finding something that sells even if it wasn't what you initially wanted. That's the magic of owning a business. I have read about many super successful shops how sometimes their most popular items (the ones that put them out there) were not what they originally intended to focus on in the beginning. Quite serendipitous!

Love your wreaths! I can see them selling like hotcakes year round!

[AnneLondezGlass]

I've looked at you sales and it seems some of your quilted items sell also.
From a purely technical point of view, you need to have a lot of inventory in your shop anyway to be found in searches and there are many shops where most of the items up for sale are mostly bulk and they make their bread and butter on a few bestsellers. I'd keep everything in there !

[madlywish]

Thank you all!! Just sold something non-wreath which makes me feel great!!

[Former_Member]

This is beautiful:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/112703860/christmas-wreath-felt-flower-wreath
:)

I'm surprised sometimes with what people like.
You can only sell what people want to buy, as long as it's something you don't mind making! I recently took my hand lettered signs out of my shop because they stress me out. :( People still want them... and I do not like making them.

[madlywish]

Thanks so much, Sarah. I hear ya! It blows me away when I sell anything!

I just really love the quilts which take so long, but so far the wreaths make up over 50% of my sales.

If you don't love it, it IS so hard to make it.

Thanks again!

[Former_Member]

here are many shops where most of the items up for sale are mostly bulk and they make their bread and butter on a few bestsellers.
--------------------
I read something about marketing on these forums: 20% of a shop's items make 80% of their revenue.

But, like Sarah said, we still need to fill the shop with items so it looks like a "real store" and has lots of traffic to draw the customer in.

Definitely more than true for me. Also, my best selling item was initially created just as a random spontaneous idea I had, and was not one of the models that I spent lots of time perfecting ... go figure.

[Former_Member]

maybe you can include some small quilted objects in the wreaths??? a combination of both things. i don´t know a thing about those things but it´s just a thought

[kowaikuma]

I hope you enjoy making the wreaths because they are BEAUTIFUL! They're really classy and I would totally get one if I had a door to decorate. lol. I've never been a quilt person, so I don't know much about that market but I say, run with the wreaths! Make a bunch more and list them or list them as custom order and fill up your shop during the holidays. And then make more felt decorations to complement the wreaths. What do people do with home decor these days, table displays or napkin holders? Good luck!

[Former_Member]

lol just happen to look at your shop..then was browsing the decor section looky who is up first.
http://www.etsy.com/browse/holidays/holiday-decor?h=863cb6de&lid=112858896&ref=cat_subcat_tile_0

[Former_Member]

As far as what to make...do what makes you happy!
But sometimes to do what makes one happy...requires making things that arnt so much fun. Like my items I far prefer making fun stuffs...icicles after icicle after icicles get rather boring really. But hell those sales come in, and with those sales i can afford to create what i like as well :D