Not a fan of 'featured items'

[Manymakepeaces]

I don't' really like the featured items section. I think because it doesn't encourage me to scroll down. If I don't like the featured things I tend to go away, but if there are none I do tend to scroll. What do you think?

[BeColorfulFeltArt]

I have none in my shop, I think the overview is better without them.

[Former_Member]

I use them. I like to put my seasonal offerings up there.

[ScrapendipityDesigns]

I use them, but only for my bundle packs and probably for a new custom listing I am making. As a buyer, I don't mind them when they are just regular listings too much (though i rarely really stop and look at them), but I definitely don't like them for shops that only have one page of listings or that have items featured that are on page 1 anyway. Why repeat listings like that? My bundles are usually on my last couple pages when I do my custom sort, but having them featured allows them to be on page 1 without taking up space.

Rachel

[PiecesofMeCardsnMore]

I use them for my newest items or seasonal listings (right now I have Valentine's Day items there). I then rearrange my shop items so those same items are farther down the page so they're not repeated at the top of the page. I put the rest of my new items below the featured items. I still don't have a lot of items in my shop but I like to feature seasonal listings.

[WilliamsGiftshop]

If you don't like the four featured items in a shop, chances are high you don't like the rest either. So, nothing was lost in the first place for that seller. Their items are just not your taste.
On the other hand, if you DO like the featured items, they will invite you to take a further look.

[PICFiberArts]

I use my also for seasonal items. Like Valentine's coming up so put what might sell for the holiday there!

[MythOfTheWild]

I always use them to display my personal best pieces. But to be honest, if people don't like my stuff based on my featured items, then they probably don't like my stuff. I don't list things in my shop if I don't like them, so I like to think that all my products are as good as eachother, so if you don't like 4 of my items, you probably don't like the rest.

I think the featured listing thing is great, because a shop can use it to display their best pieces, their holiday pieces, or perhaps if they're feeling daring, the pieces that just aren't selling (though that may turn people off). I think it's a pretty good idea to take advantage of it because it also increases the listings visible on the first page by 4, and can help people get a better idea of your work if they prefer to view shops as a list than a gallery.

[dalystudios]

I listed featured items for the holidays, but in general I don't use them. I am pretty anal about the flow of my items on a page and the four interlopers visually disrupt my sense of order. I would use the feature more if it was clearly defined as a separate section of the page. As it is currently designed, the featured section integrates with the rest of the page so those 4 images dont stand apart as a distinct element.

[PiecesofMeCardsnMore]

I've seen sellers do some really creative things with their featured items. For instance, one seller sold some sort of wooden letters. They spelled out a word using those four top boxes (SALE comes to mind but I think he did other stuff as well). It immediately caught your eye when you clicked on their shop. I've also seen sellers combine the top four images with the images below to create an image of some sort. It's hard to explain. It was a photographer or a graphic artist and he/she manipulated their main images to flow together as one image. Of course you need to have the know-how and the patience to put something like that together.

[Former_Member]

I use it to show items from each section i have, and i revise it every 3 weeks or so to include a seasonal feel. I rearrange so that the featured items are not also on page one., and i put together items that are complimentary within the featured group. You can also do 3 featured items and it looks fine, sometimes i do only 3.

[BlueSparrowVintage]

I'm with you Rosz! I just took mine down- Not the look I was going for right now but maybe later on I will add them again.

[TerraRhapsody]

I have to agree with Kim Wedlock. I use my featured items area to combine my favourite pieces with seasonal interests. I only create and post jewellery that I have designed, like, and would personally wear. My featured items is usually a representative chunk of my shop items and therefore design style.

As a buyer, I always love to see a featured items section- it's a taster of the shop, and often makes me want to continue looking- sometimes the featured items aren't to my taste, but something brought me to that shop, and I will continue to look. Featured items tell me that the seller has pride in their work, as they are things that they want to be the forefront of their shop, usually meaning they have a lot of pride in the things they have made

[denisemcguire]

I like having the featured items section because I can choose to keep those four pieces 'locked in place' on the screen. Since only about 1/2 of my items are OOAK, with every sale my front page looks different. It's hard to stay on top of rearranging, so at least I know that my 'look' when people stop by is closer to what I would want.

[Manymakepeaces]

I think Christine Daly summed it up well. It's the flow of the page that doesn't look good with the featured items. Nevertheless there are some great suggestions on how to use them here, so maybe when I have more stock and some sections I will embrace them.

I think Cheryl's advice is good too - 3 seems to look better than 4.

[Manymakepeaces]

I just realised why they use 4 featured items, which doesn't work so well on the computer. It's designed for the mobile ap and looks fine there. If you don't have them at all it looks a bit bare on the ap. It's a pity you can't tweak it to have them on the ap but not on the web. I have no idea which way to go now.

[Former_Member]

I agree with Denise. It locks in what you want up top. I change it every few weeks to make my shop look more seasonal, or to give it a new look.