✦ Nov.12 @ 3pm : Holiday Snafus and Quick Fixes

[#1]

New Online Lab: Holiday Snafus
When: November 12th @ 3pm (EST)
Where: http://etsy.me/labs
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Mark your calendar! On Wednesday November 12th at 3pm (EST) we'll be hosting a live video session about Holiday "Snafus" in the Online Labs.

Sellers, share the challenges and obstacles that you've faced during past Holiday seasons, and how you resolved these issues. We'll then highlight some of your stories and talk about important things to do to avoid certain unfortunate situations during our 30 minute session on Wednesday the 12th in the Online Labs - http://etsy.me/labs

[Former_Member]

Can't wait!

[Former_Member]

Hey all, I'm here to share on this point, "Sellers, share the challenges and obstacles that you've faced during past Holiday seasons, and how you resolved these issues."

In past years, my biggest challenge has been unanticipated my sales in my second season on Etsy. This didn't mean a lack of inventory, but it actually meant a lack of shipping supplies. I ended up having to do a last minute Uline order for envelopes, which probably forced me over my predicted budget for the season. My tip = order plenty of shipping supplies right now as we head into mid to end of November

[WATERBURYJEWELS]

Great I will be there!

[PerfectlyTwisted]

Looking forward to it, thank you!

[SerasiJewelry]

This holiday season I'm anticipating custom orders more than before. I would love to hear more experienced sellers on how to go about it. Looking forward to it! Thank you.

[SerasiJewelry]

Let me share my past holiday season experience on packaging. I found out that I spent a lot of time on packaging. So I streamlined that process and pruned steps that didn't make much impact. For example, I made sure that I bought mailing labels and bubble mailers with strong adhesive. From then on I can go without extra packing tape and save a lot of time.

I also used to write long handwritten thank you note with each shipment. I cut it down to just one short paragraph (LOL, who has time to read those long notes, I had no idea).

[SobolevaArt]

thank you!

[LoJoCeramics]

I recently participated in my first in person event in October. It was a two day, driving, drop-in studio artists' tour. I shared the location with my painter mother-in-law whose home studio was on the tour route. It was a positive experience. We had lots of visitors and we each had some sales. I didn't put my shop on vacation mode; I just deactivated items as I sold them. You guessed the snafu, I'm sure. There was one I didn't deactivate that sold about a week later. I figured it out when I could find the unique item.

Here's how I solved the problem: I sent a convo AND an email to the buyer right away to notify her and apologize and we worked out a substitution. I also offered her free shipping for my error and her kind understanding.

Problem mostly solved...until about a day later when the Etsy credit card reader came out. I ordered it right away. I'm looking forward to my next in person event (a holiday boutique) so I can give its real-time agreement with my shop inventory a try.

[Former_Member]

New to Esty and 1st live video session. Looking forward to learning all I can!

[Former_Member]

Awesome, thanks!

[Former_Member]

My biggest holiday sales problem has been international customs holding up items indefinitely - there simply is no way to calculate for this when a customer asks "will this arrive in time?" Yikes!

Thanks for the great topic!

[TonicAndLimeDesigns]

Can't wait!

[hawaiibeads]

Where is the chat on the video? I don't see it?

[Former_Member]

Did I miss the event?

[Former_Member · Accepted solution]

Hi there folks - for those of you that weren't able to attend the live video event, here is a link to the archived version: http://etsy.me/1wtKqd2

And don't forget to keep an eye out in the Team for details about the next event, or you can also sign up for the Etsy Success newsletter here to get a reminder sent straight to your inbox: https://www.etsy.com/emails/success