Please Critique!

[Former_Member]

I am adding new items almost daily. I still have so much more to post... My items are small, cute, and accessable- priced to sell. I would like to sell EVERYTHING in my shop by January... is that insane? Well, either way please critique me. Be harsh, I need it. What does my shop need more of? I have a wide variety of items, which is good, but what do you think would be most popular? Sewn items? Hemp jewelry? Origami?

Critique anything about my shop, profile, names, descriptions...

Thanks in advance. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

[Former_Member]

that is a serious goal, but I think if you put some work in you could meet that deadline. Your stuff is definitely adorable and the prices are very cheap.

If I were you I would do the following:

get rid of the hemp and sewn, and stick to just the origami jewelry and boxes, etc.

retake all of your photos against some white backgrounds so the colors and details of the beautiful papers really pops. try taking a pretty plain tree branch from outside, spray paint is black or dark brown, put your earrings on them and snap new photos.

you want uniform photos, bright, lots of natural light, and plain backgrounds. I think this alone will improve your sales.

your banner is very cool, but I would add a tagline about origami, like origami done differently.

streamline your categories (easy to do without all the supplies and hemp stuff)

put links back to your store in your listings

change your icon photo to be a nice close up of your earrings and the words origami earrings

fill out your profile info to be about yourself. who are you? your thoughts on your crafts, etc. people like to know about who you are as a crafter, not just links to your shop sections.

join circles, join a promotion team (like the promotional frenzy team) and, well that is it off the top of my head. convo me if you wanna talk more. :)

[Former_Member]

*lurking and taking notes* :o)

[Former_Member]

Your origami earrings are super, super cute!! I can see that they should sell really well to teens - your prices are very reasonable, too. I love the fact that you've gone beyond stars and cranes into unusual items like the little shirts, planes, and (my favourite) strawberries!

You have a definite gift for paper-folding these teeny tiny 'jewels'!

However. I do agree with Evey on all counts:

Better photography - definitely. Some of your items don't have detail shots, or all-round views (tiny cat earrings seem only to be viewed from the top, or front, for some reason). If you can't find interesting angles for things like the stars, use plenty of detail shots and get in nice and close. You'll definitely need a good macro capability for these tiny goodies.

Ditch the hemp? Yes, I would. You could try making the same items in a nicer yarn, but ... nah. Your origami is unusual and cool, but SO many people make simple hemp bracelets, you'd need to have something super cute and original there too - if only to fit better with your style of shop.

Also the promotion - it really does seem to be very, very important.

Now, the harsh bit.

Your earrings do not look finished. Every single one which I looked at has loose threads sticking out top and/or bottom. :(

I don't know much about origami, but I can think of two ways of finishing a thread. One for now, and one for the future.

For now, get yourself some nice quality jewellery glue with one of those pointy needle applicators and just dab the tiniest amount on those loose threads and tuck them down tight. Then I'm afraid you'll have to re-photograph .. but you were going to do that anyway, right? ;)

For the future, there must be a way to sew those threads right inside your little paper models. You'll need to start off with much longer threads, but to finish, thread your loose thread onto a fine needle, and push it carefully right back inside the model and out the other end - but don't snip yet. Do this with both ends, and THEN take a sharp pair of pointed craft (embroidery) scissors, pull each loose end as tight as you dare, and snip as close as possible to the model (being careful not to damage the earring in the process, of course). The thread end should disappear back into the hole it came through, and voila! No hanging bits.

Do you think that would work?

[Former_Member]

Firstly, Happy Halloween you critiquers.

Evey- Well, I can get rid of the hemp, I can sell that elsewhere... however I dont know about getting rid of the sewn. Perhaps I need to make another shop for it? Multiple accounts is not a problem for me.

I am really not looking foreward to retaking all of my photos but it is worth a try, even if it is just the first photo. I suppose having all of the pictures taken agaisnt the same background from the same view and everything may make for a more professional apperance.

I'll have to think of a tagline.

I definetly should join more teams, and get a stumbleupon or something.

Judy- Thanks for the compliments. I definetly have my favorites when it comes to the origami models and I think its best to have many different models. I want to make more designs like the strawberries and things you don't often see out there. I have tons more of that strawberry paper ready to be folded by the way...

I actually have 2 cameras, one is a telephoto lens style, I guess I will have to try harder.

Again I can tolerate getting rid of the hemp, however it does have some favorites which sucks.

I havn't been focused on that little loose end of the thread because all I've been thinking of is the quality, and that the earring will stay in tact for, basically, ever. I've got a method to tying them off and knotting the ends. However, I for sure see how the earrings could benefit from looking more polished! I've got some glue I can use for now. And, wow, I never thought of leaving the string uncut and tucking it in. I'll have to try that.

[Former_Member]

I've retaken most of my earring photos if anyone wants to check them out. Thanks.