Up and running for 4 months and no sales....why?

[Former_Member]

I need to be honest and figure out why my stuff is not selling. I have started selling for 4 4months and have not sold anything. I have renewed listings and have greatly improved my designs. What gives. I think maybe I should lower my prices and or get a printer. Maybe lower my prices so I can just sell pdf printables just to promote out there. I have had less than 200 views a month and think that no one is fining my site.
Any advice will help here. I have asked for help about 3-4 times and I will keep asking until I get it right.

[FrenchLaundryMuse]

Hmmm. I've only been open a few month but at a quick glance I'd say that it's hard to read your items because the color shows up quite faint.

One thing you might consider is changing your announcement. I was told right in the beginning that google search engines will not look for "welcome" as the beginning of a shop announcement. You need to say exactly what is in your shop.

I know it's hard but once you get your first sale (and you will) you will be super enthused. I admire your tenacity. People here are so helpful too.

[Former_Member]

Well, I guess the cheapskate voice inside me is saying "Why would I pay $10 for your PDF when I can just copy the quote and design and print it myself?" I'm not saying I would, just playing devils advocate.
Also, I bought several quote items for Christmas gifts on Etsy but they were all usable items: a bracelet, a shelf, a sticker.
I think if you are going to start printing, you need to print on actual items, not just framed quotes.
If you do decide to stick with just the PDF's then you need to use every photo slot and show how the quote can be used. This item is an example. As is, it is pretty forgetable.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/105708306/art-print-sugar-and-spice-really-do-make

[Former_Member]

Natahsa, how much would you pay? And what do you mean forgettable... do you mean that there is nothing special about it... that there is no reason someone would buy it. thanks for your input it really helps me.

[Former_Member]

thanks for the tip shawn. I was thinking that I want to have my shop feel like a sweet place and welcome is just what I hope people feel. It is how I want to make people feel. I better give this some thought. thanks.

[Former_Member]

Mireya. I hope I didn't offend you, I meant the listing was pretty unforgetable not the item. I'm sorry that did not come across.
The quoted items I bought for Chistmas were from $4.00(a sticker, I know crazy but it fit my daughter perfectly) up to $20.00
$5.00 is the max I pay for PDF's but dont judge by me, as I am a cheapskate. :)

[WintergreenDesign]

I don't understand why you are listing your shipping as only in the USA if you are only selling PDF files... if shipping is free than you should be "shipping" worldwide as that would open a huge market to you. When I am looking for anything on etsy I mark the "ships to Canada" box and all the sellers that don't ship to Canada get removed from my search. It saves me being disappointed : ) Right now you wouldn't be included in my search if I was searching for your product simply because you won't sell to me anyway... : )

Also I think your images are cute but they aren't watermarked meaning they can be easily be saved to any computer and printed...

[Former_Member]

I also agree $10 is a bit high. I did a quick search for PDF printables on Etsy and a lot of similar items are at least half the cost.

Check around and get ideas and look at different teams that focus on your craft and see what they would think of cost and pricing. I'm sure they can give insight as my craft is rather different, so I don't know.

Good luck!

[paragraphloop]

Your designs are so simple as to be barely designed at all. The colors are nice, but the fonts are beyond basic and the designs are simplistic. The sense of space and balance is off - some of your text is too close to the frames, dark colors emphasize words that wouldn't be emphasized in a quote, etc.

Why do you list yourself (sweet attitude) as the quoted source? Struck me as odd. Some of your items are grammatically incorrect. The listing below is lacking a ? on the last sentence.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/115457208/art-print-life-is-sweet-8-x10

This listing: $15 for a file, it's not customized and I have to print it and cut it myself? No thanks. I can buy adorable invitations for half that price at Target. Plus, I don't understand the secondary text: "dessert bar at midnight.countdown.confetti.special toast" ummm ... what?

http://www.etsy.com/listing/112429141/new-years-invitations-sweet-new-year-5-x

[Former_Member]

HI Mireya,
I Love your use of color. But I definitely need examples of at least a few of these prints in a frame. It really was too much hard work for me to figure out what you were selling.

When you look at your shop its like a bombardment of text. I'm a tactile person, so if you are selling pdf, a couple of good clear examples framed on a wall would GREATLY help. This also gives examples of the use these prints serve.

I would also try and sell a few things in printed form, whether its a tea-towel, magnet, shirt, or print in a frame.

Good luck!

[BloomsJewels]

Hello Mireya,

Please do not take offense to any of this. I'm just trying to help you!

Excuse my ignorance but I don't get it...I'm telling you this because I'm sure others might be confused as to what exactly you are even selling. You are selling PDF files that the buyer would print themselves and frame as art work? Is that what these are?

As I look for my answer in your descriptions I find them all to be very inconsistent. For example in looking at the first few items...Some do not describe what it is at all and only have sizes, some have spelling errors (in description not in the prints), some say how it is packaged and some don't, etc. I see more descriptive information in your tags than I do in your actual descriptions.

I personally wouldn't pay $10 for a PDF file that I can just do myself.

Lastly, Christa makes a great point about shipping. I also only search for sellers that will ship to Canada therefore if I was looking for something like this, you would never come up in my search results.

[PaperFlora]

Okay, I thought it was just me. When I first went to your shop I didn't know what I was looking at. It is a print, a poster, a card? I expected an "item" for a $10 price not a PDF file. At least not a PDF file that wasn't personalized in someway.

Take a look around at some other shops that sell similar items. Not to copy but to see what they are doing and their price points. See how they are using titles and descriptions.
I think you have limited your style and color palette to a very small client base. If I like what you do but wanted it in primary colors I'd keep looking. Add some variation in color and design to broden your appeal.

Good luck-

[Former_Member]

Yeah, $10 IS alot for a simple digital file.
Also $10 for one with many grammatical errors is.......um.
here for example--
http://www.etsy.com/listing/109907114/art-print-on-the-inside-we-are-all-the

It is grammatically incorrect to start a sentence with "but".
Also if i wanted to i could type the same quote into a Word document and draw a little cupcake beside it and it'd be the same.

Suggestions--
Design your own fonts? Fix the spelling ,istakes? Lower your prices? Clearly state in the listing desfription WHAT you are getting because it is very unclear.

[MaxplanationPhotos]

Great idea but prices are high :) a lot of your competitors are offering buy one get one free... Because they are just a PDF and could be copied :( I would not do that , just saying ...

If you can lower the price and clean up the pics should help

[JoArtyJo]

You have had lots of usefu advice here. The key points to me are:

- price is way too high. I sell single PDF coloring pages that I drew myself for $2- this is still a huge profit margin, much better than selling physical items.

- try and make your items unique and not something anyone could do themselves.

- include clear information about when the item will be sent, to which email address etc.

- make it very clear that your items are printable digital PDF files (use all these words). I do this and still people purchase thinking theynaremgetting a physical item. Do everything you can to,avoid giving refunds after the customer has your PDF! So include these words in your title as well. At the moment you will,come up in searches for physical prints but perhaps not searches for digital prints as this info isn't in your title.

- definitely set your shipping to "everywhere else", you can email the other side of the world just as easily as next door!

[PiecesofMeCardsnMore]

You got some great advice in this thread you started on January 3.
http://www.etsy.com/teams/5002/etsy-success/discuss/11504815/page/1/

Most of the suggestions were to label your items as PDF printables. It looks like you changed some of them, but not all. I also agree that $10 is very expensive for a printable (though I didn't mention that in my response in the first thread because I was trying to be polite). I personally wouldn't purchase your product because I'm a graphic artist at my day job and I can do it myself. I also agree with everything that's been suggested on this thread. You may need to step back and rethink your product.

[Former_Member]

No you did not offend me Natasha. Thanks for your help.

[Former_Member]

Jocelyn I understand your point...thanks for your advice. I quote as sweet attitude because I do not want to use my name. I goal is to inspire a positive attitude. I call it sweet attitude. The invites looked at a printed sample for advice and they has their listing like this and I just add my own events. I also thought about this same thing-target and all. thanks for your advice.

[Former_Member]

Thank you everyone for such insightful advice. I am learning illustrator as I go. The most important part of my designs are my little whimsical thoughts. I thought hey why not do something that I love and that allows me to have purpose. I will rework my listings and have a more cohesive shop. I will look at printable pdf lisitngs and go from there. Oh I will look at grammer as well. The think is I have a bachelor degree and have a blog so I write and love to write it is just that I get so excited about my ideas and want to list something 3 times a week as this helps getting views. I understand that having a good shop first will get me the views. Thank you all again for your help because I need honesty and to learn from the mistakes I am making otherwise I will fail and this word I can not accept right now. Oh one thing how do I list a digital item when the listing asks me to add a shipping method?

[Former_Member]

You really do have a great attitude and I do hope the best for you. I'm still trying to make my shop take off, but it's so hard to give it the time it needs. But if it wasn't for my shop and my creativity, I wouldn't have the motivation to keep improving my craft and striving for better while learning critical things along the way.

Keep trying!

[Former_Member]

One more thing I do wish I could design my own font. I have one all ready in my notebook with tons of other ideas but need tips on how to make it happen. I will look into classes or something. I have tought myself illustrator and no the basics. But I am no where near the pro status I want to be.

[Former_Member]

I know Jackie but thank you and keep having faith.

[Former_Member]

to list the prices for a PDF file you just put the shipping prices at $0.00 for the to "USA" and "everywhere else" sections then every country is covered.

[JanJat]

There are a lot of great ideas here but to add on...

1. Make you images 'fit' into the first image so people can see the whole print right away even if they can't read it super well. This will it easier for people to feature you in treasuries which will increase your exposure.

2. Add more items!! Everyone talks about the magic number being 100 and although that seems enormous start by adding a couple at a time and it will add up because you can keep selling the items you currently have.

3. When it comes to fonts even if you can't design your own now there are TONS of websites where you can download new ones often for free so that might be a good place to start.

4. Have a good look at your competition - check what tags/titles/prices etc they are using - don't copy designs obviously but know what is working for other people and then apply that to your shop.

Good luck and keep working on your shop :)

[Former_Member]

Thank you Catherine any tips for free fonts.