What's wrong with my products?

[AutumnAndBoo]

At shows I sell like crazy, but bigger and more expensive the more popular. This year I've been selling out the first day of 3 days shows. On Etsy however sales are slow. Views are slower, even with paid adverts.

HELP!

(P.S. I use to fill all 4 photos but now it's too time consuming for too little return).

[MorganRalstonArt]

I don't know, maybe they come off as kind of over sized in the pictures. I thought they were bigger items from the thumbnails and when I blew them up I had to read the description to know they were 2" x 2".

Maybe you need to take the photo's with more obvious size comparison objects... or have images of them worn.

I like the smiley face brooches :D

[Former_Member]

Your pins/brooches are fantastic, so I don't think it's your product. Maybe because it's very niche, and people aren't shopping for Halloween products right now? Easier to sell at a show where people are exposed to them without having to enter a search word.

I've been wondering the same thing about my wreaths. I keep reading that summer is slow, so I'm really trying to keep that in mind and look forward to a busier Fall and Holiday season. Frustrating, right?

[Former_Member]

Your items are great, honestly. I kinda think it's because they're seasonal and on the net, people look for specific things. At shows, people can see things they aren't necessarily looking for and buy them because they like what they see. Etsy isn't really set up like a craft fair where people can just walk around and "browse" so to speak, so they have to be looking for what's in your tags and titles to see your things. I suspect you will be getting lots of business in the coming months.

[AutumnAndBoo]

Thank you to all of you who took a few minutes out of your busy day to answer this query. I will check back later to see if there are any more answers. Thank you all. :) Cheers! :)

[LaurasLastDitch]

Can you market something as wedding favors, bridesmaids gifts, or something? How about changing your banner and your marketing during the times of year that people aren't thinking about Halloween?

[Former_Member]

I love your pins,very unique and creative. Your pics are great & cohesive. The only think I noticed when looking at the thumbnails of your items, the spiderweb and bead background of each item makes them all blur together. Maybe make some of your first pictures on a simpler background.
To see what I am saying, switch your shop to gallery view, then look away from your computer and quickly glance back. What do you see?
http://www.etsy.com/listing/104949850/cutie-pumpkin-wearable-art-sculpture-pin

[Former_Member]

I agree with all the above. To give people an idea about size maybe take a picture holding the pin in your hand.

[Former_Member]

Great products!! I absolutely love them. Your shop is too cute!

I would venture to say that people are more likely to buy "out of season" items when they're at a fair because they know they might not see it again. Whereas online people might see your shop and favorite it for later. Plus people at fairs WANT to buy something. People online want to buy something but have so much more to choose from.

[Former_Member]

your items are so cute!!!!!!

one thing in the item description that is really distracting to me is you say "bid is only for xyz" what are you referring to? had you just copy and pasted from ebay? You may want to take that out for Etsy because it really doesn't go in the listing and makes it seem a bit ebay-ish :)

[prchalartstudio]

I think that your items are very creative, unique, and very cute! I would love to see photos of your pins being worn by adults and children. I would like to see them on black sweaters, on blouses, and even on some cute felt hats and some colorful cozy wool or knitted scarves. I would like to see them on teens, adults and some elementary aged kids. Host an early Halloween party and pin them onto your guests apparel - then take some photos for your listings. They are a colorful and fun product, so show them in that light. Good luck!

[LaurasLastDitch]

If you show them on people, though, I'd make it the second photo, not the first--at least not for all of them.

Plain white background, or plain background in a hand would be nice for the first photos.

I don't know if you read up on Etsy relevancy, but I'd do that. It seems like in many of the titles the most important keyword phrases are too far back in the titles.

The products are absolutely darling, and I'm SURE that's not the problem. Also, what about adding necklaces, earrings, or some other related items so you get found in more searches?

[Former_Member]

I like the idea of having a few pictures interspaced with the pin on somebody - maybe an orange shirt with a black blazer and the pin on the lapel?

I love your stuff, I would suggest when selling at shows to include your shop information at the bottom of your pin backers, this way people will know where to find more.

[QuirkyUniverse]

It's not your pictures. Your low number of views tells me you're not getting found. You need to read up on relevancy and SEO and work on your titles and tags.

I'm not very good at explaining it. Like in your titles you need to put Halloween Pin, Halloween Jewelry, and then repeat those exact phrases in your tags.

[Former_Member]

First of all, your pins are SO great! The pricing seems very reasonable too.
I am just selling through etsy right now (and not much), but was talking to people at local summer markets and they say that most of their sales are at the markets.

My oldest daughter (preteen headed into middle school) would LOVE your owl pins! But she would more likely go for it if it were a charm she could hang off her backpack, or a necklace (although maybe they are too big for that?), keychain, etc...

I also agree with showing the pins on models. On a hat, or on a scarf would be great.

Best of luck with your shop!

[LaurasLastDitch]

I'm looking at your tags, and they really need a lot of work. Definitely studying up on SEO and Etsy relevancy will do absolute marvels for your views, and I'm confident that if you get plenty of views, you will get plenty of sales.

1. Use keyword phrases in the title (things buyers will search for). Avoid single words as much as possible. You might go for tags such as: halloween jewelry, pumpkin pin, halloween pin, halloween jewellery, halloween brooch, pumpkin brooch, wearable art, handmade brooch, handmade pin, kids jewelry, etc. I, personally, wouldn't waste tags with team names unless you've thought hard and can't think of anything else to fill all 13 spaces.
2. Repeat the keyword phrases as many times as you reasonably can in the description.
3. Repeat the keyword phrases in the tags. Sometimes it's a good idea to write the tags first.
4. Try to alternate which keyword phrases you use between your similar items, so whatever a buyer searches for, one of your items will come up.
5. Pack your shop announcement with keywords.
6. Your SEO and Etsy relevancy may also be affected by your shop categories, so use more specific categories (such as Owl Jewelry, Pumpkin Jewelry, Monster Jewelry).
7. Make your shop title (the little thing under your shop name, in the left column) something like "Handmade Halloween Jewelry." This will help SEO. For instance, mine is "Vintage Kitchen Utensils, Small Appliances."

Anything you can do to be found in searches will be time very, very well-spent.

[AutumnAndBoo]

Wow thank you to everyone who has given such great and helpful replies. I will see about getting some "action shots" of the pins being worn.

Also thank you for the input about SEO, it's all such a mystery to me.

I thought short, one word, keywords were the most useful, but I guess not? *^_^*;;;

Thank you, thank you! :)

[DesignsbyCher]

SEO is a learning experience for sure, but necessary ...

Keyword phrases will get you found more quickly than using single keywords in your tags...
so if you use Halloween brooch as a tag, it will turn up sooner than if you use them separately as keywords.

As cute as your spiderweb is, it's distracting from the item... you might try picking up some plain white, black or orange paper or felt squares at your local craft store to use as a background, depending on the color of the pin you're photo'ing ... at least for that first gallery shot.

And a shot in the palm of your hand for frame of reference is always good too, for one of your other 4 spots.

I love your Gremlins and Frida the Wise Owl is adorable!
So her title could be;
Frida the Wise Owl Pin, Wearable Art Brooch

and rather than all those single word tags after your first 3 category choices, maybe some of these...
purple owl pin
hand painted
lavender bird
sculpted art pin
Halloween pin
Autumn jewelry
wearable art
OOAK

I also notice that you have no materials listed... what are they made of?
I'd want to know... and I would guess buyers would too, especially what the pin back is made of. If it's nickel that's important, cuz so many have metal allergies, and nickel is a culprit for them... but if it's nickel and lead free, that's also important to know, when they're for kids too.

Just thinking out loud ;)

[DesignsbyCher]

Oh and I forgot to mention putting AutumnAndBoo as a tag in some of your items, where you have an open slot.... then if someone who has seen your work at a show looks for you here, Ta DA! ;)

I put my shop name as a tag in every item, and it shows as a keyword search in my shop stats.

that's it... shutting up now...

[Former_Member]

Hi :)

I think the wproblem is in tags and titles. You are missing the most important word in your ttitles and tags "BROOCHE" stick brooche and pin everywhere you can:) I think also "geek, geekery" will bring you some views.

Best

[LaurasLastDitch]

I wouldn't use your shop name as a tag. Before that was a good idea, but with the new Etsy search, if you don't have anything tagged as your shop name, up will pop something that says "find shop names containing autumnandboo." Even if they put in "Autumn and Boo," that option still pops up, so shop name tags are now a waste of space. I'm slowly working on removing mine.

[AutumnAndBoo]

Thank you for unraveling the mysteries of SEO and Tagging! :) And thank you for the suggestion of Brooche and Geekery, I wouldn't have thought of those. ^_^

Looks like I have some overhauls to do. :)

[ZoesOldeShoppe]

I agree it's important to stock up on seasonal inventory early but keep in mind that it's those last couple weeks before the holiday that most people do their shopping! Don't lose hope- this is the slowest time of year in retail ;)

[reclaimeddame]

If you take your pic on white poster board with NOTHING else in the shot, then you will accomplish 2 things: 1) a clean Etsy-esque photo and 2) some things will look like they could be from ANY season - thereby removing the seasonality restrictiveness you are experiencing now. You get 5 shots of this, so I would consider the following: one shot with nothing but plain white, one with white background and a quarter in the shot, one with white background in the palm of your hand, one with the pin being worn. you get the concept. can you expand to other seasons? that's another thought as well. maybe the pumpkin has a stocking cap on? what about the characters showing up in swim suits or something. hope that helps in some small way. good luck

[Former_Member]

I love your items but I think you should have a plain background whatever color you want. It will make your items pop a little more; they are awesome on their own.