discouraged............

[Former_Member]

I have been open since Nov and have really started putting my all into my shop in Feb. and it has done no good. my views are low, sales are no where. Seems I have put so much money into it already I don't feel like I can spend more so how do I keep going? just leave my shop as is and hope hope hope it will take off as is?

[HiJoDesign]

I love your items!!!

It's obvious that you do put your all into your items! :D Etsy has SO many ideas of how to critique, and bring more traffic into your shop - it can be so discouraging to not be found yet.

I would love to see your quilts in use - like taking pictures of them wrapped around a cute doll, or something like that. Finding a unique way to photograph is a huge part of being successful here. (I'm still working on that)

Also, since they've changed the search mechanics, your tags and how you phrase titles are SO important. One thing I would suggest is using the search option to look at other quilt shops, finding a product that reminds you of your items, and look at their tags and titles. The ones that come up on top are doing it right. :)

Then - do you have a business facebook page? Twitter? Pinterest? Tumblr? Wanelo? All of these things get your items out there, and there are teams for each one here, where you can follow other sellers, and they can follow you, allowing you to reach a much broader spectrum than you could alone. :)

Your items are beautiful, and it's obvious that you craft with love. Show the world! They say it takes time here, and it's true. My sales are low still, but I work on my marketing for a little bit each day, and gradually the views are increasing.

Best of luck, and blessings!

[NeedlesnPinsStichery]

It takes a lot of work to get your shop off the ground. The sales are few and far between at first and then slowly and gradually get better. There are times when all of our views are very slow and sales stop. For me right now is one of those times.

Just keep working at it. Do you do any promoting outside of Etsy i.e. FB, Twitter, Pinterest? With an online company this is a must! Hang in there and just keep promoting, promoting, promoting and know that it takes a huge amount of time for most of us.

Good luck! :)

[Former_Member]

First, I am a newbie so take anything I say with a grain of salt. lol

Second, your stuff is adorable and I love your purple cow. She makes me smile.

Have you thought about retaking the photos and jumping on the white background band wagon?

What about Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, etc?

[Former_Member]

Thanks so much for the advice! This team is so awesome! I have been retaking photos and taking them outside but still have not found the perfect background! but will continue to try!

[Former_Member]

I really like this quilt, but the shadows are very distracting from how it looks. http://www.etsy.com/listing/95209469/modern-baby-girl-quilt-blanket
I like the pics of your purses, they looked very well done.

[Former_Member]

Oh don't give up! I'm favoriting your shop and will share it on my FB and pinterest! I LOVE LOVE your items. I wish I had found you when I had my baby, but I'll definitely buy gifts from you for my friends :)
Keep up the good work - I really think it will pay off.
It just takes a LOT of money and time to get started.

[HiJoDesign]

One thing that you might invest in for your photos is photoshop or a similar product.

Then, buy a couple of HUGE whiteboards from a craft store (the cheap kind, like 2.00, not the artist canvas ones)

and create your quilt photo box.

If you take pictures there, and edit it with your program (usually just adjusting brightness and contrast), it will give you more freedom of when to photograph, where, and how it will look.

If you have questions about this, please convo me - I'll walk you through with my newbie setup :D

[Former_Member]

Thanks Amanda and Nadine! I defiantly needed this little boost from all of you! Gets me enthused and say I really can do this! Thanks again to all of you!

[Former_Member]

Thanks you Hilary! I will be buying some big white boards! Cant wait try them!

[Former_Member]

Jayne, I know you've already heard quite a bit from others, but this thread caught my eye and so did your shop. I love your banner and your products look so adorable!! I would definitely encourage you to take the advice of the others here - especially the white background. I think it will really make your items pop. It's easy to get discouraged. But I think you are on a great start! Keep up the hard work.

[Former_Member]

Thanks Amber! I am defiantly invest in a white poster board and see what i can come up with!

[FierceCreativeCo]

Love your shop!!! Pictures look great, try playing with titles, descriptions, and tags though. Put the most relevant words first like "Baby Girl Quilt".

[curiouscatfish]

http://www.etsy.com/listing/92257529/reversible-houndstooth-tote-bag



Love this!

I agree, make the photos clean and crisp and hang in there. They are really cute. If my kids still needed burp cloths I would buy one,

[PhotographybyNicoleN]

I have to say your shop is fabulous. I also have to say, i havent sold much of anything here on etsy. I am on facebook, pinterest, twitter, blogspot. fineart and several others. But in my case, i THINK its because there is much competition with photography. Quilts, are ever such more custom, or not as much competition. Also with me, I see so much here in my county. From mail stores to a country stores.............. OH the other thing is too, that i am a member of the trad a holics here on etsy, and trade for items ALOT more than purchasing........ Husband hasnt worked in over a year...... blessings with that being said... dont give up. Maybe try and find some places in your town(s) to put items on consignment as well.............. sincerely Nicole

[Former_Member]

I love your grey & aqua day bag! It's a bit out of my price range but I agree with everyone else - you're items are beautiful. Keep at it. Your time to shine on Etsy will come!

[SilverLilyJewelry]

Hi Jayne must say you have gorgeous quilt's having a baby myself I fell in love with the modern baby girl and unisex quilt's they are gorgeous but your pictures arent doing them justice what type of camera are you using do you have access to an actual crib? do you edit your pictures? do you have access to an actual baby? I really think you can be successfull specially with your modern baby quilt line but your pictures need to be dynamic I would'nt mind purchasing one of your quilt's if I didn't sew and already have fabric for my baby's quilt! another suggestion I feel like your quilt's would fit in with pottery barn kid's or anthropologie go to their website to get inspired with how they stage their photo's really hope this help's! wishing you much success!

[Former_Member]

Your products are great, you really should not give up. You've gotten some great advice, and with some of that white poster board and an overcast day outside, it will just make them pop.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/93771833/burp-cloth-chenille-modern-polka-dot-and

[LittleBitsOFaith]

Don't give up....your banner is darling, your baby items are great. I would agree with the other shop owners about the photos, background and editing. Most of us do get discouraged from time to time, but if you love what you do, keep it up! Best wishes to you!

[Former_Member]

Im having a very disscouraging moment too, just try too keep your head up and keep trying new things! Good luck!!!

[LMRCreations2]

Ohh I love your quilts.
I favorited your shop. :-)

[ArtdeLimaginaire]

To me, your purses and the quilts show the best in your photos. Be sure that every couple of days, you renew two or three of those items in the evening when people are shopping. Especially renew a few toward the week end. Almost all of my sales are on week ends. Renewing an item or two late at night can be good too, for those folks on the other side of the world, time zone wise.

Be sure to make friends with others, leaving comments at treasuries and promoting others in treasuries. Then, they will start to promote you in their treasuries also. Belonging to Promotion Teams can really help you be seen more.

I like to have one of my best selling items as my bio picture. Then, every time you leave a comment anywhere, your actual product is seen and they are more likely to go look at your shop.

I like to promote others with similar shops to mine. Even though they are my greatest competition, they then turn into my biggest promoters also, and people looking for their item will also check mine because we all form a connection. If not quilts exactly, for you, at least those selling linens, pillows, bedding, etc. what they don't offer, you will.

When you make lovely, cohesive treasuries, it brings attention to you and your bio pic.

Hope some of this helps! It is like a snow ball effect. The more you are seen, the more people start to feature you and then you keep being seen more and more. One other thing----don't spend a lot of money. It isn't that---it's trying products out to see what people like and then focusing in on those type of things. One of my shops started out in one direction and took a completely different direction as I saw what people wanted.

I wish you success! Someone mentioned looking up shops similar to yours and seeing how they phrase titles and descriptions and pricing, etc, and that seems like such a great idea.
Best regards,
Diane

[ArtdeLimaginaire]

I just visited your shop again. Sorry I'm saying so much, but, I did notice that the first three words of your titles might serve you better. Saying "Modern Baby Girl" for example is not going to bring you customers, as no one is searching for a modern baby girl-ha. They will search for a Baby Quilt, or Yellow Baby Quilt or Blanket. Another example: Reversible Diaper Bag. A lot of people like me need to know right up front that they are purses, because I don't have children---when I looked at your photos I automatically thought, oh, cute purses or totes. But, if I had searched for that, I wouldn't have found it because you start out with diaper bags in the title. Maybe do a few that way and start out a few others with Yellow Purse, Tote or Diaper Bag, Or Zebra Purse or Diaper Bag. Take advantage of the fact that you can have 4 extra little pictures too, by showing the reversible side in some of them.

[Former_Member]

It is definitely a roller coaster ride of emotion. I feel really encouraged getting a lot of hearts for my shop and items and quite a few favorites but discouraged with my sales, but then really encouraged again when I read a thread like this with all the encouraging words. What a great team we have here. Thanks for the lift everyone. A little work and research each day and it'll all come together and start happening.

@Diane I have read a lot of tips since opening my shop but have never read to renew items before they expire. I'm going to try that. Thanks.

Have a great evening everyone!
Susan

[littlecatcraft]

Don't give up! It takes time and seemingly infinite patience, but I bet it will get better! Your items are great, and if I had a baby, I would buy some! Just keep at it, your items are cute, and high quality!