needing help...so confused!

[Former_Member]

hi! i've only had 5 sales in my 8 months of being on here, and i'm not quite sure what gives! i use facebook, twitter, and blogging. i use all 14 tags, and i use all 5 picture slots. i don't really know why my situation is like this....any help would be welcome. thanks much!
-gracie

[Former_Member]

anyone out there?

[NutfieldWeaver]

Hi, Gracie!

There are a lot of jewellery makers here on Etsy. I'm not a jewellery person, but I think that it is a pretty competetive area.

I don't know if this helps, but if one of my items isn't selling or getting the number of views that I thought it might, I redo the pictures of the item. (I take a lot of pictures). Your descriptions/tags seem pretty good. :)

Good luck!

[Former_Member]

thanks nutfield (:

[Former_Member]

Me! hahaha!
I was busy reading the thread about self-modeling were I saw you were one of the few kind people there! It's amazing how people are ready to jump the gun when it comes to negativity!

I also sell jewerly gracibeal, and it is one of the hardest items due to the fierce competition. You list something and ten minutes later it appears on page 30 on its category.

I suggest that you continue what you are doing. What I do is I carry business cards or a post card with pics of my best items. When I go out and I see people wearing the kind of jewelry that I make, I give them a postcard and a business cards, which contains my Etsy info. It has worked for me. So far, 2 months and 22 sales. I guess it's not something to brag about, but it's not too bad either.

[Former_Member]

creationsbysasuga,
tell me about it! that poor girl was new to etsy...cut her some slack!

so you just go up to them and hand the card out? what do you say?

[Former_Member]

For example, I go to the bank and I am familiar with some of the girls if I see them wearing jewelry, or if they kinda know me I do ask them if they would be interested and hand out my little card.

I also do a lot of self promoting on fb which has yielded some customers. Not a lot but maybe about 75%. I sell on yardsellr.com which is super slow right now but I have made three sales there. I am seriously thinking about gointo to Artfire too. For $10.00 a month you can list as many items as you want. No extra fees.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not an expert, I am also new, but I am just trying to share with you what has worked for me. Right now for example, I have a facebook fan raiser giveaway which has increased my fan traffic a little bit. And it assures that the people getting the credits will eventually try to use it and become a customer.

[Former_Member]

What is your facebook page?

[Former_Member]

hi Gracie ... jewelry IS very flooded and because of that it raises the bar. The thing about the macro shots that we jewelry people need to use to show our items is that it hides no sins as my husband likes to say lol. That is to say that it amplifies anything that may be a bit awry in a piece.

You may want to practice a bit more with your wire work. Your P loops are tilting in a way that cause gaps see for example in this one http://www.etsy.com/listing/61029658/wild-colors-dangle-earrings

Now the average buyer will not know the jargon but they will know the difference... they will see that it appears somewhat less finished for lack of a better word. It is also causing some slipping up the head pin in some shots where they are lying horizontal.

just keep wrapping and wrapping until it becomes 2nd nature because unfortunately that macro lens is a task master LOL

[Former_Member]

Newhopebeading, thanks for the advice! That's one of my old pieces, but I'll be sure to practice the loops(:
Creationsbysasuga, its www.Facebook.com/graciesdesigns

[Former_Member]

Can you list more merchadise ? I read a few days ago (in a suggestion to a seller from an Etsy Administrator) that quantity of items is important. I don't think she meant hundreds ... but maybe it would help if you add to your inventory. Also, on the post earrings, maybe you could shoot a photo showing the posts (back of the earrings)?

[sammysgrammy]

Graceibeal - (this is my pet peeve) On your store front - upper left - the name of your shop -GRACIEBEAL - under that (its called shop info) you have GRACIESDESIGNS. When people are doing google search, will they look for graciedesigns? probably not. What needs to go there is something like this :
Earrings: bright colorful funky - Then people shopping for earrings will find your shop. To change this: go to your account > shop appearance > shop info.

The crimson dangle photo is so light, I can't see the earring. Otherwise I think your photos show off your jewelry very well.
I love that the background is all white.
Yes, make more. Fill up a couple pages.

I see you are a member of a couple teams - this one and TX Crafters - do the TX Crafters promote each others shops? If not - check out a few other teams.

Make treasuries, comment in forums, go to the etsy labs, especially Newbie labs.

Your jewelry is beautiful and well priced and you'll be successful

[Former_Member]

I also have a question..... Do sellers generally add a few (or more) items every day? What is the trick to getting noticed? I just listed my items yesterday, and I don't expect to sell anything immediately, but what is the trick???

Thanks,

Beth

[sammysgrammy]

greensprout - it is a definite plus to list or relist every day or even twice a day because that brings your items to the top or front of searches - not buried back 20 pages.

Since you sell only soap and you've got your shop info telling exactly what's inside your shop (all natural handmade soap) if people are looking for soap and you just listed some, your shop will be on the top or first.

I checked your views and you have 30-40 views on the ones you listed yesterday. I think that's good. Of course I'd like to see more but a little promotion would help that.

[Former_Member]

thanks so much sammysgrammy and auntemilie!

[BonjourPoupette]

I love these earrings:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/61027216/bumblebee-fabric-stud-earrings

... and i would use them in Treasury in a second IF the main photo zoomed in on the earring more so I could really see what they were in the first photo. The only reason I clicked on the item was because of the world Bumblebee (and I love bumblebees!). I think that you did choose the best photo in terms of light quality and crispness - but try taking more! When I first opened my shop I spent practically all of my time taking and re-taking photos. I would get so frustrated and overwhelmed sometimes but eventually my photos did improve. I am still learning. There are still items in my shop that are on the list of photo re-shoots,

Regarding the number of items in the shop - this has been so true for me. For my first six months I had about 25 items in my shop consistently. I was making a few sales a month. I set a goal to make and list a new item every single day. Within a month my sales had increased dramatically. When I finally reached 50 items in my shop, my monthly sales actually tripled (granted, the numbers are small potatoes, but they were huge baby steps for me!). I even sold more in January than in December. Of course, there were other factors: my work evolving and diversifying, the onset of Activity Feeds, my photos becoming more 'Treasury-friendly'... but the commitment to increase items in my shop inevitably increased my skills as well.

Other things that have worked for me: updating my tags regularly based on Merchandising Reports and Etsy Emails, then re-listing the item; making lots of Treasuries featuring other people's work; going above and beyond with customer service (i.e. treating my customers like the gems that they are). I hope this is helpful for you!

[Former_Member]

thanks bonjourpoupette!
that helped ALOT(:

[Former_Member]

Hi Gracie!
I looked your shop over and I agree with the comments the others are making. Jewelry is super tough to get into here on Etsy- everything about what you sell and how you sell it has to be superb, top of the line. I think your products are beautiful. Just one suggestion from me- (the same suggestion we ALL need to work on) your pictures. Perhaps have other setups rather than the little white jewelry stand. I liked how you would also add flowers in beside the stand. That really jazzed the pics up.
Good luck!

[Former_Member]

I'm one of the multitude of sellers making dangle bead earrings! I'm still working on my wire techniques too. But looking at your shop, one thing I would recommend is to put your more unique items first. I especially like the dragonfly earrings. I would put the dragonflies first, then the butterflies and bees. In fact, I would suggest doing more in the insect theme.

Your tags could probably use some work. I'm still trying to figure out the best tags to use too, but I really don't think people are searching on "sweet" or "modest." It was recommended to me to use my shop name in tags. And if you belong to other teams, add a team name to some of them. There was a really helpful article on tagging somewhere around here.

[DecoratingYourself]

there are 2.5 million pieces of jewelry on sale on etsy today...so you have to be very active in marketing...
here are some marketing ideas...
http://decoratingyourself.blogspot.com/2011/02/improving-sales-on-etsybeyond-basics.html

[88editions]

Hey GracieBeal

I agree, apparently jewelry is tough on etsy. I noticed you don't make treasuries. That is a free (althought time consuming) cross marketing tool on etsy. I shouldn't advise because I've only sold 9 items since I joined in November. But, selling fine art online, my expectations ar different.

I would suggest creating a few treasuries each week to get your name out there and meet folks ans alos, in you own community, have you ever gone to a meetup group? you can google it in your city this is old school networking one-on-one, hand shaking, eye contact

[Former_Member]

Hi, Gracie!
I'm 3 month in Etsy and have had no one sale... Your situation better than mine. But I turn my head up to the sky:)