"Style" and "Recipient" option

[OliCreations]

I'm having a bit of a hard time with these two options when listing a new item...I never know what to put! I find it kind of hard to pinpoint a style or recipient for my items and on one hand side I worry that by leaving them blank I am missing out on potential views from buyers searching through "style" or "recipient" and on the other hand side I'm afraid that by putting them i would "confine" my work to something too specific...if that makes sense. What do you think?

[Former_Member]

I use the styles and randomize the recipients because I have a lot of items that should be considered unisex. I just want to have something selected because it will be part of search eventually.

I'm a nerd (lol) so I looked up images of all of the styles when I started. So now I choose between four or five styles that apply to my item and if the style is super important I'll use it as a tag (until it becomes part of the search algorithm).

Using these labels will not keep you away from potential buyers, but if you have an item that is obviously only for babies, you should definitely use that label.

[OliCreations]

I should probably do that too! looking up images of all those styles sounds like it could help quite a bit...

[WilliamsGiftshop]

It is not part of search (now), so I don't use it.

[JannisBitsAndBobs]

"Style" often leaves me scratching my head, in all honesty. Sometimes I ask a friend for her opinion. She's a self described, "Dyed, tattooed, fluffy, cyber goth chick." Or I'll ask my niece, who's in her early 20's. Other than that, it's "by guess and by golly."

[LoopsAndLines]

I left style blank on all of my items for over a year and just recently decided to try a few. I choose between 4 and have noticed that when I type my item in search with one of the style words in front of my most common keyword, I am on the first page. I also have noticed my style words in my Shop Stats.

My thinking . . . there are only so many ways to mix up my keywords. If a shopper wants to narrow down the search, a style might just be next word they choose.

PS I try to remind myself that style differs from another adjective like color or kind, etc. I don't want to get too far off the beaten track and pick something that is too obscure.

[GabriellasTreasures]

For my type shop, it is absolutely confusing to me. I use it when it is a match I know is correct - otherwise I leav e it blank. I have read all the info on this, but I spend enough time listing without adding this.

As BeaG says, it doesn't matter now - as far as I know - LOL

[ArtistLydiaMakepeace]

Don't forget there is an option to enter your own additional "style" if it isn't listed, at the bottom of the scroll down list!

I had to educate myself too on some of the styles listed. Generally, I've found that my items fall into 2-4 categories.

Many times what you create is something you, yourself would buy, so think about how you would describe that item to someone if you were searching for it in a store or the type of store it would be sold in. What would you consider your own personal style to be?

[LoopsAndLines]

What Lydia said . . .

"Many times what you create is something you, yourself would buy, so think about how you would describe that item to someone if you were searching for it in a store or the type of store it would be sold in. What would you consider your own personal style to be?"

Excellent advice. Look at people's favs and you can see their style. Look at people's shops and you can see their style. I am drawn to clean lines, contemporary and minimalist style. Why not capitalize on that aspect of my "target market"?

[OliCreations]

That is real good advice Lydia, I have to try and figure that out...
Thank you to everyone!