Help for a struggling shop?

[EdwardTeachApparel]

Hello! I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. A few months ago I had to shut down my shop while I was moving to another state. Before then, I was getting one or two sales per week, which was perfect for me. Now that I've finally reopened and started re-listing things, I've noticed that my shop traffic is way down from what it used to be. Because of this, I have realized that I need to start promoting like crazy and getting my name back out there. I also believe it's time for a shop makeover. My biggest concern right now is pricing.

How do you determine what you should charge for your items? Is it better to have low prices plus shipping, like I've been doing? Or should I raise my prices and provide free shipping?

Also, how are you all dealing with the recent USPS price increases for international shipments? I personally refuse to charge $9 to ship to Australia.

Any advice would be much appreciated. I want to give my customers a great deal, but I would also like to make a little money!

Thank you,
Leah

[GirlInTheMoonJAX]

Promote everywhere you can. If you're not much for blogging (I find it tedious and boring) try image based platforms like pinterest and tumblr.

As far as pricing goes, when I started making jewelry my friend gave me a basic formula of minimum wage/hr it takes to make the item + cost of materials + $1 for each "degree" of uniqueness you give it.. Of course that's very general but it can give you a ballpark idea in addition to checking etsy to see what similar items go at. We do a base price for our items and then an average price for shipping. We did raise a little bit to accommodate the post office price hike but it hasn't hindered us too much. Our last order actually went out to Australia.

[Former_Member]

I would recommend a bit more light in your photos, perhaps try taking photos in front of a window on a sunny day. Etsy has tons of helpful posts on this. I love this photo, though!!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/89187610/mermaids-shells-post-earrings?ref=shop_home_active
The focus is just right. However, in some images, I feel like the shells can be a little distracting from your product. I love how it ties in your name, but like the image above, I would try to keep it as a subtle background detail instead of a backdrop. I love your jewelry, it's beautiful! Hope I helped. :)

[Former_Member]

Also remember that summer months are traditionally slow on Etsy. Things should start picking up in the fall. Perhaps now is the perfect time to do that makeover or troll the Internet for supply ideas. Many people use the summer slow down to prep for holiday sales and shows.

[Former_Member]

shipping costs what it does. I must admit I thought USA prices were still less than ours in the UK, but perhaps not.

I would recommend adding measurements in centimetres, and maybe showing the earrings on your hand as a gauge. I'm old enough to know what half an inch is, but Europe has used metric measurements for decades. My adult kids wouldn't have a clue, they've never used inches.