finding focus with my shop -- advice, thoughts please!

[Former_Member]

I think my store and I are drowning in my love of making things! I could really use some feedback or thoughts from anyone who has thought about this with your own shop and found success.

In an attempt to do some market research, I looked up who the top sellers are in some of the categories I sell in: "bags & purses" and "crochet," specifically. I also looked at Etsy stores of sellers whose work I admire who are also big sellers here. I noticed the one thing most of them had in common is that they SPECIALIZE.

A top seller in "Bags & Purses," for example, only sells bags & purses. There are variations on size, style, color, fabric, etc. But definitely no jewelry, knitting, etc. Other top sellers are like this too. I was hard pressed to find a seller who had crossed into other main categories. (I think the exception was supplies, but they were all related to what they sold.)

So here's my dilemma, and where I could use the help of my fellow Etsians. My questions:

Should I stop making so many categorically different things?

How do I know what makes the cut?

What, in your opinion, are the products that really stand out from the crowd? (I'm assuming standing out is a good thing. :)

I think I have a certain aesthetic nailed down, but I want my shop to feel like it has focus. And cutting back on my variety of products means I can make more of them instead of spreading my time and money thinly across each product line.

If you could take a cold hard look at my shop, and at my past sales, and give me your honest opinion, I would be really grateful. And sorry for the super long post. :)

[Former_Member]

Hi FennelStudio,

I just visited and hearted your shop :)

First thing I looked at was the sales section and noticed you sold wallets and pouches the most. Why not concentrate on those? They're beautiful! How about making endless variations of what you noticed sold in the past? It definitely worked for me. Make the same styles but different colors and list them as different products rather than just one with color variations (as some sellers do.) Variety with your niche product might bring success.

Hope this helped!
Sweet Findings 4 You

[Former_Member]

Thank you Sweet Findings! I really appreciate the feedback!!

I like the idea of "endless variations." That will keep me busy! I guess I'm worried that the Bags & Purses category is pretty saturated and it'll be hard for me to stand out. You probably have this same concern with jewelry, I bet!

[Former_Member]

I go by "there's a place for everyone" :) I think the jewelry section is the most saturated one with fearless competition, but I always try to come up with new designs.

Good luck!

[PassingFanciesPopup]

Hi! I just visited your shop, and as it is now, it doesn't feel too disjointed at all. If you had too many other types of things in there, I think it might be more confusing to look at it, but right now it's very clear to me which items are your specialty, even if you have more than one specialty.

I carry multiple media in my shop, but my underlying theme is my drawings. They take the form of embroideries, patterns, or illustrations, but they have that same theme, so they feel cohesive (to me, at least!). So maybe your aesthetic is your theme. :)

Also, some sellers just open multiple shops so they can specialize in more than one thing.

Good luck!

[Former_Member]

Thanks juneatnoon! I'm glad my aesthetic is standing out as the focus. That's something I worked hard on to develop and I'm relieved to know that's what people notice first! Thank you for the advice!!!

Your shop is really great and it definitely has a focus thanks to your illustrations. So your embroideries make sense next to the paper works, because your look comes through. I guess it's harder for me to feel like I have a focus since I'm relying on color and texture, not anything illustrative...

Thanks so much for your help!

[Former_Member]

Hi Fennel......interesting research info. Thanks. I've struggled with same questions, but honestly, don't want to limit myself creatively. That said, just because the ones at the top are fine tuned to one thing, doesn't mean you can't be a success with more than one focus. 'We' (you and me) just have to find the way that works for us. I think your shop is great. What I thought when i visited though, and something I do often, is rearranging things so like items are grouped with like items. You can do this from 'your account' page, under options I think, and then click on enable rearranging. Then go back to your shop page and you can click and drag things to where you want them to be.

[Former_Member]

ps- i see you're organized with color in mind, but perhaps like items, and then color? just throwing it out there.

[Former_Member]

Thanks Bates! I really like your idea of playing around with the "rearrange" function for a while! I'll try organizing things how you suggested... that also might help show me where my visually strong and weak sections are, if I can see them grouped together like that.

What caught my eye in your shop is the striking bold graphic work. It almost seems to overpower the softer items, but in a good way -- your shop gives me the impression of being urban & modern yet appreciative of the way things used to be made/drawn/designed. Which is what I like about it.

LOL I don't know why I decided to arrange by color. I think it was my way of dealing with all that destash yarn I have sitting in my shop. Or maybe I just needed to see a rainbow. :)

Thanks so much!!! This is all such really great advice. I hope I can return the favor someday.

[samsstuff]

I think the reason the top sellers in specific categories are specialists is that, by definition, they have more items in that particular category. By not specializing, you 'divide' the 'votes' into different categories. It works the same way in politics, for example. If one group has a bill they don't want passed they try to split the 'yes' option into 2 choices, that way they have one no & two yes choices. Even if the yes choices together have more votes than the no, the no choice wins because the yes votes have been split. In your shop, you may not be the top seller in a particular category, but you can have lots of sales when all the categories are added together.

[KubaremBaby]

I have to agree with the above comments - your shop looks cohesive and your categories seem to make sense: all soft goods. However, you have to decide for yourself whether it is worth keeping so many of them. If you feel like you will do even better products by having only one or two categories, then you should go for it. You can always branch out later when your shop is more established and you have some loyal customers. In my opinion, your wallets do stand out and show your creativity in a fresh, eye-catching way :)

[Former_Member]

I have totally been thinking about all these questions for my own shop too!! I was actually even going to come post something, then I saw your post! I think you are doing pretty good so far, arranging them in the display by colors really ties them together, though I live the way you have categorized them.
What I decided was that I was going to open up a second shop, keep this one for my digital art and a new one for sewn/handmade goods. Then I can really focus on promoting digital in one shop and the handmade in the other. I feel like that way, I am not cheating them from spotlight time... does that make sense?? lol

[Former_Member]

Samsstuff -- splitting votes, that's such a brilliant way to think about it! Now I may have to do some polling of my items and see which way they want me to vote. :)

Thank you!!

[Former_Member]

NewMom -- thank you for the compliments and advice! I actually just finished a few more wallets to list this week. :)

So to think big, I need to think small first. Baby steps before I take big leaps to change things. Thank you!!!

[Former_Member]

Periwinkle -- yes, you make perfect sense. I think you're on the right track for a second shop. I can see how your design items and your sewn items come from the same creative place, but I think the two categories are so different that two shops will definitely be a benefit to you.

Keep me posted on how your second shop goes! Thank you!

[samsstuff]

Like you, I have lots of different things in my shop. I have already split my shop once (the second shop has photography & funny little embroideries) While I think that what's left, jewelry, accessories & clothing goes together (just like it would in a boutique), there's something to be said for building your market & then expanding in to other things. I'm not sure that I want yet another shop (maybe just vintage), so it's a judgment call. I'm trying for a unified look to the shop & grouping items that go together, style, era, color...Some listings also have links to other listings, kind of a this would go great with this suggestion. All of these, though are just different thoughts & ideas, depending on what direction you (or some of the rest of us, like me) want to go in.
I think your shop is cute & I like the color grouping. I hope some of this is helpful.

[Former_Member]

Thanks sam! I can imagine it would be harder if you want to do both vintage AND handmade... so many directions to go in...

I love the vintage pins in your shop! You have a good eye.

[Former_Member]

I would concentrate on the things that sell the most - then you have a shop that has some focus rather than a mish mash.

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