How to sell an item a buyer doesn't know they want?

[Former_Member]

I am new to etsy, just opened my shop about a month ago. I am not expecting to sell through my inventory immediately, however I feel my views and hearts are pretty low. I average about 5-10 a day for listings and shop combined. I've researched google and tried to make my tags accurately vague and specific at the same time. How do I increase views for an item thats generally low searched? (Who has ever walked into a new apartment and said "All I need for this room is some old national geographic collages!")

So far, my outside-of-etsy marketing is limited to Facebook and tumblr. I hope to make business cards in the next few weeks.

Thank you all!

[ItsaLittleAwesome]

Hi! I LOVE your collage work (I love surrealism). I think your tags are spot on and your presentation (photos, shop in general) is awesome. Have you tried Deviantart? I've been on that site for seven years now and I have seen a growing audience for collage and oddities and I'd give it a try if you haven't already. I would also suggest watermarking your works, or at least putting your shop name on the corner of each photo.

[reyshapes]

I really like Christine's ideas - those are smart ideas for your shop.

I think this is a hard market to break into because there isn't really a large fan base of it that I know of so that just means it would be harder to find, not that it's not there. Maybe there is a different way to appeal to your audience. Do you know what kind of audience you are tailored to? Age range, profession, style etc? Where and how do you see these pieces being used? Can they be ordered with frames? Have you thought of making T-shirt prints out of them?

I would change your descriptions a bit. As a potential buyer, I want to know what inspired the piece, what it means to you as the artist, what you are trying to say, what year you got the pictures from, how well they will stay together (varnish on top?), what the title is of each piece, if they are signed by you the artist - lots of details I would like to know.

Anyway, those are my thoughts.

[Former_Member]

Thank you both very much! So much of my process is instinctual, its hard for me to remember what exactly inspired each piece. Got to dig deep in my brain for all those stories!