What is BNS / BNR?

[CKDesignsUS]

What is a BNR and what is a BNS?

Are you a newbie to the BNS/BNR world? It can be very confusing at first, so hopefully my cheat sheet will help.

♥Overview BNS:♥

A BNS means “Buy and Stay.” A curator, the person who makes the treasury list, will set up their BNS round. It will feature shops that you may buy from. In general, you can buy anything from those shops, unless the rules state otherwise. Once you buy from those shops, you will get put on a list to be featured in the next round. The pros to BNS? You have an opportunity to make more than one sale per round.

♥Overview BNR:♥

A BNR means “Buy and Replace.” A curator will make the treasury list for their BNR round. It will feature shops that you may buy from. In general, you can buy anything from those shops, unless the rules state otherwise. Once you buy from those shops, your shop will immediately replace the purchased from shop. The pros to BNR? They are often quicker moving than a BNS. The cons: You make one sale per purchase.

♥Important notes:♥

It’s very important to read the rules to each BNS/BNR. They are usually on the first page of comments. People will chat in the comments section in both BNS and BNR’s.

*Some BNS/BNRs have a minimum you must spend. In BNR’s that minimum has to be met with the one shop you purchase from.

*Some BNS/BNR’s require you to “call out.” This means you are requesting permission to shop. That info is usually in the rules section.

*Some BNS/BNR’s have carryovers so you’re featured in more than one round, or they reward you with more rounds based on how much you spend.

*Some BNS/BNR’s hold raffles and play games.

*Some BNS/BNR’s will give away a free spot for referral contests, donations for raffles, or winning prizes.

*Some BNS/BNR’s will have immediate features where if you buy in at that moment, you get featured right away as well as in the following round.

*Most shops in a BNS and BNR will post their coupon codes. Do you have to have a code to participate? No, but many buyers will appreciate this. I’ve seen shops not get sales because of not having a coupon code. I’m not a big fan of separate treasury lists for coupon codes, or linking people to a post in a team to find a coupon code, but some BNS/BNRs will do this. Mine do not.

♥Why you would want to participate in a BNS/BNR:♥

Your shop will get more views and more fav’s, which means more exposure. You may potentially make sales. You could make friendships and experience a social aspect of Etsy. I have a feeling that if the average shopper sees a larger “sale count” in your shop, then they feel more comfortable in buying from you. BNS/BNR’s allow you to sell more items, thus increasing your sale count.

♥Frequently asked questions:♥

“Can I buy anything from the shops or just what is shown in the treasury?” – In almost all cases, you can buy anything from the shop.

“Do I get to choose what is shown the next round?” - In most BNS’s, the curator will choose. In most BNR’s, the curator will choose the initial item and in general you can pick once the round gets underway. Many curators will accept your requests/suggestions.

“How often is each round?” - This depends on the curator and the individual BNS. It’s important for you to trust the BNS/BNR you are buying into. There are quite a few going on Etsy, with many opening up for the first time each day. You need to trust that the person opening the round is not “fly by night” and that your round will actually take place. ☺

“Are these endorsed, or run by Etsy?” - Not really. They aren’t stopping us from doing them, but they are cracking down on what they would consider to be spam conversations. If you are inviting people to join your BNS/BNR, be careful about sending those convos over the Etsy system. They are not run by Etsy, but by regular shop owners/team members like you and me.

♥How you can help promote BNS/BNRs:♥

Through out the round, stop in the BNS/BNR and fav it by clicking on the heart in the top right corner.

Speaking of circles – be very involved in adding people to your circle (who will hopefully add you to theirs.) If you have a big audience for your activity, there are more eyes to see the BNS/BNR.

Convos – I touched on this earlier. Technically, if you send a convo out through the Etsy system to invite people to join your BNS/BNR, it is considered SPAM. To avoid you getting in trouble – do this at your own risk. Many people have made email lists for Etsy friends who would like to be invited to BNS/BNRs. AND – be a team player. If someone is sending you invites via the Etsy convo system….DO NOT REPORT THEM! If you don’t want them to send you any more convos, simply write back to them and ask them not to send them to you.

Chat in the BNS once and a while, or be present and chat through the BNR. You’d be surprised how many more people will shop when there’s socializing going on.

♥How to sell more in BNS/BNRs:♥

*Have items that people want. Etsy sellers are the ones participating in these – not buyers. If you sell $100 art items, or $75 photographs – you may not move many. Shops like to buy things that they can USE.

*Have some lower priced items in your store. By low priced – I mean in the $1-10 range. “But, Annie! This isn’t going to make me a lot of money!” you may say. You’re right, it’s not…but it’s going to increase your potential for selling in a BNS/BNR.

*Take good photographs. As a BNS/BNR curator, it’s difficult to make eye-appealing treasury lists if people don’t take good photos. The photos should be crisp and clear – not blurry. The colors should be accurate, not dark. It’s best if the items are not put on awkward colored backgrounds, or clashing backgrounds, or backgrounds that are busy. This goes not only for BNS/BNRs but in the Etsy world. More people are apt to use your items in lists if you have good photos. Many BNS/BNR curators look to put the best photos in the top two rows of a treasury list because that’s what shows up in an activity feed for the treasury. They will also put the items that they feel will draw the most attention. A supply shop, for example, will draw more attention than a shop selling handmade ash trays.