Ollio

Do you know how some Etsy shops make you want to hang around for a while? Not only because the shop offers beautiful creations, but also because you find the shop itself so inviting and unique and welcoming! Well, that is the case with the Etsy shop of Ollio (a/k/a Jenarter). She offers some very unique and creative jewelry pieces at very affordable prices. All beautifully photographed against the backdrop of old books and pottery, sea glass, sea shells. So go and sea for yourself! And don't forget to tell Jen that kathijane sent ya'.

Where Have You Been?

To all my regular readers (that would be me, my daughter, my sister), sorry I've been away for so long. But here's what I've been up to and my excuses for not having posted recently:

-I got really busy with my Etsy shop which is a wonderful reason to neglect your blog
-Did a craft show over the weekend which involved dismantling my shop, packing and loading; then everything in reverse - packing and loading and putting everything back in order - which would be another good reason for neglecting your blog if you actually made some sales at the show. Don't ask, okay? And did I follow my own suggestions from this post? Don't ask, okay?
-Remember that series I started on wholesale? Well, it got so involved and time intensive, I have to let it go for now. But I'll continue it later. Maybe.
-I got my first consignment! Whoohoo! More on that later.

For now, that's all I got. So what have you been up to?

I'm coming back... really, I am

Okay, I know I invited you back for more of the wholesale series, but I suddenly got swamped with work (good thing). It is really rude of me to leave you hanging like that (shame on me). But I' ll be back. Really.

Let's Talk Wholesale

Let me begin with this disclaimer: I have never sold wholesale. I have been contacted about wholesale and have tossed around the idea, but don't know enough to commit. I've also noticed some of the most oft-asked questions in the Etsy forums are about selling wholesale. Do you wholesale? Wholesale pricing? Wholesale terms? Finding wholesale buyers? So, okay, let's talk wholesale.

Considering Wholesale?
If you are considering selling wholesale, you need to first read this article by Barbara Brabec (author of several small-business books, including "Creative Cash," Handmade for Profit" and "The Crafts Business Answer Book.") Okay, so go read it. But then come back. We're not finished talking.

Is Wholesale Right For You?
Well of course it is. Volume selling, guaranteed pay. What's not to like about that? Well, sounds good enough, but let's think about it.

-Can you handle the volume of business? Can you realistically produce 30 scutterdoodles in a short period of time?
-Are you willing to drop all else to produce those 30 scutterdoodles? That means, are you willing to take the focus off your online shop while you produce scutterdoodles for one shop (ie, one customer)?
-Is it really worth your time to sell 30 scutterdoodles at wholesale prices when you can wait it out online and sell those same 30 scutterdoodles at retail?
-Are you going to get really, really antsy, bored and uninspired making the same 10 scutterdoodles over and over and over and over, again and again and again and again. And if so, is your workmanship going to suffer?
Hmmm... I don't know, but all valid questions to think about. And some of them can only be answered with more information. So stop back by tomorrow and we will talk about that all important topic of Wholesale Pricing. See you then.

Please Don't Go!

Sweet Remembrance Bracelet by Hookitup

So, I was in the Etsy forums and a jewelry seller asked the question "When is it time to go?" That is, she wanted to know at what point it is time to close up shop when your shop is getting no sales. For me, I am taking the advice of fotofiction:

	fotofiction says:
	I guess you have to ask yourself if it has stopped being fun or if your sales are making you feel truly defeated when it comes to your craft. If you are still having fun and enjoy the process, do the sales really matter?

And for all newbies to Etsy, this is great advice:

smile4katie says:

A few pieces of advice if you're going to stay :o) Get some cohesiveness between your images/banner/avatar in other words "brand" yourself so that you are memorable. You have the potential to have fantastic imagery on your site! Get some deep brown and reds in your paper that you shoot on. Take that victorian look and really run with it! I really see reds :o) Shorten your shop announcement if you can. Go and play some Secret Shopper games just to get your name out there and to get some feedback. This will also give you a chance to relist something. If you do that in the am (it seems) you'll get a bunch more hits from the front page rotation. As soon as you have revamped your pictures go into critiques and spend the day in a thread there. I got my first few sales in there! Ok that's it :o) Let me know if I can help you out with anything! Katie

How to answer the question of when to close up shop is going to be different for everyone. If you are in it as a hobby and it is no longer enjoyable, then why do it? If in it as a business, you have to remember that most new businesses don't make a profit for several years! And running an Etsy shop as a business is very hard work. Fun? Yes. But hard work nonetheless. I have found it for the most part to be a 24/7 job. And I think most small business owners find that true.

Anyhow, my message to HookItUp is Please Don't Go! You have beautiful jewelry, and you obviously have worked very hard on your craft and your shop. Don't give up just yet. You're just getting started!

Contest!!!

Come on everyone!!! Let's go over and enter PersimmonsGal's blog contest. Her wonderful blog has hit the 10,000 views mark! Let's get her to 11,000!!!! She is giving away some wonderful prizes including this unique pendant! And don't forget to visit her shop too!

Beautiful, Beautiful Cards!

Aren't these the most fabulous cards you have ever seen? They are made with fabric! Oh so pretty! I ordered one for my mother for Mother's Day and one for my sister for New Baby! Can't wait to get them. When I get some extra money, I'm going back for a boxed set!!!!

These lovely creations are by Amy at PrettyPearDesigns. She also does custom cards. What about sending her your own special fabric and having her make some just for you? I love this idea! Please go by and visit Amy and buy some cards while you're there!

Is Your Crafting Business Booming?

Is your crafting business booming? If not, you may want to read "Crafts to Make and Sell." I know, you don't need to read a book about crafts to make and sell. You already have a craft. You already make. And you already sell. Right? Well, yea, me too. But when I ran across this e-book, curiosity got the best of me. I almost went right past it because of the oh-so-boring title, but the subtitle caught my eye, "For Crafters Who Want to Make More Money With Their Handmade Items." Well, I'm always open to suggestions on how to do that! So, I purchased the e-book and read it! And I was not disappointed.

It offers some really sound advice on how to capitalize on the craft you are engaged in and also how to engage in a craft you can capitalize on! I found the sections on "Determining What Sells and Why," "Crafters Versus Craftsmen", and "Customers, How Do You Reach Them," to be most helpful. Some of the projects set forth in the book are not my cup of tea, but I did pick up some good ideas from variations of the projects in the book. All in all, the $10.00 I spent for this book was well worth it! So, go get a copy of the book and come back and tell me what you think! I'd love to know.

Oh, and while you are away, go to ThePuddingStore and get yourself a boom box brooch!