Random Thoughts... Etsy and the Economy

In my previous entry, I mentioned that it appears that sea glass has disappeared from the beaches in New Jersey. The extreme winter took it's toll on the beaches, and the reconstruction of the beach has buried much of the glass. As current and future storms erode the beach, the glass in and near the beach is also getting buried.

Since their really hasn't been much to look for on the beach, I've found myself (sitting in my beach chair, working on my tan) thinking more about how the current economy has affected my online and craft fair sales. To say the economy is not good is an understatement. It has not been good for quite some time and this has affected my small handmade jewelry business.

Yet as August rolls around, there are many mixed signals coming from the state of our economy, and yet again, it is showing it's affect for me on Etsy. And this time, it appears to be a positive affect.

My DH has always been a number/stats type of person. He has been responsible listing items, and has noticed trends, that have allowed him to predict when I'm about to make a sale. He noticed these tell-tale signs starting in late July, and mentioned to me that things might be picking up soon.

I was quite skeptical because August has never really been a good month for my shop. Since sea glass is more of a beachy, summery type of accessory, I had already chalked up the summer season as another disappointment...just like the holiday season of 2009, the spring wedding season, Valentine's Day, etc. The economy was still shaky, the daily stock market reports resembled a roller-coaster ride on the boardwalk, so I assumed the "things might be picking up soon" comment to be a future sale, perhaps two (welcomed sales, nonetheless)

My hubby always looks to see how many members are hearting my shop & items. Not just any members, but members that don't have shops. It has always been his indicator that a sale could be forthcoming. And from late July thru the first week of August, I saw several "buyer-only" hearts in my shop... and despite what is usually a slow month, despite an economy that just can't seem to turn the corner, and in spite of the end of summer coming quickly...a sale, followed by another, and then a request, and a sale.

After speaking with a few other Etsy shop owners, they also mentioned a few "buyer-only" members frequenting their shops, "a few more than usual" is what one shop owner stated. Since the last days of July, 50% of my shop hearts are either secret admirers, or buy-only members. In the previous 5 or 6 months, I'd be willing to bet that 90% of the hearts received during that time, came from shop owners.

Is this a case of the economy finally rounding the corner, and improving? Or have people been sitting on their money for so long that they are getting restless, and want to do a little shopping...perhaps an early start on their holiday shopping?

I'm not sure, but I am sure happy about the the increased visits to my shop...and I'm thrilled that I'm prepared to keep my shop in the buyers memory by promoting, and listing new items.

This almost makes me want to brave the 90 degree heat, and do an outdoor show...almost.

'til next time...
R

How To Increase Sales In A Sluggish Economy

Spring has turned to summer, and you were planning on selling many of your handmade crafts at at fairs, and online. But the results you were hoping for have yet to materialize and you are not sure why.

The easiest explanation is people just don't have the amount of disposable cash to buy the "I want that" items. Let's face it, the economy has hit everyone hard, not just handmade artisans. This economy has forced people to examine the way they spend their money on...and more importantly, on what they spend their money on. Fewer and fewer people will use their credit cards for ANY reason other than an emergency, and that may explain why your online sales are down. After all, how many people carry balances on their Paypal account. Unless you are selling items to someone how sells "stuff" on eBay, or a fellow Etsy artist, I think you'll find many of your customers make their purchases with Paypal, via a credit card.

Doing a craft fair may not always be the answer either. When doing a show for the first time, vendors need to do research on a shows prior history before filling out an application. Was the show well-attended in the past? Was the event well promoted? How available is the shows curator...is he/she available to answer questions & with they provide contact info for a few vendors from prior years for you to speak with. If you don't "feel it" when doing your research, you would probably be best served to pass on the show. If you want to get a feel for a show for next year, you should plan on attending the event to see for yourself...grab a few business cards while you are there, and contact them a few weeks later to get their opinion while the show is still fresh in their memory.

If you are considering returning to a show you did last year, be totally honest with yourself on how the show went for you last time. If a show was just okay, would a 50% drop-off in sales this time around be okay with you? Do you seem to have a following in the area of that show? A following may be worth taking a chance on a show.

Have you tried placing your items with local gift shops or galleries? Like a craft fair, having your items out in front of potential customers is great way to advertise your creations. Allowing a customer to use their sense of sight , touch, smell, etc is a sure way to help you make sales, and gift shops/galleries are a great option. You will need to factor in a consignment fee (usually anywhere from 30-50%) as a trade off to have the opportunity to show your items 5, 6, 7 days a week without you being present.

The economy is the caveat with this selling opportunity. Again due diligence is highly recommended. The type of questions you want to ask is how long the shop has been in business, how many "like" vendors are they planning on offering in their shop and where will your items be placed (and is that location permanent)? Always get everything printed into a contract. A good shop will already have a contract worked out, and it should explain everything the terms of the contract, how and when you'll get paid, etc. I cannot stress checking out a shop before signing any paperwork...there is nothing more awful than finding a shop owner has gone out of business and your inventory/and money has gone with them.

With the current shape of the economy, it is probably best to have your items available for potential buyers to be able to hold them up, examine your work, and physically see if this item is everything they want. At a show, you are the saleswomen...make suggestions, let them know if you are open to making custom pieces, and promote yourself!
The same goes for a consignment opportunity... sell yourself to the shop owner. Ask if they are open to allowing you to have a trunk show at their shop, perhaps at the end of their business day. Stop in and say Hi, and ask them if there is anything that customers have requested, or maybe ask them if there is any inventory that can be switched out for newer inventory. Work with them, and you'll find they are more receptive top working with you. After all, they want/need to make sales to help them pay their bills also. Let them know your committed to your business, and you might find yourself with a prime display area in future months.

Remember, things are tough for people all over. Factor in the how the economy is affecting the people in your area before choosing to do a craft show. If shows and shops are not the right answer for you at this time, you can always hit the promotions forum at Etsy and promote, promote and promote your shop some more. There is always something you can do to improve your shop and increase your sales in this economy!

'til next time...
R

Looking Forward During A Struggling Economy

During a struggling economy, it's quite easy to become discouraged by the lack of sales and even a drop-off in shop/item views. The web stats that Etsy has allowed the use of Google Analytics for shop owners and it's a most important tool for shops to see where and even more importantly, when viewers are visiting their shops.

It's been quite often that businesses that increase advertising, actually do better in a struggling economy and having daily stats from GA can help you follow your advertising campaigns, see which are working and which aren't and plan for future campaigns.

The sluggish economy has many people worried...worried about their jobs, their ability to pay their bills in the future, etc. For many families the amount of disposable income has been drastically reduced...but that doesn't mean that people aren't still looking to buy handmade gifts for others and themselves. The key is to use the stats tool to figure out when the buyers are on Etsy (or whatever site you sell your handmade creations on) and plan your promotions accordingly.

Keeping a positive attitude and a consistent effort will put your beautiful items in front of those looking to buy. I've heard often (and actually President OBama has yet made mention to it) that during times of economic struggle, the country often turns to simpler things, even when the economy turns itself around.

And what's any more simplistic than a handmade item. Well-constructed and made with environment in mind, I don't think anything could be more of what people will want as the economy progresses... and with tax returns just around the corner, getting your shop (and your frame of mind) positioned, will only help your shop survive, if not flourish, during these lean times.
Keep on, keepin' on!

til next time...
R

Craft Fairs and the Economy, Beachcombing for Sea Glass

Last week, I received a call from a show organizer about an opening for a jewelry vendor in her show this past weekend. I was a bit hesitant to take the space, as my last few shows had been disappointments and I was concerned that the economy had really taken it's toll on the public's disposable income (it has on mine) and bad weather has hurt many of the shows I've done recently.

I was assured I would be 1 of only 2 jewelry crafters and since the price was right ($25 for a 10x3 space) I took the plunge. I really wanted to do this show, as I had been happy with the shows in this area. I was recruited for a possible opening, but when I called, the spot was taken.

Luckily for me, someone backed out of the show. The show was held in a large firehouse and the organizer's did a great job of limiting the number of vendors and keeping the aisles wide open for traffic to move about freely. They also did a wonderful job of limiting medias and offering the public a wide variety of handmade goods. The community was very supportive of the show, as were surrounding communities.

The traffic was constant throughout the show and it was great to see many vendors with nice crowds around their displays during the day. For myself, I did better than expected and hope to have found a future customer or two for my Etsy shop in the future, along with a few wire-wrapping jobs for a couple of sea glass enthusiasts. One of the women entrusted me with a gorgeous piece of aqua sea glass to create a necklace for her and I"ll try to post an image of the necklace when it's completed.

It was nice to see many people buying gifts for the holidays at this show and the crowd was very receptive of all the vendors. I saw very few people leaving the firehouse empty-handed. I guess the economy may have slowed down some people's spending habits, but people have to buy holiday gifts, so why not buy handmade? At this show, the economy may have cost me a couple sales on high-ticket items, but I did make sales to people that were definitely buying my handmade "wearable-art" creations as gifts for family and friends.

Since I did the show on Saturday, I was unable to get to the beach on a key day to search for sea glass. The hubby did get to go yesterday afternoon, just before low tide. Low tide was pretty late in the day (around 4:15pm) and it left little time to search, as the sun was struggling to shine thru the clouds. He went to his secret favorite spot, turned to the north and walked, finding several large shell beds that contained very little. The bed may have been picked clean of sea glass, but he said he hadn't noticed any footprints in the area of the shell beds.

He turned back to the south and went back to the block where he finds many rarer colors. The shell bed was wider than it had been on Friday, but not as dense. He was able to spend about 20 minutes there in decent light and found about 35-40 more keepers, including one small piece of cobalt blue. There were only 1 or 2 pieces that I consider to be jewelry quality (for bracelets), but with another cobalt and a couple of pretty olive greens, it turned out to be a worthwhile search.

Hubby spent another 15 minutes or so searching in diminished light, before being forced to give up the search. The wind was fierce, the temp was in the mid 40s and with poor lighting, it didn't make much sense to continue on.

The New Moon which had resulted in what is called " the spring tides" wasn't as plentiful as last year. High tide left very few shell beds high up on the beach. Instead, the beds were down near the surf and the only time to find sea glass was during low tide... which meant being near the water... and that's not always a fun thing when the wind is a constant 25-30 mph and gusting at about 35mph, in mid-40 degree weather.

But as DH always says" Everyday is a good day at the beach, some are just better than others." Hopefully the next spring tides will be more fruitful!

'til next time...

R

PS- the photo above is my newest addition to my Etsy shop!

Can The Economy Get Any Scarier? The Affect on Handmade Sales and Shows Sea Glass Festival

In my last entry, I blogged about the affect the economy has on craft shows and sales overall. I mentioned a surprisingly slow September after a very good spring and a busier than expected summer. Chalking the lull in sales to busy back-to-school Moms, I considered September to be one of those months where summer is over (and I do rely on Sea Glass jewelry sales for much of my sales) and yet, Autumn hasn't quite yet arrived... so my Sea Glass is yesterday's news, while my Fall colors are not quite the in thing just yet.

And then the stock market went haywire. Banks were failing causing people to start panicking, while they watched their investments plummet. So what would this all mean to our Handmade world?

Looking back on last week's show, I had an increase in a show where, even in a good economy, I think I would've been happy. So considering what's transpired outside my Handmade world with the economy, I should be thrilled with last weekend's outcome.

But the biggest positive I took from the show is the amount of people walking around the show saying that they were looking to buy handmade items,...unique items this year as holiday gifts and they are looking to get their holiday shopping underway now!

Of course, when I hear talk like that, I take it as wishful thinking. You know, wouldn't it be great if.... But this week, one of the customers that purchased something from me at the show signed up at Etsy and made a purchase. A second visitor to my craft table emailed asking about custom orders and both inquired about my future show schedule.

One thing seems for sure, the customers are buying and it seems they will be buying early in the season. So I'll be adding several new items over the weekend and hitting the promo forums in hopes of making a few October holiday sales.

Maybe when the economy doesn't appear to be sound, people look to simplify and the unique handmade creations we make appease their needs. Maybe.

This weekend, in Lewes, Delaware, the North American Sea Glass Association will be holding their annual sea glass festival. Normally held on the west coast, the NASGA decided on the right coast this year and luckily for me, it's about an hour away. Since I'm an enthusiast first and a sea glass jewelry creator second, I'm thrilled to have the chance to attend.

My hubby and I had hoped to attend the entire weekend's events, but with that darn economy and our decision to try to save to take our sons to Disney this fall, the whole sea glass-hunting family will take the ferry from Cape May and attend Saturday's planned events.

Hopefully, I'll run into some of the west coast collectors that I've been buying some of my beautiful sea glass gems from. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll have a few frosty beauties in their exhibits for sale this weekend.

I'm really looking forward to seeing some of the incredible gems that are found on beaches all over the world and hoping I can find a little piece of orange to add to my personal collection.

And of course I'll be looking to pick up a few pretties to make some new jewelry creations with!

Good luck to everyone with a show this weekend and please let me know how it turned out!

'til next time...

R

Does the Sluggish Economy Carry-Over to Crafts and Craft Shows?

Going into my first craft show (this past weekend in Eagleswood- Country Fair) I have to admit, I was a bit concerned about how the economy would affect the early Autumn shows. After having a decent summer on Etsy and an okay late summer craft show, I was prepared to see my little business "kick it" into high gear for the fall.

When September proved to be very slow, I chalked it up to back to school and thought perhaps that a late September rush would occur. A couple of late September sales bouyed my hopes. However October sales on Etsy have remained sluggish and I had fears going into last Saturday's shows.

Like many other crafters/artists, I have prepaid into many shows for the fall and I'll average 2 or 3 shows a month until Christmas. Clearly the economy has had much to do with the sluggish sales on Etsy (I know I'm no the only seller that has felt the crunch in the economy).

The show I did this past weekend isn't a craft show, but actually a Country Fair. Cheer gyms were performing, there were antique cars, pony rides & games for the children, pie-eating contests, etc.

So I went into the show expecting a poor showing and hoped that I could promote my Etsy shop and maybe make a few show sales and future online sales from the show. As it turned out, I handed out quite a few business cards, spoke with a bride-to-be about possibly creating sea glass jewelry for her wedding and ended up with a custom order for another customer, along with promoting a few of my future shows to people who live in those areas.

Overall, the show did better than last year's figures and wasn't a waste of time. Not that it would've been... my family came to the show with me and my sons were able to partake in all of the activities and really enjoyed themselves. This was the one show that they are able to come to without being bored after 30 minutes.

I had hoped to match last year's figures and I ended up exceeding those numbers (if only slightly) but I think I'll have a few repeat customers at a few of my future shows and hopefully this show will lead to a few online sales also.

The jury is still out on how the economy is going to affect my craft show schedule. This show will give me a reason to have a bit more of a positive outlook as I head into a few of my big shows later this month.

But I'm still hoping the economy regulates a little more, so people feel a bit easier about spending money in the very near future.

til next time...

R

PS- my first attempt at wire-wrapping...this beautiful frosty white piece of beach glass was found this summer on LBI, in NJ and will go into my Etsy shop shortly. Watch for a Sea Glass blog later this week!