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We have two new sellers who are looking for advice. I want to thank all of you for participating in this series, you are all terriffic!
Sandi
iKnitQuiltSew opened her shop only recently and offers a nice variety of hand made baby items. She wants help with her Brown Furry Teddy Bear. Being rather new she would like any advice that she can get. She has plenty of listings already so she's one busy lady!Again, I've tried to profile two types of my followers one who started following my blog from the first and one who has a new shop and looks to us for help.
Let's go Peeping y'all! Dig deep and have fun! If any of you would like you are always welcome to post a link to these critiques from your blogs or Fan Pages.. (I won't complain!)
Carmen, not everyone lives in Florida (you lucky duck!) you need to put your state in your location.
ReplyDeleteCan you include a picture of the lobster clasp? Maybe in place of the picture with the different color background? :-)
Sandi, Maybe you can alter your item title to include a name for teddy you fell into the same trap that I did trying to get every google word into the title.... sigh... You've been researching how to be a seller, obviously! I don't know why but I prefer your 3rd picture it shows teddy's cuteness more, to me.
Thanks so far, Karen, I do think showing the clasp would be a good idea!
ReplyDeletebananamiranda/Carmen/mooaany here are a few detailed comments:
ReplyDelete• Shop Announcement/banner: "baublez" isn't a real word, and seems unlikely to be a search term by someone searching for "baubles." Also, it's as though you have two different shop names: bananamiranda, and Baublez by Carmen T. Maybe focus the identity?
• The title "Red Jasper with Blackstone and Cross Beads Pendant on Leather Cord" doesn't include "heart," which seems like a key word.
• Much as I like bullet points, SOME descriptive text would be nice to give the piece and your process additional personality.
• No tags for style?
• For international buyers, include metric measurements.
• Why describe Andalusite (semiprecious gemstone), a stone that isn't in this piece, when you are quite specific about the exact stone you are using?
• You show your Twitter name as a tag (mooaany) but don't give a Twitter or Blog URL anywhere in your profile or shop announcement.
Love the tips above, Aunt Karen & jswrites!
ReplyDeleteFor BananaMiranda- I love the necklace!
- I would definitely show a photo with the entire thing (want to see what back/clasp looks like)...seconding Aunt Karen's emotion.
- Try taking the photo in natural light, and maybe a natural/linen background that will not be distracting.
- I wonder if it might sell better at that price with chain rather than leather- people tend to devalue necklaces on leather cord IMO. Or possibly change price to $28 or similar....
-iKnitQuiltSew- cute shop and teddy!
- Use add'l photos to show full range of motion (eg. legs)
- I was unsure from listing...is it safe for children to play with? If for a child, would it be an heirloom/display piece and not play piece? Or is it collector item for adults? If works for several groups that is fine, but I wasn't sure how bear could be used. Adjust tags accordingly (eg. children, baby or collector, etc). List in D&M category if collector.
- Try listing many of your items in Children. This is the best place to list Children's items IMO. Diversify your categories, but try Children for the bulk.
- Put metric measurements as well
- Price - is this low? Make sure to make a profit and pay yourself fairly!
- Consider free ship w/ additional item if it does not cost you more.
- EU shipping seems expensive...is there a way to use a cheaper service?
- Photo- I think the fabric backdrop idea may work! I would try to hang the fabric straight so it does not get wrinkles, and work with lighting (try natural) to even it out. If using lightbox, try "filling" shadows with another lightsource (shine lightsource at them)
- Michelle (HeyMichelle)
This falls under the category of DUUUHHHHHHH!! This is such a cute bear, one of the first items I listed and I just couldn't figure out why it isn't sold. If the buyer doesn't know what it's good for, well no wonder! I have another bear in my store as of yesterday, on which I made all the same mistakes. I've rephotographed it (doing the splits in one picture!), and changed my tags. The first paragraph clearly states that it is a CPSIA compliant item (both of the bears are sitting on their tag). I am not going to make any changes to this bear, as I feel it would skew this critique. But, THANK YOU for pointing out that 'cuteness' is of primary importance as well as targeting my ultimate market!
ReplyDeleteSandi
BananaMiranda - What a beautiful necklace!
ReplyDeleteI have to concur with all of the comments above, especially mentioning 'heart' in the title, and descriptive vs. bulleted text. I need you to tell me when I would wear this. Because of the leather, it seems this is a casual piece - great for that special barbecue on the beach - or something. It looks substantial - what does it weigh?
It might be just me, but I don't like "One and a 1/4 inch" - I would be much happier with "1.25 inches (xx cm)." It just seems cleaner to me.
If you re-photograph (everyone's FAVORITE thing to do LOL!), make sure that the stones appear to be the same color from one photo to the next and representative of what you are seeing in person.
I'm confused, too... Is the heart made of stone or a piece of wood? I can't tell from the pictures. Obviously, I don't know what Jasper is!
Finally, you have one of a kind as a tag. This is fine unless you're planning on making another one if this one sells IMO. I feel that's a promise to the buyer - that they'll have the only one that exists.
BananaMiranda,
ReplyDeleteCute necklace!
Love your first and third pictures, but don't get anything additional out of the others. Would love to see the necklace on an actual model, especially with some shirt or dress that compliments the necklace colors.
Would like a intro paragraph about the style or maybe the inspiration for the necklace. Something about the "romance" of the piece before you get into the description. I agree with iKnitQuiltSew, I'd prefer "1.25 inches (xx cm)."
I'd also rearrange the bullet points so that the descriptions of the stones are up top. Those are the things that will get people more interested in the piece.
In your tags you can take out "pendant" since you also use "unique pendant". Yay for saving tags!
iKnitQuiltSew,
Very nice description. I like that you're including links back to your shop and to your blog and facebook. Even if they're not interested in this particular item, you can still keep them looking at your things.
You can get some more tags out of combining the ones that make sense together. "Brown teddy" for example. in one tag instead of two. Etsy will still pull up your item for people who just search for one. "Animal plush" "fuzzy furry bear". I like the first two pictures, but the last three are all so similar I don't get much extra out of them. Maybe you can photograph the bear in context somehow. Next to another stuffed animal or on a quilt from your shop (that you can then also link to in the description).
He's so cute! I love his little scarf!
Hi :0))
ReplyDeleteCarmen, the necklace is really nice but I still like to see it on a person. Wear it and take a photo or get someone to model for you!
iKnitQuiltSew- The teddy is so cute! Your description is interesting. Do you think you could get a friend's kid to hold the teddy and take a foto?