September 05, 2010

It's time for another critique!

Let's "get started" again!
Wow I just saw that there hasn't been a new post for a month!  Well let's fix that, shall we? With the holidays rapidly advancing on us we need to start sprucing up our shops a bit.  Let's get back into looking closely at things going on in our shops.  We can use the critique of Giggles' item as a start for checking our own shops. 

Giggles would like the tags title and description critiqued. She likes the pics and knows what  needs to do be done to fix those.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/39801970/tiny-knitting-brooch



......Taking a deep breath..... Because so many of you have asked why I've not submitted one of my items .....
heavy sigh.... I've decided to put myself on the hotseat too.


AuntKaren:
This purse has been in my shop for a long time.  I'm having a hard time understanding why it's not gotten more views to say the least.  Is it the description? Tags? Pictures?

http://www.etsy.com/listing/42340160/upcycled-handmade-paisley-bucket-purse






Both Giggles and I are well supplied with bandaids so give it to us straight! 

Happy critiquing everyone!

7 comments:

  1. Hi Karen!

    First, I think your listing is pretty good. The description is informative and personal. And the pictures show the aspects of the purse. Maybe you could do some action type shots? Show someone out an about on their daily ventures pulling something out of it. Or take a picture of the inside with a checkbook, phone, water bottle, etc. in the purse to help give perspective of how much the bag can hold. That's often times a make or break point for me when I'm bag hunting, I want to have the size I need for different situations. I've noticed a lot of the products that get featured on the Etsy front are more action shots, rather than studio. Maybe making the first image that people will see be an action shot will draw them into checking the bag out further.

    For Giggles brooch title and tags.... I would try to work "yarn" in somewhere to the tags since that is what knitters work with, and it is mostly likely a knitter who will be drawn to the product the most. I have noticed a lot of the shops that have higher sales also will name their products the way people name their pets and kids, and then have what the item is after the name (in this case "Tiny Knitting Brooch"). That might help add some personality and charm to the title if it's something you're interested in doing.

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  2. Giggles, I'd love to see you make your first picture of this cute brooch on a jacket lapel or on that black top your model is wearing in your other shop photos. Showing it worn would really highlight its scale.

    Repeating the title in the first line of your description may not be making the most of the SEO potential. Adding metric measurements is always a good idea to inform those international buyers. Do you offer this piece as a custom brooch, so folks can pick their own colours? A green/red Holiday version could be fun.

    A review of that reliable Tag-O-Rama list could be helpful in coming up with some more meaningful tags for style, texture, motif and colours. http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/seller-how-to-tag-o-rama-with-descriptive-keywords-5474

    Who is the pin for? Great gift for a knitting fanatic, or the person who taught you to knit? Something to wear to your next knitting guild meeting or craft show? The magic of this piece seems to be in its tiny perfectness, more than how you made it.
    ...

    AuntKarensCreations, do you need to say that the fabric started life as a bedsheet? Sheet fabric doesn't really seem sturdy enough for a bag, although if you called it something like a "sturdy but lightweight cotton-blend broadcloth" it would still be accurate.

    Can it be carried as a shoulder tote? Add that the colours and pattern make it a four-season bag? Maybe add "washable interfacing adds structure" to the asterisk points?

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  3. Karen, I love the paisley pattern of your purse! Agree seeing it in action might be effective, against white maybe a bit stark. Do you need to say bedsheet? What about simply cotton/polyester? Wouldn't bother me even if it was a used sheet but since you explained "never opened" sounds like you're defending it.

    Absolutely loving your paperboy hats, Karen!

    Giggles, I agree I'd like to see the knitted pin on a bust, sweater or something. Because of the description I wondered if it was a kit or assembled - then reread and understood. Beautifully done and darling idea!

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  4. Giggles,
    A picture to show scale would be helpful, the item pinned onto a shirt or coat or pinned to one of your scarves? But you would like help with tags, titles, etc. I do love that you have repeated the title in the first line of the item description. If the buyer scrolls the page a little he/she will see the title repeated. As for tags, you don't need to repeat tiny as a tag since it is in the title, so that frees up a space for a new tag. How about: colorful, cute, multi-colored, yarn. Add I to your description. "Tiny Knitting Brooch - I hand knitted this little brooch made with lots of love." You can mention in the description who this item is perfect for, "Great little gift for your favorite knitter, grandma, knitting teacher, etc." I'm not sure telling them exactly how you made is a good thing or not. They can now make it themselves? If you can use a bullet point instead of an asterisk, I would also add the word Size. •Size: 3 x 2.5" (7.6 x 6.35 cm) Would a dash mark - look better than an asterisk if you can't do the bullet? I love that it is knitted so tiny. It's cute! How about "Like this brooch? Pair it with this gorgeous scarf: add link" Don't some ladies pin a brooch on their scarves? Or only on the silk type scarves?

    Karen,
    The photos show the item in different colors. How about diffusing the lights a bit more? I'd love to see a photo of it slung over the shoulder in natural light. I know take all your bags to the park and photograph them all in a natural outdoor setting, bring a friend to model the bags for you. Is there a local Etsy team in your area? Maybe you can swap stuff for modeling. Make sure your model wears plain simple clothes so the colors don't clash. You can crop off their heads so no one recognizes them if they don't want to be seen in the photo or don't want to put on makeup. How about calling it Upcycled Fabric instead of bed sheet? I like the idea of adding a few things to the inside, put something in that pocket. I would change "Pocket inside" to "Inside Pocket". "Go casual with this versatile hand bag." It's more of hand bag than "little" bag? Your first pictures need more pizzazz. I like your Summer Stripes bag's first photo best of the Purses and Totes. I know you like the white backgrounds best. How about buying a large sheet of white watercolor paper, so it's nicer than plain old poster board it will have a softer texture and curve that from the wall over your table top and you won't see the wall or the table and make sure you don't see the paper edges when photographing. Bring the camera down lower or the purse up higher so you're not looking down at the bag.

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  5. Such great help! Thank each one of you. I've made the changes in the description and you are all right, it does make the purse/bag more appealing. As for the pictures - next week I will actually have a model! Yaaay! You can bet that I will write down your comments and be sure that each helpful suggestion is done!

    Thank you for your help you are all just super!!!

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  6. Well there is not much I can say because everyone else said it for me I cant wait to see the changes. :D

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  7. thanks everyone for the great advice, I will update my item soon :)

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