Friday, December 19, 2008

Call me Weird.

I should really stay out of the forums before coffee.

Yesterday there was a thread, I can't remember what it was called, or who made the comment (though I remember the avatar...anyway). But a post was made to the effect of (whine) "where are all the customers, I thought there was supposed to be a holiday rush" (/whine) and a reply was made that was basically to the effect of :

You'll always hear about how busy Etsy is during the shopping season, but those sales are for the select few, and you'll be left wondering why you don't have any. Welcome to Etsy.

Really? Is this how you feel about Etsy? And if so, why are you there? I get the feeling that this is just more of the same "Etsy isn't promoting enough, they're not bringing in new shoppers, Jewelry is too crowded, not enough categories", etc etc ad nausem crowd. But by the same token, this person was talking to a seller who had only been on Etsy since August. A jewelry seller if I remember correctly. One selling jewelry that looked a lot like 75% of the rest of the jewelry on Etsy, with decent though mediocre pictures, and relatively high (compared to the average item sold price of $15) prices.

And I wanted to ask (but didn't because I sooo know better than to comment before coffee, even if I do read before coffee) so many questions. Have you loooked at your pictures and compared them to other jewelers who are doing well? Have you looked at your prices (not per se to lower them, but look at the competition..if you are charging $25-30 more per piece than the competition, and the competition has better pictures to boot, who do you think they're going to buy from)? Have you advertised beyond whining in the Etsy forums about how low your sales are? Did you try? Or do you just want a pat on the head and a cookie to make you feel better about yourself?

Etsy is a business. Once again, I go back to the comparison, where Etsy is like a mall, and we're all shop renters. There are usually 5 jewelry stores in any given mall of semi-decent size. Sometimes more. Do you think the managers of those stores whine to the mall management about how they're not doing their jobs to bring customers in? Do you think they whine to each other about how unfair it all is, and how they shouldn't have to do the legwork for themselves?

No. I didn't think so. So... again, I reiterate, if this is how you really feel...why are you still there?

I think I'll leave my rant about the number of people in the forums this morning talking about how "its ok to break the law, because everyone else does it" and "rules shmooles, break them, every one else does and you'll never get ahead if you don't".

BAH.

6 comments:

tscrapper said...

Couldn't agree more. Yes, there is competition on Etsy in most categories, but I get sick of hearing the whining, too. I did well (for me) this holiday season, and I'm thrilled. I just wish the sellers who complain would take the time to look at their communication, business practices, pictures, etc. I'm taking the next few weeks to reflect on things, change it up a bit, and start fresh in the new year.

tanya said...

I totally agree. People really need to stop comparing their sales figures to others and start evaluating what they can do to make themselves stand out.

What a lot of people don't realize is that you have to promote yourself OFF Etsy. Etsy isn't going to promote you (unless you're picked out of the thousands for a Storque article).

And like any business anywhere, you really have to do market research.

Amy said...

thank you both. I'm so glad not to be the only one who feels that way. Truly, the whine, it needs cheese.

:-)

BeadedTail said...

I'm in that crowded jewelry market on Etsy but I don't compare our sales with anyone else's. It's up to each and every shop owner to promote ourselves, try to get good pictures (often easier said than done), and distinguish our shops from others. We're pleased with our sales so far, although of course who doesn't wish for more? But, to get more, it's totally up to us and no one else - no whining allowed!

Ant said...

Gosh, I would have had trouble containing myself if I had seen that thread.
I have seen sellers complain of no sales when their photos (and they only have one of each item) are dark, they haven't listed in a week, and the description reads something like "Stg sr 8mm X 24ts. OOAK MOP BYOB."
Those sellers love to complain that they are never on the front page, never in treasuries, don't have sales and it is Etsy's fault.
Riiighhht.

Karla said...

YAY- so happy to hear someone else who is fed up with whiners and complainers:-) I LOVE ETSY..I remember the days on eBay and the nightmare it was...Etsy is a loving warm friendly place to sell my wares and it has become a full time job for me(jewelry no less;)..whiners need to go away!!