Sprucing up your Online Shop - Part 4

In previous columns in this series, we looked at avatars and banners, location, sections, profiles, currency of shop updates, featured items, titles and descriptions, and photography. In this final installment of Sprucing up your Online Shop, we'll wrap up with some thoughts on random concerns that have come up in team chats, as well as, on site forums.

Does the quality of the work in your shop appear to be professional? Are your photos clear and crisp with at least one closeup of the piece? Are both sides shown so you can see that the craftsmanship on the back equals that on the front? Objectively, can you get a sense that you as a seller love your work and take pride in the finished product? If you feel that you need some help with a critique of your shop, ask in the forums and if you're a member of a team or guild, don't be shy in asking for feedback on your shop! People love to give it!

Regarding feedback - what does the person's feedback say? Are there glowing reviews and not just positive marks (plus signs)? Do you get a sense that the artist or craftsperson does a stellar job, has a passion for and takes pride in their work from the comments left for them? Feedback is your reputation online, so make sure you provide excellent customer service as well as a great product.A lot of concern comes from newbies to selling online when they have no feedback. Remember that we all started with 0 feedback at one time and don't stress too much about it!

There have been many suggestions for starting to build feedback by making a few small purchases from other sellers just to get you going. In real life while shopping you have the advantage of seeing merchandise first-hand and being able to pick it up and feel it. Do your best to give potential customers that same confidence and remember that your online shop is open 24/7 and there's always someone shopping, so why not from you? Put a lot of effort into making your shop the best it can be and promote, promote, promote and your feedback from buyers will come!

Are your shop's policies clearly defined as far as shipping, payments, returns and other information? Try and keep your tone upbeat and positive in writing this dry stuff, but also be clear and thorough. If you're shipping internationally (and I strongly suggest that you do) make sure your mailing costs are realistic and accurate. Don't expect your buyer to pay additional funds if you've made the mistake of adding too little for mailing costs. On the other hand, if the cost of mailing is significantly less than your buyer has paid, it's very wise to refund the difference to that buyer as good customer service and they will be more likely to purchase from you again. Good customer service is a cornerstone of your business!

Selling online can be nerve-wracking, exciting, financially rewarding and give you a tremendous sense of pride in your work. The most important point I can leave you with in this series is that you must promote your shop and bring buyers to it. Work each day at honing your craft and making your online shop visually appealing. If you're newer to this vast e-commerce marketplace, consider joining a team or guild for both support, encouragement and camaradie from veteran members. Good luck and if you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact me!

Sprucing Up Your Online Shop - Part 3

In today's edition of Sprucing up your Online Shop, we're going to take a look at the all-important topic of photography. While I'm by no means an expert on this, I have learned a lot about the necessity of having clear, crisp, and well lit pictures in my online shops, so I hope these elementary tips will help!

Good pictures are the greatest asset in a successful shop, so make sure your photos are clear and focused. Use a photo program such as Picasa to get rid of the greyness in your backgrounds. Use a macro lens to get sharp closeup pictures (especially when your work is a piece of jewelry or other small items).

Use most, if not all, of the photo options available to you. Show your item from different angles, different backgrounds, and in different lighting. Think outside the box and take photos from items that aren't only flat surfaces. If you look in my Etsy shop, you'll see pictures I have taken on slate, rocks, grass, seashells, against a clear blue sky, on a glass bottle and more. Challenge yourself and take a few items you have listed whose pictures you're not thrilled with. Once during a team challenge, we asked each other why particular items we thought would sell quickly didn't. With a few simple changes, we saw the difference some new photos made. The world is your canvas, so use it in unique pictorial ways!

The last installment of this 4 part series will be posted mid-week, so I hope you'll look for that! Teams and guilds are all about learning, sharing, and helping each other become the best we can while marketing in a highly competitive marketplace. If you have comments or suggestions on more ways to improve your photos, I'd love to hear them!

Photo courtesy of aussiegall

Sprucing up your Online Shop - Part 1

From Handmade News http://handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1934

During my almost 3-1/2 years of selling on Etsy and also as a founding member of one of the original street teams, there have been many questions on the forums (or is it fora?) on how to make shops better and increase sales. In this series of columns, we'll take a look at some of these concerns and some possible solutions!

Your shop banner and avatar are the entryway into your shop and you have a few mere seconds to either catch someone's interest or have them click away, so make them professional looking and unique. Your avatar and banner are your personal calling card so make them pop and draw those buyers in! Think of some successful boutiques and shops and their entryways and facades to get an idea. In this highly competitive online marketplace, you need to toot your own horn. There are many talented graphic designers on both Etsy and Artfire who can help you design an avatar and banner if you need help.

Make sure you have your geographic location filled in. If you're worried about disclosing too much information, at least put a state and possibly a city close to you (if you're International, put your country). Many, many buyers will click away from your shop if your location is blank. People have different reasons for wanting to see a seller's location, such as to either support local artists or to judge how long an item might take to reach them after it's been shipped.

Are your sections options being used and are they clear? Personally, I usually have about 350 items in my shop and if I didn't use my sections, it would be a lot to wade through! Make it easy for your customers to zone in and target items they would have a high level of interest in. Maybe they'll click on your other categories if they're well worded.

Is your profile filled in to give potential buyers an idea of who you are as an artist and person? I'm usually disappointed when I click on profile and find it blank. While you don't have to write a novel, some info on who you are and also showing some humor can help. I love knowing who I'm buying from and their passion for their art! Keep it upbeat and proofread and proofread again so there are no spelling or grammatical errors.

Next time we'll look at some more tips for sprucing up your shop. Until then, keep creating and I'll keep a warm kiln!

Safety and Protection While Drilling Glass

The following was published on Handmade News http://handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1877

In a previous column on Handmade News, I shared tips on how to drill beach and sea glass. In part 2, we'll look at a question asked in the Etsy forum about how to protect yourself while drilling glass. One of the best things about posting in forums is there is always someone (or a dozen someones!) willing to help out, especially members of teams or guilds who can offer many viewpoints. Along with my advice is some terrific input from Mary of http://marstinia.etsy.com/ who is an accomplished enamelist.

Question: Since I am relatively new to fusing, I have a question on how to protect yourself from silica dust. I am at the grinder every day shaping my glass and noticed a lot of dust covering everything in my studio. So it's probably safe to assume that some of this is getting into my lungs, not good. I have read articles stating the little paper masks are not enough to protect your lungs from this sort of dust, so what do you do?

Answer: Good ventilation is necessary in your studio and work area, but sometimes ventilation alone isn't adequate protection. It's a good idea to wear a respirator or mask with a filter any time you're around airborne particles of glass (silica). It's the silica that can cause damage to your lungs and eyes. I use a respirator mask for grinding (even though everything gets soaking wet), for scraping kiln wash off shelves, for using powdered frits, if I'm vacuuming out the kilns or studio, etc. It's also a good idea to keep a bowl of water by your workspace to frequently dip your glass pieces in, both to keep the dust down and to cool off the glass. And remember not to bring food or drink into the studio!

Mary adds that ventilation and a good respirator is the way to go. Exposure to silica dust can cause very bad lung problems. As an enamelist, I'm working with powdered glass all the time, so I have to be extra careful. I would also recommend good cleaning habits in the studio. Areas where the dust builds up should be wet-mopped or wiped down with wet cloths. Never sweep glass dust as that will cause it to become airborne again.

So that's the glass pros advice on how to protect yourself while at the grinder. I know that whenever I have a question about pmc or art clay, I'll find the answer from a knowledgeable team member. Some wonderful collaborations have come from different teams joining together. So go ahead, ask those questions of teams and guilds!

What's on in the Studio today?

Today's pick is Michael McDonald's Ultimate Collection. Who can keep still while listening to Yah Mo B There or Takin' It To The Streets?

This morning while I was driving there was some outstanding music on. I love women who can really belt out a song, and Melissa Manchester's "Don't Cry Out Loud" and Cass Elliott's "Dream a Little Dream" were on the radio on my way home. Beautiful songs. Beautiful women.