Esty Ebay bad for crafts ?

[0103media]

Was talking to some crafters yesterday who used to have stuff on esty and on ebay but found it really wasn't worth it..

Why ..

The sales were low for them and people had stolen the ideas/designs and out priced them..

This was just a random person I meet so it was just the word on the street..

Anyone else seen this sort of thing happen.. ?

I know for the fact that the traffic is massive on esty but is very likely to be 90%+ crafters not buyers..

[candles by lisa]

I don't use e bay - I maybe a bit of a snob but I don't want to put my stuff on beside a whole load of dross - huge amounts of traffic but how many are willing to buy when as you say the ripe off merchants copy, use crap materials and beat us to the price.

It might just be me and loads of people may do very well on e-bay but I would be interesting to know?

Lisa

[Katianne]

I set up an etsy shop a while ago but have had no sales though it. I hadn't thought about people stealing my ideas but now you've mentioned that I must admit I am concerned. When I first started I had an email from somebady saying they liked my mosaics and wanted to know how I made them so they could do it. Obv. I didn't tell them but instead replied saying that my mosaics are original to me and are my own ideas and designs, so wasn't prepared to give away my secrets.

Re: Ebay. I have only just started selling on their and do find I get a lot less than I want for my mosaics. At the moment it is a way of getting some money back to buy more materials. if craft fairs take off for me over the summer though and Ebay sales are still low, I will have to review it.

[candles by lisa]

IRe: Ebay. I have only just started selling on their and do find I get a lot less than I want for my mosaics. At the moment it is a way of getting some money back to buy more materials. if craft fairs take off for me over the summer though and Ebay sales are still low, I will have to review it.

I don't know how much e-bay's cut is but why not think about using money that you would be giving to e-bay and pay for on line advertising. You can opt for as little as £30 a month (£1 a day) and at least you are getting your name out there.

Only a thought.

All the best.

Lisa

[0103media]

Seen quite a few sigs that had esty on before and don't now..

hmmmm

Plus been looking in the forum and seen a few posts about unhappy people.. Almost all are deleted of course..

I bet if you sign up and say someone copied me your post will get zapped..

[Snow angel]

I dont sell on ebay but i do buy a few bits and bods off there. But i must say i do look at what others make and get ideals from there. The only site i sell on is craft jumble and then is mostly die cuts and there 10 a penny to get. Most of the craft fayres i have done i have had a lot of card makers look at my cards and i know there only looking so they can copy some of them so i dont think it matters where you sell you will always get someone copying. Maybe just not as many from the craft fayres as ebay

[BeyondBeads]

It's interesting! I've never used etsy but have an ebay shop.

I originally found it to be a good way of getting pictures of my stuff on the web until my OH manages to finish my web site! I think the only things that sell (at least in my experience) are the auction items as people use ebay for bargains not full price, high quality goods. I think the cut they take makes it kinda pointless too so i stopped bothering!

[Katianne]

I don't know how much e-bay's cut is but why not think about using money that you would be giving to e-bay and pay for on line advertising. You can opt for as little as £30 a month (£1 a day) and at least you are getting your name out there.

Where do you advertise? I thought about magazines but they tend to be craft supplies rather than handmade crafts.

[Potter Doodle Doo]

I'd never heard of etsy until I was browsing the forum last night so can't comment on that one.

I've sold bits on eBay, but it seems that everyone is wanting a bargain and unless they can get it for the minimum bid then they're not interested. I've found that it's very much a seasonal thing with eBay (or at least with my products). One week I can sell everything I put on there, and others I may sell one or two items if I'm lucky. However, as I'm new to selling public rather than at my events, I think that it's a good way of getting people to notice you. I've had quite a bit of repeat business through customers who have purchased from eBay and then come direct to me for additional items.

[0103media]

Where do you advertise? I thought about magazines but they tend to be craft supplies rather than handmade crafts.

Adwords, directories.. £30 a month can go a long way to kick starting your sales.

Of course you need a website first not like esty..

[swirlyarts]

I really like Etsy - it's such a good place to see and buy original things. Of course people are going to look at your ideas - it's part and parcel of advertising your stuff. Just don't let on how you make things! I look around etsy for gift ideas for others - as I do on this forum too. The fees on etsy are good too. There is so much tat on ebay that the good quality stuff doesn't shine through whereas on Etsy it is all handcrafted stuff so you at least know it's not going to be imported rubbish.

[Katianne]

I really like Etsy - it's such a good place to see and buy original things.

I do agree with that - I have bought a few things from Etsy and all have been lovely and very original.

[Peter]

I think you hit the nail on the head when you said the traffic was mostly crafters. I don't reckon etsy for that reason, plus even I couldn't find my store without putting in a request in triplicate! :D

[candles by lisa]

Where do you advertise? I thought about magazines but they tend to be craft supplies rather than handmade crafts.

It depends I rotate between Google (adwords), Yahoo and MSN as they all allow you to set up a budget of how much you are willing to spend and you also have the flexibility of pausing your ad which means you don't get charged. I have done that just now because I am absolutely prated! Word of warning though watch out for when their months run because even if you are only live for 1 day in a month you will get charged for the full month. Make sure if you want to pause your campaign you do it a day or so before the cut off.

Until you get your site up and running why not try local newspapers for advertising. They are not as expensive as the big boys and are obviously targeted at people in your area so you may get business from that.

Sorry to waffle on (I know I tend to do that).

Good Luck

Lisa

:mf:

[0103media]

Word of warning though watch out for when their months run because even if you are only live for 1 day in a month you will get charged for the full month. Make sure if you want to pause your campaign you do it a day or so before the cut off.


That's yahoo .. minium spend @ yahoo is £20 a month.. I set a new account last month and couldn't make it close to £20 after 20 days into the month (was about £2) so I added another 10 sites and its got to £19.20 ..

Adwords is completely different...

[candles by lisa]

That's yahoo .. minium spend @ yahoo is £20 a month.. I set a new account last month and couldn't make it close to £20 after 20 days into the month (was about £2) so I added another 10 sites and its got to £19.20 ..

Adwords is completely different...

I've not used Yahoo since before Christmas - never new they were £20 min spend I had to do £30 - probably changed though. I have pulled me adwords ad just now. I have a monthly budget and paused the ad at the end of the month. How does their pricing work if you are using a monthly budget. Went into adwords to see but not having a harvard degree couldn't make head nor tail of it. Hey so whats new!

Lisa

[glasskanvas]

I've used ebay to sell items for a while now. It was the first place I began selling to a suppose I compare everything to that.
Prices have dramatically dropped, especially since ebay altered there search results....I now have to sell on ebay.co.uk and .com separately. That being said I find it really usefull in driving private sales..there is a lot of fake/ shoddy overseas items I have to compete with though.
I've not been on etsy very long although I've made a few sales...not bad considering the amount i've got listed. There are a lot of page views by fellow crafters 'just looking' but It doesn't really worry me about stealing ideas as it's not like i'm holding on to some big secret.
The prices on etsy are a lot better although the turnover on ebayand the fact it drives alot of people to my website more than makes up for it.

[shunklies]

I use etsy to sell my work, if you put alot of time into promoting yourself you will see some return, again like anywhere it will depend on the quality of your work and with it being online, photographs are the make or break!

Ebay is good for selling supplies I find, but I do occasionally list some yarns etc there and they do usually sell quicker than etsy.

As for copying, I doubt it is possible to have a completely 'original' idea anymore, as most things have already been done, most people are influenced by someone elses work (wether they realise it or not), go away and make it their own.

you just have to have faith in your own work and strive to make other people see that your item is the best.

[kipper workshops]

I definately agree...... ebay is best for selling craft supplies, not hand crafted items.

I find that a good strategy is to buy supplies you use in bulk at wholesale, and thus get a cheaper price for yourself, then sell the surplus on ebay.

How many of us buy some of our supplies on ebay? Quite a few I bet. It is very good for that sort of thing.

Obviously the mark up on craft supplies etc... is only small as there are many sellers but if you want to get your own supplies cheaper and make a few pennies from your surplus on ebay this strategy works pretty well.

Just my thoughts.
Steve :)

[icecreamgirl]

I definately agree...... ebay is best for selling craft supplies, not hand crafted items.

I find that a good strategy is to buy supplies you use in bulk at wholesale, and thus get a cheaper price for yourself, then sell the surplus on ebay.

How many of us buy some of our supplies on ebay? Quite a few I bet. It is very good for that sort of thing.

Obviously the mark up on craft supplies etc... is only small as there are many sellers but if you want to get your own supplies cheaper and make a few pennies from your surplus on ebay this strategy works pretty well.

Just my thoughts.
Steve :)

That's a really good bit of advice, you win all round!! Cheaper supplies and a bit extra from the bits you don't use!!
I sold some card making supplies on ebay when i decided i don't have time to do it anymore, i made a decent profit from it.
Oh Steve you are soooo wise!!