Is this a quiet time for sales??

[Lydia]

I have just made lots of new things (tattoo inspired mostly) which have had great response, but sales are dead in the water.
Is summer a bad time, or do I need to panic!!?!?
(I sell online through my site)

[TizzyDizzy]

Don't forget it's summer hols so lots of people are off or away so it's generally quiet.

[beadydani]

RE: Is this a quiet time for sales

You are not alone, I sell through my site. I relaunched in June & have not made a sale, however, I am getting a lot of hits. I didn't make any sale from my previous site when I launched it last year either.

I can't really answer your question, I can only assume it has to do with the current economic climate. If you are good at (I am not) face to face sales, you may like to go down that route.

All the best & let me know how you get on.

Beadydani

I have just made lots of new things (tattoo inspired mostly) which have had great response, but sales are dead in the water.
Is summer a bad time, or do I need to panic!!?!?
(I sell online through my site)

[ejralph]

Your tattoo inspired jewellery is just fantastic.

I think there is no reason at all that those designs should not be flying off the shelves all year round, although it is quieter at this time of year on the whole.

Maybe you can make hay whilst the sun shines and use the time to really push and market the range. You need to promote, promote, promote where the likely customers will be. So tattoo-lovers forums (there are bound to be loads), find your local tattoo parlours and see if you can do some business with them, send press releases with print-quality images to tattoo magazines or contact them about doing a reader giveaway.

Honestly, you have a fantastic product there that I can think of so many ways to market and market for free. So stick with it, push the range and I think you will be laughing all the way to the bank! But you gotta really push to find the right people - an advert in the back of Back Street Heroes or other biker magazines would probably be a wise investment (does BSH even exist now??)

But unless the right people know those designs are there and up for sale, it won't matter a jot.

Seriously, that range of jewellery will fly if you promote it right. Bikers, metal heads, tattoo lovers will all go nuts for it and they are a HUGE demographic. So just down to how much work you put into finding the sales I think and patience whilst you wait for it to take off.

But if you start marketing this range well now, you should be absolutely at the right place by Christmas time to make some serious sales if you play it right.

Good luck and hope you do really well with it.

[Lydia]

thank you all - I started in April and have had steady sales, but the last week or so nowt.
Emma - that's incredibly helpful - I have committed to going down the 'alternative' route as it's what I enjoy making most (apart from bespoke items) and my new site I'm having done is going t olean far more that way (lots of burlesque/tattoo/pin up stuff).
Marketing is the killer, you're bang on, I need to shout it as cheaply as possible in the right places. Thank you for the encouragement - onwards!
Lyd x

[RenataHarris]

Yep, i priced most of my thigs at £10 sets and under, nothing!

The shops i town are having sales. I bought a diamante necklace off asos for £2!! and in primark they sell lonnng strings of glass pearls for £1.50

Hopefully christmas will pick up!

[Endeva]

If you've had steady sales since April, I wouldn't worry about just one week when it's quiet tbh

I could tell you the last time I had a sale on my site, and then you wouldn't be so worried lol

[Caroleecrafts]

It is really quiet at present, so don't panic things will pick up after the hols. Have you tied party plan, you may not get any bookings before Sept but this gives you more time to make.

[Ann May]

why do they do it?

It is encouraging to read the responses to the post about the low sales being experienced by most of us. I've only just started selling at craft fairs and was beginning to think "why do they do it - why do they keep coming back"?

Last Sunday, a crafter at another stall actually said - I only come here once a month because I can't afford it!!! Others admitted they hadn't made enough to cover the cost of the stall. They were saying the same the previous time.

Onward and upward ....

[Lydia]

a couple of sales in the last 2 days, so feeling a bit more positive. A lot of people who look at the site know I'm putting a new oen together, so I'm hoping they are waiting to see what's on it.. Eek!

[gbell]

if it makes you feel any better I took 11 quid on my market stall last saturday and spent £7.50 of that on a new stool

[silvermaid]

My sales have finally picked up a bit. The last farmers market I sold 2 necklaces, 3 pairs of earrings and a couple of kiddies bracelets - about £45. Plus a commission for some earrings. In the three months before that I took £0, £12 and £1.50. The stall is only £4 though, and if it's quiet at least I have a couple of hours to make more stuff without any interruptions from the family.
I got loads of new gemstone beads from the on-line bead sale that we shouldn't mention, and those were the things that sold so I am planning to make up more for next month.
I have found if you are a regular stallholder people do remember you if there is a birthday coming up, and it is a good way of getting known locally.

Melanie

[ferdinand2000]

Your tattoo inspired jewellery is just fantastic.

...

But you gotta really push to find the right people - an advert in the back of Back Street Heroes or other biker magazines would probably be a wise investment (does BSH even exist now??)

One fairly random thought - could you persuade one of the appropriate mags to acessorize a photo shoot with your jewellery?

Just thinking.

Julian

[claireceramic]

Things have been really slow online for me since the school holidays. I have'nt got a show booked for another week or two so I'm busy promoting everwhere I can think of and knitting ready for the chrismas rush (I hope!)
I've just put a load of pics onto flickr groups and had some visits to my shop as a result of that. Maybe that would be a cheap way for you to promote your great designs?

[Lydia]

Thanks for the replies,
Julian, once the new site is up I'm going to send a press release of sorts out - hopefully that'll drum up some interest.
I have never done a stall, think the prices may put people off, having said that may do some alternative gatherings if any come up in the Autumn.
Am trying to get the new things ready for photo shoot for the new site which is in a weeks time. Into the studio tomorrow and not comign out for a few days!