Anybody selling on the Internet?

A short discussion last month  *LINK*


http://www.woodcentral.com/woodworking/forum/turning.pl/page/5/md/read/id/502459/sbj/etsy/

Thanks Dick, that's sort of depressing...

Barry Irby

Ed's description of all the Etsy fees and then all the networking he does.

I looked a t Etsy and wondered if the 3.5% was all they charged, apparently not?

And I wondered if there was anyway to tell if others were actually selling stuff or just posting a lot of pictures.

Re: Thanks Dick, that's sort of depressing... *LINK*

Ed Davidson

A good source for info and perspective on virtually anything related to selling online through 3rd party facilitators can be found on the Etsy Forums. Link below...


https://www.etsy.com/forums

I sell on Etsy

Steven Antonucci

Sales require customers.

If you put your stuff on the table at an AAW event, did it sell? Odds are, not.

Doesn't mean it isn't good, but in a sea of bowls on the table, it is lost. Same on Etsy.

Enter to fast...

Steven Antonucci

So, how do you drive traffic! That is hard.

Etsy fees are $.20 lo list, 3.5% of sale. That's it.

You can pay them to automate shipping labels.

You can pay them to feature your work. It drives traffic. (I'm up 50% in my test)...but sales? Hmm...we will see.

I sold 100+ things via Etsy last year and the prior year too.

Social Media tool kit for internet selling *LINK*

Ed Davidson

Social media...how-to get it to work for your internet sales ambitions, published recently on Big Cartel, another online sales facilitator. It's a good read and recommended.


A Social Media Primer for Creatives

SEO = Search Engine Optimization *LINK*

Ed Davidson

Here's another good information source for improved online sales ...link below.

SEO (aka ISO: Internet Search Optimization), or lack of, not only impacts your website's search engine rankings, it is key to getting your online product ads to the top of page-one search results. This is true regardless of what resource you use to publish your sales ads...your own website, or a sales facilitator like Etsy.




What Is SEO?

Re: Enter to fast...

Brian Holcombe

Sales commission on Etsy is small by comparison to galleries which are 40-50%.

Barry Irby wrote:

Anybody selling on the Internet?

Barry Irby

Anybody successful at selling turnings or anything else on the Internet?
I looked at Etsy. Could not tell if people were actually selling stuff or not.
Also looked a little at Youtube. People sell stuff but I can't tell if they are making much.
Any thoughts or suggestions?

Yes, people definitely make money selling handmade turnings online, but it usually takes time to build an audience. Etsy is worth trying because it already has buyers searching for handmade products, although good photos, clear descriptions and competitive pricing make a big difference. I'd also consider Instagram, Facebook woodworking groups and YouTube to showcase the actual making process. People often connect more with the craftsman and the story behind a piece than just the finished product. Having your own website can help too, especially as your reputation grows. Agencies like https://juicify.digital/ specialise in SEO, link building and content marketing, which can help independent sellers improve their online visibility over time.