Maybe I'm just overwhelmed because I actually did something...

[valis2]

...but seriously, I'm a little freaked out right now. In a good way.

Yes, I finally have a few things on Etsy. After months of not having things on Etsy. And, unlike my ill-fated Cafépress endeavor, this seems exciting; some of my items have already had 26 views after only 24 hours. Now, clearly, a few of those views belong to me, but still--wow.

The pics are...serviceable, at best. The items are okay, nothing really amazing, just plain and simple, with good quality components. I've uploaded some of them to my Flickr account, and that's when it struck me--I looked at a whole page of stuff at once, and I felt giddy. Just utterly giddy. The thing is, I've been renewed in my passion for crafting recently, and this is such a warming moment--I feel like I could dance for joy, at seeing it all, so neat and tidy in rows, and wow.

Now I have to hope that something sells.

(PS: Please understand that I will not post links here in the journal, mmmkay? I need to keep these things separate--the last thing I want is a customer finding my slash fics. heh.)

Comments

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, Etsy would really rock for you guys--except for the time you'd have to put aside for photographing, uploading, etc.

Seriously, though, it's really nice because it has that eBay store thing going--every item you put up is an Item For Sale. Period. It's very much geared toward handmade, one-of-a-kind things. Your price points were low, last time I looked (too low, it seemed to me, though I'm sorry to be critical!), and I doubt there are many other people doing the same thing on Etsy, so it seems like it would be a really great experiment, if nothing else.

[kakiphony.livejournal.com]

There are (or were, last time I checked) two other etsy vendors doing bubble wands. But they were really simple compared to what J does. One was bust bent wire with no soldering or adornments, and other was just very bare bones. Our price points ARE low, but that's mainly because of the shows we're done. Anything higher and parents simply won't people it for a "toy."

The only way to raise the price point is pick more affluent shows to somehow market them as pure "art" which would be tricky. (J has experimented with window hangings, etc, and would love to pursue that, but he doesn't have the time right now since he's also working a 40 hour per week job plus two part-time gigs.) We see similar designs, but with far less metal and stones in them all the time at galleries for twice what we charge. But then we ask ourselves if the market is oversaturated with that type of wire art and if investing the time to expand the design line is really worth it?...

It's a never-ending series of (very civil) arguments with neither of us sticking to one side for long. I'd like to use etsy as a kind of proving ground for new designs. J could make experimental pieces from his heart and then we could see if they sell. If they do, then we'd make more, etc.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I totally understand the boat you're in. It's always a struggle to price things, and when you're dealing with something that's considered a toy, then it's much worse.

I definitely think that if you do Etsy, you could probably raise your prices, and, like you say, make some really funky pieces. I really think that it's a fantastic line, honestly, and I have always thought that there has to be a way to market it that would be profitable for you guys.

*fingers crossed*