Thursday 8 August 2013

slowly but surely: shop


the internet here is on the go-slow. which in a way has been a blessing in disguise. slowly but surely I am working towards a new little project. one piece of floral fabric at a time.. cutting. pinning. stitching. ironing. label attaching.
all in the hope of opening a little online shop to sell my handmade wares.
the plan is to start small and with what I know best how to make..with bunting and tea towel cushion covers.

so from you my lovely readers I would love to hear your tips on selling your wares. maybe ideas on photography. and something that I am really struggling with: pricing.
 
x

14 comments:

  1. Hi Zara ! I spent a few years selling vintage and antique linen and needed to show embroidery close ups, and the best tip I have is to set up a photo box ie a white square ( white cardboard) in a well lit spot and use a SLR camera rather than a phone as they are more steady. xx

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  2. Good luck with your shop project Zara!

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  3. I struggle with pricing as well. But you have to remember that there is no point making something to sell if you aren't being paid for your time and costs. You could be making something for yourself instead! You might sell more pieces if they are priced lower, but in the long run you are giving yourself more work for less money, which isn't sustainable. Something most of us learn the hard way I think! I was always told that it is easier to price higher and lower the prices if need be, than to price lower and have to put them up. People love a sale, they don't love a price rise. Now when I price my jewellery I show it to my friend who works in the industry and we discuss it. Helps to have someone to bounce ideas off and who has her finger on the pulse of the current market. That said, check out Madeit and Etsy for price points of similar items.
    Hope that helps!

    And if you are interested and you are missing My Creative Space, I have tentatively started 'Made By Hand' on my blog. If there is enough interest I was thinking of making it a weekly thing. xx

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  4. Oh yay that's great Zara. No tip from me Zara. I opened a madeit store and haven't made it to stock it! I'm sure you'll be a roaring success. Your photography is always lovely so I would worry too much about that. As for prices, check out some other store to compare. I agree it is a tricky one. Good luck!

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  5. I really admire people who do this sort of thing. I don't have an online store so can't offer any advice but jut want to wish you the best of luck. You will do well, your homemade goodies are amazing. Can't wait to you "open up" your shop xo

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  6. I have no selling experience (not sure what anyone would want to buy from me!) but I love that bunting, the colors are so pretty.

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  7. I don't know by which means you intend to sell online, but Etsy has a wealth of resources available to sellers to perfect their stores and listings. I seriously can not recommend working through their resources enough. There are links and tips on photography through to formulas on pricing, navigating shipping, branding, setting up.....literally every question you could have there's info for it.

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  8. I have always admired your hand made items, so I'm sure they will sell like hot cakes! And your photography is really good so I wouldn't worry to much about that. Best of luck! Xx

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  9. I think an online shop is a great idea. Although I undertook a Merchandise & Marketing course a few decades ago, I didn't have much financial success selling my craft at that time, because pricing was an issue for me (and my customers!). My friend and I had a regular stall at a popular Makers' Market in Northern NSW, but we soon found that very few people were willing to pay our prices, even though (in my case) I'd gone against the rule book by charging far less than the hours I'd put into making the items. The feedback from non-buying customers was that they loved our work but could not justify the prices. We gave it 5 or 6 months, then ended up selling it all off for little more than the cost of our materials. While it had been fun, I was very disillusioned. Don't let that dampen your spirits, Zara. With the current demand for vintage and retro, there has been a resurgence in people wanting re-purposed and handcrafted items, and the Makers' Markets and Pop-Up Shops continue to grow in leaps and bounds, so go for it! I love your work, knowing it from close quarters I have to say you are a meticulous handcrafter.
    Susan XX
    P.S. I am sure Claire from Sweet Birdie Love would be happy to give you some advice on her success with online selling.

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  10. Love your bunting.....look at what others are pricing, you don't want to stray too far from that! :) x

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  11. How exciting Zara. I'm afraid I can't give any advice but I know you'll do well. Your photos always show great colour and clarity. I can't wait to see your shop open. Xx

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  12. Good luck with it! Pricing I can't help you with - photography I'm better with! You take lovely photos as it is - I think just keep it simple, don't make too much extra work for yourself. Set up a space in your house where you get lots of lovely natural light. You can try using a sheet of white card or fabric as a background.

    Shoot in daylight - which means you shouldn't have to worry too much about a flash or reflector. If you want to go a bit further you might find something like this useful?

    http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent

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  13. Great news to hear you are off plotting a little shop. No advice from me on any of it i'm afraid but like everyone else your photos are fab. mel x

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  14. I think you have this whole thing down pat already Zara - a beautiful design aesthetic, your items are made to perfection and your photography is already gorgeous. I have no doubt it will be a big success. Mel x

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