Often times I am asked about where I sell my work, many people are surprised that I rarely, if ever show work locally any more. I find that local shows and art fairs, although fun and a great way to meet fellow artists and art lovers, are just too time consuming for some one like me. With all the commitments I currently have selling online is really the best way for me to get my art out there.
I am incredibly fond of Etsy.com for many reasons. Namely for the sense of community it has. Many artisans are very friendly and encouraging and they want each other to succeed. There is such a wide variety of crafts and art that it draws a wide range of buyers, many of which are looking for stylish unique hand-made items. I tend to often times be afraid of doing something new for fear of failure. The fact that so many people are wanting to see something different makes it easier to get past that fear and do things that I may not have tried before. plus when you do make something, even though it may take some time to sell, you get positive feedback from your work through people "liking" your items or making your shop a favorite, or even adding your item to a treasury. That kind of positive reinforcement really helps you keep going when sales are down.
Etsy only costs $.20 per listing making it affordable to get started on an artists budget. And you get to keep your listing up for 4 months!
One of the downsides to Etsy are the amount of sales. You have to be patient and wait it out until you see any action. You also have to keep listing items on a regular basis. If you only list a couple and wait until the listing ends your item will get buried under months of other listings causing you to get very little exposure. On the same token, if you list a lot of items all at once the same thing will happen. Many people will suggest listing at least once per week, this is good advice. I would recommend listing your work as often as possible, even once per day if you can, to keep people looking at your stuff and to keep your shop fresh with new and interesting items.
For examples of an Etsy shop check out mine HERE.
I am incredibly fond of Etsy.com for many reasons. Namely for the sense of community it has. Many artisans are very friendly and encouraging and they want each other to succeed. There is such a wide variety of crafts and art that it draws a wide range of buyers, many of which are looking for stylish unique hand-made items. I tend to often times be afraid of doing something new for fear of failure. The fact that so many people are wanting to see something different makes it easier to get past that fear and do things that I may not have tried before. plus when you do make something, even though it may take some time to sell, you get positive feedback from your work through people "liking" your items or making your shop a favorite, or even adding your item to a treasury. That kind of positive reinforcement really helps you keep going when sales are down.
Etsy only costs $.20 per listing making it affordable to get started on an artists budget. And you get to keep your listing up for 4 months!
One of the downsides to Etsy are the amount of sales. You have to be patient and wait it out until you see any action. You also have to keep listing items on a regular basis. If you only list a couple and wait until the listing ends your item will get buried under months of other listings causing you to get very little exposure. On the same token, if you list a lot of items all at once the same thing will happen. Many people will suggest listing at least once per week, this is good advice. I would recommend listing your work as often as possible, even once per day if you can, to keep people looking at your stuff and to keep your shop fresh with new and interesting items.
For examples of an Etsy shop check out mine HERE.
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