ArtFire Rocks: Things Uncommon

So far I've opened a studio on ArtFire.

Things Uncommon ArtFire studio

Some of the benefits I see with ArtFire versus other online handmade sales venues are:

• ArtFire offers a free Basic Membership. This means that you can set up a shop (called a "studio" in the ArtFire world) for free. You can post unlimited listings in your studio, and they will be active for four months (assuming they don't sell, but hopefully they will!). You get to personalize your studio with a banner and an avatar. Once you get your sealegs you can go Pro for a flat monthly fee (currently $9.95) - ArtFire does not charge listing fees, nor do they take a percentage of your sales!
• ArtFire does not require buyers to be members. To me, this is an awesome benefit compared to Etsy, where all buyers must sign up for an account with Etsy in order to make a purchase. I know how I feel about constantly having to create new logins and memberships (and the associated spam that inevitably comes with them). So I feel that potential customers would appreciate the ease of putting items in a cart and checking out without having to create yet another login and password to forget remember.
• SEO. ArtFire is big on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). They offer tutorials and information to sellers on how to get the most bang for their keyword bucks. They want you to be found, because buyers who do not know about ArtFire most likely do know about Google. They also like to keep members informed of changes in the internet search world, such as the latest changes at Google and what they mean to sellers.

It was super easy to set up an account and get started. Listing items is fairly straight forward, and navigating your studio is generally intuitive. So far so good. I need to get busy and get to work on some more items to list. Like I said before, it's going to be a slow process, and so far it has been. I feel like I've been working two full-time jobs despite not actually having the free time of another full-time job. But it is exciting, especially since I've already made one sale!

Oh-Em-Gee

My First Sale!

OK, I don't use the term very often, but OMG! I had my first sale today and I hadn't even realized I started! I actually put a few pairs of earrings up on my free Basic ArtFire studio a few days ago, created a quick and dirty banner for it, and tried to start familiarizing myself with how things work there. I asked my husband and my sister to take a look at it just for some feedback. My husband wanted to tell everyone right away, but I said, "I only have four things on there! I'm not ready!!"

So he held back and I've been frantically trying to purchase more supplies. This week has been busy with other extracurricular activities so I haven't had much creation time. I made 1/4 of a necklace on Monday, but that's not really getting me anywhere!

So today my sister posts my studio link on her Facebook, and one of her awesome friends bought a pair of my earrings! Woohoo! Oh, but wait. I haven't figured out my packaging yet. What am I going to put the earrings in? It has to be pretty, and unique. I want the buyer to feel like she bought herself a little gift. I also wish I actually had a solid logo figured out. Business cards would be nice. So would a custom rubber stamp. But I want to get her earrings in the mail ASAP! I guess tomorrow will be an interesting day of figuring out something cool for my packaging in a pinch. Then I need to really sit down and thing about what I need to order!

Indecision May or May Not Be Your Problem

My husband says this to me a lot. I'm frickin' indecisive. It is a tragic flaw that has certainly impeded me in many situations. I've now got to overcome this crap and make some executive decisions, dammit!

Here are some of the decisions I'm facing as an aspiring craft entrepreneur.

Supplies
Should I go high-end, low-end, or middle-of-the-road? Base metals, sterling, both? Glass, plastic and acrylic or gemstones, or both? Should I purchase findings that are already antiqued or do it myself? Should I buy from Chinese wholesalers to make a better profit margin? Should I purchase my supplies from my local bead store because I prefer contributing to my local economy even if it means I have to charge my customers more? Should I make every piece one of a kind or just create a few designs that I can make with a few minor variations? And this is just for the jewelry side of the house. What about when (yes, when) we expand our offerings to other items? Just thinking about that makes my head spin.

Venue
No, I'm not a booking agent for musical acts or burlesque shows - where am I going to sell my wares? Clearly, I will have an online store. But which one? Etsy is the original virtual craft bazaar, but it is no longer the only place where you can sell handmade items. There is also Artfire, 1000Markets and a bevvy of others to choose from. They each have their own quirks and advantages. Etsy is almost to the point of being "mainstream" in that many people know about it, but it is also flooded with tons of competition. Artfire lets you set up a store for free so you can test the waters, but it isn't as well known at this point.

Style
I like the idea of creating Anthropologie inspired jewelry, but I know that is limiting. Plus, I dont' want people to think I am making knockoffs, because that is not my goal. In the end it will come down to what sells and where the demand lies, but first I'll need to make some inventory in a variety of styles before I can figure that out.

Once I get all that figured out, I still have to make myself "legal" before I start doing business. Yes, even someone who sells handmade crafts as a hobby still has to pay sales tax on those items sold to customers within the same state. Tune in next time for more on that ball of fun.