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Saturday, June 11, 2011

Etsy Seller Confessions: Day 13

Hi dearies!


I've been an avid Etsy seller since December 2010. When I first opened my store, AnotherUse, in December 2009, I had no idea how to sell my items online. I thought all I had to do was take a couple of decent photos of my items and post them, and people would buy. How wrong was I? I never sold my first item until December 11, 2010. What a shock that was! I actually forgot that I even had items for sale on Etsy. 


Photo of my first item sold. My photos have improved!

All of a sudden one day I'm reading an email stating that I have money waiting for me at Paypal. In the times of desperation when you're wondering how you are going to make enough money to pay your bills, money falls into your lap just like that. What a feeling! From that point on, I vowed that I would work harder on making more out of what I loved. It hasn't paid for all of my bills yet, but a couple are better than none. 




Makin' sure my babies get to eat plenty!


In the past 6 months, I have learned more than I could imagine about how to sell through Etsy and online. It involves so many elements, the whole time I've had to tell myself the work will pay off. Plus I love learning new things! Once I started subscribing to the Etsy Success newsletters, and blog, the knowledge became endless. I spend 10-12 hours a day, sometimes, just updating, taking photographs and notes, reading and typing, watching videos, all to understand just how you get people to notice my idea on the internet, as well as in person. 


Braving the rapids in life.


I believe that after all I have learned, the most important component of owning a jewelry business involves networking. If you don't have a well-structured social network, you will have a hard time selling items. I've been given some excellent advice from other Etsians just because I asked for it. That is a big step; just being able to ask for help when you need it. I'm always willing to share what I have learned so far. Anyone feel free to leave a comment if you ever have questions about Etsy and upcycling.


Thanks everyone!


Stephanie

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Join Teams on Etsy: Day 12

Hi dearies!


When I first started learning what Etsy was about, one tip I was given was to join teams in order to get more exposure and further help. This sounded like a fantastic idea, so I went ahead and searched through some of the teams on Etsy. You can find teams for specific regions to specific topics. 


Today I wanted to focus on the team Upcyclers


"Upcyclers are artisans who repurpose existing materials or post consumer waste to create fashion, art or products with a new value, purpose or aesthetic appeal, thereby reducing the consumption of raw materials, energy and resources that must be conserved for the environmental health of the planet."


Their blog is Love 2 Upcycle and facebook fan page. There are over 930 members. Check them out and join!


Vintage Inspired Flower Earrings




Also head on over to my etsy store, AnotherUse, and check out the 50% off sale going on.


Thanks everyone!


Stephanie

Friday, June 3, 2011

Advertise on my blog: Day 11

Hi dearies!


Love this blog and believe in its potential? Advertise on my blog and share the love. I'm offering advertisement for just $5 a month! That's so affordable, how could you say no?

New for sale! 50% off!


At this time, I have 41 followers, a facebook fan page, twitter, an etsy shop, flickr, deviantart, and pinterest page. I'm also a member of 15 teams on Etsy where I promote my blog. You can also find me on Etsypreneur. 


Romantic flower earrings


Ad sizes should be 150x150 px. Can be in jpg, png, or gif format. If interested, leave a message on my blog or email me at stephanieccasey@yahoo.com. Payments made via paypal to stephanieccasey@yahoo.com, or if necessary, we can set something else up. 


Dangly flirty flower earrings


Thanks everyone!


Stephanie