Newly organized shipping deskYay! I got my first comment on the blog! palimpa-lim (hope I got that right,) thank you so much for the comment about the necklace, and for voting!
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I had an idea I was going to post photos of my dreadful unorganized office and studio in an attempt to shame me into really getting it together for 'after' photos. It's just too ridiculous to share, and I don't need tricks to get myself together. I've been sleeping horribly, my head is all muddled as it always is this time of year and I'm unexpectedly kind of slammed with custom orders, but almost everything is off now and I'm ready to figure it out.
I made a small start by cleaning my office desk off to set it apart as a shipping station. I had no idea wrapping and shipping things was going to be such a big deal with jewelry. I have been selling books online for seven years, so this is something I know a lot about. But it's entirely different. The Amazon Marketplace is all business, and the more faceless and personality-free you are the better. There is surely an element of customer service, but for the most part it is hidden in swift shipping. Amazon does everything; they take care of the money, emails, etc. It's all automated.
I made a small start by cleaning my office desk off to set it apart as a shipping station. I had no idea wrapping and shipping things was going to be such a big deal with jewelry. I have been selling books online for seven years, so this is something I know a lot about. But it's entirely different. The Amazon Marketplace is all business, and the more faceless and personality-free you are the better. There is surely an element of customer service, but for the most part it is hidden in swift shipping. Amazon does everything; they take care of the money, emails, etc. It's all automated.
Etsy is so different. I don't know how that translates somehow into the shipping and wrapping aspect being so much more intense. with books, all I have to do is find them on the shelf, and get them in bubble wrap and a mailer. It takes two seconds. It seems like it should be the same with the jewelry--find it, wrap it. But it ain't.
Getting more organized is the key, obviously. The other day I packed 8 items between my etsy shops--I've been selling an average of about one item a day. It took me hours, and that's ridiculous. I think it's going to be really busy this holiday season--last year in November is when I really started selling, and then December seemed crazy, but that's nowhere near the steady business I have now. I want to get totally slammed--I just need to prepare. I just get so distracted around my stuff that I always start putting stuff together and making jewelry. I need some kind of zapping training system or something, like those yard cables that keep pets in their yard.
Hello Richelle,
ReplyDeleteOnly just discovered you here, so missed the chance to vote for you in your stringing competition - sorry - did you win?
Hmm, intersting to hear how different you're finding selling on etsy, and how much of a challenge. Mine is in how to manage selling anything at all!!! That packaging thing though - oh yeah - I've spent whole days making interesting packaging. It seemed ludicrously time consuming. But then, to be honest, every part of this process seems to gobble away time in a very scary fashion! I've just got my blog started, but it's taken ages - and there's still tons on there to do, but I like it - feels more homely than my Etsy shop.
Organisation is the key though, you're right. I end up getting really scattered, and then not achieving very much at all. Hey ho - I'm learning all the time. So, are you enjoying the more intense Etsy experience - or do you prefer selling the Amazon way? A sale a day - wow, I'm very envious. Do you spend vast amounts of time tweeting and facebooking etc? Were you getting sales right from the start? How much to you attribute to having made a name for yourself now??I love your work, by the way - the rustic feel is just gorgeous. I'm still trying to find myself really, but it's getting there slowly.
Anyway - get a load of me rabbitting on. I just wanted to say Hi - and good luck with your blog and getting slammed!!!
Petra x
I need to get organized too... sigh... love your jewelry!
ReplyDeleteOh--GAH! You guys, I am so lazy at blogging. I will answer all questions and actually start blogging. Resolution!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
Richelle