I have updated my Etsy shop, including adding these two tapestries. Go look at the shop, please, and let me know, either by email or in a comment here, if you think the low-as-I-can-go prices are reasonable, if the photos are easy to see, and if the descriptions make sense to a potential shopper.
I'm not sure that what I see as a seller is what you would see as a buyer, so I truly will appreciate any input you might be able (and willing) to give me! I especially am not sure how to describe a tapestry to someone who may be familiar with 'tapestries' only as those afghans that have images on them. How do I make it clear that these are not the same thing, so they really should command a price higher than $30.00?
Anyway, thank you to anyone who will help me with this! This is a new experiment for me. I am not sure a tapestry will sell online, but have decided to try out the waters of the web, and see what happens!
I am also considering selling numbered limited edition prints of some of my more popular sold paintings there. But I am wondering if the price of about $25 each would cover the hassle of shipping these? Or if people would think that was too much for a print? (Tho' they sold well at that price when I was in the gallery.)
Ah, the hassles of being my own business manager!
I am also considering selling numbered limited edition prints of some of my more popular sold paintings there. But I am wondering if the price of about $25 each would cover the hassle of shipping these? Or if people would think that was too much for a print? (Tho' they sold well at that price when I was in the gallery.)
Ah, the hassles of being my own business manager!
13 comments:
Kathy- I can see why they sold well. They are so affordable. When I sale on etsy I charge for shipping and handling over and above the cost of the item as listed. In your blog it sounded like you were selling them with the shipping and handling as part of the price not as in addition. Your etsy page looks really good.
Emergence needs to have a size label. I wouldn't mind owning Emergence. It's a beautiful piece.But,Sounds awlful I am, I promised limiting myself to trades. Love the colours in it!!! Was that piece in the Astoria Show last year? I think the price of some of your work is way too low-especially those in the 100.00 range. Often times one does better with a higher price. I would think that a written a description of, size, technique employed would be enough.
kathe
Ooh, thanks for noticing that I didn't have the size on "Emergence", Kathe! I've added it. It is the only item I haven't added shipping charges onto, as I figured if someone wanted it, I didn't want to discourage them because of shipping.
I know the prices are low there. For example, when in a gallery or exhibit, "Emergence" is about twice that price, but then I have the consignment cost to add, so I figured I would see what happened trying to sell at 'wholesale' prices.
I know that may be a huge mistake...
I like your store and love your work. My thought on how to describe tapestry to those who may equate it with afghans is to include a picture of you working on the piece as one of the photos. You could mention the picture is of the work in progress. It sure makes me understand the value of your art!
I was wondering why the paintings and tapestries appear twice (at least on my screen). I had to look twice to see if they were prints rather than the originals. That said, I'm so happy you have an Etsy shop, although I agree the prices are too low. You're a NAME!
Mary
I agree with showing a picture of a tapestry in progress, with bobbins or threads hanging. I don't think you would need to do it for each piece, though that would be very exciting. One in your banner would probably do. And I think you can charge more than $25 for the posters.
This is all very helpl input! Thank you! I especially like the idea of putting a photo on the site of work in progress. The Etsy shop template is pretty specific, and somewhat limiting, but I think I can figure out a way to do this.
Pricing is a hard thing for me. I know my prices are very low here, but there is little overhead to sell this way, and I am listing items that are too old to exhibit anymore. I really want other people to have and enjoy my work. And, in spite of the low prices for what they are, art is a luxury item in today's market, and, if at all possible, I want mine to be affordable if someone really wants it. On the other hand, I don't want to under value it, or to undercut other tapestry weaver's who are trying to sell.
The paintings and prints, I am not too concerned about. I create them for fun, and truly want them to be enjoyed by others. I have very few walls in my house.
Mary, I'm not sure why they appear twice for you. I am not sure I see what others see, when I look at my shop. Do other people see two images?
I don't know that I am a Name... And if so, it is definitely one in small letters! 8-)
Oops. That is supposed to say ' very HELPFUL input.' doing this on. My iPad is not always a good idea. (see what I mean? )
Kathy, good luck with this, I hope it is a successful way to get your work out in the world. I don't know much about pricing but I think the tapestries should be expensive, that way they will go to people who really appreciate the work and design creativity involved.
About the price thing - I only see it on the thumbnail so that it doesn't appear if you go to the suggested other things to look at. Is this an Etsy thing?
I also get a lot of the images twice but it didn't bother me, I just put it down to the mysteries of computers and selling and buying online.
What I worry about with the images appearing twice is that people might think that more than one are available--or that they are just prints of the original work.
Mary
Mary, I found a way to see the shop as 'the public' sees it, and only see each image once. I'm not sure why they show up twice for you. I have them only listed once, and am only charged by Etsy ( who charges per item listed) for one item each. It is odd that you see them twice, but maybe it is something on your settings? Do you see duplicate images in other Etsy shops?
I visited the public shop again, and I think I see what you mean, Mary! There are four items at the top of the shop, including two if the tapestries. They appear again in the listings, right below, so it looks like they are there twice. The four items at the top are the shops "featured items" for the month. But they do kind of look like just another row of listings. I'm not sure what the featured items do for me, except I think they are found easier on searches.
Now I get it! On my browser the featured items at the top are not delineated in any way from the items under them. It does say "Featured Items" to the left of the four items, but I just thought that label applied to all of them. (Can you tell I don't use Etsy much?) Problem solved! But I still wish I could buy them all....
Mary
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