sylvie's perspective
...from the ❤
I have been a seller online for 5 1/2 years now. It has been a great learning experience. And really, I've learned that
there isn't much I can't do on my own to succeed at it. If that's what I want.
Some years ago, a topic
of discussion caught my eye and what got me thinking about all of this. Apparently, the venue had been promoting sellers
offering sales, discounts and free shipping. The author as well as many others,
felt that this somehow denigrated artists and their work by cheapening it and
the handmade movement in general. That by promoting sales and/or free shipping "puts pressure" on other
sellers to offer similar discounts and likened the marketplace to a flea market where people could shop for 'cheap'. No offense to flea markets!!
As the conversation progressed, many comments revealed a general consensus that whatever venue you sell from has a responsibility to its members to educate the public about the value
of art, the uniqueness and worth of handmade and to promote the site as such. In their
opinions, the site had been doing the exact opposite thereby hurting their
selling endeavors to succeed as sellers of handmade. Sound familiar? This was 3 years ago.
While it would be nice for
our venues to help, as I'm sure we all know by now, they will advertise, promote and operate their business as they see fit even if we don't agree with those practices.
But do those practices really affect the success or failure of our individual businesses or of
the larger handmade movement? Well, maybe not necessarily. But I do respect the concerns brought up in that discussion and understand the fears expressed about the face the venue was putting forward.
I don't know if merely promoting sales, discounts and free shipping does in fact cheapen the value of handmade. In my opinion, the vast underselling on a regular basis does much more harm in this regard. What I do know, is we, the business owners, are the one factor that can make the biggest difference. Hard work, relentless promotion, introducing our
customers to the value and worth of handmade, with or without the help of any venue, is what we do to make that difference. This is where our energy will have the most direct impact. Not by waiting for the venue to do what we think it should do in order to help us succeed and spread the love of handmade.
That does not imply that certain expectations of the venue are unreasonable. In earlier years, asking
for changes, and sometimes with the volume turned up really loud, is what has gotten many good features implemented on the site. But is never a guarantee that we will be listened to or that our concerns will be addressed and alleviated. Especially of late.
Recent happenings are far more damaging to the value of handmade than promoting sales or discounts. The site appears to be taking a direction more conducive to larger and high volume sellers in the form of 'collectives', much to the detriment of many smaller competing shops. There is absolutely nothing we can do about that. This is when you decide it's time to direct your energies where they will have the most direct impact on your business. A sentiment that pretty much gave birth to this team.
Some may disagree with my point of view, but I feel that it ultimately won't matter what any venue does or
doesn't do as far as promoting sales, discounts or otherwise, because it is completely out of our hands. Only we can effectively achieve success. Or not. Even with one hand tied behind our back. Who knows your business better than you do? The venue is just that--a venue. A place to set up shop. .
So if we just keep rolling up our sleeves and tackling whatever comes at us and make it work to our advantage, even collectively, we can pretty much accomplish whatever we want. You just have to want it badly enough and believe that you can do it. I know, because there are plenty of successful sellers who have proven you can make the system work for you. Finding that formula is the trick. But
you are the key. You are the one variable that can and will make a difference in your own experiences.
Our team is structured to help each of us become our best and make the system work to our advantage. With so many smart, creative and caring people, I'm certain, together we will find the way to elevate all of our businesses which in turn also elevates the love and value of handmade. Here's to us!!!
