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Thread: Not on the High Street, Jewel Street etc...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    Default Not on the High Street, Jewel Street etc...

    I have been reading the thread regarding selling through Etsy etc.. and then realised that the thread is a little dated (2013!) I was just wondering if anyone be willing to share rough details of the sales that they make through these sites vs the costs of using them and maybe what percentage of their orders come from these sites. I am considering (in the not to distant future) joining Not on the High Street as I like the set up, site search facilities and the amount of detail that can be listed about products. I also like the suggestion that the membership fee of £200 for the year includes business support, advice and meet ups but I wondered if anyone who has had experience with this site could tell me more. I am curious about JewelStreet.com but when I contacted them to ask about costs of selling with them and whether they worked by percentage or up front costs they said they wished to see my website before entering a dialogue. (My website and my first full collection are under construction so I will get back to them at a later date). I had also asked JewelStreet about discrepancies in the description of pieces which I felt were misleading but they did not clarify the answers to my questions which, if I were a customer or designer using their platform I would take issue with. I am also aware of Wolf and Badger, Etsy, Folksy, Ebay and Amazon and wondered if many of you sell through these channels as well as the more traditional craft fair/gallery approach. I also wondered how many of you are selling internationally through these sites. Are there any other online sales platforms that I have missed?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
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    2,067

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    I sell quite a bit on Etsy but Im in a slightly different market as I make horsehair jewellery.
    I like Etsy as you only pay 20 cents to list each item for 3 months and then a % on sales.
    It can take ages to get started on there though.
    If you look on any Etsy shop you can see the number of sales they have made.
    My platforms are Etsy, FB and my website which is linked to my FB page.
    I haven't worked it out precisely but at a guess I would say probably around 15-20% of my sales came via Etsy last year and this has risen steadily over the last 2 years.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
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    dear old Blighty - (in deepest Wiltshire)
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    I have Etsy - it has been a great way to keep thing flowing. I stopped doing regular fairs as they were too time consuming for just me. Facebook and Etsy work well together. I imagine it all does, if you can coordinate all the social networks.

    Noths would be lovely, maybe one day.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    London
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    272

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by enigma View Post
    I like Etsy as you only pay 20 cents to list each item for 3 months and then a % on sales.
    Are you billed in US$ or are charges automatically converted to the currency of the shop? Just wondering if people not in the possession of US$ bank account get charged an additional currency conversion fee by their banks?

  5. #5
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    Its automatically converted Susie so no additional conversion fees

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    So Etsy is worthwhile because it's low overhead costs mean that you can take time to build a following without a large initial outlay but that is offset against the very large number of sellers making it difficult to find your products without additional marketing (facebook for example). I wouldn't agree that you are in a different market but I would say that your jewellery has a quite unique selling point and I notice from your website that you make to order. I would imagine that for your products adverts/advertorials/ in horse magazines, banners on show jumping/riding lesson type websites with links would probably be the best kind of marketing to do and that word of mouth has bumped up your Etsy orders. Is there anything similar to NOTHS in Portugal?

  7. #7
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    Feb 2016
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    Your work is so different from traditional jewellery offerings and so beautifully crafted I have no doubt that you'd be swamped with orders if you did go the NOTHS route. Because of the quirkiness factor I would also suggest Wolf and Badger to you. They are allegedly not accepting more designers at the moment but I suspect that your work would pass their high curation standards because it is quite unique but very wearable.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    London
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    I use Etsy and my own website, and I'd say around 20% of my sales come through the Etsy site. It is very difficult to get found there as a jeweller, as there are so many!

    I was thinking about applying for Jewelstreet but you've put me off them a bit now Ceri!

  9. #9
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    Sep 2014
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    Hi Ceri

    Everything I make is made to order, I don't carry any stock items at all.
    99% of what I make is made using the customers own horse hair so there would be little point for me having stock items.
    I never advertise other than running a google ads to stay on the first page of searches and occasionally boosting a post on FB as that gives me more than enough work ( Im generally running at least 8 weeks behind orders).
    Which is good as it keeps marketing costs down.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    Hi Lauren,

    I didn't mean to put you off JewelStreet. I am sure that had I followed up my query regarding descriptions and specifications by contacting the owners of the relevant boutiques I would probably have been able to ascertain whether the pearls used in a particular piece were cultured or natural (the description read carbon neutral pearls) or if a piece described as 18ct gold and silver was mainly plate. I guess I was just a little disappointed with the curation of the site because they make a big thing about wanting to enlighten the customer about the product and yet some boutiques are leaving very pertinent information off the specifications (gem size, materials etc..) I suspect that if you went for it and JewelStreet thinks your products will suit they will be forthcoming about the costs involved and as your website is already up and running (and looks fab). I didn't apply because I wanted approximate costs first! I think that your roller derby jewellery would go down a storm in the US and therefore selling through JewelStreet or NOTHS might make sense.
    Last edited by Ceri; 23-05-2016 at 02:14 PM.

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