My Amazing Online Robo-Shop

Greetings from the future!

I have traveled here at great expense, to share a small part of our advanced knowledge and technology with you.  For example, in my time, we enjoy vending and shopping from elaborate "cloud" malls.  These are places that do not exist in real-space, but where a multitude of wondrous and handcrafted items may be bought and sold.

However, as amazing as these cloud malls are, what makes them so useful are their robot caretakers.  These clever 'bots liberate the artisan from the drudgery of store maintenance and enable them to pursue their craft.  

So what kinds of services do the robot shop managers provide? I have listed several below. Set these up once and free yourself to do other more interesting things.

• Use statsy-clockbot to schedule your relistings. Set up all of your renewals a week or more in advance. You can pick the date and the time for optimal exposure.
• Send your Etsy shop's RSS to twitter. Look on the bottom left of your Etsy store front. There is a link for the RSS feed from your shop. Twitterfeed is an app that will convert this into a tweet automatically for you.
• Tweet your Facebook posts using the Facebook Twitter app. Everything that you post on your Facebook Fan Page will be automatically tweeted to your followers.
• Use Hootsuite or Tweetdeck to consolidate your social media accounts. You can selectively tweet or post to any of your accounts. You can also schedule your posts so that they are sent when your followers are most likely to be online.
• Use hashtags like #etsy and #handmade to catch the interest of 'tweeps' who might not be following you.
• Use Craftopolis' Edit Express. This tool lets you easily edit multiple listings at a time. So add text to titles and descriptions, and change prices to quickly set up sales and discounts.
• List your coupons on Etsycoupon.com. Its a clearinghouse for Etsy sellers to promote their coupons.

Read on for more tips and links to these tools.  http://www.squidoo.com/artsy-business

The Bulldozer's Guide to Selling on Etsy

A few weeks ago, an Etsy colleague made a remark about my approach to business. She said that I was always pushing pushing pushing, like a bulldozer, through obstacles and putting my Etsy shop out in front of people. She said that she was probably too shy to be that aggressively self-assertive.

Well.

At first I was sort of taken aback. Am I really that pushy? And apart from being rather attractive big yellow pieces of machinery, are bulldozers really all that pleasant to be around?

But I've decided to embrace it. Hell yeah, I'm a bulldozer. A big yellow bulldozing monster of an Etsy entrepreneur. Grr. Rawr. And what does a big yellow bulldozing monster of an Etsy entrepreneur do? She makes her own road and drives it.

So here are some notes and tips from the cab of the yellow monster truck on doing business on Etsy.

1. Etsy entrepreneurs are dead serious about business. They are not flirting and they are not fooling around. They have business plans and promotions and financial statements. They may be perfectly nice people, but make no mistake, they are thinking about how to build their business all of the time.

2. Whatever book you read on how to succeed on Etsy? About ten thousand other people have read the same book. When everyone is following the same rules, it only levels the playing field. To win, you have to do something exceptional.

3. You are already exceptional. You are an artist who is also an entrepreneur. That's a hell of a unique skill set. Conventional wisdom is you know, conventional and common. That's not for you. You're creative, by definition. Do things that work for you even if they're uncommon -- especially if they're uncommon.

Now go out there and create your own model of business. You don't have to be a bulldozer to move mountains. Even a drop of water is powerful. Look at the Grand Canyon.

.

Love Yourself First.

Treasury by ArtsiBitsi (also for ArtsiBitsi)

Do you know about Etsy Treasuries? They're a member curated gallery of handpicked items from Etsy member stores.  Each treasury features the best in a particular category, or the best example of a certain style of work.  Etsy sellers love to get featured in a treasury, for the distinction, and for the opportunity to have their work seen by a new audience.  Anyone with an Etsy account can make a treasury.

Now here's a little activity for you to try to see how this can work for a seller.  Click each of the two links below and note the differences and similarities in the results.  (Try substituting your shop name for ArtsiBitsi in each one.)

1. Treasuries featuring ArtsiBitsi: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/search/?search_query=ArtsiBitsi
2. Treasuries created by ArtsiBitsi: http://www.etsy.com/people/ArtsiBitsi/treasury

   Lend yourself to others, but give yourself to yourself.  ~Michel de Montaigne  

Sometimes I make treasuries for fun.  I like the challenge of filling up a treasury with a particular color, or difficult to find item.  Sometimes I make treasuries especially to feature members of one of my teams.

And sometimes I make treasuries just to promote myself.

   Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson  

Here's how it would work.  Say for example, I have a new item in my store, like a new zombie or alien design.  To promote it, I do the traditional things like post about it on my Facebook, twitter, and Flickr.  But sometimes I also build a treasury around it.

To make my promotional treasury, I put in one item from my own store, but fill it out with other sellers who are doing something similar.  Making robot paintings or robot t-shirts, for example.  This is really fun.  There are some really amazingly talented people with stores on Etsy.

After I build and publish the treasury, I contact each of the sellers and give them the link.  Now they are happy because they are in a treasury, and they look at all of the items.  They might even see one or two things that they really like -- this being a treasury of zombies or whatever.  Hopefully they also tell their Facebook Fans and Tweeps about being featured.  And these people look at my treasury too.

   If I am not for myself, who will be?  ~Pirke Avoth  

In the end, a few more people see my new design than would have seen it otherwise.  And fifteen other sellers get a little more exposure than they would have gotten otherwise.

Is it such a terrible thing?  To love yourself first, so that others can love you too?

   Put your future in good hands - your own.  ~Author Unknown  

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?  Actually, who are you not to be?  You are a child of God.  Your playing small does not serve the world.   ~Marianne Williamson, 1992 (commonly misattributed to Nelson Mandela)

Introducing Monster Nanos!

Aren't these cute?  I had a ball making them this week.

I've been wanting a smaller monster that I could wear like a  charm.  These are the first generation of (what I hope will be) a new line of monsters for my etsy store.   If these do well, I will be eventually adding pins and other types of personal ornaments.

Another reason for adding these to my store is to make it easier for first-time customers to check me out.  The economy being what it is, folks are not going to be as eager to take a risk on an artist.  Key chains and fobs are relatively inexpensive items -- between $5 and $10 on Etsy.  My idea is, that  over time, one thing will lead to another, and I'll be able to generate some repeat business.

Rejection by 1000Markets

I recieved this email today:

Dear Artsi Bitsi,  

Thank you so much for taking the time to submit your shop for approval. Our selection team really enjoyed reviewing your shop. Even though you meet the minimum mandatory qualifications, we have unfortunately decided to decline your application.  

It is never easy for us to turn down an artisan merchant. We know how hard you work at your craft and we appreciate the time you invested in preparing your shop for approval. While we personally review every shop, we cannot offer individualized feedback. In general, we look for a mix of products and an overall aesthetic that complements our brand and reflects the subjective vision for our site.  

We do hope you understand that our decision is in no way a reflection of your abilities, motivation, or capacity as a businessperson or artist. We wish you every personal and professional success in the future.  

Sincerely,  

Lisa

While it certainly is a relief to know that I "met the minimum manditory requirements" and that I was not rejected on the basis of my "abilities, motivation or capacity as a businessperson", I remain perplexed as to the reason that I was, in fact, still rejected.  I also don't understand how they plan to make money if they are rejecting people who want to pay for the privilege of selling products on their site.  

I'm not upset.  I'm just curious.  If anyone has any insights, please let me know.

Buy Handmade and Help Women Entrepreneurs in Africa and Central America

I'm a world traveler.  Seriously.  I've visited more than 160 cities in 17 countries, including Peru, Guatamala, Australia, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Greece and Tanzania.  Sometimes I think that the only reason to work is to make money, so that I can go see another part of the world (got a trip to Tanzania and Amsterdam lined up for next month).

Anyway.  One of the most affecting experiences, and the biggest takeaway of my travels has to be seeing the different ways that people live in other parts of the world.  For a lot of people, $4 is a days wages.  For me, it's a good cup of coffee.  It's hard not to feel a huge burden of guilt about that. But what can one person do about it?  
Well, here is what I am doing.  It's small, I admit.  But what the heck, I'm sort of a small person.  
First, whenever I travel, I look for the artists.  There are always hundreds of people selling mass-produced crap.  I try to find people who are making nice things of their own design.  

This photograph was taken in a very small village on the Amazon River in Peru, called Las Palmas.  This is their market where the women (it's almost always women) sell their handcrafts.  I spent about $18 here and got a painting, an etched gourd, a macrame-type water bottle carrier, and a wood carving of a mama monkey with a baby on it's back.  It's so moving.  Here are these people,

 most of them living practically a stone-age existence in primitive huts, doing these incredibly evocative paintings and carvings of their world.  Art is what makes us human.  Gotta support that.

The other thing, that I just started doing, is making small business

 loans to women in the countries that I've visited.  Because women often get stuck trying to keep their families afloat.  And because economic autonomy is a stepping stone to social and political power.  So far, just  using the money that I have in my Paypal account from Etsy sales, I have made SEVEN loans.  

You can see my Kiva lending portfolio here: http://www.kiva.org/lender/artsibitsi

And here is the story of one woman that I made a loan to today:

Mrs. María Rosaria is 54 years old, belongs to the Communal Bank Mujeres del Mañana and the Comedor Popular (an eatery for low-income families) in her area.  She lives on the street Manuel Gonzalez Prada s / n, district of Agallpampa, province of Otuzco, department of La Libertad, Peru.

She studied until the third grade because that was the custom in the towns; it was believed that women should not be educated because they would write letters to the men to fall in love, she says.

She is a single mother and has a son who is already married. She started her business breeding and selling animals, and had capital but unfortunately fell ill for nearly a year and started again from scratch, she says. She accumulated capital and it was the Movimiento Manuela Ramos, through Credimujer, that supported and helped as much with their education as with their loans.

She currently has a wine cellar in her house. With the first loan of 300 soles, which was paid back in 4 months she bought items for her grocery store. With this loan of 1,200 soles (US $400), which will be repaid in 6 months, she plans to invest in groceries. Maria dreams of having a nice house to fix up to accommodate her son with his family.

Monster Factory

Well, I learned a lot about art and manufacturing this week.  First and foremost, there are NO economies of scale in the art business.  Making eight Monster Bags all at once takes exactly the same amount of time as making them one at a time in series.

Here are the steps --

1) Select and cut the fabric.  Fleece for the skin and cotton or satin for the lining.  I need one piece for the body (inside and out), a block for the legs and arms, and two very long pieces for the straps.  I really love these bright colors for the skins.  And I get to use some crazy zebra and batik prints that I've been saving up, for the linings.

2) Sew together the straps.  Try not to fall asleep whilst zigzaging 72" long seams.  Reload the bobbin a lot.

3) Feet and arms.  This is slightly more entertaining than the straps since the final product actually resembles something like what its going to be.  This time, I stuff the little legs and arms with some cotton to make them squishier.  Fun.

4) Design and applique the faces.  Because the fleece is so bright, I've decided to put an extra layer of black around the eyes.  I've also experimented with the stitch and people seem to like the zigzag better than the satin.  Lots more bobbins to fill.  This step takes me all weekend to finish.  But just look at those cute faces!

5) Sew up the bodies of the bags.  Gotta make sure that all the arms and legs get completely sewn in place, all the curves lay flat, and all the corners are square. Pin, press, stitch, turn, press. Pin, press, stitch, turn, press. Pin, press, stitch, press again.   Good thing that the sewing machine and the ironing table are so close together.

6) Labels and hardware.  Each bag gets an ArtsiBitsi label.  Monster bags get a set of grommets for the backpack straps.

7) Thread the straps and tie.  I made myself a flexible threading tool for this step and it still takes time and patience.

8) Naming.  Each Monster whispers her name to me and I write it down, along with her story.  It's a very moving ceremony.

9) Graduation.  Yesterday all my little Monsters left home and went to live with Courtney, Ashley and Jonathan at the Open Door Art Studio.  It was a little sad for me, but they looked excited and full of the spirit of adventure.

We now return you to your program...

Sorry about that.  I don't know how that other political post snuck in here.  Seems like those guys have infected the entire country with their feuding.  Hopefully it will be over soon and we can get back to the important stuff... like sewing!

So, in the last two weeks, I have gotten completely sidetracked by other projects and have not even touched my sewing machine.  It is a deplorable state of affairs.  But I have some good news.

1) This is small and personal in nature, but the bag that I made for my conference worked out very well.  I'm still using it, in fact.  I love the brown/black/red color combination and the more professional feeling of the sueded microfiber and the top stitching.  It's so easy to drop stuff into and the tab with the pin never gets in my way, like the bigger flaps do.  It's a little large for everyday, but at the conference it was a little small.  I could just fit my program and my swag in there.  

2)  On a more professional note, the Open Door Art Studio selected me as one of their featured artists.  (http://www.opendoorartstudio.org/artwork.htm) I am ridiculously pleased about this.  It's so validating, especially when my sales are still not exactly overwhelming.

3) I had a wonderful "mutual admiration society" type conversation with Courtney at the Open Door Art Studio.  It turns out that her application for the Tiny Canary show was accepted. (http://www.tinycanary.com/)

Since I'm new to the crafting business, I didn't appreciate how exclusive this show is.  But several of my fellow etsians over at the Columbus Street Team were pretty bummed about not getting in.  So, I'm thrilled for Courtney, and for the ODAS, who do such great work.  And Courtney let me know that, as a featured artist, my Monster Bags were a critical part of her application.  

It is so helpful to talk to Courtney and get advice and feedback about the Monster Bags.  Etsy can feel pretty isolated.  People buy things (or don't) and often I never hear what they liked (or didn't).  I'm collecting "hearts" and "views" but I don't know why, or how to convert them to sales.

On the other hand, Courtney sees people face to face and watches how they interact with the art.  She says that the Monster Bags are very compelling from a distance -- people come directly to them.  And people like them up close too.  But that the price tag is offputting.  This is a pervasive problem: people want to spend Walmart $$ on handmade goods.  Courtney thinks that the price point is good though and we should stick it out.

Anyway.  Courtney wanted me to know that she needs a lot more Monster Bags for the Tiny Canary show.  And the North Market show.  And the Grandview Gallery Hop.  (whee!)  This is such a great partnership for me.  I get a lot of exposure and it costs me very little.  I like to think that it helps the good people at the Open Door Art Studio too.  So there will definitely be a lot more sewing happening in the ArtsiBitsi Studio over the next few weeks. 

Watch this space.

Is a Trade the Same as a Sale?

Last week was a (relatively) busy week for me, -- as I "sold" three purses. 

Well, let me qualify that.  I traded three purses for five pairs of earrings and a wire sculpture jewelry hanger.  All of which are very cool, and I'm really pleased with my "purchases".  

  

It was a fairly painless process.  Generally I'm a bad haggler, but I have to admit, trading with Etsians seems very civilized and respectful.  Each of the trades did require a lot of negotiation and time.  There were several messages with the other person, to agree on a price for the items being transacted.  In one case, I sewed a custom bag in exchange for a custom set of earrings.  This customization step meant even more messages as we compared fabric swatches and pieces of glass.  But it was all very pleasant and inoffensive.

I still have anxiety about customer satisfaction.  I try to take accurate, yet flattering photographs of my bags.  I worry though, that a customer will have a misconception about the style, or the size or the color.  Something that I didn't document well enough.  It's like Christmas morning -- with a roomful of strangers.  I am hoping for an expression of pleasure, and fearing the expression of disappointment.  

It's easier, I think, to sell something in a bricks and mortar store.  At least then the customer gets to touch the fabric, test the seams and feel some security about an item's construction.  Perhaps this is my hang-up anyway.

But at the end of the week, I feel ambivalent.  I don't feel like the trades were real sales, even though I feel like the stuff I got was really purchased.

I think that this is because money is the only objective measure that we have for value anymore.  Hundreds of years ago, a person could feel comfortable trading 24 chickens for one hog, or paying eight cows for a dowry.  Nowadays, though, we only have currency.  How valuable is a doctor's time?  Oh, its worth about $60-$100 an hour.  How valuable is a waitress' time?  Usually between $10 and $15 an hour.  Thus we conclude, a doctors time is ten times more valuable than a waitress'.

But in a barter society, these valuations are not so straightforward.  How much is a purse worth?  Two or three pairs of earrings?  What kind of earrings are those?  When is a bag worth two pair of earrings and when is it worth three?  Does it depend on the bag, or the earrings?  Ugh, I just can't do this math.

In many ways, a trade is the same as a sale.  There is an exchange of good and services.  And I get pleasure from knowing that someone in NJ, or CA, or FL is using and enjoying an ArtsiBitsi bag.  But in some important ways, a sale is better (if only a little) than a trade.