Polymer Clay Jewelry Trends for Fall 2009 Based on Etsy Research

Thanks for the update. Just goes to show your dedication to teach us what is current. I am hoping to get my beads on Etsy soon; alas my goal every weekend. Is there category on Etsy where you find your research or do you have to look in a bunch of categories?

I am hoping to add a bead section to my Etsy shop, I have added a couple canes so far! I also just got my Google base up and running. Have a success story too! My designs are now being sold at TWO stores in my town, a gift shop and a beauty salon! Also, a couple of businesses have requested business cards to hand out! One of them is the person to call in my area for clothing alterations (she is really busy right now with formal dresses for high school dances) and the other owns the banquet hall where I'm having my wedding! Hopefully I'll get some custom wedding jewelry orders there! Thanks for all your help Cindy, I do believe you played a big part in my success!

I'd like to sell some stuff on etsy, but I read somewhere that they'd increased their charges and now it was becoming more expensive – has anyone else heard this?

@Anna: Being able to stay current is what is so great about the internet. By the time a book has gone from concept to consumer, the process is at least a year or two. If something comes up that everyone wants to learn, I can usually make a video of it with in a couple of weeks. Big difference!

@Carrie: I am so thrilled to have played a part in your success. Please keep us all updated on your ongoing successes. I'm very excited for you!

@Polyanya: I haven't put my Etsy store together yet either. Hadn't heard about increases, though it would make sense since expenses everywhere are getting higher. Maybe someone else can let us know a little more about this?

I dont have an etsy store as i dont live in the U S, but i have just sold four necklaces,and three last month in a little craft store near to were i live and the owner has asked for more with xmas coming. so here;s one very happy clayer now i can go out and buy lots more clay, woopy, sorry guys had to share the good news with someone.

I haven't heard of any increases, it is $.20 to list an item and the listing is for 4 months. When an item sells, they charge 3.5%. If I hear anything else, I'll let you all know!

Thanks for that – I know of one clay artist who has an etsy page but nothing for sale and refers everyone to her website to buy as the price has increased. Strange then? But thats not a bad price at all is it. I get charged between 20 and 35% commission, some place I used to sell my bears at now charges 50%! Its not fair really considering the hours and hours of work that goes into these things. I was up until 12.30 am caning away last night and I'd been doing it since 1.00pm (I'm so lucky).

Etsy's 20 cent listing per item for four months and a 3.5% fee doesn't seem that bad, really since the only other options are to pay to host a website elsewhere or open a bricks & mortar shop.

Keep in mind, many people pay via Pay Pal which has a fee as well. (a percentage of the selling price)

nd PayPal is 3.5% – go figure. I set up a site for my daughter to sell Yellowroot and people order and it processes through PayPal. It's nice. Fortunately for me though, my forte is websites and search engine optimization.

Ahh, but my love is now polymer clay.

Nice to see your love for polymer clay is showing Doug! :-)

Everyone should remember that the fees that these companies charge for to sell our items online is much less than what a retail store or gallery will charge for selling your jewelry. Stores and galleries typically give you 50% or less of what they intend to sell your jewelry for. So the $0.20 plus 3.5% + 3.5% is really not too much at all.

the other thing to remember about Etsy and other sites is the huge number of people who have access to view and buy your jewelry. Etsy and similar online shops also have custmer's searching for a particular type of item. If someone wants a Pink spotted bird they can search for that with a click of a button, or they could search retail stores for months and never find it.

@ Cindy

Thank you, that was the point I was trying to make,but you said it far better that I did. Didn't know about the PayPal fee but 93% is better than 50%.

This post might be too old for someone to respond, but…….I have a sight on Etsy and have not been impressed with the exposure, or I guess the lack of it. What do y'all do to keep your items being viewed? I have also been wondering about ArtFire. Does anyone use it, like it?
.

I receive the "polymer clay smooshers" feed/newsletter and they always have cool stuff.They are a group on Artfire. I even bought a pair of earrings! Maybe being part of a cooperative on these sites helps you gain some exposure. ( I tried etsy but don't have the proper sales person mind…)

Thank you Sarah and Cindy for the response. I'll check into the cooperative thing, I had not thought of doing that. I might find that I don't have the proper sales personality either :-) I've only had my items listed for about 3 mo. Maybe it is too soon to hang up my hat.