Sorry I have been a bit quiet lately, I seem to have a lot going on and most of it is inside my head!
I am a great believer in fate, what is for you won't go past you and all that, sometimes things happen for a reason or make you change direction. Well it would appear that now is one of those times.
There has been a change or a tightening up of criteria on one of the selling platforms that I use to sell items made under Loves a good yarn's name, as it happens most of my makes are still suitable but before this was clarified I had to consider the option of not using that platform any more and striking out alone, selling through my own website.
With my own website, I wouldn't be charged fees or commission, I can list decent stock levels, I would have full control over how my site looked, photographs, backgrounds, multiple pages, it would all be mine to control.
I can promote my own website as much as I was promoting my shop on the other site, or more. I can link it in to all social media that I use, create a brand image that is mine and mine alone.
On the other hand, I don't have the publicity/promotion budget of selling platforms, or the protection of selling under their umbrella so to speak. I have a few return customers and have built up relationships with fellow crafters in the forums, some of whom have been converted into customers might I add.
Or do I keep my shop/keep a presence while I get to grips with my website and then use it to drive customers to the website.
As I said in the title, decisions, decisions, decisions!
If anyone has an opinion either way or any advice then I would love to hear from you, in the meantime I will continue to ponder (whilst crocheting of course!)
It's a hard decision and one I am trying to make myself. I'm even considering a craft unit looking around at the moment, working out cost. I sell well at craft fairs and from my website. but not to good through the platform shop. I think it's the volume of items on them. you put in a search and thousands of items of the key word come up. I have letting my shop run down till I make my mind up. I wish you luck with what you decide. Keep us up to-date.
ReplyDeleteHi BeckyDe, will be having a discussion later today with my cousin who will be building website for me if we go that route, good luck with your research and let me know how you get on too, best of luck, x
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