I'm so ready for flip flops, leaves in trees, flowers in my window boxes, sun on my shoulders, reading on the porch swing, shopping at the farmers market...
My latest jewelry designs reflect this yearning and new items I'll be adding to Dream Girl Beads too. Oh and I must add, DGB has had over 10,000 sales!!! That's a lot of bubblemailers going out all over the world with beautiful beads and findings to happy jewelry designers. For me the hardest part is knowing what to buy, how much and especially what not to buy. With over 1,000 listings it can be difficult to say "no" on buying trips to new items I know will sell. Not being the most organized person has forced me to learn some new skills. I've had some pretty panicky situations filling orders and realizing I can't find an item that just sold. So far nothing has been lost but it can be very daunting keeping up with so many beads etc.
I've met so many wonderful customers online that I so appreciate and only 1 or 2 that I don't.
I've learned something about small orders, say under $10, a business owner can go broke. Now when I purchase from other small business' I make sure I spend more. The time and costs involved in running an Etsy business like DGB is much different than selling jewelry online. I've added free shipping for orders over $75 to encourage higher sales. Here are what it takes to sell a strand of beads.
1. shop and purchase the beads 2. photograph (with the camera you bought for the business) and edit the photos 3. price the beads 4. write up the listing discription and load photos on to your computer you purchased for the business and pay listing fee 5. when item is purchased, locate the beads and put them in a zip bag and wrap with bubblewrap, add business card and insert into bubble mailer 6. add the customers name and amount of order 7. weigh the package 8. log into PayPal and fill out info and print address label for package with printer that you purchased at Sam's Club along with ink and paper and pay s/h costs 9. trim address label and tape with mailing tape to package and ship. 10. return to Etsy and relist beads and pay listing fee
So please consider this when shopping on Etsy and visit my son Zach's new shop
www.selectyourself.etsy.com
