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Very slow in sales
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Alphiestrove2



Posts: 10

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good to know that December is slow. I am still waiting on my first sale after being here for about 5 months.
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 9:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Good to know that December is slow. I am still waiting on my first sale after being here for about 5 months.


You have a feedback from October of this year so you had a sale unless you did a no-no.

Sales in December are not necessarily slow. It greatly depends upon what you sell.
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Alphiestrove2



Posts: 10

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry forgot about that because it was a relative that purchased. Thanks.
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SheilaDeesPostcards
moderator


Posts: 4614

PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2018 8:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The fall should be good months for jewelry sellers with Christmas approaching. Have you completed all the required attributes for Google Shopping? I did a quick search for Red Caterpillar Bracelet on Google. I didn't see your bracelet listed on the first couple of pages of Google Organic and no where on Google Shopping. A large portion of our views come from those 2 sources. Then I did a search in just Google Shopping for alphiestrove2 ecrater and it appears all your items are in Google Shopping, but not shown. That usually means there's a problem with your attributes. For hand made jewelry you should have the following:

Required:
identifier_exists .. (supported value no, NO, False, false -- pick one)
color ...................(if more than one color enter the value like red/black/pink/white with the primary color listed first) NEVER use multi-color or N/A

These 2 attributes are required IF you didn't list in a global category that included them. If you list in the Global category of Jewelry & Watches > Children's Jewelry or Jewelry & Watches >Men's Jewelry, you don't need these. If you list in the Global category of Jewelry & Watches > with any other sub-category, Google Shopping requires these attributes!
age_group ...(supported values are newborn, infant, toddler, kids, adult)
gender ....... (supported values are male, female, unisex)

Optional Attributes you could add if you wish.

material ......(supported value is a primary material followed by up to 2 secondary material separated by a / like sterling/lapis/acrylic
size ............(supported value can be dimension like 6 3/4" or a phrase like one size fits most)

The second serious problem for you are your titles. We are allowed 100 characters in our titles and you need to use them. Currently there are 8,577 items listed in the category Jewelry & Watches > Handcrafted, Artisan Jewelry > Bracelets on eCRATER. Now think about all the other handcrafted bracelets that want to be seen in Google Shopping. Having a title like Red Caterpillar Bracelet doesn't help the buyer find your item. I love bracelets, but I had NO idea what to expect when I clicked on the item. Maybe caterpillar is well known in some circles, but I would have never clicked on the title because I don't want worms crawling or dangling from my wrist and you didn't give me any more information in the title. Your title needs to be packed with keywords for the search engines to use to find your item. Your wire wrapped pieces are lovely! Don't be shy about putting the same information in the title and description. I always tell folks to show photos like there is no description, write your description like there is no photo and pack your title with keywords from your description.

Sorry to get so wordy. I've been getting prepared to list a number of consignments items for a local artisan and thought I'd share what I've learned.
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elpereles



Posts: 3427

PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello everybody. I know old topic revival.

Recommendation, if you are going to have delays in shipping. Use the text field for the store and the email, write it.

Use the tittle and description to the max, avoid the copy-paste. And promote your items.
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 12:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Elperles, haven't heard from you in ages.

I just checked to see if Alphie had taken any of Sheila's excellent advice but it is showing as no such store. Right as they were about to hit the golden 6-month mark of having a store.

I see sellers that aren't using their titles and descriptions well, but if they don't ask for advice, I try to keep my mouth shut. Too many get upset to be told that they might be doing something wrong. I would be nice if someone isn't getting sales after a month or two to ask if we can give recommendations as to what they might do.
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elpereles



Posts: 3427

PostPosted: Wed Mar 27, 2019 9:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello MoonwishesStore. I am busy with the family and the jobs.

Not to much time to promote and add for sale more of my duplicate cards from my collection. Laughing

About some sellers crying or getting upset in the forum about low sales. Some cases is the same story. Many of them are not following not even the news. They still do not understand the days of just "list-sit-wait for a sale" are gone. Outside Amazon or eBay, You need to promote and continuously adding stuff.

Lets not forget some are not selling in the same topic. If you are in the "wmart" style or dollar store, you have a lot competition from anywhere.
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Wed Mar 27, 2019 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are so right. I've missed chatting with you. Life has been interfering for a couple of days lately, the biggest being today having to leave at 9:20 AM for a doctor appointment and my every 6 weeks IV, then while I was in 'the city' running a few errands, stopping at another docs office to pick up prescriptions then to the drug store to fill the prescriptions (bless that pharmacist who pushed my script ahead of the others as she knew how tired I was at that point!) Finally getting home around 4 ready to drop. Days like this, I'm too tired to list as my dyslexia kicks up twice as bad plus my usual poor spelling and so my listings don't come out right. Hoping tomorrow I can list some more AND work on taxes. Saw a sign that said I only had 20 days till they were due! Yikes!

I went through a weekend with only eCRATER sales, none from Amazon, but then Amazon picked up, but it is slowing down again. If I list consistently every day, I am generally selling consistently every day. Today, my March sales are higher than three months of 2018 monthly sales, which I consider great since i see so many sellers on Amazon complaining of lack of sales.

The newbies are unbelievable. Many are outlaying big bucks to buy like 1000 of one item that they think will be a good seller, then send it to Amazon to sell via FBA, and then they pay to advertise it and then wonder why it isn't selling. They never bought so much as ONE item and listed it themselves and fulfilled it themselves. What they did was pay to watch Amazon 'gurus' telling them how to make money and they instead fall flat on their face. When I tell them I have never done the FBA or paid to advertise my inventory and how much I have and that I do promote my goods for free. Even if I just explained it in a post, they still want to know how I promote without paying anything. I'm not going to spoon feed them. Go to Pinterest, FB, blogs, etc. and see what's what. And putting all their cash into one product that they never test marketed, to me is ludicrous. But that is what their 'guru' said to do! They can't comprehend having so many things up for sale as I do, but then I think they assume I have 1000 of each product.

One category on Amazon that you can see the total lack of checking things out is phone cases. I checked one day and there were 3 million under that category alone! One guy if it wasn't so sad it would have been hilarious. He had already purchased and wanted to sell backpacks on Amazon but he was asking us where the backpack category was as he couldn't find it!!! One of those Ripley's Believe it or not deals. You would have thought that perhaps he would have thought that if he wasn't even able to find the category for what he wanted to sell, he might have thought he wasn't really ready to jump into the big leagues.
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elpereles



Posts: 3427

PostPosted: Mon Jun 03, 2019 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Back to this topic.

Fellow sellers like I write before if you are going to have delays in the shipping. Contact your buyers. If they do not read their emails. They will give just you the negative, but if they read. Many of them do not have issues to wait.

Also if needed and you are available, put your store in hold. Believe it or not the most strange and rare sales came when you are out. It happened to me last week. Confused
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sales seem to be slow everywhere right now. I'm not sure what's causing it, but I'm sure some factors include things like family vacations and saving up for back-to-school. I have been avoiding the news for a long time now, so I have no idea if the president has done anything recently to cause consumers concern over the economy. LOL

All we can do is use the time to build on our businesses -- source and add new products, work on SEO (titles and descriptions), do pricing research to make sure you're still competitively priced, social media and other marketing, etc. It's also a good time to get caught up on data entry for those who keep their books on the computer, get yourself better organized in preparation for busier times, replenish shipping and other supplies, etc. If you're looking to branch out on your own, now is also a good time to start working on your own site.

As small business owners, particularly for those of us who do everything ourselves, there is NEVER a shortage of things to keep you busy. Wink
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 2:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
ll we can do is use the time to build on our businesses -- source and add new products, work on SEO (titles and descriptions), do pricing research to make sure you're still competitively priced, social media and other marketing, etc. It's also a good time to get caught up on data entry for those who keep their books on the computer, get yourself better organized in preparation for busier times, replenish shipping and other supplies, etc. If you're looking to branch out on your own, now is also a good time to start working on your own site.

As small business owners, particularly for those of us who do everything ourselves, there is NEVER a shortage of things to keep you busy. Wink


You can say that again. Then there are some days that I am glad things are slow. Today I had a Dr. appointment which I combined with some errands in the 'big city' and missed my nap so at this point all I want to do is chill for the evening! Then back to work tomorrow. I am never bored! Tired, yes. Bored no. I always have an idea or two or three or so of things to do with the store.
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grannysbargainattic



Posts: 541

PostPosted: Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am selling more now than ever before. For me, selling 3 or 4 things in one week is great. But now, I'm selling more. I sell something at least every other day, sometimes every day. Yesterday I sold a teapot I've had for 4 years, and a few days ago I sold a vintage plate and a few other things. Clothing is starting to sell. I wish I was a large seller, having many items go out daily (Moonwishes!), but I'll keep wishing. When not selling and watching the grandbaby, I am listing!! I've recruited my son to start helping me finally post more items to my eCrater store and I need to give Pinterest some more attention. If I don't post and promote, then I don't have sales....so, I suppose the fact that I'm really concentrating on my stores is helping sales.
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Wed Jun 05, 2019 8:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hubby is finally getting into some of the simple listings like we just got a batch of new patterns in and he is going to relist the ones we are out of. It is good to have some help after all this time.

Sales have been a bit slow this week, but I have had to go out two days in a row, so I haven't been listing much either. Usually, this is about when my sales take a bit of a nose-dive for awhile. I think another Doc appt. next week and then the big IV one the next week. Seems like that is all I do! I did enjoy myself being out yesterday though other than the being tired. I at least wasn't in pain and got to go visit one of my favorite stores - B&N. I didn't realize how it helped relieve some of the stress I've been under. I have to try and do that as much as possible before winter hits again -- knowing out weather the past few years, that will be in about 2 1/2 weeks! Laughing
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pickychicky



Posts: 1552

PostPosted: Wed Jun 05, 2019 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

See, there's no way I can list every day. Heck, it's difficult to get stuff listed every couple of months. I've just got too much on my plate and my own illness doesn't help. It sure would be nice to have just ONE helper, but I would have to hire someone.
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MoonwishesStore
moderator


Posts: 17389

PostPosted: Thu Jun 06, 2019 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I've just got too much on my plate and my own illness doesn't help. It sure would be nice to have just ONE helper


You can say that again. I used to always after my nap (other than doctor days or IV days) after 'working' 4-6 hours, come downstairs for another session. Hubby has been very slow to get into things and he gets sidetracked. If the scans aren't perfect, he will redo them. The other night he said he had listed 10 items. This was, in reality, relisted 10 items! I would have had it done in an hour or so. But last night he told me that he didn't think he would ever enjoy doing the helping but he told me he was enjoying it. That is great because I literally physically cannot keep doing this without help. I can't afford to hire help. The frustrating thing is that if I were in perfect health I would be perhaps raking in maybe $5k/month gross. I'm that kind of worker

Your difference is the type of things you sell. My stuff that isn't patterns, sits until I get tired of it being in my way non-stop, sometimes for over a year! Then I will list it but it takes time because of photos and writing it all out, etc. which is the same thing you run into.
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