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I used to do production for a woman who went to tons of arts and craft fairs, and she used one of those imprint machines. Everyone in our studio collective also did, as well as the other vendors I saw at the shows I worked. So people definitely still use them. I don't really have experience with the smartphone method, although she threw around the idea a couple of times of trying that. I hope this helps. 
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Aug 22, 2011 21:45
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~fuckin swag~
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I was curious if anyone can do this, or know where on Etsy I can get this done: My sons 1st birthday is approaching in October. I thought it would be cute if we both matched. I already purchased 2 matching Polos. I just need some custom embroidery done on both. I don't really have my mind made up yet of what exactly I need but some pictures/wording would be good, I would have to mail out the Polos to be embroided.
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Aug 22, 2011 22:21
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Ashcans posted:I don't know if this is the right place for it, but it makes the most sense to me. My wife sells stuff on Etsy, and she would like to start participating in local craft fairs/art shows/etc. The issue is that in order to make the best of it, she needs to be able to process credit cards, and we have no idea how to go about that. I'm not sure how effective/efficient this is, but I have a friend who sells jewelry and brings his laptop so people can pay via Paypal. Not sure how I'd feel about using a stranger's computer to do this, but it seemed to work for him.
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Aug 24, 2011 09:45
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Thanks for the input! We were thinking of bringing out netbook and doing it that way, but I would also understand if people thought that was sketchy. We'll look into an imprinter and see how we would need to process that stuff afterward.
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Aug 24, 2011 14:26
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It might be worth looking to see if you can get some kind of app for credit cards to use on your laptop. I don't know if something like that exists, but I think it would be worth looking into since both logging into a paypal account on someone else's lap top and having someone take an imprint of your card have the chance of looking kind of sketchy. The credit card issue is a big part of why I haven't really done any craft fairs. Taking checks would probably also help, but then you run the chance of one of them bouncing. Also, if you go the computer route, play up that you can use your credit card through paypal without creating an account. That might seem more secure than asking the customer essentially giving out the ability to clean out their bank account (assuming you had a key logger, which I know you're more upstanding than that, but it's the first thing that comes to mind with "other person's laptop). On the plus side, a lot of people that go to craft fairs are not all that tech savvy (in my experience attending craft fairs), so it might not even occur to them that it could be a risk. flutterbyblue fucked around with this message at 18:52 on Aug 24, 2011 |
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Aug 24, 2011 18:48
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When I worked for a tea company and did craft/trade shows, we would just write down the card number, type of card, and expiration date, and enter it in later. But now I believe that if you have a smartphone, you can get a free card scanner from VISA (or maybe a different card company). Much more reliable than writing things down in a hurry. Good luck!
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Aug 25, 2011 03:02
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I used to do festivals and such for a store, and you definitely want a card reader. You can get a free credit card reader from Square and it has apps on iPhone and Android. It's small and awesome and easy to use, and customers flip when they get to sign their names with their fingers on your smartphone. The only down side is that you still have to write out a receipt so that you'll remember what it is that they bought (if you're a tightass about inventory tracking like I am).
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Aug 26, 2011 15:54
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Square looks great, but unfortunately we don't have a smartphone. I'm not sure that it would offset the trouble of getting one and paying for the associated plan, either. We'll definitely keep it in mind, though. I think we'll chase up flutterbyblue's idea and see if there is a way to handle it with our netbook, which we can definitely bring to shows and so on. Otherwise I guess it's an imprinter. I appreciate all the advice, trying to expand from online to live shows is a big step!
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Aug 26, 2011 16:20
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flutterbyblue posted:It might be worth looking to see if you can get some kind of app for credit cards to use on your laptop. I don't know if something like that exists, but I think it would be worth looking into since both logging into a paypal account on someone else's lap top and having someone take an imprint of your card have the chance of looking kind of sketchy. The credit card issue is a big part of why I haven't really done any craft fairs. Taking checks would probably also help, but then you run the chance of one of them bouncing. I want to say that gopayment works on a laptop as well as a smartphone. I have this because I have a BB (just not the right model so I can't get the cc scanner for free) I need to look into an iphone after my phones ready to trade in because I hear the square is the way to go.
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Aug 27, 2011 03:51
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^^ Oh sweet! That's really good to know. Thanks for the info.
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Aug 27, 2011 19:22
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Ashcans posted:I don't know if this is the right place for it, but it makes the most sense to me. My wife sells stuff on Etsy, and she would like to start participating in local craft fairs/art shows/etc. The issue is that in order to make the best of it, she needs to be able to process credit cards, and we have no idea how to go about that. At my work, we use our bank who processes through myvirtualmerchant.com I have a small card reader that is attached to my monitor with tape and just runs via USB. We can process anywhere with an internet connection and if need be we can manually type in card numbers. you would need a cheap printer though. We just have a standard inkjet printer and it works great for us. If you so choose you can also get a large card reader that processes personal checks as well. It turns the checks in to an e draft so you know instantly if the check is good or not and the funds are instant as well. We have used multiple systems with traditional card readers that are via phone (land line) connections and it would take up to 2 weeks to get funds and we could not run checks. With this system, I have seen funds deposited in to our account in a little as 4 hours but the longest was 48 hours.
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Aug 27, 2011 23:02
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How do you guys decide if doing a craft fair was a success? I did only my second one this weekend.... Last time I pretty much only made enough to cover my booth and the gas in my brother's truck I had to borrow. This time I covered my booth cost and quite a bit more... but I'm not sure how much to expect to make to know if I really feel happy about the results. How do YOU gauge your success?
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Aug 29, 2011 14:58
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SassySally posted:How do YOU gauge your success? Money made - money spent (travel, food, booth cost, cost of goods) = net profit. Then divide your net profit by the number of hours devoted to the fair (travel, set up, manning the stall) and see if it was worth your while. Would you be happy working again for that amount an hour? Of course, this calculation doesn't take into account the time you spent making the goods, but that should be reflected in their individual pricing.
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Aug 29, 2011 15:30
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Pretty much what madlilnerd said, but I also take away points if my insane Aunt shows up. Last time she stole a few of my items, got pissy when I demanded payment, and almost destroyed the set up of my table by decided to find out "where a wire went" by pulling it. Hard. Family aside, I honestly don't see craft fairs as worth the time and effort. The last craft fair I went to cost me 60 for the table, 30 in gas, another 30 in food/supplies/stuff I forgot, and since it was my first year there they put me in the shittiest part of the fair so I only got half the amount of walkbys as everyone else. Total money made: $90. Half of that going to my sister. I will never do another craft fair ever again.
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Aug 29, 2011 18:56
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SuzieMcAwesome posted:At my work, we use our bank who processes through myvirtualmerchant.com I have a small card reader that is attached to my monitor with tape and just runs via USB. We can process anywhere with an internet connection and if need be we can manually type in card numbers. you would need a cheap printer though. We just have a standard inkjet printer and it works great for us. If you so choose you can also get a large card reader that processes personal checks as well. It turns the checks in to an e draft so you know instantly if the check is good or not and the funds are instant as well. Thanks a lot for this insight, I actually hadn't considered that we would need to work out how to carry (and power) a printer, either. Getting in shape for this sort of thing is a big headache. As for judging a 'success', I think we would be happy to clear the costs of being there. We've only participated in one live show before and it actually went well - my wife makes a variety of hats, and they seem to sell much better in person than online.
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Aug 29, 2011 19:26
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I just recently came across the most enchanting phenomenon on Etsy, and I haven't had time to skim through all the pages in search of a goon shop, but I know some of the goons here make and sell delicious soaps... the question is, do any of you make and sell solid perfume sticks? I'm obsessed with the idea of these, I want some so bad, but I'm having a hard time committing to blowing money on things I don't have a chance to smell.
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Aug 30, 2011 03:45
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Urban Wizard posted:I just recently came across the most enchanting phenomenon on Etsy, and I haven't had time to skim through all the pages in search of a goon shop, but I know some of the goons here make and sell delicious soaps... the question is, do any of you make and sell solid perfume sticks? I'm obsessed with the idea of these, I want some so bad, but I'm having a hard time committing to blowing money on things I don't have a chance to smell. I have a soap shop on Etsy http://www.springwoodsoaps.etsy.com but I don't have solid perfume sticks.
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Aug 30, 2011 04:38
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anyone here do any Custom Embroidery work?
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Aug 30, 2011 13:25
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BurnE201 posted:anyone here do any Custom Embroidery work? You've posted about embroidering the same polos three times in this thread alone. Perhaps you should check your Yellow Pages or try somewhere else because this is clearly not working out for you.
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Aug 30, 2011 21:17
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Alternatively, try posting in the Alchemy section of Etsy, where you can basically solicit for craftspeople for your specific project.
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Aug 30, 2011 21:25
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Ashcans posted:Alternatively, try posting in the Alchemy section of Etsy, where you can basically solicit for craftspeople for your specific project. Didn't they take the Alchemy section away?
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Aug 30, 2011 23:59
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Oh no, did they? We got our wedding invitations through that, it was really pretty nice.  Edit: The Etsy half confirms its gone. That's a pain.
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Aug 31, 2011 00:46
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Ashcans posted:Oh no, did they? We got our wedding invitations through that, it was really pretty nice. There is a team now that kind of replaced it. http://www.etsy.com/teams/7677/custom-order-corner-the-new-alchemy
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Aug 31, 2011 00:58
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BurnE201 posted:anyone here do any Custom Embroidery work? Check around etsy for people that do embroidery or custom embroidery. If you find something you like, shoot the shop a convo and see what they say. Most etsians are pretty great about getting back to you, and if they don't, move on, it's not worth the hassle and there are generally a ton of shop options. Unless you really, really, really like their work, then give it another go.
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Aug 31, 2011 07:00
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You can also try U Name It, I Make It. I haven't tried it, but it's supposed to work like Alchemy used to. Name the product you need, your ideal price and materials, and hopefully someone can make it for you.
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Aug 31, 2011 09:19
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Ashcans posted:Oh no, did they? We got our wedding invitations through that, it was really pretty nice. I know! Gone are the days of my "GIVE ME THE BEST THING YOU GOT $5" Alchemy requests. I got so much cool handmade stuff that way. 
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Aug 31, 2011 20:10
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Yes, alchemy is gone, at least for now. I always found alchemy to be a little confusing, at least as a way of being approached for a custom order. I prefer when people just convo me. It's easier to talk through the request that way. I do, though, hope they bring some way back of bidding on requests. tools and equipment fucked around with this message at 02:36 on Aug 24, 2012 |
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Sep 1, 2011 00:57
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Baked Plugging my friend's jewelry shop again. She's been banging out some really cute stuff, so I would recommend checking it out. Also I design all the shrinky-plastic charms, so you'll be supporting me too 
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Sep 1, 2011 19:41
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I'm starting to write patterns for sale, and it dawned on me that I have no idea how to make a .pdf. Can anyone explain it, or know a link to a really good guide?
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Sep 7, 2011 22:56
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Wandering Knitter posted:I'm starting to write patterns for sale, and it dawned on me that I have no idea how to make a .pdf. Can anyone explain it, or know a link to a really good guide? OpenOffice is free and you can export files as .pdfs as a saving option!
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Sep 8, 2011 00:04
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Brazilian Werewolf posted:OpenOffice is free and you can export files as .pdfs as a saving option! Wow. It's that easy, huh? Man and here I was all worried about needing to buy and learn a new program and stuff. 
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Sep 8, 2011 01:26
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Wandering Knitter posted:Wow. It's that easy, huh? Nope it's really easy. That option isn't just in Open Office it's available in a lot of programs. You should try it in whatever software you have already. I think you can also get some software that kind of installs like a printer, so applications that don't have a save as PDF option you can "print" to that printer and it will create a PDF. Also handy for online transactions that say you should print a copy for your records, you can just save a copy as a PDF and continue your paper-free life.
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Sep 8, 2011 02:38
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What is Etsy's policy on sellers who copy the works of others? I've been looking for Halloween party invitations and saw two super unique designs from two separate sellers who had hundreds of feedback messages, and two other sellers with much less feedback who obviously ripped them off. I let both sellers know in case there is something they can do about it, but from what I've heard Etsy mods seem to get pissy when someone brings such things to their attention.
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Sep 9, 2011 20:08
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They will protect against copyright infringement if you send a letter to their legal department: http://www.etsy.com/help/article/482 You will probably need an attorney and the original copyright owner will probably need the item in question actually registered if the other party disputes it at all. The actual copyright owner will need to be the one to do it, or someone legally capable of doing so on their behalf.
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Sep 9, 2011 20:39
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If there's one thing Regretsy has taught me is that etsy's policies on copycat sellers and people selling mass produced work as homemade is to punish the person doing the calling out for being MEAN.
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Sep 9, 2011 20:55
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Wandering Knitter posted:If there's one thing Regretsy has taught me is that etsy's policies on copycat sellers and people selling mass produced work as homemade is to punish the person doing the calling out for being MEAN. Yeah, that is where I learned about how stupid some of Etsy's practices are.
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Sep 9, 2011 21:00
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Would you guys contact someone who ripped off your item descriptions? I am dealing with this now. It's not copyright infringement as they are paraphrasing but the layout and terminology I use is very clearly "borrowed" for this other shop. I'm pretty upset. My listings are never perfect, I know I make typos and such, but I do actually work very hard on what I write and to see someone skate by on my hard work pisses me off. I also do not like anything that could confuse a customer into thinking they are looking at a product in my shop, when it's not mine. This seller is also a goon. What would you do?
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Sep 10, 2011 07:25
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I would personally ignore it because there's really nothing you can do. If you must do something, send a polite note, don't use inflammatory language (e.g. you ripped off my work), and ask that they use different wording to prevent any confusion that it may be your shop. It's the unfortunate nature of the internet that this sort of thing happens. It happens to a lot of people and you have to learn to live with it unless you want to lawyer up every time it happens.
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Sep 10, 2011 13:33
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Unfortunately I'm not really a stranger to it, being one of the big shops it's sort of inevitable. I am quite upset that it's someone on our team though. If anything, I will probably re-write my own listings. I don't think someone who would rip off a shop would probably respond well to a note, polite or not.
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Sep 10, 2011 21:06
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altazakin posted:I don't think someone who would rip off a shop would probably respond well to a note, polite or not. I would hate to think a person (especially from our team) would do it out of malice or even laziness. Hopefully it's just a new seller who is a bit naïve and is looking to you because you're so successful. I would hope that a friendly note about etiquette would cause them to reconsider, or at least shame them into doing so. Quick question for everyone: Our shop has been on vacation for the last two months. We were off travelling, so I didn't really keep up with Etsy or anything else. Upon our return, I have learned that Etsy has changed the way search works. I just want to check my understanding of the situation: We need to rewrite our titles to be purely descriptive...? So for instance, I need to change the "Oh Happy Day / Oh Crappy Day ring set" to be something boring like: "Plastic sun, lightening and clouds ring set". Do I have this right?
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Sep 11, 2011 20:33
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