#CHANGEMYMIND

Greetings, friends. I recently had the pleasure 🥰 to chat with someone whose opinions I value and admire, and she (once again, someone else) recommended that I try Etsy to establish a larger sales base. I have wrangled with this from the very start (2 years now) of my soapmaking journey and it was why I decided that I needed to:

1. Create my own web site (the learning curve was steep and the learning is ongoing, but my “fees” are up front and manageable)
2. Create a FB/Pinterest/IG presence to promote both my products and website
3. Try local promoting (Farmer’s Markets, etc) (this has proven to be far more difficult than I had anticipated)
4. Physically knock on some local business doors 🚪(spas and the like) to see if they were interested in carrying my product(s) (this is my next plan of action once I can brave the arctic conditions🐧)

I am happy to share that word of mouth has been helpful (THANK YOU ALL!😍) and that I have a very loyal, albeit small, customer base, but Etsy beckons. With a world-wide customer base of MILLIONS and the potential to reach so many more people, it truly is alluring and worth another look-see by me. I understand why people use this app day in and day out for the custom type of articles they seek to buy. CONVENIENCE. <sigh> I would probably do the same - if I were a shopper (which I am not, at heart) and if I wasn’t busy trying to make and promote my own products. (which I am 😁)
Once again, my research beginnings this time around show me why I decided to forgo the Etsy route. Fees. FEES are EVERYWHERE and they add up quickly. I would have to raise prices on my product accordingly, which, in my opinion, might keep most people from even trying them to begin with. Are you willing to pay > $10 (at least) for a bar of soap? Do you know and care about the benefits that actual organic ingredients make? My profit margin is miniscule as I don’t have the overhead of a brick and mortar store (which includes utilities, etc), a web designer (thank goodness for the DIY sites now offered), a marketer, etc, etc. Yet, even with that, I struggle to find “my tribe”. My tribe seeks to buy and use the most healthful products available, and armed with a sound knowledge base, is willing to pay their hard earned $ for said products that they know they can trust and that will enhance their health. Your food, health and beauty products, etc – most ALL contain toxic chemicals (POISONS☠️) that are everywhere and no one is looking out for your best interest. NO ONE. Investing in one’s own health is paramount to the people I seek to reach.
All of this being said, I’m interested in anyone who SELLS on Etsy. I would truly be grateful to hear how you built a customer base, how you price around the multitude of fees and what you find most helpful about selling on this platform. #changemymind
TYIA! ❤️
www.merchantmaverick.com/reviews/etsy-review/
https://youtu.be/qBsqfNu3pvc