By Columnist Pam aka ElectricPenguin
Orange spiral disc photo courtesy of FlameCrazy

Have you ever ordered supplies on-line, only to find that when they arrive they aren’t anywhere close to the size you thought they were? Sometimes it’s a good surprise and sometimes it’s more along the lines of “whoa, that’s a very large bead!!” I have to admit this happens to me much more often than it should!! You’d think after a while I’d be able to closely estimate how big a 10mm bead is, but nooooo. I finally found these two things help me keep the surprises to a minimum:

First, I have a clear ruler that has both inches and centimeters on it, along with outlines of 2mm to 12mm circles. Mine was a freebie from a supply shop, but I’m sure you can find them for sale (probably at supply shops!). This gives me a visual representation of how big that elusive 10mm is. For most people, that would probably be all the information they need to order correctly. Unfortunately, that didn’t always work for me! There were still times I ended up with things that were the exact size they were advertised as – but not the size I wanted.

Photo courtesy of GenerationsLampwork
So, my solution was… actually have a bead of the size I want on hand while ordering! Seems pretty obvious, right? It really does give me a much better idea than a flat ruler.

I do most of my ordering during lunch at work. In my desk drawer I have a string with round glass beads of 8mm through 16mm on it. All are marked with permanent marker (the 8 was fun to do!) so I don’t have to remeasure them or anything. I also have short lengths of .5mm, 1mm and 2mm string. No labels but those are easy to remember. Now all I have to do is pull the string or bead samples out of the drawer, compare it to the item on-line, order, and the size I really want arrives in my mailbox!!

MiaBellaCollection

Hopefully these ideas will help prevent you from an unexpected surprise in your mail!!!

Slide photo courtesy of SassyPantsGlass
Edited by Barbra aka: All About The Buttons

By Contributing Columnist Victoria Wilde aka Victoria Wilde

There are some traps that every online seller will fall into, and must fall into, to truly learn their lesson and avoid it in the future. Offering free priority shipping and realizing that it eats up all of your profits? Been there, done that. Realizing that magnets don’t work through a layer of modpodge like you thought they would? Yes, thank you. But there’s one lesson that I think is both hard to avoid, yet crucial when starting out a business.

Everyone on Etsy and other online shops knows how important return customers are. For some they are the lifeblood of their shop. It’s why people are putting extra effort into their packaging by putting in personalized thank you cards, wrapping things with tissue paper and special boxes just to go the extra mile. It makes their customers smile and think fondly on their purchase beyond the actual item they bought. So here are a few tips to help you get past the pitfalls of ‘made to order’ and ensure that you can start making repeat customers with your first order, rather than your fiftieth:

1) Never list something that you don’t have the supplies for.
2) Don’t offer too many options
3) Likewise, be SPECIFIC with your options

When a person buys something in the store they get it right away. There’s nothing like that online. Buying online, wonderful as it is, is not an instant satisfaction market, and let’s face it, a LOT of things sold on Etsy, and other Indie shops, are ‘impulse buys’. They’re not necessary for living, they’re things that pretty much everyone can survive without.

It’s YOUR job to make the purchase an experience, and waiting for something that a person paid money for is not a good experience at all. You want to speed up the process of shipping as much as humanly possible. I recently purchased something and it took ages to get here when it should have taken much less time; and this was in the holiday rush season, so it’s understandable why it was late, but even as a seller, knowing how shipping works, I still feel somehow gypped because I didn’t get the item for nearly two weeks later than I should have gotten it. Your customers? It’s a safe bet most people don’t know much about how long shipping takes or much about the postal system. They will not be as understanding and will feel even MORE gypped if there are any delays.

Even if it’s something you can go down to Joannes and get, get it before you list it and make sure you have ENOUGH of the item to make however many you need for your listing. If you have to wait a week and a half for Joannes to stock it, then you have to make it and ship it, that’s an extra 3 weeks before that person gets their item, IF it gets shipped priority mail. If not, then it’s a whole month or more. It’s not a good impression for your business to leave on a customer, and there’s nothing worse than having to say ‘Well sorry, I have to wait to get supplies even though you’ve already paid for the item.’

Don’t offer too many options.

It seems like the more options there are, the more something can get messed up. Say you’re custom making mugs with people’s names on them. You can offer a choice for color and the font of the name. Two or three customizable features are great. But when you start offering different types of cups with different types of handles, fonts, extra sunflower doodles, etchings, textures, combination glazes, it all gets a little crazy. It can also intimidate a buyer who might not really know what they want, and being presented with 50 different things to specify is a little daunting. Even at Starbucks you only have so many options.

If a person really wants a special order with a bunch of specific stuff, then they’ll send you a convo; or better yet you’ll have your Alchemy set up to receive such specific requests.

Likewise, be SPECIFIC which options you offer.

While we’re talking about mugs, a while ago I bought something for a friend of mine, with her name on a mug. Now, the picture had a kind of ‘Times/Capital’ font, and I thought it looked great. When I got the mug, I was a little disappointed to find out that the font was actually something very different. She still loved the mug and I left positive feedback because it was beautiful- BUT- the example of the mug was not specific, and nowhere in the listing for the customizable mug did it say anything about different fonts.

Even if it seems trivial to you, make sure that you write it in somewhere. Say ‘the ribbon will be a random color’ or ‘you may not get this exact tag/stamp pattern/paper’ if it’s something that you do randomly or is out of your control. Your buyer can’t feel, pick up or see the actual item in person they’re purchasing, and buying things handmade often feels like a gamble; you never know if you’re going to get a truly honest buyer or someone making shoddy items and just trying to swindle people out of their money. Do everything you can to convince your customer that you’re the real McCoy, it’s a quality item, and that they will KNOW exactly what they are getting.

By Susan Rosen aka Sea Star Dreams

There is one way to extend the Indian Summer, for us northerners, and that is to travel South to the Outer   N.C. If you get a chance to visit the Outer banks you’ll enjoy temperatures that can be up to 10 to 15 degrees warmer then the New York City and the Philadelphia area. If you are coming from further north you’ll fnd that the warm temperatures makes will really extend your walks on the beach far longer then Labor day!

So, with tall sea grass and high dunes, a walk on the beach can be breathtaking in the Carolinas and if you are a beachcomber, hunting for shells this time of year can bring in some beauties, either for your collection, your decor or especially for creating. You’ll find worn shell pieces, perfect for jewelry or large intact shells for adding to your collection or your garden in the spring.

A trip to Ocracoke N.C. can bring you extra surprises, such as Scotch Bonnets and if you are extra lucky, a Sand Dollar! It’s a shame that some of the 4 wheel drive trucks have smashed some of the lovelies, but the fisher person’s need to have their fun too. Besides, the broken pieces (shards) can be utilized for earrings, rings and for mosaic creations as well.

If you are like these artisans from Etsy (as well as my shop, Sea Star Dreams) you will find that the beauties from the beach can be the best supplies in that large craft stash of yours, if you’re already traveling…all they cost is a walk on the beach!

Pair the shell finds up with sterling silver, pearls, antique chains, and more to create the beauties that help you enjoy the beach far into the winter. Why not wear a lovely sterling and white shell necklace in the winter with your winter white sweater, or the dressy abalone earrings paired up with your holiday dress. Bring the beach feel into winter, spring, fall as well as summer and pair up these stunning creations from these various handmade shops:

Once your beach combing is complete in serene North Carolina, you may want to say goodbye to the harsh winters and, then travel to areas in Florida, Mexico and other glorious warm weather climates and be sure to do some beach coming while everyone else is sitting by the pool! You’ll be amazed at the finds that you can pick up in the warm weather beaches! Perhaps some sea pottery or sponge fossils. Have fun working with your new “hand picked” supplies!

Allow me to suggest a spot that will have you going back for more and more anytime of the year. A tranquil area that is ladled with brightly painted Victorian Gingerbread houses as well as numerous as well as excellent eclectic restaurants & shops. It’s Cape May NJ! If you are ever lucky enough to visit, there are so many places that are recommended for sightseeing and shopping. A must see for those looking for natural supplies for their craft business is the Cape May Point which is approx 7-10 minutes drive from downtown Cape May.

Cape May Point is the only place in the world where you can find Cape May Diamonds, quartz stones that travel down the Delaware river to the Delaware Bay and they end their journey at one place in the world. It’s a place where not only can you spend time sifting through the many various size and shapes of the diamonds, but you can catch some sun and view the historic “Concrete ship”. As you are enjoying the beach and sifting for stones, imagine the Kechemeche Indians doing the same many moons ago, right at the lovely Cape May Point! These stones, once tumbled and cut can resemble diamonds, hence their name.

As you enjoy traveling and beach coming, the creations from your finds are endless. Enjoy!

Image courtesy of TheSaltySeaHouse