Michigan

[Chickmate]

Quote:

So glad to have you with us!

 

[babigyrl22]

Quote:
Woot! Welcome!

 

[fifelakelooper]

Welcome to wannabfarmer!

I have kin in that area....used to go to the Ionia Free Fair yearly as a younster!

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi wannaB and welcome to BYC

And I also - yes its true - do not have internet access at home (or a phone either) except via my cell phone service.

 

[ChicwannaB]

Quote:
hey, someone with a name sorta like mine...

you'll love it here.

 

[saddina]

Quote:


Wow, I had the same thing but it was called pregnancy.

I don't talk about the pregnancy or deliveries, as it always freaks out women who may be expecting. We decided after the second one that i'm just not made to carry babies.

 

[saddina]

I just realized my favorite chocolatier is in Saginaw.

which means i've been sending more cash into mich then the feds.

 

[Henny Penny04]

Quote:
Lovely soap you make, Saddina! My extended family did an Etsy Christmas exchange this year- everything gifted had to come from Etsy, under a certain amount, etc. It was great fun! Do you like it as a venue to sell? I do a lot of work with wool- wet felted bags, purses, scarves, and other funky stuff. I also nuno felt. Locally, I can sell in boutiques with a 60/40% (60 for me, 40 for the store), but like the idea of selling on Etsy all for myself. But, it's so vast...and then there's the shipping involved.... do you find the competition stiff?

I'm guessing things like this would sell on Etsy, but not really sure.

 

[Opa]

WannaBfarmer, welcome to the Michigan thread. Lots of nice folks here and one old rooster.

 

[saddina]

Quote:
Lovely soap you make, Saddina! My extended family did an Etsy Christmas exchange this year- everything gifted had to come from Etsy, under a certain amount, etc. It was great fun! Do you like it as a venue to sell? I do a lot of work with wool- wet felted bags, purses, scarves, and other funky stuff. I also nuno felt. Locally, I can sell in boutiques with a 60/40% (60 for me, 40 for the store), but like the idea of selling on Etsy all for myself. But, it's so vast...and then there's the shipping involved.... do you find the competition stiff?

I'm guessing things like this would sell on Etsy, but not really sure.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/86807_2011-_starting_in_spring_019.jpg

First, that is awesome, and would totally sell. (tag it cowgirl chic)

The thing with selling on etsy, is you can't wait for customers to find you, you'll need to do marketing on your own (etsy does not advertise at all). So you'll want a facebook fan page, or a blog, or twitter, or some combo of the three to keep in contact with customers. About 80% of my sales cash-wise are to brides as wedding favors. It's something I do well, and since we have a chemist, and graphics design in-house we can offer better looking products cheaper than our competition. As for the marketing, I'm mentioned on several bridial blogs, I have some wedding consultants that use me exclusively now. On my own blog it's more the nuts and bolts of the process (brides can "see" thier orders being made), talking about upcomming soaps, etc. The one thing to be careful of is not undercutting your botique sales so you maybe want to price it so with shipping it comes out the same. I do shipping paid for by customer, and use flat-rate as much as possiable. Do not hesitate to ship internationally, I get alot of international clients, who buy CASES at a time, because my competition doesn't ship outside the us (if the customer pays shipping, what;s the differance?) Yesterday I sent a case to paris, and a case to finland, so long as someone has paypal, i'll ship to them.