Handmade Code: Etsy App Gallery, Etsy on Sale and FotoFuze

BrownSparrowsNest

Story by BrownSparrowsNest

Published on Nov 12, 2010 in Seller Handbook

Handmade Code is our series showcasing cool and useful tools built using Etsy’s API. In this article, we’ll learn how to use the highly anticipated Etsy on Sale that allows sellers to create shop-wide sales, and how to clean up listing photos with FotoFuze. We’ll also take a look at Etsy’s new App Gallery.

Etsy App Gallery and Team

First of all, I’m pleased to announce Etsy’s new App Gallery. This is a place where you can find new apps from the Etsy Developer Community. Every app is linked to an Etsy member profile, so you can find out a little bit about the person behind the app. We’ve also started an Etsy Apps Team where you can discuss your favorite apps, talk about what apps you’d like to see, and ask questions of the developers.

We’re hoping these two new features will help connect you with more great apps. And now, let’s look at two recent apps from the Developer Community.

Etsy On Sale

Etsy on Sale is a collaboration of three friends in Chicago: Mitsu Gee, owner and creative director of Brown Sparrow’s Nest, Jason Beck, managing brains and social networking fiend, and Cameron Henneke, web developer extraordinaire and former craft fair baby. We learned about Etsy’s release of a new API while we were working Mitsu’s booth at the 8th Annual Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago last month. Swept up in the crafting vibe, we began brainstorming ideas to use the API to provide Etsy shop owners with a new tool for managing sale events in their shops. Thus, Etsy on Sale was born!


Cameron Henneke, Mitsu Gee, and Jason Beck.
Photo by Anna Ables.

What’s the basic idea of the application? What need does it fill and who is it for?

Etsy on Sale (EOS) is a site where Etsy sellers can easily create and manage sale events for their shops. EOS lets sellers place multiple items on sale at once and customize the sale based on either a percentage discount or a fixed amount. Sellers can schedule sales for future dates and for a certain period of time. When the sale ends, EOS automatically resets shop listings back to their original price.

Etsy on Sale is also a venue for buyers looking for great deals currently available on Etsy. Buyers can browse the EOS home page for the latest sale listings, or they can browse individual categories to find out what’s on sale.

Where do we go to find it?

Go to etsyonsale.com. Sellers can click on the Sellers section at the top right corner of the home page. This will guide them through the set up process. Buyers can browse sale items right on the home page.

How do you use it?

After clicking the Sellers link on the top right of the Etsy on Sale home page, sign in using your existing Gmail or Google account. No new registration is required. The first time you sign in, you will need to set your timezone and authorize EOS access to your Etsy shop. Then, you can select your shop and start a sale event in a few short clicks.

Watch our video below for step-by-step instructions, or visit our help page.

How many people are using it right now?

We had over 4,000 Etsy shops register for Etsy on Sale in our first month. On average, there are more than 35,000 items listed on sale each day!

Are there any costs to use it?

At this time, Etsy on Sale is a free service to sellers. We have several ideas for additional features and tools for sellers, so a subscription service may be in the cards for the future to allow us to continue to make improvements.

What should members do if there’s a bug or a problem?

Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at support@etsyonsale.com. We also have a forum where users can provide feedback or ask questions.

What’s one surprising/fun/amazing story you’ve heard about someone using your application?

Starbuck & Lori of happyfamily said, “We have been on Etsy since ’07 and have always wanted to have major sales for our customers throughout the year. The time involved in editing, listing and re-editing our items has always made that practically impossible — especially with our two preschoolers running circles around their new baby sister. With just a few clicks on the Etsy on Sale site, we have been able to throw fantastic sales with a tremendous positive response from our customers. This is one of those ideas that once it takes hold, everyone will think it was always this easy!”

Rebecca of soapdeli says, “Etsy on Sale makes promotional sales for your shop a snap! It’s incredibly simple to use and replaces having to mark down items one by one, or refund by PayPal for the sale price. But not only is the seller app great, the site itself takes things one step further by providing a central location for finding sale items to buy, just as we’re approaching the holiday season!”

Are there further opportunities/ways to get involved?

Once a seller starts a sale, the seller can also promote the sale to buyers on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc. with their own shop sale URL.

Anything else you’d like to add?

We are big fans of those who buy and sell handmade items since we are artists, crafters, and entrepreneurs ourselves. We hope that other Etsy shop owners and shoppers will continue to send us their ideas for how we can enhance Etsy on Sale.

FotoFuze

What’s the basic idea of the application?

FotoFuze is a product photography enhancement engine. We work to help your photos stand out from the crowd, putting a professional polish on your photos with just a click. Best of all, it’s 100% free! For an Etsy seller, you’ll benefit from our tight integration with Etsy. Along with our trademark image cleanup service, we offer the ability to create, update, draft, copy and renew your listings from our site — and much more.

How do you use it?

First, find a flat white surface, such as a bed sheet, and place the product you want to photograph on it. Take some photos of your item, and upload them to FotoFuze. Once your photos are uploaded, you can use the highlighter tool to select your product from the background.  Once you’ve selected your product, FotoFuze will go about cleaning up your photo. Like magic, your photos will look great! You can also upload the cleaned-up photo directly to Etsy using FotoFuze.

This video explains the process in detail:

Where do we go to find it?

http://fotofuze.com

How many people are using it right now?

We have about 300 people and small businesses using the service, and more are discovering us every day.

Are there any costs to use it?

FotoFuze is 100% free. Charging for the service would go against some of our founding principles. We believe that it is not only possible to be successful while being free, but that you can make good money while doing it too. We currently do some small, non-intrusive advertisements and accept donations to help pay the bills.

What should a member do if there’s a bug or a problem?

You can email us at contact@fotofuze.com, or by clicking “Help” on the bottom right corner of any page on our website and we will get back to you right away. Our business ethos is to make sure that everyone gets personal attention and is treated like a VIP.

Are there further opportunities/ways to get involved?

Tell a friend! The more people we have using the site, the more features we will be able to offer.

Past Handmade Code Posts | Code as Craft Blog

Discuss: 166 comments

166 comments

Sign in to add your own