super awesome expanded promotion needs your help!
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Original Post
i posted this on my original thread here: www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5007012&page=1
but at the end of 9 pages, i don't think anyone noticed it. please check out that thread to get an idea of what's been going on, then come back here and let me know what you think about the new plans.
***if you want to send promos now, please reply on the other thread to help me stay organized. thanks! :)
this promo effort has been awesome so far, and enough people are sending things that i think it is time to grow a bit. i would like to offer promo bags to etsy sellers to pass out or include with their orders, or just to get to know some of your fellow etsy sellers. i could also offer listings of just one bag, perhaps buyers might be interested in a taste of etsy. the bags are stuffed with business cards, coupons, and an ever-changing array of buttons, jewelry, soap, candy, bookmarks, pens, and other fabulousness. everyone i've handed one too has lit up with a smile - everyone loves free gifts!
i'd love to be able to give them away, but i'd have to cover shipping costs, as well as bags that have not been donated. it takes a surprisingly long time to sort promos, answer convos, and stuff bags, but i really think its worth it.
so, i have a few questions for you all. i'd really appreciate some responses in this thread, with your help this could be quite successful in spreading the word about our shops!
is this a good idea at all?
what would you consider a reasonable price for the bags? perhaps the cost of the single bags could help offset the cost of lots of 5 or 10 bags, so sellers (or anyone helping by giving out bags) could get a bit of a price break.
how about offering a discount or free bags to anyone who donates a certain number of promo items or handmade bags? anyone would still be welcome to send just biz cards or coupons for free exposure (well, super cheap, whatever postage costs). for those that can sew, about how long would it take you to make one small drawstring bag?
should i start a new thread for this new idea?
if this idea gets a positive response, i will try a round of it, then do a cost breakdown and analyze any problems that might come up before continuing (sorry i'm a nerd)
special thanks to shessochic for giving me the inspiration to take this thing to the next level. she's new, check out her shop and give her some love! www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5038420
Posted at 2:32pm Jan 20, 2007 EST
Responses
i wonder if i should have posted this under ideas, or if i just rambled on too long for anyone to bother reading the whole thing ;)
Posted at 5:07pm Jan 20, 2007 EST
I think if you do charge, you should basically just charge an amount that covers shipping and fees (from Etsy and PayPal) and explain in the listing descriptions that the price is only to cover those costs and keep this awesome opportunity flowing!
Does that make sense?
Posted at 10:45am Jan 21, 2007 EST
I think the folks that send you the promos should send you a dollar or two to help offset the costs, of packaging, then sell the promo bags here as a 'free' item
or someone could make a bag large enough for the promos to fit in as a promo itself (raises hand)
i have a friend on myspace called craft promo who might give you some advice too
Posted at 11:51am Jan 21, 2007 EST
i'm not trying to make money from this, but i don't want to lose money either!
the only 'real' costs i need to cover are packing and shipping. i try to reuse packing material as much as possible, so that helps a little.
if the bags were 'free', and only cost shipping, etsy would not make anything from these bags. if they were listed at a price, etsy could benefit a little from the sale of each bag, which i think is a good thing.
i'll say that right now, the bags are 'worth' about $5-10 each (est. cost of samples/promos/paper/cloth). i'd pay $2 (incl. shipping, in continental u.s.) for a bag, and walk away feeling like i won a prize. i might be able to pull it off for less, but i just spent some time weighing promos and bags and bubble mailers and checking postal rates, and my final answer is i think i have to try a couple times and see how it goes.
i first got this idea while stuffing bags, and thinking about how i would buy them regularly if they were available, just to get a sample of who's around on etsy. i have discovered some truly fabulous shops since starting this promotion (paperarmadillo! marcia724!) whose shops' awesomeness i never would have appreciated before actually holding some of their merchandise. i think crafters selling online are at a disadvantage because our target audience really wants to see, touch, smell our products before buying. i want this to create a sort of bridge so buyers feel more comfortable making purchases on etsy.
sweetyprize, i'd certainly appreciate more donated bags, so far the promos have been pouring in, and the bags not so much. sewing machines hate me, or i'd make some myself. i've been using the pretty bags i put my jewelry boxes in, but i'm not entirely comfortable with that, and i wouldn't sell them on etsy unless they were in bags handmade by etsy people.
i'll look for your myspace friend.
Posted at 1:29pm Jan 21, 2007 EST
check out homeofthesampler.com/ for a similar sort of thing going on (not limited to etsy.)
Posted at 1:40pm Jan 21, 2007 EST
exactly!!!
i always thought that was a rad idea, and i didn't see the similarity of what i was doing until i held the finished bags.
in addition to being etsy-only, i also planned on continuing to accept just cards or coupons without promos attached, other than that, its kind of the same thing.
perhaps i could save some of the best promos and make extra nice etsy press packs....oh lookit me, getting ahead of myself again ;)
Posted at 1:49pm Jan 21, 2007 EST
i should add that i've never participated in or purchased the sampler, so anything i say about it is not very informed.
Posted at 1:50pm Jan 21, 2007 EST
would it make sense to you (as a buyer) if i put the total cost, including shipping, as the price (and set shipping to 0) so that etsy could get their cut in fees? i would explain that in the item description.
i think that if etsy could earn a few extra cents on each bag to help improve, that would be a good thing, but it's ultimately going to be up to you, the potential buyers.
Posted at 2:38pm Jan 21, 2007 EST