Dear Sellers,

Here comes the next installment of the Cooperative Advertising Program -  Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion! 

In case you're not familiar with this program, here are the important details:

• Etsy will purchase ad space in various magazines, subsidize the cost, and design the ads.
• Etsy Sellers are able to purchase spots in the ad at the discounted rate.
• You will get to display your shop name, an image of one item, its price, and its category.  
• The limit is one spot per seller, per advertisement.

• 30 spots will be available to sellers at a price of $75 each.
• Spots will go on sale on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 at 1:00pm (ET). 
• Spots are purchased in the same manner as a Showcase.
• If you successfully buy a cooperative ad spot through Showcase, your item photo and information must be sent to adam@etsy.com no later than 3:00pm (ET) on Monday, June 30, 2008.

About Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion

• Paid Circulation is 353,859
• Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion is published 6 times annually.
• The theme of the October/November issue will be Flea-market Magic, and it goes on sale September 9, 2008.

Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion inspires its readers to unleash their “artistic spirit” to attain personal style and meaning in their lives. The magazine focuses on art and artists, home design and decoration, creative do-it-yourself projects and artistic travel destinations.

The Mary Engelbreit brand has been built on the principle of living an artful life. This artist-turned-lifestyle-maven believes your home should be a personal reflection of whom you are and what you value most, that design and decorating doesn’t come from a textbook, but from the heart. Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion provides readers with a mix of art and whimsy, a lifestyle that follows inspiration rather than fashion trends, to bring comfort and enjoyment to her loyal fans.

A few facts about Home Companion readers:

• Median household income is $87,000.
• 99% are women.
• 86% took action as a result of reading Home Companion.
• 90% purchased handmade objects of art.
• 71% do home decorating.
• 97% say interest in creative arts will continue to influence their lifestyle.

Upcoming Ads: 2008 Calendar coming soon. Check back!

FAQ

1. What is the Cooperative Advertising Program?

• By purchasing a spot in a Cooperative Advertising Program, Etsy sellers can show off their items in an Etsy-branded magazine advertisement, reach new buyers, and help boost their sales and shop awareness. Print ads in popular magazines are often priced out of reach of small entrepreneurs. Etsy is able to purchase larger ads for more impact, and let sellers buy into the ads.

2. How does it work?

• Etsy reduces costs to sellers by subsidizing the ads.  We pay half of the cost.  The cost to you is the remaining amount, divided by the number of spots for sale.
• Sellers get to display one image of an item from their shop, its price, its main category and their shop name. The appearance of the ad is similar to our homepage.  See the original article for an example.

 3. How do I purchase a spot?

• 1: Go to the Showcase Gateway.
• 2: Choose "Cooperative Ads - Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion Showcase." There will only be one date to choose from.
• 3: Hit the "Purchase" button.  The fee will be added to your normal Etsy bill. 

*Note: The items that appear in the Showcase section of "Your Etsy" will not affect this purchase.  The item photo that you send in via email to adam@etsy.com will be what appears in the ad.  There is not an online Showcase associated with this purchase!

4. What do I do next?

        You'll receive a conversation from Adam with details, and we will need the following from you:

1. Your shop name.
2. The price of the item.
3. The main category that the item is listed under.
4. A high-resolution photograph of your item.  This means 300 dpi, at 1.25 inch (L) x 1 inch (H) size. Otherwise known as a horizontal rectangle.

• If you need help with photo issues, please ask, and Adam will send you detailed instructions.  If you already have a photo that you like, great!  If not, check out some of our photography tips.

• We will need your image by 3:00pm (ET) on Monday, June 30, 2008 to give us time to lay out the ad and meet our deadline with Home Companion.

5. How many spots can I reserve?

• You can purchase one spot per advertisement.

6. Can I cancel a spot after I've made a reservation? Is the fee refunded?

• We will only cancel and refund spots under very special circumstances. Deciding you are no longer interested in your spot does not count.  If you feel like you really have a valid case please email adam@etsy.com.

7. How do I know if the current Cooperative Ad is right for me?

• Do some research!  We'll provide helpful info for each ad as it becomes available (see above). And, it may be helpful to visit your local bookstore or newsstand to see if they carry the magazine.  Remember, there will be more of these Cooperative Advertising opportunities available in the future, including Craft, Venus, and Bust.  If you don't feel like  Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion is perfect for you, there will be other opportunities...