Better Photography

Photography of your item is key to a sale. When browsing through booths on Bonanzle, I have noticed washout caused by flash and brownish photos due to too much red. I have been taking photos since I was a child and have been told I have a “good eye”. However, learning how to use a digital camera and getting the right shot for internet selling takes time and practice.
You should set up an area in your home specific for photographing your merchandise. Through trial and error I have found that a white poster board works very well. I can set up three items at a time, take one photo, and then cut & paste to save time.
If the item is light colored I use a dark colored background so it shows up better. Also, I have noticed that some people stage items around the item they are selling, this can actually be distracting or misleading. A nice clean photo that is crisp makes an item sell faster.
If you go to my booth, you can see I still have a problem with reflection. When I took a photo of my silverplate items, I wore a pink top. Wrong thing to do as it reflected into my photo. Good example of what not to do.
Also, you have to learn how your flash works. Many times I actually turn off the flash to prevent the washout.
Regarding the redish or yellowish tint to your photo is caused by too much color in the room reflecting back into the photo. That is why I suggest using the white poster board. However, you can use your digital camera editing program to adjust the contrast, brightness, and color to remove the unwanted tints.
A photo that is out of focus has to be retaken. Adjust the distance from the item you are photographing. My worse photos are of jewelry because I have not mastered the distance I should be at yet. Sometimes taking a group shot from a distant and then cropping the photo actually works better for me.
Just remember the old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” and enjoy selling on Bonanzle.

My Bonanzle Booth:

http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/SuzqsShop

My Etsy Shop:

http://www.Suzq48.etsy.com

My Twitter:

www.twitter.com/Suzq48

 

Newbies, Here's Why You're Not Selling Yet

When you're new to Etsy, you're desperate to make that first sale (I know I was!) and I remember that it seems to take forever. I know plenty of you think it's your store, your prices, Etsy customers etc, but here's one set of events that applies to every new seller. It's all about connections and connections take time. It could go a little something like this:
♥ Day 1 ♥
When you first open your store, nobody can find you. You may as well have opened on Pluto. You will not sell anything.
Connections - 0*
♥ Day 2 ♥
Then you list a product. It appears first in the Time Machine and puts your shop at the top of the Seller list. But it will quickly move down that list. If you're lucky a couple of people may stumble across you in these places. You probably still won't sell anything!
Connections - 4*
♥ Week 1 ♥
You list more products (hopefully over a period of days). More opportunities for different buyers/sellers to visit your store. Maybe some of them will 'heart' your store. If so, you'll appear in their favourites list.
Connections - 20*
♥ Week 2 ♥
You start making forum posts. Now you're building relationships with other buyers and sellers. Hopefully they're starting to visit you. As you build up these relationships, you'll find more and more people put you in their favourites lists. The more favourite lists you appear in, the more likely it is that people who visit another sellers store will wind up in yours.
Connections - 80*
♥ Week 3 ♥
Now you've built up a decent number of connections on Etsy. Maybe someone will pop you in a treasury (more connections), you're now hearting people (they check their hearts and bingo! more connetions), you're regularly posting in the forums (connections), and you're listing regularly (you guessed it - connections).
Connections - 300*
♥ Week 4 ♥
Finally all these connections and links to your store pay off. Someone buys something. Now your store also appears in the 'Sold' Time Machine and in 'feedback'. Plus the buyer will start talking about what he or she bought from you - so now you're also getting word of mouth outside of Etsy.
Connections - 1200*  You can see where this is heading. The connections build up exponentially, which explains why nothing happens for 4 weeks or 8 weeks or 12 weeks and then all of a sudden you're rushed off your feet! So if you're new, don't panic. Just build up as many connections (on and OFF Etsy) as you can. xxx scarlett

* number of connections example only and based on nothing more than my fertile imagination.

 

My Shop:
http://www.scarlettcat.etsy.com

My Blog:
http://scarlettcat.blogspot.com

My Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/people/scarlettcat