For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Hi Jenny,
I just want to say like all the others here have said - your bears are wonderful and definately keep going with them.
I have never had any luck with ebay (tried twice ) and got a little discouraged so I never used that method of selling again.
Good luck.
Hugs
Carolyn
Well, Jennie, I have to agree with the others that your bears are quite sweet. It is a good idea for us to take a good look at our product and "branding" every so often, and also our selling methods (like not relying on eBay to tell you your bears are cute!). It must be hard to be one of the only bear makers in Sweden, but I'm sure you'll get over the hump. Don't give up! We're here pulling for you! :hug: :hug:
Jennie, I have not read thru all the replies, but I am sure everyone has given you encouragement to keep on. You have to sit down and say MY BEARS ARE GOOD BEARS and they WILL SELL, you know that when you work you spend loving time on each bear, and with each bear you make so you learn and improve. Don’t ever ever think that your work is beneath you.
It’s the old story, if you are selling, then you continue to sell, and if things are not selling, you just do not sell, so somehow you have to change that pattern, this applies to selling bears or any other commodity. So perhaps you must think up of an idea to promote your bears- can you afford to promote a bear to a local charity/hospital/crisis centre and get a write up on it in a local news paper? Are you able to afford going to a show outside of Sweden?
Sell yourself- write up a nice article on yourself and submit it to teddy bear magazines- they are always looking for interesting articles- place an advert in the magazine- you help them they help you.
When I was one at a show in Switzerland, I spent two days selling just two bears, on the Sunday evening, I sat in the room bawling my eyes out, as I was a big failure, my bears were horrid, and that was the end of me and bears. In the morning I said, I came to Switzerland to sell bears, and that was what I was going to do. So I packed up the bears, got on the tram and into the city I went. I sold 8 to the Puppenhaus Museum in Basel.
Talk bullsh*t, you have to in the selling game, tell everyone how well you bears sell back home, tell everyone how well your bears sell on your webpage, tell the world that your bears are the best bears available that every collector out there is fighting over them, and you know what, you will start believing that yourself and before you know it your bears will start selling, it might not be overnight, but they will.
Jennie I have run and sold 3 successful businesses, and believe me many a tear has been shed as it’s a big rat race out there in this world of ours.
Lynette
Your bears are adorable! There will always be times when sales are slow! Sales will be good again, you just have to hang in there!
Jennie your bears are not crap. I love all of your bears and they will find homes. I do however know how you feel. I am not selling as many bears as I used to. As for EBay I think Ihave given up on that one. I have tried low prices and higher prices but not any luck. So I think that is a very unsertain way of selling unless you have a big following. Please do not dispair as I know your bears are soo sweet and huggable.
So chin up and try again and try some of the ideas from here and see if works.
One of the girls mentioned that girl beas sell lmore than boy bears and I think she may have something there. I ahve notised that all my girly bears go faster than my boy bears. At least if you put some really girly tings with her.
Hugs from Lena.
The bad thing with living in country where teddybear making is unknown is that there are no teddybear shops and no shows. So getting out there is not easy! Well, there is ONE show but it's mostly a show for kids.
Jennie, have you ever heard the story of the two shoe salesman?
Both were sent overseas to an island to do some research about opening a shoe store there.
One came back and said "No point in opening a shop there no one wears shoes!"
The other came back and said "Wow what a great opportunity for sales, no one wears shoes!"
Which sales person do you want to be?
I think you have the perfect opportunity to get in on the ground floor and introduce your public to teddy bear collecting. Why not start by submitting some stories about how you started as a bear artist to your "Women's Magazines"?
And as far as the ONE show being for kids...who takes them to the show? What more could you wish for...a room full of unsuspecting women having their heartstrings pulled by your wonderful bears!
There's no such thing as good luck...you make your own!
Wow, Sandi! I want to be the second salesperson! :hug: You can do it, Jennie! :hug:
hi there
i saw your lovely bears - but one thing i did think of - you need your website in english as it was a lil offputting now knowing what was what !
or a version in english anyway - well thats just my 2 bobs worth, it was my immediate impression
xxxxx cat xxxxx
I love your bears, my faves are bilbo and billy, if I had the money I would by them, if only I had the money