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kbonsall May 9, 2006

I am very upset once again... I tried to list once again on eBay a felted bear and it didnt even get close to reaching its reserve... it had a pitiful three bids of a whopping $10.50....

My last bear on ebay didnt get any bids.... (I had listed it previously on Bid4Bears and it didnt then either)....

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG!!!     

Aleta - The Silly Bear May 9, 2006

Disposable income is going to fuel our vehicles......it's prom time.....vacations are coming up.....the weather is sunny and people are working in their yards and are not inside on their computers.....The list goes on and on.  One of my dearest collectors is doing a major remodel on their home.  I know where her money is going and it's not on my bears!

Take heart.  This too shall pass....in mid September.  Sorry, I'm really not much help on this one.  There are just so many factors at play here.  It's retail, hon.  This roller coaster ride is enough to make anyone scream!

Warmest hugs,  :hug:
Aleta

kbonsall May 9, 2006

Thank you, Aleta, it really helps me feel better  :hug: ... I have a list of regulars and ususally they would snap up one of my felted bears but not a peep from any of them     I just get upset too easily....

:hug:  :hug:

starlite May 9, 2006

You are doing Nothing Wrong Kim - I believe your little felties are darling creations - and I am not alone there - Ebay is soo tempremental at the best of times and there are lots of bears being listed - the UK artist bears section currently has over 1200 listings !! And when I looked last week there were more than 600 in the Artist one of a kind.
It may be that the time of year is effecting sales on ebay as I have noticed that ebayers are not bidding so much on bears overall - and bear makers I have seen before are having less bids on their bears.
Also with so many entries in the category let alone the large number of featured items- maybe ebayers are seeking less far for a bear - I also have noticed for example on the UK site that some users previously avid bear purchasers are actually making bears themselves and showing them on ebay
So lots and lots of bears - maybe still even the same number of homes seeking bears
I would Stress again - your felties are wonderful :clap:  :clap:
I am lucky enough to have two so I feel qualified to comment
Do not worry if a little bear has not yet found a home - as was said on another post - if a bear is not yet adopted then its new mum has not seen it yet - Do not get down hearted - remember you yourself have a wonderful marketing technique, your bears are totally individual and do not take it personally when a little bear does not find a home immediately - for all you know the little bear may be desparate to stay with you in your loving home!!
:hug:  :hug:

kbonsall May 9, 2006

Thank you Anne....  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:   I am waaaaaaayyy to hard on myself (if you gals dont know that already about me)..... I am very impatient too... LOL

I did notice that since I started selling on eBay there are TONS of new artists and TONS of new creations! I cant imagine sorting through them all!  I dont have the money to do a feature on ebay right now (my bears dont sell for enough for me to think about listing them as a feature, that is $20!!!!)  YIKES!

Judi May 9, 2006

Kimmy, I agree whole heartedly with Aleta and Anne.  Don't ever give up .  I too have gone through periods of very slow sales on ebay.  Just know that you are NOT defined by ebay.  It is only ONE avenue for you.  My mom always told me that anything worth having never comes easy.

Your creations are darling so you just keep doing what you are doing.  Things will get better.  Just believe in yourself. :hug:  :hug:  :hug:     

Aleta - The Silly Bear May 9, 2006

Kim, 
You're just venting what a lot of us feel but don't say.  We really do understand.  What to do with those bears not selling?  Well, just set them aside for a week or so and then relist.  In the meantime keep working and honing your skills. 

Warmest hugs,  :hug:
Aleta

P.S.  I'm not long on patience either!   :crackup:

Glacierbaybears May 9, 2006

Kim I think you need a Hug!  :hug:
I never understand Ebay either!

kbonsall May 9, 2006

:hug: Thank you, Jamie and Judi :hug:  Kim<----- way too hard on herself LOL

toadbriar May 9, 2006

it's not your fault!
it's not your bears' fault!
Can you maybe list them as store inventory for a Buy It Now
price that matches your reserve? They might not sell right away
but they hang around a while as you add more bears - & a few
bears on hand for sale seem to promote one another. People can
still put them on their Watch Item list. But at a BIN price, anyone
can snatch them up at any time so you still get the "can't let anyone
else get it!" competitiveness in a buyer.

I will ALWAYS prefer to list as a store item with Buy It Now, for things
that I took way too long to make, love way more than I should, or otherwise
worry they won't meet a reserve or get bid up to what I feel they're worth.
It's pretty much the default with dolls because I take an absurd amount
of time fiddling with their costumes & I have to wait for that one person
to come along & fall in love with it for the ridiculous price I set.   
I'd rather wait for the right price, than let it go immediately in an auction
for less than I feel comfortable with. But I bear no ill will either if something sells
for less; in those instances the buyers seem thrilled, & I get the vicarious bargain
thrill on their behalf!

Anyhow that's what works for me. Your guys are great - don't let this bit of a slump
throw your confidence into a tailspin!! This is just an occupational hazard of making
art - the customers' gas tank & grocery budgets take their bites of the cookie first.

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorMay 10, 2006

Hugs for you, Kim!  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

kbonsall May 10, 2006

Thank you Erin, Kim and Sue Ann... you gals really made me feel better    :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

I think I need to stop being so darn hard on myself!

shantell May 10, 2006

I think I need to stop being so darn hard on myself!

Kimmy...is my bad attitude rubbing off on you?  Now stop it!!!

:hug:   :hug:   :hug:

Dilu May 10, 2006

Awww Kimmy,

:hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Its inflation-which they tell us we don't have but gold is over $700 and Tbills are at 5%-this indicates inflation to anyone who isn't invested in keeping the Great American Ponzi Scheme, opps I meant the stock market afloat.

Then you have gas?  (What no inflation Ha!)
kids
school
vacatations

ETCETCETCETCETCETCETCETCETCETC

Its not you so much as it is everything.

Listen up DARLING LADYFRIEND,

you keep up the work you are doing, you keep up the inovative ideas, and the clever displays, don't get lazy, don't rush and don't hurry!  Enjoy the process, and if you enjoy the process your bears will look like they are made with love and will sell again when the time is right.

:hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

 

And don't be sad!

kbonsall May 10, 2006

Thank you girls so much, you have no idea how much your kind words mean to me.... I am feeling loads better now  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

I think I need to stop being so darn hard on myself!

Kimmy...is my bad attitude rubbing off on you?  Now stop it!!!

:hug:   :hug:   :hug:

LOL... Shantell? bad attitude? I never got that from you... I promise, I will stop it....    :hug: I have a half done bear that is dying to get his appendages so he can stir up trouble! (I havent been in the mood to create either    BUT I AM NOW, which isn't going to help because it is bedtime here!)    :hug:

Marie_ May 10, 2006

Oh Kim,
it's absolutory not your fault or your bears'.
sorry that I have no advise for you but I really love
your felted bears. (mohair bear too !)

Here is

big hug

from me.    :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Marie

kbonsall May 10, 2006

Oh thank you, sweet Marie here is one back  :hug:

Love Bud Bears May 10, 2006

Hey Kim,
I think your bears are absolutely precious. The little felted Bee Bear I adopted was actually a gift for my niece. But I love her so much I couldn't stand to part with her. She makes me smile every time I look at her. I have her displayed on the window cill above my kitchen sink, just so I get to see her many times through out the day. She reminds me of a perfect spring day. -As I sway on my hammock there's a gentle breeze & the faint smell of flowers in the air.- She is one sweet little Bee Bear. I have no doubt that all of your bears touched others the same way. So keep with the great work!! 

melissa May 10, 2006

Kim...dont apologise for being too hard on yourself  - that's part of what drives you to keep improving. Also,  it's good that TT is here for us to have our meltdowns every now and then.  Far better to get a hug and a "don't be dumb" comment from people here than getting all introspective and down on oneself.  Certainly works for me anyway!

Amen to Judi when she said

Just know that you are NOT defined by ebay

if we were....most of us here would be big ol' losers.  Keep going...use the blip to work on some new ideas.  Get those photos out there to the  magazines and don't give up!!

Delartful Bears May 10, 2006

Gee everyone has had some lovely suggestions and wonderful ideas - keep your chin up - It is very hard when a bear doesnt sell - my recent eBay bear didn't get a bid. Try not to take it too personal (I know, very difficult) hang in there and use the time to improve your skills!

Danni

sarahjane May 10, 2006

Hi there

Don't think you are doing anything wrong when it comes to ebay...Sometimes it's hard to understand why someone else can sell a bear and then your own creations don't sell. Your bears are beautiful. On ebay there seems to be no reason to sales, sometimes things sell and sometimes they don't.  Sometimes you can list something that doesn't sell and relist it a week later and get a bidding war on it.

This applies all over ebay not only with bears!! Doesn't seem to make any sense. I think that what the other girls are saying is right its more about other factors not your bears.

Your bears are just gorgeous, but it can be hard not to take it personally when you put so much time and love into something then it doesn't sell. You should be kind to yourself and keep creating, don't let ebay affect how you feel about what you do because ebay is not a reliable way to judge your talent..... It's only a reliable way to judge how much spare money other people have!!!    and at the moment it doesn't seem to be much (money I mean)

Anyway keep going they will sell I am sure   :hug:

Helena May 10, 2006

Kim, there's lots of good advice on here so I can't really add anything but to say that I also love your bears and can see no reason why they haven't made their reserve recently...except eBay is slow, loads of bears for sale, time of year etc etc. Aleta mentioned the rollercoaster ride, and it certainly is! And Judi's comment about not being defined by eBay is a good one and worth remembering.

Actually this thread has helped me too because I've found that my sales have also taken a down-turn. I had put it down to being away from eBay for a little while earlier in the year....but I can now see there are lots of other  reasons too. Many of them out of our control.

So....onwards and upwards!!!! (That's becoming my catch-phrase, lol).

:hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Eileen May 10, 2006

:hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug: KIMMERS :hug:  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Little Jaidan is sitting here on her own little rocking chair, shaking her lovely purple head and saying the most awful things about eBay!

I looked at the 'Completed Listings' for Artist Bears yesterday, just to see what was selling. Answer--Basically Nothing, or A Few Things For Ridiculously Low Prices.

You don't need to improve--witness the Perfection of Jaidan--but you will. We all will.

Remember last year? Same thing. As soon as Spring Sprang, the Bear Market hit Bottom.

Nancy Tillberg has another Golden Paws Emporium coming up on the 23rd. Deadline for submission of photos is the 16th. I'd definitely take a look. (This time I'm going to make it!)

Eileen

Jellybelly Bears May 10, 2006

Kim I feel for you.    Have you ever tried competitions at bear shows?  They can be a lot of fun and keep you busy while ebay is slow.  And then there are the magazines...always great for publicity :)
good luck hon
xo Sarah

kbonsall May 10, 2006

Thank you so much girls.... I am feeling much much better today   :hug:  :hug: Thank you all for your kind words!  We did all pretty much go through this before (when was it? I cant remember - maybe around September or so...) 

I would enter a competition but I dont think my bears are ready or good enough yet    (I say that at the risk of being slapped LOL :crackup:  - I know there are things I need to work on - I have a long way to go with my mohair bears, I realize that and am working on that   I also am getting help with my auctions - maybe a more festive auction would help??)  Anywho... I am so inspired by your words and am NOT giving up... I am much to stubborn to give up that easy!! HA !  :crackup: