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Custom TeddysThanks for the suggestion, Peta. I will list my bears under the "Dolls" category in Etsy from now on. I seriously thought about starting another eBay store, just because sales were so slow on Etsy, however, now I will reinvest my efforts towards the other sites.
Vicki 
Well I used to Love ebay! I was never a really big seller but I made fairly good $ for my bears. Bottom line for me is I'm really finding it hard to trust ebay. Ebay is trying to get rid of the little seller. So people like me who don't list as often as we'd like to are slowly being weeded out. I think I'm just going to lay low for awhile from ebay.
I created myself an Etsy store and I absolutely love how easy it is and the fees are peanuts. I've sold one bear and one of my Mom's miniatures and I have only had it open since October. Could be a fluke and now I won't sell anything...heehee...but I don't think that's the case :pray: I love that you can have 5 pics(cause as a buyer I like to look at the item I'm interested in) plus it stays up for 4 months. So far I really like it.
I just placed a few more bears in my etsy store and as a Christmas gift and a thank you to my collectors I am offering free shipping for a limited time.
So if anyone is interested pls have a looky see!
I will miss the excitement of ebay but I don't like throwing my money out the window either. Maybe it will get better in the future... 
Kristina
Lakeland TeddiesI'm so glad to read all of the positive responses to my thread. :clap: As previously mentioned, Bid4Bears is having a Xmas Promotion (Nov 20 - Dec 20) with 50% off fees. That would be a perfect time to list a bear or two and direct your collectors to that site. The more collectors we direct there, the more sales we will get. If you haven't signed up already, take a few minutes now to do it bid4bears.com. It's very easy and user friendly.
I would also like to make a suggestion in regards to The Teddy Patch as they are also a great site that offers free listings and a free store. I personally love the idea of a free store and the site is not limited to teddy bears. There are several other categories including "crafts", "dolls", "books/magazines", "collectibles" and many more. I've always wanted to have my own store and now I have it for free. Take a minute now to sign up on theteddypatch.com. It's also very easy and user friendly.
Peggy 
Benson BearsI was working myself up to trying Ebay, but I've read so many negative things on TT that I won't be going there! So when I have something ready to list I'll try Bid4Bears or somewhere instead! Just a little busy atm getting things ready for Mittagong.
I am going to try Bid4Bears!!! I find it very exciting that there seems to be a fair number of people willing to give this venue a try. I am just a very small fish in a big pond here as I don't really have a client base built up to bring over but maybe I will have better luck there anyway. My bears don't seem to be selling to well on ebay anyway. My dogs and other critters do well there but like Krista, I list my dogs in more than just the one category. I will most likely still list my dogs on ebay until I get myself more established--or until they ban me too. But who knows-maybe I will do just as well on B4Bs.
I am so disapointed with how ebay is treating small sellers. I really really don't understand thier reasoning for trying to get rid of small sellers such as myself. Maybe we don't make them tons of money- but we do make them money. And when you add up all those sellers--there must be hundreds of thousands of us--that seems like quite a bit of money ebay will be losing when we all go away.
But I will gladly go to a site that does want us!
Beth
FenBeary FolkPeggy says
Since we have an incentive to list on Bid4Bears between Nov 20 & Dec 20, I'd like to suggest that we do the same for The Teddy Patch and all list as many items as we can on that site between January 9th and 18th, 2009 and direct our collectors to that site.If we all work together, we can make it happen!!
Peggy what an excellent idea but may I make a tiny suggestion, why not make it for the
We could call it "Chase away those January Blues" promo or something like that 
The Teddy Patch Lady-what do you think, could we come up with a buyer incentive??? Please don't think I am putting you on the spot or trying to get you to compete with Bid4Bears, I happen to think we artists could use both sites, was only thinking of a raffle or something............each bidder gets a free entry ticket, ticket to be drawn on 31st January??? Please don't shoot me just thinking out loud, maybe a few artist bears as the prize!! The way I'm going I will probably have a whole cuddle of bears to choose from to donate :crackup:
Last night I set myself up on The Teddy Patch, THE STORE IS FREE as well!!!! amazing and it was so easy, haven't got anything in the store yet but give me a few days :dance: having trouble uploading piccies at the mo, my computer not their site 
The fee structure is very simple, they only charge on the final value fee $0.01 to $25 is 2.75% and $25.01 to $199 is 2.5% and $200 to $499 is 2.25% so very easy and no hidden rubbish like ebay, don't know about you guys but I am always shocked as to how much my ebay listing amounts to, well with this its very simple :hug:
So what do you all think
Lakeland TeddiesEven better. Let's make the whole month of January The Teddy Patch Month and list as much as we can during January. I like your suggestion too about a buyer incentive. Perhaps Luralee of The Teddy Patch will come up with something. That's up to her.
Sign up now on theteddypatch.com and open your own store.
Also, as someone else mentioned in another post, in your profile, you can now add up to 3 retail outlets to sell your bears rather than just Ebay. So update your profile now to add Bid4Bears and The Teddy Patch. Yippee!! Thanks to Quy for doing that!
Peggy
Irenours-bearsHi Peggy and all. For the first time, i listed my work on another site than ebay. I listed bears and dolls at Teddy Pacht and it's easy. Unfortunately, i can't do the same at Etsy because they doen't use Paypal to pay the fees. I never use my credit card number online because it's scare me too much. The power of ebay is their big trafic, but if we don't ive the others site a chance, ebay will still the big one with all the power it means.
hmmmm....i think I will set myself up with a Teddy Patch store to off load some mohair and synthetics I don't need that are taking up much needed space.....see I am trying to compromise.
hugs,
Krista
Lakeland TeddiesThat's great Irene and Krista. :clap: I just listed a bunch of stuff in my Teddy Patch store too! It's very easy to do. Now, we need some buyers! Let's try to get some traffic there. (theteddypatch.com)
Also, don't forget to register for Bid4Bears' promotion that is happening November 20 - December 20th. (www.bid4bears.com) I'm hpping to list a bear on Bid4Bears this week. I'm still suffering with a bad neck/shoulder so I can't do much - such bad timing!!
Peggy
FenBeary FolkHi Peggy and all
I have just had an email about the Bid4Bears promo Holly Jolly...........wait for it..................................................................................................
Lets here it for Nancy :dance: :dance: :dance:
Lakeland TeddiesThat's fantastic. :clap: Way to go Nancy.
Peggy
Wazza Bears AustraliaI have opened my Etsy shop. LONG PROCESS and still going, But I have had more looking in the last day its been open than I do on EBAY. I get heaps of traffic on bearpile too. Just thought I would let you all know, if you were wondering what both sites are like.
Cheers
FenBeary FolkPeta thats brilliant, I have not considered these yet but will havew a look now :dance:
