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smdogs Nov 27, 2009

Hi all,

  I know things are slow out there on selling bears and times are hard, but I am in need of some advise on selling more of my bears.

I have bears listed on Etsy, my website, Artfire and I list on Ebay. What more can I do? Is it the Bears themselves????? Would a online show on website be a good idea?
All suggestions accepted.

Sheryl

eteddys Nov 27, 2009

Cheryl,
Try Bear Pile too, www.bearpile.com.  Work on developing a mailing list and keep plugging away like the rest of us.

Hugs,
Alison

Boogaloo Bears Nov 27, 2009

Hi Sheryl

I wouldn't lose heart, I think eBay is generally quite slow at the moment from a selling perspective.

Have you considered making enough bears for a local show?  This is a great way to exhibit your work, make contacts and hopefully sell lots of bears!  Although if you anything like me I end up spending more than I make!!

I used to sell my bears on eBay, however have not put much at all on there for quite a few months as I am attending a show instead - people can really see the quality of the bears and pick them up for a cuddle.

Good luck anyway, your bears are beautiful  :clap:

Hugs

Lisa

amber Nov 27, 2009

I just did a show last weekend, and I found that people weren't picking the bears up at all.  Most times people will pick them up cuddle them, people were hardly touching them.  I think the H1N1 thing at least around here has been a majour factor in that.  I had one bear that was really weighted and I just kept handing her to people.  The economy hasn't helped either.

Boogaloo Bears Nov 27, 2009

Oh what a shame.  I am putting some nice sweets on my stall so at least that might encourage people to 'come closer'!

We are all hoping that the economy will pick up soon, I hadn't even thought about swine flu and the effects it may have on others approaching and cuddling bears and I will be sending my good luck wishes for success your way 

smdogs Nov 27, 2009

Thank you all so much 

  I have signed up on Bearpile today. So I have couple of my bears there.

I will see what I can do about a mailing list. Not real sure on how to go about that yet.

Thanks again for all of your help.

Sheryl

EvaJ Nov 28, 2009

My internet sales have gone down the last couple of months, but I am doing local craft shows and the sales are great.  I find that I am the only one with bears that are made from scratch.  People are amazed that I do it and love the facial expressions.  The biggest thing I get is "you make the whole thing not just the clothes!"

Michelle Helen Nov 28, 2009

I don't sew bears so I don't know any marketing tips to give you. But I can tell you of a bear artist I know that has a very lucrative bear business with teaching bear making. She found a quilt shop that let her teach classes in the back of the store. She has two prices: the first is the class fee (she splits with the quilt shop) and another fee she is for the bear kit which she keep 100% of the profit.  She also sells supplies too which I know was easier for me just to buy from her on the spot.  What she did was display her bears in the quilt shop and hold classes on her new creations. She always offered beginner bear and advanced bear classes. From there people signed up for the latest bear creation or take a class on a previous bears she had given.  On a Wednesday, it is called "anything goes" class where people can let her know a head of time which bear they want to make (as seen in the quilt shop) and she has the kit for them on that day. She makes a very good living that way. Each bear incorporates a special technique people want to learn and thus she had repeat customers.

So that is one idea for you. The other is contact your local community center and see if you can hold bear making classes through adult education.

That is my two cents....

Daphne Nov 28, 2009

Shows seem to offer the best sales opportunities if you don't have a strong online following or a mailing list.
I just did a craft show last weekend and had the best sales I've had EVER.... in 8 yrs of selling!  :dance:

Workshops are a great way to make money if you are a highly skilled, established artist with a following in the area you'll teach in. I taught for a number of years and still do upon occasion but find it takes away from actually MAKING bears which is what I really want to do. And not everyone is a teacher. Getting your bears into some shops on commission like at quilt shops and the like is a great way to spread awareness about your work to local people. My local collectors are just as important to my business as my online collectors.

To build a mailing list: put a sign up box (free through Bravenet.com) on your website and blog where people can join your mailing list. Anytime someone buys a bear from you online, whether through etsy, bearpile, eBay or your website, add their email to your mailing list. If you do a show in person have a guest book on your table where visitors to your booth write down their name, address and email... whether they buy or not!

It all takes work... building any kind of business takes work.... and time.... and there will always be ups and downs... we all have to suffer through the slow times and just do all we can to get our work out there in front of people. This is not a "build it and they will come" kind of craft we do. For the most part, we can't just list a bear on the internet somewhere and expect someone to find and buy it. This is an expensive collectible, luxury item that at least 50% of the population can NOT afford right now. (I'm thinking that % is probably higher!) So to find those who can we have to do paid advertising in mags and online like here on TT, do local shows AND the internet..... gotta cover all the bases.... spend money to make money, etc.

Hang in there!!! Good for you for trying BearPile!!!

smdogs Nov 29, 2009

Thank you all very much for your help. You have given me all wonderful ideas.

I am working on my website to add the mailing list service now.

I will have to try a show next year. The only Bear show we have here in Kansas City Missouri was in October. Most of are craft shows are in early fall so I missed them all this year too. Well check into them for next year.  I will also check in with my local community center to see if they offer any type of workshops for bear making to see if I could teach a class.

I will keep going. I love creating my little ones.

Thanks again to everyone for your encouragement!

sheryl

patchworkbear Nov 30, 2009

If the bear in your avatar is any indication I can't see it being the bears themselves. I'm no artist, just a collector, but if I encountered a bear like that and I had the funds I'd snatch him up in a heartbeat. I don't have any advice. I just wanted to tell you how cool I thought your bear was. I wish I had that kind of talent.

susiray Nov 30, 2009

Hi Sheryl

i am having the same problems and it was nice to read that i am not the only one, you do start to doubt your work. i live in portugal and we only have christmas fayre and another show in may, apart from that i rely on the internet. there are no other beary people here so i have to aim at my fellow english man to buy my bears (the portuguese dont do bears    ). i am on Etsy but that to is slow.
so i hope 2010 brings bear tidings to everyone and our little creations join new hugs. :dance:

bearhugs
Susan x

smdogs Nov 30, 2009

Patchworkbears- Thank you so much for your complement. By the way the bear in my avatar is in my Etsy shop

Susan - I know about doubting my work. So it is good to know that our bears are not the issue. I think advertising is the big thing. You might give ebay a try and Bearpile. Your bears are really cute.
I too hope that 2010 picks up for everyone.

Thanks again to everyone for all your help and encouragement.

Sheryl

amber Dec 1, 2009

Oh what a shame.  I am putting some nice sweets on my stall so at least that might encourage people to 'come closer'!

We are all hoping that the economy will pick up soon, I hadn't even thought about swine flu and the effects it may have on others approaching and cuddling bears and I will be sending my good luck wishes for success your way

Well I had the strangest question,  I've never had any collector ask me if my bears were machine washable.  My bears come from a smoke free home, I'm careful about how I store things.  And since this person hadn't even touched or really near one of my bears it was a little weird.  She said with all the germs going around she wanted something washable.  I don't know of anyone who makes collector bears that are washable.  I noticed a lot of people were very standoffish this year.  It happens.

Has anyone else run into anything close to this?

susiray Dec 2, 2009

Hi  Sheryl

just wanted to let you know i managed to get 1st Dec off work so i could do the christamas fayre here, well i did and i sold 21 bears i am so pleased it gave me a real boost and also i was approached by a couple of other craft people to join a craft group to get our products know here in the Algarve Portugal . so i had a really great day just wanted to give you a pick me up after our comments. i love your creations to they are great.

hugs susan xx

eatcakevintage Dec 2, 2009

It is slow in sales for me too. I had a really good month last month and ebay sales are slow so far for the holidays. I have also noticed that even the artist bears on ebay that always sell at high prices are going unsold.  Last year I had over 20 special order bears. This year, only 4 so far. But I have had inquiries about wholesale other advertising opportunities.

I thought of this too late, but wouldn't it have been great to have a 12 days of Christmas internet show for bear artists? New bears by various artistss everyday for 12 days. If only I could find some time somewhere.