Closing of Novembers Sales On Etsy

[kmmcrafts]

I don't typically broadcast how much I make or how many sales I get etc.. I see quite a few people doing that here about their craft shows etc.. 

This November came in close to what I did last year.. I've been busy for sure.. I've turned away approximately 30 orders on etsy and about 15 local orders from friends.. ( mostly the ones that they want 1 ornament personalized ) I don't mind personalizing ornaments or anything really.. but.. I'm not fast at doing patterns.. I try not to rely on someone else to make patterns for me.. especially ones that are personalized and one runs ( only one ornament ) I will do them if they are ordering several.. but.. it's more costly to me to sit at the computer for 30-60 minutes to do a custom pattern for 1 ornament... ( last year I did all of them I could get ) .. Last year I spent around $50 in google advertising because they ran a special if I spent $50 etsy would pay  another $50.. which brought me several $$ in sales.. However I didn't do any google advertising this time round simply because I never got stocked up on items this year.. ( too busy with daughters graduation and getting her off to college etc.. ) I ended up with 99 order.. about 19 more orders over last November  .. compared to the 81 orders last Nov. mind you.. I had very little stock this year.. and most of these orders was made as ordered.... Now.. makes me wonder.. what would have / could have happen if I'd have had my game on and stocked ready for selling etc.. played the advertising game again.. These figures do not include any order from the other venues I sell on.. while those venues was quite slow this year mainly because.. I wasn't trying to sell to hard this year.. as I said.. No Stock.. Everything had been made as it's ordered.. (one of the sites I sell on that does almost as well as etsy.. I've had shut down most of this year..) I could have worked 10-12+ hours a day and had more.. but I don't want to turn it into a job feeling like I did last year.. even though it is my job it don't feel like it until this time of year..

  Oh.. I'm in trouble for Dec.. if it follows as last year..as last year I closed Dec. out ( on Etsy only) with 140 orders and about 90 of those was the first 2 weeks of Dec. LOL.... I don't think I have it in me to do that this year without having any inventory LOL.. This year..on etsy.. every month has consistently doubled over the same month from the previous year.. except for Nov.. and I'm certain Dec. too as I'm about to pull the plug on my " out of stock, Made To Order items" which are the " popular" items and this was without me really having my game on for most of the year. Also should mention that.. most of the orders this year was multipal quantities per order.. where only a few last year was.. and those few were companies ordering large quantities for gifts at the company Holiday parties.. Also this year more of the higher priced items are selling rather than the lower cost ornaments etc.. so far...   might be due to the fact that I raised the prices of my ornaments by $2 over last years prices.. why? because I was selling them too fast last year.. and business 101 rule is.. supply vrs demand.. I sold less ornaments but actually made more money off ornaments over last year... go figure.. = more money for less work.. I like that  ...  

 

Hoping everyone is doing good with their sales if you'er selling.. If not selling... I hope your making lot's of smiles for the handouts your giving..

 

Edited December 1, 2017 by kmmcrafts

[amazingkevin]

On 11/30/2017 at 11:35 PM, kmmcrafts said:

I don't typically broadcast how much I make or how many sales I get etc.. I see quite a few people doing that here about their craft shows etc.. 

This November came in close to what I did last year.. I've been busy for sure.. I've turned away approximately 30 orders on etsy and about 15 local orders from friends.. ( mostly the ones that they want 1 ornament personalized ) I don't mind personalizing ornaments or anything really.. but.. I'm not fast at doing patterns.. I try not to rely on someone else to make patterns for me.. especially ones that are personalized and one runs ( only one ornament ) I will do them if they are ordering several.. but.. it's more costly to me to sit at the computer for 30-60 minutes to do a custom pattern for 1 ornament... ( last year I did all of them I could get ) .. Last year I spent around $50 in google advertising because they ran a special if I spent $50 etsy would pay  another $50.. which brought me several $$ in sales.. However I didn't do any google advertising this time round simply because I never got stocked up on items this year.. ( too busy with daughters graduation and getting her off to college etc.. ) I ended up with 99 order.. about 19 more orders over last November  .. compared to the 81 orders last Nov. mind you.. I had very little stock this year.. and most of these orders was made as ordered.... Now.. makes me wonder.. what would have / could have happen if I'd have had my game on and stocked ready for selling etc.. played the advertising game again.. These figures do not include any order from the other venues I sell on.. while those venues was quite slow this year mainly because.. I wasn't trying to sell to hard this year.. as I said.. No Stock.. Everything had been made as it's ordered.. (one of the sites I sell on that does almost as well as etsy.. I've had shut down most of this year..) I could have worked 10-12+ hours a day and had more.. but I don't want to turn it into a job feeling like I did last year.. even though it is my job it don't feel like it until this time of year..

  Oh.. I'm in trouble for Dec.. if it follows as last year..as last year I closed Dec. out ( on Etsy only) with 140 orders and about 90 of those was the first 2 weeks of Dec. LOL.... I don't think I have it in me to do that this year without having any inventory LOL.. This year..on etsy.. every month has consistently doubled over the same month from the previous year.. except for Nov.. and I'm certain Dec. too as I'm about to pull the plug on my " out of stock, Made To Order items" which are the " popular" items and this was without me really having my game on for most of the year. Also should mention that.. most of the orders this year was multipal quantities per order.. where only a few last year was.. and those few were companies ordering large quantities for gifts at the company Holiday parties.. Also this year more of the higher priced items are selling rather than the lower cost ornaments etc.. so far...   might be due to the fact that I raised the prices of my ornaments by $2 over last years prices.. why? because I was selling them too fast last year.. and business 101 rule is.. supply vrs demand.. I sold less ornaments but actually made more money off ornaments over last year... go figure.. = more money for less work.. I like that  ...  

 

Hoping everyone is doing good with their sales if you'er selling.. If not selling... I hope your making lot's of smiles for the handouts your giving..

 

this has been the best Christmas sales year ever since 2004.Not much money but a little is a lot for me! I feel blessed to get what i get!!!!