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Arlin I'm not sure if this helps but here goes. I'm in 3 different galleries, two of the galleries are owned by the same guy, one in WY and one in AZ. They have a prominent online retail presence. The 3rd gallery is much smaller and only uses facebook. The 3rd (smaller facebook only) gallery has sold more of my turnings than the bigger gallery. I guess my point is, being on facebook or facebook in addition to an etsy type of deal might be the best option for you.
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Facebook has been far more 'successful' for me. I view it as a means to raise the profile of my stuff. I tell little stories about making stuff. Post short videos. All business, all woodworking. And I tap into my friends, family and extended network to get the word out. Website really doesn't do much for me, and I'll probably drop it at some point.
Maybe I'll explore Etsy at some point, but there are SO many vendors there it is hard to stand out. And then I have to keep track of what is posted there so that I don't accidentally sell something twice (at a gallery and online).
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Location: IA
Ok I guess I will forgo the website and go with a facebook page.
Would anyone help me set it up? Also how do I go about having people pay for it?
Thanks guys for the help and ideas
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification. Thank You Everyone.
It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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Arlin you should be able to set up a Paypal account to handle the money. Services like that have the advantage that people trust them and they make buying convenient. I think they do offer some protection for the seller too.
The fees aren't terrible for what you get.
I'm not sure of the cost but it might be worth asking whichever shipper you use (USPS, UPS, FEdEX, etc) about a commercial account as well.
The only thing I have against Facebook is the format. I have an account but almost never use it.
Rodney
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But be careful on selling and document all correspondence with buyers and ship only to confirm address.
I sold some tools to a guy through my website and had over 12 correspondence with him through email.
Shipped a order 2 weeks ago over $130 to him thought everything was good.
This past Saturday was out shopping and paypal froze the $130 charge , buyer claiming fraudulent charges.
Called paypal talked to them and explain that i had 12 emails with the guy to his email on file with paypal and shipped to his address also on file with paypal.
Hopefully that's the end of that.
Fwd all my evidence and less than 24hrs the money was back in my Acct.
John
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Location: IA
I hate frauds. I would suggest that maybe you share this person so no one else gets burned by him and his kind.
I do keep all pms people send me here until tell me they get it or if they do not tell me I check to see if they received it.
I am very glad I have honest people here to deal with.
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification. Thank You Everyone.
It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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I tried that and I'll never mess with it again. I tried all of the different things, FB, ETSY, and some other ones I don't remember, and even had my own. My experience is first, getting someone to find it. Of the billions of websites, why and how are they going to find yours. Then once they do, if it's priced too high they won't buy it, if it's too low they won't buy it. If it's what you have into it in materials tools and time, nobody for sure would buy it. I had someone want multiple of a one of a kind thing and when it wasn't possible, they left bad remarks and that shut down everything. I met a guy once that happened across a small expensive home decorator/all this stuff will be in a garage sale one day for 50 cents store, and was able to start supplying them with turned bowls. He's the only one I've seen that was successful. Any of the craft show/flea market type things around me have booth rental fees and they are so high now that it's not practical to mess with.
I just got a new lathe and sharpening station and the tings to get it going, and I'm going into that upgrade knowing I'm not going to try to sell anything again. I'm doing what i want to do for myself and making someone happy when i give them something I've done.
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Another post brought back from the past. He's been busy
