Author: Jo Cheung

So you may have heard that on Monday 11th April, Etsy have increased their transaction fees from 5% to 6.5%, that’s a rather big increase considering that this will definitely hurst small businesses like myself. I have therefore increased the prices so that I am able to cover myself. Some Etsy sellers have decided to strike this week in protest of the hike in the fees, however, I’m not taking part in it as I fear it will make a dent on my profits.

Dorothy and Belle on Twitter are transparent about their profit and what Etsy takes.

It’s something I didn’t want to do as I want to make my work accessible and affordable which it always has been, whilst at the same time Etsy takes a huge chunk of what I earn hence the rise in prices. Don’t get my wrong, I have enjoyed using Etsy’s platform as it has allowed me to test products out and to get my work out there to a larger audience. I have probably shut myself into a tight position as I no longer offer shipping to international customers- no thanks to Brexit- and, admittedly, it has been rather quiet over the past couple of months. See this post from Kittygorian on Instagram, the post explains clearly what the increase in fees mean for Etsy sellers and customers.

I’m going to be quite frank here but say if I sell a postcard I make no money from it due to the fees. And if I sell a print then Etsy will take £3+ from it- crazy, right? So I can see why sellers are constantly pushing their work out there on social media. In all honesty- and so like many other Etsy Sellers- I will see what happens in the next few months. If it’s not worthwhile then I will simply close it and open up a shop which I can integrate it with my website. It’s not an easy decision to make as I have spent many, many hours writing up product descriptions, editing photos, writing SEO for all the listings… the list goes on and on. I’ve had my shop open for more than 10 years now so it’s not a choice that I can make overnight.

If you’re an Etsy seller then I’d like to hear your thoughts on it. What do you think of the Etsy fees? Are you going to stay or leave?

I have a new print in my Urban Makers shop titled ‘Love is the Answer’ available as an A4 and A3 print. Click on the link here for more information. It’s been a while since I’ve made any new work and I’m really happy with how it’s turned out.

Oh, I will be having a massive sale at the end of June as I’ll be closing my shop for a year- all be revealed very soon.

Wishing you all a happy Sunday and thanks for reading as always.

Hola Folks!

It’s been mighty windy today, hasn’t it? My plan is to stay indoors and revert into a sleep like state for the next 24 hours!

Just a super quick post about this years March Meet The Maker. I am planning on taking part and seeing it through to the end (even if it goes over into April). No pressure to keep up with the daily prompts- it’s more about promoting yourself and sharing your work to other makers. There is a really nice community on Instagram (just look for the hashtag #marchmeetthemaker) and you’ll find loads of ideas and inspiration.

March Meet The Maker is organised by Joanne Hawker and it’s been running for a number of years now. I think it’s such a brilliant way of showcasing your work and being able to plan out what your current and future goals are for your business. 

Today I’ll be planning out what I’ll be posting (there is a free planner you can use) and watching Studio Ghibli films at the same time 🙂

Looking forward to hearing from anyone who is intending on taking on the challenge for next month- please post your comments below as I’d love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading as always and enjoy the start to your weekend 🙂

 

Jo 

Hello readers and a Happy New Year to you all! I hope you all had a restful Christmas with your family and friends- wishing you all a prosperous start to the year.

I’m not one for the New Year, New Me rubbish. Personally, I’ve always started off with New Years resolutions and they teeter off my the end of the January 🤣🤣🤣 So this year there’ll be no New Years resolutions for me but instead just take each day as it goes by and show gratitude as much as possible.

Anyway, enjoy the rest of the rainy weekend!