Etsy Update Tag

Well, I’ve been keeping this one very quiet for the past couple of months but I’m so happy to share with you all that we are expecting a baby boy due in August! Honestly, my heart is already filled with so much love and we can’t wait to meet our baby boy.

What does this mean for my shops? I’ll be taking a year out to look after a tiny human being (I don’t think I can run them on 0 sleep!). So I’ll be having a sale next month as I need to make space and raise some funds before I go on maternity leave. I’ll be closing my shop at the end of June as I want to take a well-rested break as much as I can before the baby is due. My Society6 shop will still be running though, so if you’re looking for gifts and homeware things have a look here.

I’m sure I’ll be spamming you all with lots of baby photos here and on Instagram.

Until then, keep your eyes out for my sale in my Etsy, Folksy and Urban Makers shops.

Thanks again for reading as always and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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?

Hello folks and hope you’re enjoying a long and slow weekend. My plan for this weekend is to cook some more Chinese dishes (The Woks of Life is such a good website for authentic Chinese food), listen to NTS, have a nice long soak and to look after my houseplants (so far so good, they’re all doing well.)

I am currently having a small discount over on Etsy. There’s currently 10% off on all orders and free p&p on orders over £20.00 too from now until the end of April.

Now that lockdown is easing shops, eateries and watering holes are now opening up- which is fab. Of course, supporting small businesses and shopping local is all the more important.

Lovely image by Angela Chick Illustration

Just a Card  is  a grassroots campaign to promote small businesses and to encourage people to support their local shops. I think it’s all the important folks shop wisely and to seek out local shops and businesses.

Stay safe and take care. ✌️✌️

Hi folks,

Hope you’re having a lovely weekend wherever you are in the world. This weekend has been none productive and tbf I’m absolutely not complaining, I’ve been enjoying these times where it’s nice just to hanging out at home (I mean, not like there’s anywhere to go rn). It snowed quite heavily this afternoon and our street was just this perfect picture; all still, soft and light fluffy snow sitting quietly over the trees and flowers. I say this like it’s picturesque and the reality of it is that the snow has now turned to a slushy sleet 😂🤣😂.

I made this piece of artwork last night and I’m really happy with the way it’s turned out. It started out as a thumbnail as it was initially a response to the UK government giving the heads up for EU-banned pesticides to be used. I decided to use the thumbnail and make a bigger piece with it and the meaning of it has slightly changed. It’s a timely reminder of the current situation the world is in at the moment- how everything is transient and nothing stays the same. Just like the seasons, time moves on and we grow, learn and adapt to changes. We’re also in danger of destroying and crushing the natural environment too,  we should really be using our knowledge and the technology that exists to protect the environment. It’s easier said that done and I know that I’m saying it in simplistic terms, but we all have some responsibility of ensuring that the world we live in today is protected and preserved for future generations. I’m also ready for spring and summer to come as I’m missing the warmer weather!

‘The Circle of Life’ is available as an A4 and A3 print. I’m currently not despatching any A3 prints for the time being as our local post offices are closed for the rest of the month. Plus it’s easier to post smaller items via the postbox (which has been an absolute gem throughout this pandemic). I’m also not sending anything out internationally due to good old Brexit. I’ll see how things turn out in the next couple of weeks as I’m hearing news about items being stuck in customs and then being returned to the sender (I just don’t have the time and effort for this).

Anyway, enjoy the rest of your Sunday and take care.

 

Happy 2021 everyone! Hope you all had a festive and exciting New Year’s Eve and New Years Day (I’ve still got a splitting headache and feeling slightly gippy due to too many glasses of champagne…) After doing a bit of research about the new conditions for importing to non-EU and EU countries, I have decided not to post internationally now that we’ve left the EU 🇪🇺. The main reason why is that, economically and logistically, it makes no sense for me to spend loads of admin time and costs to sending things abroad especially when things are still up in the air. I am happy to be filling out the CN22 form but I’ve come to the conclusion that I’d rather spend my energy making more of a mark here in the UK and to focus on growth here. I do feel like I’m shooting myself in the foot here by alienating the international market (I’ve had loads of US orders via Etsy all through their algorithms); most of the traffic has been through people searching via Etsy and I’ve had to do little promotion outside of Etsy.

I’ll continue to grow my products and make more beautiful artwork this year. My main goal for the year is to expand my product line and potentially take part in markets (if it’s possible). It just makes me a little bit sad having to say goodbye to potential customers.😥😥😥 I don’t think it’s worth the risk right now and I’m sure there are a lot of small business owners who are also in similar position like myself.

I would like to hear from you in the comments below if you’re an indie business owner. Are you continuing to ship abroad? If not, what are your reasons?

Enjoy the rest of your day and wishing you a wonderful weekend!