Introduction
For a pottery, like BigSkyArtworks, physical storage is more of an issue. This can cause more pressure to get rid of old items
In an earlier post I said “every piece has its buyer” which means that for every piece someone in the world will want to buy it. The challenge is finding that person who wants to buy the piece, but in theory items should never be pulled. This is not always true; sometimes a piece or item has to be pulled for several reasons. When an item is pulled from a shop that does not mean just delisting it. It means removing the item from your shop and then taking it apart for its components.
To pull an item from a shop is always difficult. It is difficult because once you pull that item it is lost income. In many cases you can salvage parts of a piece, such as a chain or stone, but in general the sheet and wire will be lost. First, you must take into account the reasons that should not be used to pull an item. Sometimes people will pull an item but not really think things through. Second, consider the actual factors that should be used when deciding whether to pull a piece or not.
Reasons Not to Pull an Item
This pendant was made in 2003 and it just sold about a week ago.
Sometimes people pull items for what I think are the wrong reasons. I personally think the following factors should not be considered when pulling a piece: the styles have changed; the item hasn’t sold in a certain amount of time; and the artist wants to use parts of the piece in something else. From a cursory glance the above reasons may seem sufficient to remove an item, although upon closer inspection they are not.
So the style of this piece has changed? Does that mean you box up and destroy all your old work? No! The style of your work is going to slowly evolve over time. Even though your style may change, there are countless buyers out there that like your old style. And what matters is not your personal style, but the style that interest your customers. If you really want to get rid of some old items that don’t exactly fit with your current work make a second online shop for them, or offer a discount price. Don’t throw them into the scrap heap right away.
Setting a time limit when something should sell by is silly. The only reason I can think of doing this is if you have an inventory problem, but that reason is weak. Sadly I have seen many online sellers on Etsy not renew items after the default listing of 3 months has expired. If I followed that rule I would have never sold anything from my Etsy shop.
I have had pieces that have taken over a decade to sell, I have pieces that have taken hours to sell. A few weekends ago I sold a cuttlebone cast pendant that I made in 2003 This pendant has been on display at over a dozen art fair and countless individual sellers had seen it. This customer saw it and it was love at first sight. Some items take longer to sell than others, and setting a time limit is just not going to work.
It is common when setting an expensive stone to have buyer’s remorse. This comes from the fact that this fancy and expensive stone is now in a piece and your are worried no one else will like it. Immediately taking apart something right after it has been made is a bad idea. Give it time before you undo a setting in order not to waste material. As stated above, even though the creator might not love the piece, it is probable that some buyer will.
Reasons to Pull an Item
I made these earrings when I first learned how to set stones. The quality of my settings are much better now, so I decided to pull this item last fall
I have three main reasons for pulling an item from my shop. The first reason is when I have piece that is of significantly lower quality then the current work I am selling. For example, when I first learned how to set stones I didn’t finish the settings the same way I do now. Many of the early settings were not soldered all the way around the base; the solder was sandpapered improperly and sometimes the bezel itself was too tall. I realized in the fall of 2010 that I had several items in my Etsy shop that had stone settings from that early period. These lower quality stone settings detracted from my higher end items. So I removed them, took out the stones and put the silver in the scrap pile.
The second reason to remove a piece and deconstruct it is because one part of the piece is too valuable for its current price. An example is setting an expensive stone in a cheap setting. Another example would be setting a $50 stone in copper or in 24 gauge silver sheet as a pendant. The stone is much more valuable then the item and should be in a nicer setting. This can also be true for chains or the material.
The third reason is if the piece is a material that I no longer use. When I first started working with metal I made several pieces with brass, copper and found materials. As my work progressed and I moved more towards silver, those items were put to the side. Even though I still have several pieces from this period I don’t sell them because they would detract from and not fit in with my current work, which is mainly in silver. This reason is different from changing style because even when your style changes you can still use the same materials.
Conclusion
Many beginner sellers can be quick to remove items, which can be a big mistake. In general it is better to keep an item posted and hope someone comes along who wants it. For more expensive items a longer posting might be necessary to get the proper traffic to make a sale. Also, remember when an online shop is first opened it can take a long time before sales can really start. Be proactive and patient.
Posted by Silver Drops Designs Blog
Hosted by Silver Drops Designs
Kate
I look forward to reading more of your posts…….when I have some spare time LOL.
