It's Valentine's day and I think my love affair with Etsy is well and truly over.
My discontent has been brewing for a few months and last week I closed my jewellery shop there, leaving my only presence on Etsy my 'elinart' shop. This week I have had two customers ask for jewellery and when they found out the price, they declined. For me this is the nub of my Etsy dilemma....success is starting to come my way, new galleries and boutiques are regularly approaching me for sales and exhibitions. I want to move up a gear and achieve decent prices! But I'm asking myself, "How far can I go on Etsy?"
Sadly, long-term it's got no potential for craftspeople with ambition and the desire to build a real reputation. There is excellent quality work there but it's in a small minority. I think this is one of the main factors in my decision. I thought of the type of customer I want to buy my work. What if they saw my work in the context of Etsy? It just doesn't add up.
If I want to get into more prestigious galleries and attract customers who want couture jewellery, it's a positive step for me to make my product more exclusive. Last week, my jewellery, which I put my heart and soul into, was sandwiched between a 'vintage' crochet thong and a 'hello kitty' cuff. It just doesn't add up anymore.
