EBay Etsy Poshmark Shopify Mercari Bonanza Selling Platforms

Etsy EBay Poshmark Mercari Shopify Bonanza Selling Platforms with LilacsNDreams. Websites, domains, webstores, and there is so much out there to think about, and choose from!

I, along with many other sellers, sell their vintage collectibles, repurposed, handmade, crafts, home decor on Etsy along with other selling platforms as well. Recently Etsy put a notice out to us about Advertising, the cost, and pretty much in a nutshell we are being forced to pay for it. For those who make $10,000+ for the year will have to pay like 13%-15% of that along with the other fees we normally pay Etsy to use their platform for selling. Roughly about 25% and more will be paid if your item sells because of one of the ads. Now, for those who sell less they have what they call outside advertising which 13% will be charged along with our normal Etsy fees that are paid. For this you are suppose to be able to opt out of it, and this is the category I fall into. I have tried numerous ways to opt out of this deal following instructions I found. The system says the link is not working, or I get 1/2 way through the list, and I cannot get any further. I have tried different ways to contact support which I get told link does not work that I click on. I have read I have till March 28th to decide, and I also read I have till April 10th too. 

I am not happy at all with this! Many other sellers are in an uproar about this because of being forced to pay for advertising that is not wanted, the cost, not being given the choice to decide, etc. So, I like many others have decisions to make. Stay at Etsy, and deal with it, and most won’t be making any money for their time. Another idea that many are sharing is to move onto another place, and keep just a few things with their shops at Etsy. It’s ironic that at the same time EBay is making some changes that sellers are not happy with there either. Shopify got wind of some of the issues because many sellers at Etsy received emails with offers that they have too. 

It’s very upsetting being forced to pay for something you don’t want to use. We lost a little more control of our shoppes after working to get them where they are at now. Like I had mentioned in a group I get offers for Google Ads too. I don’t accept the offer. But, it is my choice, my decision that I am making myself for my Shoppe. 

Moving to another platform. Where to go, looking at pros and cons to different sights, cost, exposure that you would get there, getting your own webstore, getting your own domain, and many different things to consider. 

Last Sunday I spent the day with a very good friend of mine. A little thrifting, lunch, and discussing about stepping a little outside our boxes. She sells on EBay, I sell on Etsy, and maybe it’s time for us to change things a little bit. Not only the places we sell, but adding some items into what we normally sell. She showed me a few items she sold, prices, and offered some ideas to me from what she has learned. I am going back a little bit to when I first started selling on eBay years ago. Along with some of the things that I sell now I use to do fairly descent with purses too. So, I am going to start adding that in along with different pieces of clothing. 

Right now I am going to put some things at Poshmark which will be a collection of purses I have accumulated. Along with that I am going to start selling clothes items too. Their selling fee is the average of what is usually dealt with. They pay the shipping, and for these items the shipping will not be as heavy. I won’t have to use bubble wrap, and packing peanuts that I normally use. 

I’ve also looked a little into Bonanza. They have been around for awhile. I use to sell a little bit there a long time ago. I looked a little more into them yesterday. They have 3.5% fees paid with sales, they give you the option of advertising with different plans to choose. They showed a chart, and the smallest fee they showed was with the selling fee plus advertising, and it was like a total of 9%. Most places charge at least a 10% fee for sales made, and that’s only sales. No advertising, or anything else. Also, you can have a webstore with them for a fee of $25 a month. They offer more payment options than just Paypal. They had some things to consider, and think about here.

As for the advertising? I’ve gotten this far without it. I have spent a little time here, and there with promoting myself through different social media channels. I try to include back links where I can, and use hashtags where it’s permissible too. Trying to save cost, but also trying to be effective with things that will help me with exposure as well.

So, I have some ideas. I’m looking into things, researching, reading up on what others have to say and offer, testing a few things out, etc. If you have anything to share I’d be happy to hear from you as well.

LilacsNDreams will still be around, and doing what I have always done with selling online. If I feel it will be an issue adding in clothes, and purses I always have my domain for LilacsNDreams Shoppe that I can use for that if I have to. Everywhere I go, every platform I use, and anything I do I will keep you updated. Just look for LilacsNDreams because I’ll be around some where. 

Thanks for visiting with me today, and hope to see you again soon. Again, any ideas you wish to share are welcomed here. Thanks again everyone! 

Vintage Black Patent Leather Evening Bag Eitienne Aigner Shoulder Purse

Welcome to LilacsNDreams! Happy to have you, and also excited to share with you too. I just completed 2 listings for vintage purses at my Shoppe at Etsy

   Eitienne Aigner Vintage Stonebridge Fabric Canvas Shoulder Purse Handbag

Vintage Black Patent Leather Vinyl Evening Purse

Stop on over, have a look, any questions contact Me. Also, don’t forget to have fun roaming through some of the other shops too.

Thanks for visiting with LilacsNDreams! Stop by anytime to catch up, view, share a comment, etc. 

Vintage Sugar Sacks Set of 3 at Etsy

Vintage Sugar Sacks Set of 3

Welcome to LilacsNDreams! Wanted to stop by briefly to share another sale that I had with my shop at Etsy  https://www.etsy.com/shop/LilacsNDreams  Great to have this after being gone for the weekend in Arkansas. Now, to get the energy to post more items that are waiting to be placed with new homes.

Hope y’all had a fabulous weekend!

Thanks for stopping by LilacsNDreams, and hope to see you again soon. Take care everyone!

Domain and Domain Name is it Needed is it For Me

Domain and Domain Name is it Needed is it For Me

LilacsNDreams Welcomes you! Topic today is something that is often discussed, and questioned if it is really needed. The Domain, Do I need a Domain Name, is it really needed, and is it really for Me?

Many of us are sellers online, are considering selling, have chosen to work with things we enjoy, maybe you have been blogging, or maybe you are considering a website for yourself. All of us are always looking at ways to improve our sales, trying to get our name or presence out there, and just doing everything we can to make our online presence better for us to be seen and found. 

We look at different venues to sell at that we know about, or have found in our researching. Then we question just how many places should we be showing our products with. Through our readings we see things discussed about blogging, having a website, hosting, domains, having a domain name, and etc. I'll admit that it all takes time, a lot of work, and is quite confusing as well too. After time we do start seeing some results with our choices we've made.

One of the issues we will eventually come across is "Should We Buy A Domain"  I am like you, and often thought about that same question. Should I do it, or should I just forget about it? Why do it? Is it worth it? What benefits do I have with getting my own domain? Then, of course we see more cost, and expenses with doing this too. 

Is this something I really needed? Was it time to upgrade to this part of having an online presence? So, after some consideration with reading what others shared about this issue I took the plunge. As of today I have 3 domains that I have kept for a few years. I use to have more when I got caught up in things thinking I needed all of that. I considered different factors with having these domains, but mostly I considered what worked for Me. I can say that I am happy that I have done this, and kept up with the times of having the domains as well. 

I myself chose to go with GoDaddy for all of my domains. There are different choices out there, many share their opinions with this issue, everyone has their own views, and what I recommend is do what you feel comfortable with. Do what you feel works for you, and will be a good fit for what you are planning to do. Cost is something to look at, how many domains do you really want, and also how easy is it to direct your domain? If you point it one way will it be easy to redirect it to another way if you change your mind? Different little things like that.

Few things to think about when having your own domain:

1)  Use Your Blog -  I direct 1 of my domains to my Blog. It is much easier to remember the domain address compared to the longer blog address you start with. Also, it looks really good on business cards that you may have printed eventually for your use. I like to treat my Blog like a website for Me with my links shared that I sell at, social medias to find me, and etc 

2)   Landing Page - Show information about yourself, list your links, list your web pages, note your venues that you maybe are using, list your social networking information, etc. Having a domain would be a great choice if you have multiple blogs, websites, venues, etc. Use the domain for a landing page you can then share your other links with that you choose.

3)   Professional Page - Your Online Business, Your Domain

Having, and using a YourName.com makes it easier to find you, and to remember you  too. Keep the traffic coming to you, and it works to helping finding you with internet searches, inquiries, etc. 

There are many ideas for choosing the domain name that you want. Some have chosen to use their own personal name...Like maybe a writer would do. Some choose a name according to what they are selling at the time, some choose according to their interest, likes, and etc. It's hard to choose a name that is memorable, something that you like, and something that hopefully others will remember too. It does get frustrating because you can have a name figured out, and find that someone else has it. 

How did I choose my name? It started years ago when I started selling online with Ebay. It was a unique name I finally came up with after many many attempts with other names already being used. When I got into blogging is when I decided to get a domain as it kind of locks it in for me having that name. Over time the name with my domain has become mine with Google Searches, and other searches as well. I don't have many expenses with all that I do. I try to keep my cost low as I have never really become anything big for what I do. The one expense I have had every year is having my domains, and of course the little things like business cards, and etc. Having these domains has been a small price compared to what it could be, and maybe could be some day. It helps with the branding of my name as well. As of right now....till I decide differently, I only have my domain with GoDaddy. I have not done hosting, or anything else. Times are changing, and maybe I will too. Till then I have chosen to stay with what I have been doing.

How many of you have a domain that you have bought? Are you happy with it, and with the service provider you chose? Maybe you are still considering this subject too. I hope that maybe this little bit I've shared with you will maybe better help you with your domain decisions that you make, and the researches that you do about it. Hopefully it gave you a few things to consider, and maybe more questions to ask about as well.

Thanks for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams!  Stop by anytime to visit!

   

Vintage Collectibles Blue Glass Diamond Ring Etsy

Welcome to LilacsNDreams! I have been busy trying to respond to people, do some listings with my Etsy shop, and working on my LilacsNDreams Shoppe page here too. Whew! So far it's all going well. Pictures of 3 items I have listed to give you an idea of some things I am listing right now. 

Son left this morning to go back to base, unfortunately. He was not happy to go, but duty calls. So, now here I am doing all of this. 

When you have a chance hop on over to my page LilacsNDreams Shoppe to see what I am doing with that page...tab at the top of here to click on too. You can also visit with my Etsy Shop too. Get an idea of what vintage things I have been listing there. Soon...I hope real soon...that I will be able to start listing my crafty items that I have worked on as well. Table is cleared off, and I am hoping to start being constructive with things again. 

Wishing you ALL a fabulous weekend! Have fun, be safe, and see you again soon!

Christmas Handmade DIY Repurpose Home Decor

Welcome to LilacsNDreams! Christmas Handmade DIY Repurpose Home Decor. Thanksgiving has passed, and I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving too. The belly has been filled, and the anticipation for the next holiday has expanded just a little bit more. I like many others are excited for the Christmas season.

Christmas is my favorite holiday to celebrate, share, and enjoy. It has much meaning for many people. It's a time of year that the weather changes, many festivities are scheduled to celebrate this holiday, and the mood changes a bit for many too. 

If I was doing my online sales...like I use to...I would be busy right now with that too. People buying for gift giving, and some are treating themselves to special gifts. Many are filling their homes with  decor for the season or just because, and many are also getting things together to craft with as well. 

I enjoy my vintage collectibles that I collect, or sometimes will sell too. I also enjoy decorating, and crafting some of the decorations that I find. Last week I showed you a glass vase I had decorated with different things. Since I shared that I have also added some white fairy lights to the arrangement. The soft glow of the light brings out some of the blue, and glitter a bit more too. 

This week I am going to share with you my latest project I have been working with. I'm almost done. I have enough to share one completed item, and to share some of the things being used for the second item too. I love the Dollar Tree Store. I can purchase many things there to add in with decorations, and to craft with too. For this project I bought some 8X10 picture frames. I already had the spray paint at home. I had some Christmas ribbon, I purchased some ornaments, and I found some Christmas gift tags from another store to use too. Step in a little closer to have a look at the pictures below showing my progress so far. 

I bought 2 of these 8X10 pictures frames that you see. 

I removed the plastic wrap, the glass, and the backing. Once that was done I spray painted both sides of this a white color. 

In this picture you can see 1 of the picture frames completed. After the paint had dried on the frame. I glued in the corner a blue glitter ribbon bow that I made. I made this one simple, and just added 2 different gift tags, and a snowflake letter clip to the bow. 

In this picture I am showing the complete picture frame again along with some extra items at the bottom of the frame. While the other frame is drying fully for me to work with I prepared a red ribbon to put on that one. The second picture frame is white also. Now, after I attach the bow I have some decisions to make about what else to decorate with. The ornament is a green, and silver bulb with a pine cone design on it. Next to that is another older ornament that has mini pine cones, a mini white lace doily behind that, and some red ribbon that has some old gold bells at the bottom of them. I'm also considering using some gift tags again. Not quite sure how it will turn out yet. Don't want to make it too heavy that it won't hang right either. 

I enjoy the Christmas season. I so enjoy adding touches to things I already have, or maybe restyling some things I find within the Dollar Tree, and Thrift Stores too. Sometimes it's a gift for someone else, and many times it's for my pleasure too.

Now to see what else I can get into for crafting with this wonderful holiday. I know some people are bahumbug with the season, but sometimes I feel like I come alive with some of my creative juices.

Thanks again for visiting with LilacsNDreams! I enjoy your visits, and look forward to you dropping by again. Take care till the next time everyone. 

  

Writing Your Listings or Descriptions For Your Products

Writing Your Listings or Descriptions For Your Products that you are offering for sale online.

Welcome to LilacsNDreams, and happy to see you!

Writing Your Listings or Descriptions For Your Products is where we are going to try to focus with today's topic. This is about the text the you use that will help in advertising your product. The listing you create can help you with making your sale. 

When you write your listings you need to understand what your customer's needs are, and what they are wanting to get from your products you offer. In your listings you want to help them see the results of the product, and why they should buy it. You want to share about your products offered their size, their length, how you made it, materials used, etc etc. While doing this you also need to make your customer realize the benefit, and the pleasure of them owning your products too.

If you can help identify what the customer is hoping to gain from owning your products you offer you are letting them know that you do understand what their needs may be, and what their desires are also. You want to make this about the customer as well. 

When doing your listings it helps to think like the customer. Think about how you shop as a customer. You want your customers to be pleased, happy, and comfortable with their purchases they are receiving. 

Try to have a clear picture of how the customer will benefit, and what their end result will be with owning products you offer. Try to practice putting the customers needs first. Try to switch your focus from just making a sale to the service of your customers. 

Key elements to effective writing are the What, the Why, and the How. 

The WHAT is the basic features of what your product is, what it's made of, what it measures, and etc. This should be the first paragraph of your listing descriptions. Try to make this short, and sweet if you can as you are leading them into the Why of your products. 

With the WHY of your listing you would like to describe to your customers the benefits of of the product that you are offering. This is one place to think like the customer to help them envision them having your product, using it, and what uses they can have from it in their homes. Try to give them a picture that they can envision from your description that you are offering. You are giving them the product in their mind simply because you offered a form of a visual for them to see. 

When it comes to the HOW of your description this is where you the seller come into the picture of your listing. Pretty much here you tell the customer how you are able to answer their questions or their needs, and confirm this is why you are the person to buy from. 

When you write your listings you want the customer to feel that you understand what their needs, desires, and wants are. These types of descriptions can add to the life of your photos, and listings. Your are helping the customer envision having your product in their world.   

Remember to also visit with Lisa at Market Your Creativity to follow some of her suggestions, and what she is sharing as well.

Thanks so much for sharing your time with LilacsNDreams, and it has been great to see you here too! Hope to see you again soon. Take care everyone, and have a Happy Day!

Small Business Saturday Cyber Monday Black Friday

Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday along with things from Black Friday are happening all weekend. This is a big weekend for retail shops, but also for all those who sell online too. If you are able to please be supportive of those who sell online. Visit, see what they have to offer, window shop online, look around and get some ideas, and you know. 

Hey, how was Thanksgiving for ya'll? I know, some are still celebrating during the weekend, and many are dealing with left overs too. How them tummies feeling...LOL:) 

I was just stopping by quickly to leave a small note here for now. I have a mess of items to organize that I pulled from the closet, and get them ready to list. If you want you can visit my LilacsNDreams Shoppe page where I show pictures, links to purchase, or I have been slowly adding in but it now buttons to purchase here too. I also have items listed with Ecrater, Etsy, and some items are going into Ebay with the holiday season. 

Hope ya'll are enjoying your weekend, have some where to be, someone to be with, family, friends, travels, and etc....enjoy it all everyone. Thanks for visiting with LilacsNDreams today. Take care, and see you all again soon. 

LilacsNDreams Shoppe Page Being Updated on Blog

LilacsNDreams Shoppe Page Being Updated on Blog

Hello, and Welcome everyone to LilacsNDreams! Shopping in stores, Online Shopping, Thrift Stores, and so on. We all enjoy shopping them, and we all enjoy bargains too. Online Shopping is a very hard business to deal with, takes a lot of work, a lot of time, and eventually over time depending on what your goals are things can be good for you too.  Yes, having a brick and mortar store is also much work, and that I won't deny. But, there is a bit of difference from the physical to online as we learn over time too.

I am a slow bloomer I guess. I have done Online Sales since 2004 where I first started with Ebay. I enjoyed the hunting of products, finding good deals...some of them stayed home with Me:) But, I always enjoyed shopping, and digging for just the right items to be offered at Ebay to sell. Since then I have moved on. I still sell occasionally with Ebay, but I have moved more products over to Ecrater, Etsy, and some things with Artfire too. Lower fees, better sites, little bit more control of things you can do, and more opportunity as well. As I moved on I also had the need for something else I should be doing. I then got into repurposing, upcycling, recycling, and reusing items to make different pieces for the home. I adore vintage, glassware, pretty things, and have been enjoying what I have done so far with different pieces. I am selective with items found to use, and sometimes I think I am too selective. But, if I would be happy to have it used/displayed with my own home, then I feel it is ready to offer to others as well. 

At some point I thought it would always be a great accomplishment if I could have my own website too. Whew! Has anyone ever really checked into those, what it takes, the cost of things, all the coding, the complications, the different hosts being offered, domains, shopping carts, etc, and etc. It can get really spendy. Well, I am one who has always tried to save a penny where I could, but still have the advantages of what some others might be offering too. I do have a website I have been working with slowly....very slowly really. I have enjoyed working so much with my blog, and what I can do with it. The more I learn, and teach myself the more I enjoy it. As many of you can see at the top I have tabs to different pages I have added with my blog. I did these pages in a way that we could all still interact on them, and that when I wanted to make changes, add things, remove things, and etc....that they would work for what I needed them to do. So, right now I am doing the best way I know to do things, what I have taught myself, and making things simple for everyone too. 

As of today...still a working progress, and things will change as I move along with it. My secondary page to my blog that I focus with is my LilacsNDreams Shoppe. Here I have always shown pictures of items I am offering in my shops, and I leave clickable links for everyone to visit so that they can view more pictures, see more details, and so on. Wasn't trying to hide anything from anyone on this landing page of my blog, my main page here, but I also did not want this to become all about business with my blog either. That is where different pages I wanted were slowly added in for different interests, and to keep some things a bit separate from the next one as well. 

Anyway, I have now started to add buy it now buttons to items I am showing on my Shoppe page. No shopping cart yet, it is all a working progress for me. Learning, trying things out, and looking at shopping carts as well. Paypal offers them, and there are others that also offer them for sites as well. But, for me it is a start, a working progress. So, when you get a chance hop on over to see what I have done so far with my LilacsNDreams Shoppe page. If you have any ideas please share them as I am still learning, and many others are also learning as well. Some day (one of my goals) I am hoping to mostly be selling from my Blog/Website, and not having to deal with the extra shops, rules, glitches, and etc. Anyway, till then....have a look, and I hope you enjoy what I have started with so far. 

Take care everyone, and thanks so much for visiting with LilacsNDreams. I know I generally don't post on Tuesdays, and this comes a little later in the morning than what I schedule, but hope it finds you all doing well. I am sure the rush is on in preparations for the holiday, travel, and etc. Be safe everyone, and enjoy!:) See you again soon.