Saturday, October 31, 2009

The Dilemma of Being a Fancy Button

QUESTION #1: If you wanted to revitalize your well-loved lady's coat or jacket, OR you wanted to create a knit capelet, OR close the flap on a knit purse with a STUNNING BUTTON, what Search terms would you write in your favorite search engine?

When I posted my first 2 Buttons in my online Etsy jewelry store, I had to categorize them as "Supplies" or "Jewelry." But which???

NOTE: The only differnce between these items as supplies/buttons vs jewlery/pendants is the location of the loop! I felt like I had created Jewelry, but which word would a shopper use to Search? I learned that on Etsy a shopper would look under Supplies, not Jewelry, for even a fancy button. So I tossed my gut feeling that I had created Jewelry & labeled them Supplies for Etsy.

Which brings up...

QUESTION #2: Would you pay $32 & $38, respectively, for these "Supplies/Buttons"? If not, what would you pay if the loop were on the top edge, making them "Jewelry/Pendants"?

Which brings up...

QUESTION #3: Why not move the loop from the back to the upper rim & sell them as "Pendants"? Check Search results for "handmade designer buttons" vs "handmade designer pendants" to see why.

MY REVISED STRATEGY is to post maybe 3-4 wonderful jewelry-quality button designs in my shop among the handmade jewelry items, hoping that shopper Searches on "buttons" will find my shop. Searches on jewelry words certainly haven't. Thank God for loyal, local fans & 4 boutiques. The online market is a major challenge for jewelry artists unless Oprah discovers us.

So it's not easy being a fancy button, trapped between 2 worlds! Plus I feel I'm in uncharted waters by adding my new product line& I can't swim.

Cheryl Z's online stores: Seattle Chic and Classic Beadwear

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