Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Sad to say, but its goodbye to Folksy

After months of dilly dallying around,  I have finally shut up shop on Folksy.

IF ITS IMPORTANT TO YOU, YOU FIND A WAY.
IF IT'S NOT YOU FIND AN EXCUSE


It is with a heavy heart I have made this decision, and as the phrase above says, I have been finding excuses for ages, to find a way to make folksy work again for me. I haven't managed it,  so its obviously no longer that important to me.

It was, when I first opened my shop I was on all the time checking if people had viewed my items, I started with listing tiaras and jewellery as Diamante Dream and then WellydogDesigns. But then when I was off sick from work a couple of Christmas's ago with a bad case of Vertigo,  I saw a thread on the forums, from the wonderful and very supportive, Brenda from Gweddus Art , about aceo's.   I just had to have a go,  I hadn't painted for some time, but when I started painting again you just couldn't stop me.  I got sale after sale and I would have only just finished listing them and they would have gone. I started painting more and more and the paintings got bigger and bigger and it gave me such a lot of confidence, so much so  that when I lost my job last year,  I jumped at the opportunity of getting my own studio at a local craft centre.

But then the changes came on folksy.  It  caused a lot of bad feeling in the forums,  where there had used to be support.  This was then followed by listing problem,  and I could not list anything for weeks on end.  I missed not being able to see how many views an item had and Google analytics, was saying nobody was ever visiting. This was proved right when sales just plummeted and my plans for a good online Christmas to help support me through the winter months at the studio, disappeared.
Things seem to pick up so I stared listing again.  But,  I am not getting any views, or sales and then last week when I became aware that there had been another change, I started to realise that this just isn't working for me, any more.

I frankly don't have the time to make it work for me. I have a lot in my life going on at the moment both professionally and privately and I feel I need to do a whole lot of research on how to Tag my items correctly and masses of promotion,  just to get them noticed. I need to learn how to use google analytics more effectively , find out how the new changes on paypal may affect me and my seller rights, and goodness only knows how many other things I may have missed by not being on the forums daily any more.

Honestly I wish Folksy the very best in the future,  I am grateful for the opportunity it afforded me.  But they are no longer on the same path as me.  For what its worth.  I think the changes have meant they lost their quirky individuality which I thought was a strong selling point, in a market place full of the same faceless corporate sites. I also think that new people will not get the opportunities I got from it as it is no longer easy to use and confusing for newbies to get their initial sales and learn and grow from the experiences on a friendly and supportive site.

It not a complete goodbye as I haven't closed my account as I still want to support others there, with any buying I may want to do,  (if I can find what I want). And if its ok with you I would like to also occasionally check in on the forums to catch up with good friends.  You never know when my life settles down I may have the time to sort things out, I may be back.

If you want to find me now I'm on Etsy  and I will be stocking my shop with more items soon

37 comments:

  1. Oh gosh, so sad to see you've made this decision, but good to see you're not leaving us for good. Good luck in your future ventures and take care x

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  2. Sorry to see you go, but glad you'll still be around on the forums. Am now following you. Good luck for the future. x

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  3. Wow this is so honest and I think you have made the right decision. But how fantastic that your little aceo's have led to the life of a painter! Wishing you every success Janice - you have inspired me in so many ways so I am glad that you are still going to be around. I think you have voiced what many of us feel xxxxxx cherry tree

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  4. Sad to see you leave Folksy, but will continue to see you in lots of other places on the internet. To be honest, ACEO's are lovely, but no professional artist could afford to do them long term, the return is not high enough. When you start out you do everything offered to you, but there comes a time when you have to start saying no to certain things. I have just turned down a load of illustrating work, simply because the deadline was unreasonably short and I just couldn't fit it in and meet my other commitments!

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  5. Very sorry to hear this Janice but I do fully understand your reasons, I miss the old days on Folksy too, so much has changed and not for the better as far as I can see. I hope you do still visit us on the forum when you can (especially on the art threads!)
    I still treasure the beautiful ACEOs I was lucky enough to be able to buy from you in the good old days and I'll see you around in other places hopefully and of course I'll still be following you on this blog. Wishing you every success with your studio and everything else you do, good luck!

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  6. SOOOO sad to see you go, you know how much I love your paintings, and it was your turtle ACEO that inspired me in the first place to attempt ACEO's myself, although with embroidery as I can't paint for toffee!

    I wish you every success and please, Please, PLEASE keep in touch! I wish I lived nearer, so I could come to your studio and maybe you could help me to get over my painting hurdles!

    Sending you all my love and virtual hugs,

    Natalie x

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  7. Janice- such a sad day to see you leave, but your reasoning makes total sense. I think the new folksy only seems to work if you have the time to give to it. You were one of the first people to give me support and advice on the forums when I first joined so thank you :)
    Hope your studio continues to be successful.
    Louisa x

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  8. Hello Janice - sorry to hear that you won't be selling on Folksy any more - but the very best of luck with your Etsy shop - just off to have a look...

    Julia x

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  9. Sorry to hear this but wishing you all the best :) Hx

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  10. I was going to close it - blogged for peoples views on the site and then decided to give it a go - but I know I dont like it so I too will be closing the folksy shop. Etsy is just far more user friendly and a nicer experience :)

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  11. Sad to read about you closing your Folksy shop, but I completely understand why. Wishing you lots of luck on Etsy (I've just joined there too, as I'm sure you know) and of course with your studio.

    Elaine

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  12. I'll be seeing you on Twitter and on Etsy so this is more of a good luck in future endevours than a Goodbye ! hugs X

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  13. So Folksy loose yet another good one! their loss.

    Glad to be seeing more of you with us on Etsy though, you already know what an inspiration you are to me.

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  14. Sorry to see that you're going Janice, we will miss you. I totally understand your reasons, and empathise as I feel Folksy is nto what it used to be too. I don't go on the forums as often as I used to, mostly because I am busy, but even when I do the promotion still isn't paying off. I Wish you all the best with your Etsy shop, and will still be keeping an eye on your blog too! Very best wishes with everything, Sally x

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  15. I just wanted to say hi and good luck here too.
    I hope your studio does amazingly well, and your classes are always full.

    Donna (Maisy Lee Designs)
    x x x

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  16. Sorry to see you go. Quite understand your reasons. Hope to see you in the Forums from time to time. Best of luck for the future.
    :-(

    Didy (aka BonnyLass)

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  17. I too will be sorry to see you go, but totally understand the reasons why. All the best for the future, I'll keep and eye out for you on Twitter and will follow your blog too :-)
    Chrissy aka Raven's Stained Glass

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  18. Sorry to see you go good luck in the future

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  19. It's a sad day when another great seller leaves Folksy, It's not a complete good bye as I will see you around Etsy. I know exactly how you feel I couldn't get Folksy to work for me either with similar problems as you have experienced, hence I shut my shop a couple of months ago and I can honestly say I haven't looked back. I hope the studio is a great success and see you on etsy!

    Michelle C Shell Cards

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  20. See you on Etsy & Twitter and I plan to swing past your studio this year too! It is Folksy's loss and you are so right that they will end up with a faceless corporate site with no character at all :o(

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  21. I completely get where you're coming from and don't blame you for closing shop there. My own Folksy shop is in holiday mode for the time being because I just don't know where my current arty path is taking me.
    Wishing you all the best for Etsy and continued success in your studio with your classes (how I wish I could come to one of your classes!)
    Zoe - Top Floor Treasures x

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  22. So sorry you're going, you will be missed. I agree with what you're saying. Folksy is not working for me , the rare sales I get seem to be on FB. I have a shop on ETSY so need to work on that.
    Good luck Janice, see you on ETSY !

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  23. good luck Janice

    I couldn't agree with you more about your reasons why you're shutting up shop on Folksy.

    Off to add your Etsy shop to my fav's :)

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  24. Sorry to read this but I understand you completely. Folksy no longer brings in the views for lots of sellers anymore. It has certainly gone down hill. Including my shop too.

    Come along and join many of us on Etsy. You won't regret it and you will see so many familiar faces from Folksy too.

    I wish you all the best for the future no matter what you decide.

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  25. Don't worry about leaving Janice… most people, including me, are finding things very slow on there indeed. Besides, you've done fantastically well with making a career out of something you love. You're an inspiration to us all.

    Good luck,

    Paul

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  26. It is a shame it has gone that way on Folksy, but I'm sure your choice is the right one. It's lovely to keep in touch via twitter etsy and facebook though! Wishing you loads of success in the future,

    Hannelore x

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  27. im so sorry that you are leaving, but at the same time i completely understand and in your position, i think i would be doing exactly the same.

    i wish you all the very best of luck outside of folksy....but i dont reckon you need luck, you have talent, skill and loveliess (a massively underrated attribute!) in oodles :o)

    x

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  28. It is heartbreaking & a dilemma that many of us are still feeling torn about. Well done for reaching a decision & I wish you every success with this next phase!

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  29. Good luck at Etsy. Your talent will take your far :o)
    Totally understand your reasons but will be sad to see you go.

    {Dab and a dash.}

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  30. Have featured one of your fab paintings, and links to you blog and Etsy shop, on my blog today:
    http://inspiralsilver.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/wordless-wednesday_21.html
    Hope this sends some Etsy traffic your way :-) xx

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  31. You'll be sorely missed, Janice, but I totally understand your reasons for going. Wishing you all the very best with your other endeavours. Hugs, Rosie. xxxxx

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  32. I know what you mean Janice - its not easy!!! but its not good bye will keep in touch, via twitter, facebook etc :-)

    Hazel

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  33. I totally understand your thinking Janice, and I'll see you over at Etsy :)

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  34. Great post Janice and I think its such a shame that so many people have closed on Folksy (including myself) when it used to be a great place to sell and buy. Wishing you lots of luck in the future and see you over at Etsy!

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  35. Sorry to see you go but I totally understand. Folksy is really letting a lot of us down. I haven't been on there for ages, I find it hard to find my way around just my own little space now! I spend time tagging my photos but you upload and it all disappears! And just what is with that bumpf at the top of "my own admin place" that you can't get rid of! I'm doing better on FB and Ebay!

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  36. Hi Janice,

    Thank you for posting your thoughts. I totally understand your frustration with the re-design. It would be really good to understand more about what you mean by "the good old days" of Folksy. A number of people have made the same reference. What do you mean?

    It seems with some of our selling customers we've made some mistakes and we'd like to put that right. We have the weekly Q&A on the forums which is helping us to get your feedback more directly, but perhaps we could have a session for disaffected Folksy sellers to understand why we're not working well enough for you and your ideas on how we could improve? I'm up for having a live web-chat or some such thing. Or perhaps a specific Q&A?

    We still believe we do some things really well but these don't seem to be noticed (in which case maybe we should put our resources elsewhere?). And it's fair to say we can't compete with the likes of Etsy as they have a huge amount of venture capital funding. We have to try and be different by design, think differently, and not ape them. We believe we have good ideas for how to do that but we'd welcome yours too.

    Thanks,

    James @ Folksy

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