So you wonder which online platform is the VERY best for selling handmade works online, because that’s the one you will join. After all, you want to be on the best because your creations are the best. Makes perfect sense. But what on earth qualifies one as the best? That’s probably a question without a definitive answer. Is it the one with the most traffic? Is it the one with purely handmade creations? Is it the one with the lowest fees? Is it the one that supports the artists on the site? I could go on and on. Certainly, there are a myriad of choices out there. Etsy started out as all handma ..read more

It’s a hurry up world. Things move so fast that many of the “little things” that ultimately mean so much have been lost in the shuffle. One of those little things that’s gone by the wayside is great customer service. Whether it is in-person or online, we all get to pick out what we want and pay for it. But where’s the smile or the thank you? I’m not talking about that automated email confirmation of the purchase or the reflexive ‘thank you’ and smile you get from the clerk.  I’m talking about the genuine interest in the shopper and their likes and needs. You would think it would be tough onlin ..read more

Hello artists and crafters! I completely understand you busy hands and imaginative brains. I am right there with you! I’ve done a few shows this year and have been busy replenishing inventory to be ready for the next. But I started to yearn for some fellowship with like minded people in my area. There are several, if not many, art groups where I live, but I just thought there had to be more.   What I found was my local chapter of Quilts of Valor.  This group makes quilts to be given to veterans all over the country.  They supply all the fabric you could want, the batting, and have volunteers ..read more

I’m a seller and a shopper. Like all shoppers, I love to get a “good deal,” saving a bit of money on things that I buy. This is especially true since I am a senior citizen on a fixed income. So when I shop on the internet, I know that it’s possible to find what I want and avoid paying any sales tax on it. Score! But, I am also a citizen of the town/county/state in which I live.  Those governmental entities provide services to which I have access – many of them could diminish or completely disappear without sales tax support.  And I want those services!  I can hear you grumbling that government ..read more