Girlscantell wonders whether it's better to create high expectations or low ones as far as business is concerned.
High expectations is a problem for etsy, I notice. Because they go with all this community rhetoric, all this making a living by doing handmade stuff, folks start expecting things from them that they wouldn't expect if they said, we have web space, and flash toys. You sell things. It's all in how you say stuff.
That's why I'm more of a you pays your money, you gets your jewelry type. I can deliver that. I can't deliver earrings that make you ten times hotter[I've never seen you, and the sort of earring that looks best on someone changes with face shape, skin tone,etc], or bobby pins that cure flyaway hair, but I can make jewelry the best that I can and ship it pretty fast.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
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etsy,
explanations of business
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4 comments:
she expressed that quite well.
yeah, reading (lurking) through the forums these days i see what you mean. there seems to be a lot of anxiety around it all that i supposed is based on those high expectations you talk about. and from the jump i've been like you...send me the money, i send you the item. it is what it is. plain and simple.
Yea, I don't think most customers expect an engraved thank you note and ten free items because they paid $10 for some earrings.
it's hard to *not* be a business people root for sometimes, though, when you're doing something relevant and awesome. then expectations can grow beyond your control. companies like phillycarshare and etsy, they're really likable services - a locally owned and operated non-profit car sharing company that seeks to reduce the number of vehicles in the city? you *want* to like that company. it's feel-good consumerism.
if what you're doing is something people get attached to, managing expectations is tough!
(thanks for continuing the discussion!)
Yea, I can see how it would be hard to be like 'we're saving the earth/the city' and then go around and say 'hey...we have to make some cash too', but I think it's much easier to manage expectations in a simple pay for service business.
Then again, I'm worried because fast shipping has become part of my 'brand' if I move to someplace where going to the post office is more difficult...
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