How to deal with a bad review on Etsy shop?How to deal with a bad review on Etsy shop?

Getting a bad review on Etsy can be very disappointing. Here are some steps to take when a situation like this occurs.

1. Stop and think.
It is best to think carefully about the situation before making a sudden response either directly or indirectly, which in some cases may contribute negatively to the situation.

Sometimes, letting the entire situation go and moving on can be the best option then you will no longer need to be scrolling further into this inculcative post.

2. Contact the buyer/reviewer

You can address a bad review by reaching out to the buyer/person who left the review and see if they’d be willing to help you better address the issue they reference in the review. This may lead to a buyer editing their review.

If you’re unable to resolve the issue to your or the buyer’s favor, you can choose to learn from the situation and move on.

Always remember reviews are people’s opinions and people will always have opinions.

Totally out of the seller’s control.
Furthermore, not everyone can be pleased which means its officially not the end of the world.
If that still didn’t work.

3. Publicly respond to the review on the Etsy Website.
As a last resort, you are able to respond publicly to reviews with ratings of three or fewer stars.
Remember you are given one shot at this.

After submitting your response, the entire rating & review of the buyer, and your response will no longer be editable.

Since your response will be public and viewable by other shoppers, here are some tips from Etsy when responding:

• Be short and simple.

• Respond in a positively and professionally

• Be specific in addressing the concerns from the review and any changes you made as a result.

• Focus on your business, not the reviewer.

Thanks for reading
Please leave your questions and comments below.

How to Crochet?How to Crochet?

Having a hobby which is a viable skill these days can be fun and profitable. Learning how to Crochet actually benefits you in more ways than one, in fact, it is a great stress reliever. Here is a basic outline of learning how to Crochet.
Firstly you must ensure you have the basic requirements to start your first crochet project.

Basic things needed:

• Worsted-weight yarn, any color or colors

• Size G crochet hook; Yarn needle with big eye
• Small scissors

slip knot
Step 1: Hold a crochet hook in the preferred hand and make a slip knot on the hook.

slip knot 2
Step 2: Bring yarn over hook from back to front and grab it with the hook.

one chain stitch
Step 3: Draw hooked yarn through slip knot and onto the hook. This makes one chain stitch.
Repeat Steps 2 and 3 in sequence 28 more times. You should have 29 chain stitches and one loop will remain on hook.

chain
Step 4: Skip the first chain stitch.

first row
Step 5: Insert hook into the center of the next chain stitch. Draw yarn through the chain stitch and up onto the hook. There are now 2 loops on hook.

one single crochet stitch
Step 6: Bring yarn over hook from back to front, and draw it through both loops on hook. One loop remains on the hook, and you have just made one single crochet stitch.
Repeat Steps 5 and 6 in each of the remaining 27 chains — be sure to work in the very last chain. You have now completed one row of single crochet. Measure your work; it should be about 7″ wide. If it is too wide, try again with fewer beginning chains. If it is too narrow, try again with more beginning chains.

end of row
Step 7: At the end of the row, make one chain stitch, then turn the work counter-clockwise, leaving the hook in the chain.
Now you can begin another row, working into the stitches of the previous row.

turn for next row
Step 8: Make one single crochet stitch in the first stitch and in each remaining stitch of the previous row. Be sure to work into the last stitch. Chain 1, turn.
work to the last stitch
Repeat Step 8 until the block measures 9″ long.

Finishing: Cut the yarn from the skein, leaving a 6″ end. Draw the hook straight up, bringing the yarn through the remaining loop on the hook.
leave 6 in. tail

Thread yarn into yarn needle and weave back and forth through stitches to secure.
Hope this guide was helpful.
Your comments and questions are welcomed.

Rainy Day Craft Fun for Everyone.Rainy Day Craft Fun for Everyone.

Rainy days can be a drag for children and adults alike. Despite the weather outside though, there is fun to be had inside as well. Rainy days are the perfect time to break out the arts and crafts that will drive away the rainy day dreariness. Crafts are perfect for all ages and ensures that nobody is left out.

Crafts for Small Children.

Children age two and up can sit at the table with paper and crayons. While the younger children may not have a long attention span, coloring will help to keep a child entertained when it is not feasible to play outside. Cut out some shapes on paper and let the children decorate the shapes. For more fun, break out some glitter markers and some stickers. Foam is also a good option for younger children. Foam does not tear easily and is very versatile which makes it a good material for young children to craft with.

Crafts for school aged children.

Children who are attending school are likely more adept at handling items such as scissors and glue. Popsicle sticks are a great item to have on hand for rainy days. Popsicle sticks can be used to build houses, picture frames and many other things. The possibilities are unlimited and your child’s creativity is the limit. Paints are also a good idea. Lay out some paint, brushes, paper and some water and paper towels for cleanup and let your kids paint the day away.
If the children are in middle or high school, they are adept at doing more than coloring or painting. Craft ideas for older children include painting on a canvas, scrapbooking and other paper crafts, as well as building crafts out of wood and other items. Cross stitching and fabric arts are good deterrents from the weather outside as they are time consuming.

Crafts for adults.

There are many different crafts that adults can do. Jewelry making and scrapbooking are two of the most popular activities. Sewing, whether by hand or machine, is an activity that can take up a lot of time and therefore drive away the rainy day blues.
Crafting does not have to be and is not age oriented. There are many different craft types, with different levels of difficulty available for pre-school age children all the way through adulthood. Keeping craft supplies on hand will make a rainy day easier on everyone.
Please leave your comments and questions below.

What to do when you find another Etsy shop using your photos without your permission?What to do when you find another Etsy shop using your photos without your permission?

From my point of view as an expert in the industry. Just like any normal discrepancy between two individuals in the real world, it is best to first try to settle the dispute/disagreement as grown adults by trying to talk to the party at fault if proven futile then you escalate the matter to higher authorities.
Sometimes it is not a matter of the party at fault being presumptuous but it is most times due to ignorance of the fact. Hence It may save you the time and effort of reporting and following up which sometimes takes a little while to get your desired response.

According to Etsy’s Infringement Policies after reporting the faulted party, upon Etsy’s investigation if the report is of a fact, Etsy will revoke and/or disable access to the alleged infringing material, then contact the faulted party as a notification of the report and removal of the infringed material in question. In such contact notification, Etsy also encourages the party at fault to contact the party that reported the claim of infringement and vice-versa to try settling the claim considerably as situations like these are very serious and can be a thorn in both parties foot.

To simplify Etsy encourages infringement claims to be solved directly between the two parties. Which is the best option?
As a market regardless of its virtual aspect. Everyone is required to be their brother’s keeper and personally, I don’t think anyone should attempt to set their brother up for a fall even though it does happen.

As a result, it is best to first reach out to the party deemed to be at fault. In fact, talking things out first also gives you the probability of meeting a new friend or customer/client and also not limited to you supplying such party with the said materials at a cost who knows the world is round from what we know.
Please leave your questions, concerns, and comments below.

How to make homade soaps?How to make homade soaps?

We all use soap. In the old days, most people made their own. Today, we are much more likely to buy it from the store. There are lots of brands to choose from, and each brand has various formulations and scents.

But making your own soap has some definite advantages. One of the most significant is the price. We can make soap much cheaper than we can buy it. Making it ourselves also gives us complete control over the ingredients, so we can create a soap that’s perfect for our skin type in a scent of our choice.

Making soap is much easier than you might think. It is, however, important to take certain safety precautions. Here’s a basic recipe:
Ingredients
* 12 cups lye crystals
* 5 cups softened water
* 6 pounds lard

Instructions
1. Put water in a glass or plastic bowl. Carefully pour lye into water, stirring constantly with a plastic or wooden spoon. This should be done outdoors or in a well-ventilated area because it produces caustic fumes.
2. Mixing lye and water produces heat. When the lye is completely dissolved, set the mixture aside to cool.
3. Place lard in a stainless steel or enamel pan. Melt over low heat.
4. Allow both the lye solution and the lard to cool to room temperature.
5. Slowly pour the lye solution into the lard, stirring slowly and constantly with the plastic or wooden spoon.
6. Continue stirring after all of the lye solutions has been added. Drizzle a small amount of the mixture into the pot periodically. When the soap keeps its shape for a moment before sinking into the mixture, you can add scent, color, and herbs.
7. Pour the soap into a mold greased with Crisco. Wrap in a towel, and let sit for about 18 hours or until completely cooled. Uncover and let sit for 12 more hours.
8. The soap may now be unmolded and cut into bars. Let the bars cure for 3 to 4 weeks before using.
Customizing Your Soap

There are lots of different ways you can customize your soap. To make the best soap for your skin type, you may want to use different oils. Some that are commonly used include olive oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter, and shea butter. The correct amount varies depending on which oil you use, so look for recipes online or in books until you get the hang of it.

Essential oils have therapeutic properties and add fragrance. Oatmeal, cornmeal and other grains can be added as exfoliants. And skin-safe colorants may be used to produce the desired color. These ingredients should be mixed together and added to a cup of the soap mixture, then stirred into the rest of the soap mixture immediately before pouring into the mold.

Making your own soap is easy, and it can be lots of fun. Coming up with the perfect concoction for your skin is rewarding, and sweetly scented homemade soaps make wonderful gifts for any occasion.
Please leave your questions and comments below.

How to Turn My Creative Hobby into Spending Cash?How to Turn My Creative Hobby into Spending Cash?

Turning your crafts into cash is tricky yet very easy. If you enjoy creating and you constantly hear people telling you that you should sell your creations, it may be time to venture into the world of selling your crafts for money. Like all things, entering the world of selling crafts should be carefully planned out. There are many websites and venues where you can sell your crafts both online and off.
Online venues are a great way to reach customers all over the world. Popular websites like Etsy are great tools that help to reach your targeted customers. Before taking the plunge into selling your crafts, be sure to take the time and do some research beforehand. Keep the following questions in mind as you consider the prospect of selling your creations:

Do I have a product that people would want to buy?
This is the most important question you have to ask yourself. If there is no target market for your products, you will have a hard time selling your creations and not because your items are not nice, but they may not be in demand.

Who is my potential target market?
This is a continuation of the question above because you need to know who to advertise to and how to successfully draw your target market to your items. It would be a waste of time trying to sell baby clothes, for example, to those who do not have children.

What will I charge for my creations?
Pricing is an important strategy. All too often, people undercharge for their creations forgetting to take into consideration the time and materials that go into a product. Make sure you account for both the cost of the materials as well as the time and effort you put forth to create your goods. Also, be sure not to overcharge. You may find that your items do not sell because they are overpriced.

Where will I sell my craft items?
Online websites are plentiful when it comes to selling handmade goods. There are websites such as Etsy who only allow the sales of handmade goods, along with supplies. eBay is also another popular venue to sell handmade goods. Be aware though, that you will be competing with the other goods that are not handmade and may be cheaper. A good description of the item and its benefits is always a good idea.

If you choose to sell locally, try finding a store that will sell your items on consignment or sign up to exhibit at a local craft show. Both will be good for exposure. If you choose to go the consignment route, be sure to get all terms in writing. Otherwise, you run the risk of having your items kept and not paid for.
It is very possible in the current day and age to make some spending money selling your crafts. Be sure to do your research and follow through your plan by keeping the above questions in mind. Once you have your plan in mind, go ahead and take the plunge. But remember, like anything else, you will get in return what you put forth so make it worth your while.
Be sure to leave your questions and comments below.