ArtFire Group Deal for $5.95 Per Month

Last week ArtFire rolled out a huge promotion - if they can get 20,000 people to sign up for a Pro account, those people can lock in for a lifetime rate of $5.95 per month.  Up to 50,000 people can sign up - then the ArtFire Group Deal is gone.  So far, over 4000 people have signed up.

Apparently $5.95 per month is all you'll pay - there are no listing or transaction fees!

Signing up costs nothing - if ArtFire fails to reach the 20,000 people minimum (which is unlikely) you owe nothing.  What if you sign up and later decide to cancel? You are only obligated to pay a one month subscription fee at the $5.95 rate before canceling.

This is a no lose offer for me!  Now having said that, I have had a basic ArtFire account for about a year and have not enjoyed the same amount of sales as on Etsy - but truthfully I have not put the same amount of energy into my ArtFire shop as on Etsy.  With this offer, I feel the need to give ArtFire a real try.  So yes, I have opted in for this great deal from ArtFire.

Click here if you want to know more about the ArtFire Group Deal.

I would love to hear others' thoughts and views on this deal!

Autumn Hues

Just finished my newest creation today - this "Art Nouveau Glass Topaz Pendant" is my first item this year inspired by fall:

Art Nouveau Glass Topaz Pendant

So I took it one step further and put together an "Autumn Hues" Treasury on Etsy with spectacular creations from some really amazing and talented artisans.

Go ahead, sit back and check out these autumn treasures:
"Autumn Hues" Treasury on Etsy

How to Offer Multiple Shipping Options on Etsy

I have always wanted to offer more than one shipping option for my Etsy customers.  Currently Etsy is not equipped to offer more than one option.  But did you know you can offer multiple shipping options through PayPal during checkout?  Here's how:

1. Sign in to your PayPal account.  At the top of your page on the line beneath "My Account" select "Profile.
2. You will be taken to another page - look for "Hosted Payment Settings" and select "Shipping Calculator."
3. You can then set up your shipping options for both Domestic and International.  You can determine whether to charge based on total order amount, shipping weight, or number of items.  You can even have a "Free Shipping" option based on your pre-set criteria.
4. IMPORTANT:  At the end of the set up process there is a box that says "Use the shipping fee in the transaction instead of your calculator settings."  Leave this box blank so that the customer will have a choice of shipping options.  Otherwise, PayPal will default to the shipping charge set in your Etsy listing.

Be sure to explain your shipping policies in the POLICY section of your Etsy shop.  Here is my shop's explanation:  DJAjewels Shop Policies.

I hope this post is helpful for other sellers who would like to offer shipping choices for their Etsy customers.  Feedback is welcome!

Do You Belong to SRAJD?

Today I joined the  organization "SRAJD" (Self-Representing Artists in Jewelry Design.)  It is something I have been curious about for a while as I have taken notice of other jewelry designers who have joined.  It certainly sounds like a credible organization and one that I hope will lend credibility to me as a jewelry designer.

I am interested in knowing what kind of benefits other members have found in belonging to this organization.....and what other organizations you might belong to that have helped you along the path in jewelry design.

So fellow jewelry designers - let me hear your feedback!

And if you want to join SFAJD, here is the link:  SRAJD