Tips for Creators

[iCraft Admin]

1. Don't remove your product pages... ever

We see that some people remove old listings, just so they could create new listings using the same products. That’s not a good practice. Instead, keep all old listings, if possible, and replace old products with new products under the same listing. Just don’t physically remove your listings.

Here are the reasons for that:
- Old pages rank higher than new.
- It takes sometimes a few weeks for new pages to get indexed (noticed) by replacement engines. However, replacement engines already know about your old pages, so they’ll visit them on their next visit and pick up all the updates.
- Search engine robots don’t like coming to pages to find out that they were removed. If this happens a lot with your pages, you are hurting your ranking.
- Old pages have inbound links and bookmarks, that you will lose, if you remove them. Links are super important in how your pages are ranked. That’s one of the reasons why old pages rank higher, because they naturally have more inbound links (links pointing to your pages from external sites).
 

2. Set your products for custom order, whenever possible

If you can reproduce the product you are selling or can create a similar (custom) product, make sure you check that this product is available for “Custom Order”.

Reasons:
- When users land on the product page that has sign “Sold”, they might get disappointed and leave. When they see that they can place “Custom Order”, they might stay and get in touch with you. This gives you a chance to connect with them and work something out.
- When we choose products for advertising, we look for products that are available for custom order, because this ensures that the link to the product we advertising will live even after product is sold and users won’t see “Sold” sign, when they click on our ads.


3. Don’t send mixed messages

Don't place images of different products on the backstage. That will only confuse buyers and make them doubt which product is actually for sale.
If they will have any doubts, they won't buy.


4. Please don't use all Caps when writing online

It's considered shouting.


5. Don’t embed your email in the copy

Do not put your email address within the copy of your Creator Exhibit or your product descriptions. Your email address will be picked up by spammers.

Anybody can contact you using our site anyway, without any login. They just need to click on “Ask Creator a Question” link and fill out a very short form.


5. Mention your Creator Exhibit on all packages

Always mention your Creator Exhibit URL when you send out your order to the customer. If they bought a product on iCraft, they’d expect to see a mention of iCraft on the package, or inside the package. Some of you insert flyers, brochures or business cards inside packages without a mention of iCraft or your iCreator Exhibit URL. That can be confusing to customers.

Here is a feedback from one of the customers, who received a package with no mention of iCraft on it. "...Made me wonder what was in the mail because there was no mention of "Artisan Impact" or iCraft on the envelope..."

There is a print option on each Order Details page, that allows you to get a print-friendly version of that page, which could be included inside the package.

[Northern Girl Jewelry]

Thanks for the tips.  I hadn't realized the bit about custom orders.  I will do that for my items that aren't one of a kind in the future.  

re: #5   On that print version of the order details page, would it be possible to add our creator exhibit name and url?  Currently it's not on the page, so I have to add it by hand.  It would look more professional if it was already on the page.

Thanks.

Personally, I don't include the name of my shop on the outside of my packages.  Having the word "jewelry" appear on the box makes that package look more vulnerable to possible theft.  But my card has my url and I include the order details page.  I also email customers after I mail their packages, so they know to look for it and they have my full name.

[PillowThrowDecor]

Re item #3..

Oh oh... I do that all the time because  I want prospects to see the subject pillow arranged with co-ordinating pillows.  I always try to mention in the listing that it is for one pillow cover rather than the set....

Hmmmm... how do I show people what pillows co-ordinate?

ideas

Thanks