List of the good bits of icraftgifts.com Buyer/Seller Perspectives

[PillowThrowDecor]

Here's the list.  It doesn't matter if you may be repeating a point that someone else made.  Sometimes same message in different words is really good.

[The Gifted Nest]

site is extremely user-friendly,
people are helpful and friendly,
an online tight-knit crafting community where everyone is welcome, commited in supporting and helping us achieve the success we all crave and want,
offers free training to help achieve goals
a great place to meet upcoming new artist,
our success is also iCraft success,
listing and selling fees are reasonable,
offers valuable advice and resources through forums, articles, and more
real people, real community, real artists, real success
Dedicated in helping us grow our online business and succeed
we have doctors without borders, sports without borders, artists without borders, etc.... and now we have: Crafting Community Without Borders

[PillowThrowDecor]

I love it!
Christine

[PillowThrowDecor]

I hope Julie doesn't mind me sharing our email with you all. She had so much good stuff here I wanted to show everyone... I edited to shorten a bit.

Julie said....I think icraft is an important site right now to those who want to do business locally (maybe more for Canadians than Americans).  Icraft allows people to search by country, which etsy does not.  Also, as there are currently not a lot of sellers (still under 2000 on icraft) finding ones that are very local is easy.  I have made 2 custom pieces for people in Ottawa in the last couple of months who found me on icraft because they specifically wanted someone local.  One was an engagement ring, the other was a mother's bracelet.  They likely never would have been able to find me on etsy and if they had and we had followed the etsy rules, we wouldn't have been able to conclude the transactions in person as we did as on etsy that would be fee avoidance.  It's not an issue on icraft.

 I have also sold about another 8 pieces on icraft locally, but without the customers doing the transaction using the icraft site.  They found me there, picked out what they wanted and then contacted me and paid me in person.  Etsy doesn't allow for that.  Some wouldn't have done what I did because my shop doesn't show the sales or the feedback, but I have happy customers, some who have come back to me and are sharing my info with friends/family.  For those that are not as comfortable with doing financial transactions online, it is an attractive option.    

I said...

 Many of us have 2 stores so I am trying to figure out how each of our stores can be used to promote the other. I don't really care where customers come from but I prefer local ones as it is so much easier to do "add on selling" I market icraft as my Canadian store and the other as my US store... it made a huge difference to my local buyers already. Also I was able to sell local customers pillow inserts (local pickup only) on icraft which I would never attempt to do on etsy because of huge shipping costs.... I have the huge advantage of controlling my icraft store as though it were my own website without the huge headache of becoming a "webmaster"....
>

[kimbuktu]

Love the big pictures in the creators display, can really see what you are buying.

Am really enjoying bootcamp, although I may not participate fully, everything I have read and followed through on has been valuable.  A great seller asset

[PillowThrowDecor]

I am so glad to hear that you are finding some good stuff here!

I must confess I am having a hard time keeping up but I am learning some discipline!!! That is probably one of the key points for me.

I'm doing a lot of background "stuff" like reading and experimenting but wow I can't believe what a little bit of effort can do. I took some pillows with me on an appointment the other day to a drapery client.  They loved the fabric and how it felt so "yummy". They are ordering 2 HUGE sets of drapes. For me that is a sale of Maxwell's fabrics, linings and labour. So these pillows will be complimentary

Colour me happy or what?

Chrisitne

[PillowThrowDecor]

I should have put that on another thread.

But I just thought of another reason why I like icraftgifts.com

It is so easy to connect with my locals. With just the click of a button, using the facebook function, my friends and family can easily see what I am doing and pass the word on. My family members are my biggest cheerleaders.

Our link to facebook creates a link back to our icraft item that we were looking at.  VERY SLICK!

Cheers

Christine

[Brilliant Beads]

My favourites about iCraft are:

1. Love the shop front...the look is really nice.
2. Love the ease of listing, all on one page.
3. Double love the clone feature...brilliant!
4. The bookmark function is so easy to use...I love to tweet about things, and it gets some views.

I'm sure I'll thing of other things I love about iCraft...and I'll post 'em.

[Trish]

I haven't yet bought or sold anything here - but have to say, this is the best site ever!

This bootcamp has been more help to me in one week than I ever got on two other sites in six months!

Customer service is very responsive and actually listens and answers what you asked - not just quoting some 'official' jargon.

The continual work on making this a better place for sellers has really encouraged me. It wasn't just put out here, and now you're on your own kind of thing.

I'm sure there is a ton more....these were topmost in my mind..

Trish

[Fairy Cardmaker]

- I am pleased to see there is a notes to seller box!

- I am also pleased that the BUYER can log back in and update when the items was RECEIVED.  That is cool.