You and I have talked about this before, Kandice -- but I wanted to lend
support. I so agree with what you have said.

I think there are people who suffer a lot, emotionally, over why their auctions
aren't getting more bids (or any bids, in some cases). They cry about it in
pubic forums everywhere. I've looked at their beads, I've even bought their
beads (this is not any one person, mind you). I won't be back to buy more
beads from them. Why?

Because I was unhappy with the beads, and they have a lot of competition. So I
don't have to go back and waste my time buying their flawed product -- I can
just cross them off my list of sellers. Their holes were rough, or their beads
weren't balanced, or the colors weren't lovely. Whatever it was, their product
was not up to the market's professional standards, and I feel like I wasted my
money. Some of those beads actually ended up in my trash basket....but I
remember them well.

I don't have the $$ to burn that I'd need to purchase from these folks.
They've shown they have little respect for me -- why would they sell me
substandard beads otherwise? Bad experiences = no money in that beadmaker's
pocket. And I do tell my friends, so it ripples out.

If you, whoever the "you" might be, aren't getting the sales you want (unless
you're brand new at selling, of course), please, please examine your work. I
don't care how long you've been doing it. You may have developed bad habits.
You probably grew your craft when there was little competition if you've been
doing it a long time. If you're new, or an old salt, you need to polish
yourself to survive.

Times have changed. You need to become excellent if you want that pie in the
sky you moan about.

Here's what I posted there earlier today. I got several private messages
that were positive, but most people in the thread have not responded to what
I said.

""holding breath, jumping in

Okay. I wasn't going to post anything in this thread, but after reading it
all, I really want to now. I applaud the good intentions. I love Rita -
she's fabulous, as an artist and as a person.
However, I have a few issues with this Liberation Group, and I am going to
post my opinions about it, while still trying to honor the fact that this
whole idea is about empowering and respecting art.

Issue #1, which was brought up by someone else (thank goodness, otherwise I
would be too afraid to post my thoughts) - 99 cent auctions are not always
about perceived value. I have said this before and I will say it again - I
post 99 cent bead sets on ebay to reduce ebay fees, and because I have
confidence that my beads will get a good price. I have only been
disappointed once or twice. eBay is an auction house, *not* a retail outlet.
It's a game to many cusotmers. People do need to ba a little more lenient
about price, but I *do* understand the need to ask for prices you can
accept. That means when you list something, you need to be ready for what
the market decides to do with it. So admonishing people for listing at 99
cents or 9.99 or 99.99 or what have you, is really not something that I see
as good. A couple of artists have actually been named here in this thread,
and some have been alluded to. That's not fair.

Issue #2, which is a broad and multi-faceted issue - Everyone in this art
field needs to take a good long look at if and why they are not selling
their pieces for what they would like to. There's a whole huge range of
skill in this group. Some beadmakers / glass artists cannot command higher
prices due to a whole bunch of reasons that need to be addressed. You can't
just increase your prices, stand back and watch the money pour in. You need
to consider your buyers. You're not letting them in on this group action -
they will have no idea why you're doing what you're doing.
To raise prices, you also need to raise the bar where quality is concerned.
I am not just talking about the quality of the bead itself - I also mean the
quality of service, and the quality of the auctions themselves. Someone
posted guidelines on their web site and was torn to pieces on this forum,
even though she is a buyer who spends a lot of money on lampwork. Customers
need to be listened to. I know we all just want to make what we want and
have it sell, but the bottom line is that the market does not always work
exactly that way. There needs to be a blend of market research and artistic
expression. If pink is really in this season, that's going to be what sells
a lot. If you decide not to go with that flow, because you hate pink, that's
totally fine, but you need to keep that in mind when pink stuff is selling
for higher than your stuff. That's an over-simplified example, of course.
And you know, I see a LOT of people complaining about ebay. Yet, there are
successes on ebay *all the time* in the very categories we sell in. We all
need to look at that and figure out *why*. I am not saying to ask those
sellers for their secrets, or try and copy them. I am saying that we need to
focus on bettering ourselves as artists. People have success because they
make it. They pay their dues, work like dogs, have talent, and *make their
success*.
Stop complaining about ebay sucking. Start doing your homework and figuring
out why ebay sucks for you. It's not always a "slow time of year" there.

Issue #3 - ebay is not black and white. It's a grey whale, baby. There's no
"one way" to make it work. There's no one answer. There are hundreds, maybe
thousands, of lampworkers listing there. You may think this group is large,
here, but it's only a small fraction of the lampworkers listing on ebay.
Your group may not get the results you're looking for, so be prepared for
that.

Okay - I know I have been the person to post an opposing opinion on several
of these types of issues on this forum. If y'all want me to go away, just
let me know. I can handle that. But the many new threads about ebay being
crap, and complaining about not getting the prices you want for your beads
is getting really irksome to me. Maybe it's because I am not having the same
problems you all are. And you know what? No one ever asks me why. Does any
one care why?""

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net



~~
Sooz
-------
"Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John
Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html