DO Try This At Home...

I was attending the opening day of one of my local flea markets, strictly as a potential customer, and my favourite Tarot card reader/organic dry dog food maker was there..yes, it is an interesting combination of careers, but her little bags of doggie treats are proving quite popular...and I know, from personal experience, that she's a good card reader, too..
We were talking about local Farmer's Markets (she reads cards at mine) and selling venues, etc., when she mentioned something that I just had to share. Don't know if you all are aware of this, or if it's done in your area/State/Province/County/Country or not, but until today I was totally unaware.
I live on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, as many of you know..it's the central part of the Island, called Cowichan, where I live, and sell in-online, of course, and the location of my weekly Duncan Farmer's Market.
My friend is sending me to the Cowichan Tourist Bureau, because they like to promote local businesses, especially colourful ones that tourists would enjoy, and the promos are FREE!!! Free..that is a biggie..they go to trade shows and give out your cards to those attending from the cruise industry, bus tours, travel agents, etc. etc. And my friend is sending tiny little doggie bag samples..
Pretty hard for me to afford that, but figured I could give them a couple of hats to display..also, they have a roll of 500 free stickers to use on your goods that say "Cowichan Made"..too cool!
This kind of literally International publicity would be impossible for me to afford in real life..but who needs reality when the Tourist Bureau is able and willing?
So, think about this for your own businesses - even online businesses that are locally owned and operated, are of great interest to most Tourism agencies..I think it's a fabulous idea, and hope some of you out there can benefit from it, too.

The Vagaries of Online Selling..

I know that many of my readers sell/and/or buy online and I wish they would talk more about it, but they don't..
In shopping sites like ComeandGetsy or Artfire, there is much deliberation in the Forums, by sellers, about specific problems or experiences, but very little that isn't emotionally-based about what I consider the most important question..is there any point in continuing?
Many fellow Makers that I speak to at my Farmer's Market are astounded that I even bother to try and sell online- they all have the same things to say..that they either tried but got nowhere, that there is no reason to bother because there are too many people trying to do the same thing online, the stuff they make won't "sell" online (I know that one well) or they find it too daunting to even make an attempt, as they don't feel computer-savvy enough to give it a try...
I used to argue with them, and tell them how much easier it was than they suspected (not being terribly tech-savvy myself, I was a noob authority) or point out, as so many in the Forums do, that they have to be patient and not expect instant gratification..that semi-terminal affliction that many of us suffer with...
We are all programmed for this..too much TV overstimulation as children, is my theory..since when did the delicious experience of waiting for a good thing to come to pass become so toxic?
I still love anticipation as much as the next dreamer, but find that I am getting impatient for sales online-I admit it..
After trying to be patient for a couple of years, I am realizing that economic recovery isn't the only reason for many of us selling little, if at all, online..
An odd thing happened earlier this month..I finally made an online sale..the first since last March..but the problem was, even with the Paypal receipt verifying payment, couldn't figure out what sold..or where!
When the e-mail from the site arrived, I was doubly astounded to realize that the sale was from a site I'd completely forgotten that I'd set up shop in..and had ignored ever since I did so-many, many months before..so many in fact, I had to go there and try and remember doing any of it.
It was of course, one of those free for a limited number of items, and pay as you go..
I recently re-signed up with Artfire, because of their $6 a month 'deal'..permanent, no fees for sales etc...I had been away from that site seemingly forever, but since nothing at all was happening with Etsy, despite 'buying' spots in sections and relisting to death, the
Artfire deal seemed a whole bunch more rational..
Recently Etsy castigated me by e-mail for calling some other posters "cupcakes"..didn't realize that the Tea Party had taken over, but remembering that Etsy has completely lost track of it's original intent, and seems to be turning into eBay by the day, I am not surprised..just done..
After the holidays, or when my listings expire, whichever comes first (no point in shutting down while my money is already spent and not recovered) I'm leaving ComeandGetsy for good as a seller..and I'm not the Lone
Ranger..
By the way, 2 weeks after I re-upped with ArtFire, I made a sale there..
go figure...