9.28.2010

Closing the 'ol etsy shop


Feeling Today

 Photos by Corey
Vintage Blouse: Saver's
90's Polka Dot Skirt: Saver's
Tooled Belt: Goodwill
Navy Socks: F21
Fringe Oxfords: Madewell

Just as quickly as a new photographer came into my life, relieving my days of uncomfortably awkward self portrait and depressingly lonely outdoor adventures,  Corey (pictured below) left again to take a job at the new Little Rock Anthropologie, opening up on the west side of town in just two weeks. He's not really gone out of my life – he's actually moving in just two houses down – it's just that he works during the hours we would normally go take photos and we can't seem to coordinate our schedules for a meet up on his off days. To add to that conundrum, I just started working full time at the fine dining restaurant again.

I hate to say it kids, but I think I'm done with my etsy shop. As fun as it was to do photoshoots all summer, the etsy sales just weren't paying the bills. When I got back from New York I was broker than I'd ever been, so I went back and asked for my old job back. I'm really happy about the change though! I plan to do a massive overhaul of all my leftover inventory to which I'll either :

a) put in a yard sale
b) put in a clothing swap
c) donate
d) bundle up in groups of five or ten to sell online

I'm just ready to have all of that 'stuff' out of my life. It's too much to keep up with, and I'm ready to have a clean house again. It's going to be hard not thrifting those darling xsmall dresses when I see them, but at least I'll be able to pay the bills! Maybe I'll just put some of my extra time into doing one really good collection per season, just so I can play around with putting it all together.

What do y'all think I should do with all the vintage sitting around in my house?

corey1

31 comments:

Annie, Time Enough for Drums said...

Hey dear,

Let me just say I know 100% how you feel! Having all this stuff can be so burdensome, and I've definitely spent more than I've made.

I'd love to relieve you of some things to put them in my own closet, but I'm broke, too, so I can't even afford Etsy prices! But, I do have a thought about how you can sell the items without actually maintaining your own shop. I've seen others who closed up shop sell their items through someone else's. It's true you'll have to keep the stuff for a while yet, but you can still sell without having to maintain your own shop or feel the need to keep buying more stuff. And, if you wanted to list more in the future, you could still keep the things you have until you're able to photograph them.

I do also like the idea of selling the bundles! Good luck!

Love, Annie.

Lauren said...

I know what you mean about brokeness. I'm sad to see your etsy store go, I loved it so much. I feel like this past year of all the bloggers I followed is changing with the leaves, please don't change I say to myself. But alas we all must. haha. I myself would like to sell some vintage on etsy but only because I aquired a massive lot of clothes from my coworkers mother... but I couldn't imagine trying to make it a living, searching for new clothes to turn over and sell. I can imagine it to be draining.

I will swap some art for a dress perhaps? I love your stuff haha!

Anyway, we all are still here, and we all still love you etsy shopless or not :D

Huggles,
Lauren
Sparrow & Urchin

samantha ramage said...

that's too bad! i started an etsy too and it is just very tough to get it out there! i really loved your photos. hopefully you will do it again sometime!

xo
sami

Jen Hsieh said...

i really love how these pictures turned out and that polka-dotted skirt is gorgeous! can i steal it?

and i love your etsy shop but i definitely get how it could get to be a burden. i like the idea of selling it in bundles (i'd definitely pick one up) or even do some swaps! :)

Jen Hsieh said...

i really love how these pictures turned out and that polka-dotted skirt is gorgeous! can i steal it?

and i love your etsy shop but i definitely get how it could get to be a burden. i like the idea of selling it in bundles (i'd definitely pick one up) or even do some swaps! :)

Emma said...

Aw, I'm sad to hear you have to close your shop, but at least you wont be stressed about money (hopefully). Good luck with it all! xxx

Maria Confer said...

Oh, man do I know how you feel. I just reopened my shop and I'm now wondering why I did. It's time consuming and not cost effective. I'll probably list all the things I have and be done with it!

And if Cole and I didn't share a car, which he uses every day from 8am till 10pm, I would so be looking for work. I can't wait till he's done with school this coming May!

xx
Maria
Lulu Letty

Unknown said...

You look lovely as always. The photos are so beautiful! I know what you mean about Etsy... with the time it consumes and shipping prices, at the end of the day you don't make a lot of net profit. I would love to be able to support my fellow Etsy bloggers more but I am an unemployed student... hard times... and when every cent counts it's harder to take risks on online purchases especially with vintage because the fit can go either way. Maybe just scale back and put on your shop that you ship once a week? Anyway, I wish the best of luck to you on your new endeavors!

Gracie said...

Aw closing the etsy shop - sad! I don't know what you should do with the vintage lying around your house... it is ridiculously time consuming to have an etsy shop I've discovered too! Perhaps you could go to a market and try to sell them there?

Amanda said...

Oh, it'll be sad not to see any more of your shop updates, but I totally get it. I haven't updated my shop in months...with school, I have no time for it!

I have an idea for you though. I know absolutely nothing about it, but perhaps you can sell your vintage through other vintage stores? That way, you are making a little bit of money off of the items but don't have to deal with photoshoots and all that jazz

Meggstatus said...

I'm in the same position but the answer came to me. I was approached to be involved in a vintage/handmade market place. The first of it's kind in my area. It may be tough to set up with a full time job, but it would totally be worth it. Even if it's not a marketplace you may be able to get a couple of people together to hold your own teeny flea market of sorts. Even if it's just in the driveway.

I hope this helps a bit and good luck with everything. I know it seems a shame to just give it all away, but even if you do just hand it over, at least you know someone else will buy it that will love it all over again!

It sounds like you're happy with your new routine and I'm so glad to hear it!

XO
Megan

Lucy, Dear Fish said...

Hey Starr!
What about selling your stuff through a vintage shop in Little Rock? Or maybe in Hot Springs? I think it would be fantastic to sell them in a real live brick and mortar store.
Or perhaps you could try selling them to Buffalo Exchange or something like that.
I know it must be frustrating trying to keep your store going on Etsy. I don't know anything about it...maybe ebay would be better?
L xx

Rhiannon said...

I'm sad you're closing down your shop! It was always fun to see your pretty styling and all the great things you'd get in. Maybe you could just sell stuff on the side? I always fantasize about leaving the vintage selling world behind and getting a real job, but I think it's be fun to maybe have a shop to sell stuff on occasion. It seems like thrift store shopping will be a lot more fun when it's not a necessity. :)

Myriam said...

Sounds like a clothing swap should be in the works! I know plenty of lovelies that would love to participate...and I've once again accumulated shtuffs that I don't need. We should get on that!!!

And yes, the etsy is time-consuming! Luckily, I don't have the pressures of having to pay bills. I'll list things as I see fit.

And who knows what the future holds!
♥ ♥ ♥

Sally Jane Vintage said...

Sorry to hear you're closing down the shop, but believe me, I totally understand! It's quite the time suck, isn't it? Maybe you'll be able to return to it one day. I like the idea of having seasonal collections! Good luck!

C said...

Aw, I'm sad to see your Etsy shop go, but I'm totally appreciative of the power of a good life cleanse. here's to great new things!!

the Citizen Rosebud said...

Oh, I can so relate. Two weeks ago I had a melt-down, AFTER I changed jobs to free my mornings so I could focus on selling on ETSY. My house is full of clothes, and I basically live on the sofa, and I just got fed up...wanting my personal life back. Wanting to have spare time to just chill, and not photograph, or steam iron or mend.

I wish you the best of luck. And hope the blog keeps ticking. xo. -Bella Q

Anonymous said...

Hi Starr,

The above comments (I read them all) were really helpful. I agree with Annie, you could just list everything you've got in inventory in a mad "day-off" blitz of listing, and then just leave it, until everything is bought or the listings expire. Or, you could change the prices of your Etsy stuff on 50% off or 60% off, like a blowout sale. Then it would all go fast, and you def. wouldn't lose what you spent on acquiring the inventory. Let us know what you end up doing...

Good luck in your job again!
nancy

Unknown said...

these photos are fantastic! i'm sorry to see corey leave, but you were always just fine on your own :) i'm also sorry to see the etsy shop going too since i loved all your photoshoots, but you must do what you have to pay the bills! i like the idea of bundle packages :)

Tamara said...

I hate to see your etsy shop go. I never got the chance to get something that I wanted, but you had some of the most lovely collections.

Your idea to sale the left over inventory in bundles might work. Or maybe you can swap some things on chictopia.

Best of luck!

Robin said...

so sorry to hear about Corey, but I think its super cool that you got your old job back. As for Etsy if I were you I'd keep the most cherished items for photo shoots and have a yardsale for the rest of the stuff.

Robin said...

Oh I forgot to add are you still going to sale things from your online shop, there was some sunglasses I was interested in purchasing I've been so broke lately but I been meaning to get them as so as I get some extra cash!

Bea said...

That's sad to hear because you truly have a great eye and wonderful styling. I'm very sure this isn't the last we'll see of either of those talents though. Maybe it's just not the right time now.

Your last collection (the one with all the pastel and twentyseven names styling) was so so inspiring. I seriously saved all of it on my computer. Just thought you should know you did some amazing work!

Bea from A plus B

Venn said...

sorry to hear that. i feel sad! but if u think it's the best way ,, then do it. i guess u can sell them in a bundle to other etsy owner so that they can resell them,,

xoxo

CrystaL* said...

I'm sorry to hear that you are closing your shop! Your photos have been such an inspiration to me. It is a lot of hard work for not so much gain so I hear you on going back to your old job. I hope you all the best in your new adventures!

Crystal

Sofie said...

I'm so proud of you!
Deciding to quit the shop can't have been too easy:)

You could find someone else to sell them.. OR maybe give them to the Salvation Army, to sell.. :P

xx Sophie

http://sophieneechan.blogspot.com

Victoria / Justice Pirate said...

I'll buy something if it is in my size but all the things you had in my size sold. It is hard for me to find anything in my size or I'd buy a lot from you. I'm sorry to see your etsy go, but I understand. Hope that whatever you do with the stuff, that you'll feel better about just being rid of things sitting around!

Brittany said...

I completely get ya on this one. My shop was on full-blast in the summer but with school full-time again, you have to choose your priorities. I haven't posted a thing since August.. or even July? Even when I get a sale it's hard to find time to ship it. Right now I'm leaving mine open & I'm just going to randomly update during school breaks!

Alli XT said...

totally understandable about closing up your shop - life just has other plans sometimes. Selfishly I am bummed as I only had just discovered it (and have been saving my dollars for a few more purchases). Best of luck in whatever new (or old) projects you'll be filling your time with!

Diana said...

I'm sorry to hear that about your shop, but it's probably the best decision for now! As for your old clothes: the idea of bundling them in groups is amazing. Maybe you can group by size..something like a surprize package for the buyer and at an affordable price! I'd love to try it out :)

xo, Diana
Songs and Fairy Tales

kathy said...

Oh no, i'm really sad that you're closing the shop- although i can't imagine trying to make etsy selling into a full time job. I think i still prefer ebay, even though it's slightly evil with all the fees etc, it's just much easier to shift things, especially if you have great photos like you do!

Good luck with the new/ old job xx