Busy is GOOD! Keep the sales coming!

My eyeglass chain necklaces are flying out the door and I love it! I picked up a rush custom 9 item job by accident yesterday and got it out in under 24 hours (I don't think I could handle that every day, especially in a sleet storm). And I managed to order some games for the kids so they will have a happy Christmas :) (Eyeglass chains available at http://www.etsy.com/shop/DesignedByLucinda?section_id=6247828

I am now suggesting to everyone they spend the extra $2 to go for Priority Mail to make sure their widgets get there by Christmas (link http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33050622 ); USPS says packages in the system by Monday will get there by Friday so all I can do is repeat what they say and remind my clients it is USPS's guarantee, not mine (once it leaves my hands, I can't do anything to get it there faster).

My 25% off sale has ended. I am now juggling phone calls to UPS and FedEx to find the best way to guarantee delivery by Christmas. There is still time to shop (I believe! I believe!) but if I were you, I'd make my purchases with Priority mail through Monday afternoon because it might get there a bit quicker...

I sold 7 Custom Order variations of this today (woo hoo!) More available!

Gift Certificates are available in $15, $20, $25, $50, $75 and $100 denominations (or any other Custom amount) here http://www.etsy.com/shop/DesignedByLucinda?section_id=6247845 and these can get sent as late as the 25th for all of us procrastinators out here as last minute gifts!

I really love the Holiday shopping season! Happy Hannukah, Joyous Yule, Festive Solstice, Grand Festivus, Happy Kwanza, Eid, Season's Greetings and Happy New Year to you all!

Two day deal for my shop; 25% off SALE

Get 25% off my prices for anything you buy in my shop through this exclusive blog sale. Type BLOG in the notes to seller and wait for revised invoice. Spend more than $30 and get free upgraded shipping (USA) to Priority Mail so you can get it by Christmas.

Busy with sales here but I want to say THANK YOU to my readers so go order and get a discount with upgraded shipping to boot :)

What if your online shop gets a negative review on a blog? What would you DO? Say? React? Template here....

Lets say you are the subject of a critical blog review and you feel VERY upset and want to clear the air and get your facts OUT THERE. Tread very carefully, fellow sellers. Get in and out as cleanly as you can and then DO NOT GO BACK TO READ until at least a week has passed...

Template:

"I am very sorry to read (you didn't like my widget, I posted something not Etsy legal, my packaging you felt was sub-par, my item smelled of Fabreze/smoke/cats/butterscotch). I try to run a good shop but this must have slipped my attention (YES, YOU ROLL - - NO MATTER WHAT, YOU ADMIT SOME CULPABILITY THERE EVEN IF YOU WANT TO KNEECAP THE BLOGGER. IF you have factual refutation, briefly mention it ("the 75 negatives came from one buyer, but I should have been quicker at anticipating it")). {GET OUT}

Thank you for bringing this to my attention and I will strive to be better in the future.

Yourshopname
-----------------------------------------------------------

And then LEAVE. Do not read more, do not feel the need to reply again, do not let yourself get into a quasi public exchange about 'He said She said' - - you drop and roll and divert a fire from taking out your shop and your rep.

Unfair and ulcer inducing? Yes, but way better to drop and roll than to tuck and cover and have 500 replies on a blog talking about how bad your shop is. DAMAGE CONTROL means minimizing the damage - - and your ego will survive it as soon as it drops OFF that top page so don't breathe new life into it :) Let it die a quick death - - always.

(Came loosely from an email. I help people with Customer Service Situations and Seller Replies To Icky Situations so I get these every once in a while)

And the WINNER IS!!!!!!

First, my apologies for not getting this up sooner but things were a bit wonky today at Chez DBL in my personal life :) It sort of threw me off whack for a good almost day - - Sorry!

But I did get DBL teen to draw the paper from the hat and it was (drumroll) AIK with her two entries in the hat! I guess that extra entry tipped the probabilty scales into her favor (can't go much beyond that because Math was never a strongpoint here). So AIK, I will try to contact you and if you see this before then, just let me know which item you would like as your Giveaway Gift :)

Thank you to the others who entered, I will do this again soon. Please join my mailing list so I can let you know about any new Promo offers in case you don't see it on this blog :) (email me at cboard4488@aol.com and type "Add to List" in the title).

Thanks all for participating!!!!

Oh, and new listing sold in 6 hours - - should I make more?

I like Elephants...

In fact, I like all sorts of critters. I love buying fun stones and beads in the shape of animals and creating wearable art (jewelry) out of them. If I used up every critter bead I currently own, I would be busy for at least two years (okay, I have a bit of a problem buying supplies and if I see really nice Bears, I *have* to own them because they might not be available 4 months from now) I don't think I will face a shortage of animal projects for quite a while... So I am stocked to the gills with stone varieties of Zuni Bears (all colors and sizes), Butterflies (same), Roosters, Pigs, Chickens, Turtles, Horses, Fish, Cats, Birds, Owls, Frogs, Dolphins, Rabbits, Sea Horses, Penguins and Elephants (to name just some of my circus). I get all wide-eyed and bushy-tailed when the supplies come in - - and they are GORGEOUS - - but the reality is that maybe *I* am the only one buying these beads because they don't translate into steady movers as far as sales of finished jewelry go ;) Imagine, *I*, alone, am supporting the entire cottage industry of stone critter beads - - LOL!

Eh, I love them so if they stay 'my pretties' for years, its all good. I am fascinated by the carving of each and every one of them (cut so nicely to bring out the best in each individual stone). I suppose realistically I really don't *NEED* 3 shoeboxes filled with them - - but ya never know when someone is going to custom order an XYZ critter piece in CERTAIN SIZE, SPECIFIC STONE. Better to be prepared than try hunting down a Moukaite Penguin at midnight...

Visit my shop on Etsy to see these and many other animal stone carvings made into jewelry and accessories you don't see everywhere - - http://www.DesignedByLucinda.etsy.com - - or tell me what critter types you'd like to see me get on my next supply buying run :)

GIVEAWAY - - For answering a Question (drawing, one winner) :)

My Etsy shop is getting rather large -- almost 500 items - - and I am wondering if I should split the GLASS ONLY pieces out, or separate the PLATED pieces from the "more valuable" metals, or just LEAVE IT as it is, the more the merrier. This is where I could use some help - - please go check out my shop at http://www.designedbylucinda.etsy.com/ and poke around, see what YOU suggest I do.

In return, I will give away any one listed item worth $18 or less to a name chosen at random from those answering my question. You don't have to lock in on the decision NOW of what you want - - or you can apply that $18 toward anything priced higher in my shop - - just answer my question with GLASS ONLY, PLATED or LEAVE IT and a way to contact you and you'll be entered. I'll contact you and THEN you can decide how to spend your credit. I'll run the Give Away until Sept. 23rd 2009 at midnight Eastern USA time and publish the winning name the next day. Please make sure you leave a way to contact you in case you win :) If you don't respond to my contact by (midnight eastern usa time) the 27th, I will choose a new name and you'll miss out so please check back during that interval!

This is open to anyone anywhere (shipping is FREE WORLDWIDE if you win this Giveaway). If you don't win, you can still get 're-imbursed' for your answer with free shipping on your purchase from my shop (just answer the question and type the code "I answered blog" on the invoice for any purchase from now until Oct 1st 2009). Most of my earrings, cell charms, pendants, bookmarks and eyeglass chain holder necklaces are priced under $18 so you will have a HUGE selection!

So please help me out - - I am fast approaching 500 items! EEEEK! And think about what you might hope to get free....

Thanks! And to get EXTRA entries, either BLOG or TWEET or JOIN MY MAILING LIST (send an email to cboard4488@aol.com with "List Me" in the title to be added) and you will get another slip in the hat for the drawing - - just show me where you did more than answer the question in your reply to get the extra slip in the hat :)

Let's have some fun with this !

Yart Sale on Etsy - - Good savings! Go see :)

Yart means Yard Sale + Art Sale and it is happening now on Etsy.com! Many sellers are offering reduced prices (from 10%-50%) and/or Free Shipping through Sunday so it is worthwhile to visit Etsy.com and run a YART search to discover the deals there :)

My shop is offering free shipping Worldwide on anything in my shop - - not the BIGGEST sale but pretty good if you want to grab a few items and save some money - - because shipping costs do mount up! So go see what deals you can score at http://Etsy.com (and http://designedbylucinda.com ) and support small artisan owned businesses today :)