What is Big Cartel?

Big Cartel is a site that hosts shopping carts for artists.

and....that's about all I know right now!  Ha!

That, and a years worth of fees at Big Cartel will be equal, or even less than one month of fees on Etsy.  

I guess that was my biggest motivating factor. 

Big Cartel isn't an online marketplace in the way that Etsy, or ArtFire is.  From what I understand, most of the traffic that will hit your Big Cartel store is generated by the store owner.  

I've never been one of these people who hate Etsy for the changes they make, or the people they choose to promote on their front page, emails, featured sellers, etc..

I've always been grateful for the opportunity I have received there, and I will continue to maintain my store on Etsy.

The thing I am hoping to get out of Big Cartel, is a place for my regular repeat customers to make their purchases.  And slowly but surely continue to build my clientele and refer them to my Big Cartel store.

I am horrible about doing my paperwork monthly like I should.  

Finishing up my taxes for 2010, and actually seeing where my dollars are going was quite a slap in the face.

Everyone is struggling in this economy.  I know that jewelry is a luxury item.  I just don't want to increase my prices and punish my customers, especially the ones who support me on a regular basis. 

I am hoping that the Big Cartel store will be good for me and my customers.  

It will be a learning process through my first couple of sales on there, and I will let you know exactly how the checkout process works and all that. 

I'm still playing around with my layout.  I'm craving a change in my banner, so hopefully I'll be able to work on that this week. 

There is only one item in there right now, but here is the address:

http://amynicole.bigcartel.com

And...I decided to make a new Face Book page for Amy Nicole Artisan Jewelry.  I figure I better get some continuity in my branding.  So, please come "like" my new Face Book page. 

Amy Nicole on Face Book

I haven't really worked out the details in my head yet, but I'm thinking I'll do a give a way to promote my new store, and my new FB page!  

THAW52-10 Prehnite Cross Earrings

I went to a bead show Ft. Worth about 3 weeks ago and picked up these prehnite beads.  Prehnite is such a soft beautiful green color.  And I am always a little upset that I can't seem to catch the right shade of green with my camera.

I am more and more loving the sort of natural cut of the stones that are dangling from the bottom of the cross.  And I am completely in love with prehnite.  I love the color, and I even love prehnite when it has inclusions like these beads do.

I've built a sturdy sterling silver cross frame to support these beauties.  Tumble polished for hours for strength and shine, I have decided to leave these bright shiny silver.

Not that they wouldn't look great oxidized, because they will.  I just decided to leave them shiny for now.  And you know sterling silver, it will surely oxidize on it's own in all the right spots.

These earrings measure 2 1/2" from the top of the hand made sterling ear wires, and are 1 1/4" at the widest point.

They are available for sale.  If you are interested, they are $ 45 including shipping.  Send me an email at amymarez@yahoo.com.

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In other news:

I am seriously thinking about opening a shop on Big Cartel.  I could have my own website built, but I know myself too well.  I would be too lazy to figure out how to maintain it, and too cheap to pay someone to fix it for me.  

After completing my taxes for 2010, and realizing how much I pay in fees to Etsy....Whew!  Let's just say it's a lot!  It's tough though, because Etsy has the buyers, and I am grateful for the traffic I get there.  It just seems in these tough economic times it would be wise to watch my dollars a little more closely. 

Maybe direct my regulars to Big Cartel, every little bit would help, and I could slowly continue to build my clientele...I don't know.  I'm just thinking out loud at this point.  

What about you guys?  Have you ever considered doing another online venue that was more your own?