Art meets e-commerce in Hamilton with Etsy Me!
In one of my super sized blog posts last year I talked about the potential for selling art from Hamilton online, the same way that Niagara has successfully leveraged a smart mix of branding and e-commerce to sell their world famous wines online. I was kind of apprehensive even writing the article, just because I’m not an art expert at all, and everything I knew about selling art online was from my own research. But that said I really did, and still do think that online craft, vintage and art sales have huge potential going forward. The artists that spoke to me in Hamilton told me that high priced art generally won’t sell online, but that properly presented and marketed craft art will sell.
That seems to fit with the popularity of online craft and vintage marketplace Etsy. In May 2012 Etsy sales reached $65.9 million, up 68.5% from May 2011, with over 3 million individual items sold. Growth that looks like this suggests we should explore this potential in Hamilton:
That’s why I’m thrilled that Cobalt Connects (@CobaltConnects) has partnered with Etsy Canada (@EtsyCA) on an event called Etsy Me that’s all about getting crafters and artists in Hamilton selling their goods online!
Once Etsy storefronts get enough sales, it can be worthwhile for store owners to pay for the development of custom enhancements that take advantage of the Etsy API. In the long run selling craft goods online in Hamilton could also generate some more software developer jobs too!
Check out the event details below:
Event Date: Sunday, May 5, 2013 (All day
Do you make and sell something art-related or craft-based? Looking to expand your market? CoBALT Connects is thrilled to announce a project we’ve developed with Etsy, the wildly popular e-commerce site dedicated to selling handmade and vintage items.
Etsy Me! is an interactive event for visual and craft-based artists looking to venture into the online retail world by opening Etsy shops, and will take participants through the process of working with a top photographer who will style and photograph up to ten items, a sit-down consultation with a digital marketing strategist who will offer individual advice on selling online, and mini-workshops throughout the day presented by Etsy Experts from Etsy Canada. Mulberry Street Coffeehouse food and beverages will be available, and members of Ophelia Syndrome will play two sets of live music, so plan to stay and socialize.
WHEN: Sunday, May 5th, 2013
WHERE: Mulberry Street Coffeehouse and the Studios at Hotel Hamilton
COST: $40 for those opening new Etsy shops. Looking to revamp your current Etsy shop? Go through the process for $100, or $75 when you bring a crafty friend who’s signing up at the $40 rate.
HOW TO SIGN UP: Visit Etsy Me’s Eventbrite page to register for your preferred block of time.
FURTHER READING: Check out the CoBALT Connects blog to read the Meet the Photographers series, which profiles each of the talented professionals who will be shooting product photos at this event. Look for the Etsy Me! icon for Etsy-related posts!
