Help a struggling freelance metallurgist/jeweler
August 15, 2013 9:22 AM   Subscribe

My mom's current gentleman companion, "Fred", works out of his home as a metallurgist/jeweler. He has been making Southwestern style jewelry for decades, and from what I can tell he is very talented. He also makes gorgeous knives and tomahawks. He is older, not particularly tech-savvy, and he is having trouble making ends meet. Help me to help Fred become more successful.

He has worked in the Southwestern jewelry industry for decades, but had to quit working for a jewelry company due to an injury. Fred built a forge in his backyard where he has a pretty full workshop for making custom metal knives, tomahawks, and jewelry. He also likes to go to auctions where he buys (theoretically to re-sell) antique furniture, collectibles, and antique knives.

Currently, the only way Fred sells anything is through eBay. He does not get prices for items that he thinks are fair. Selling his work is Fred's only source of income, and he is really struggling. He is older, and I think unfairly skeptical of using other websites to market his stuff.

I am willing to help Fred set up anything online (he is in New Mexico and I am in DC) and my mom is willing to help him out with any events or markets locally.
posted by forkisbetter to Work & Money (16 answers total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
Etsy might be a better place for his custom items.

Talk him through reserve pricing on eBay -- if it's really worth more than people are paying, then they'll pay more if you make them.
posted by Etrigan at 9:26 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


Yeah you should really help him set up an Etsy store!
posted by radioamy at 9:39 AM on August 15, 2013 [5 favorites]


Currently, the only way Fred sells anything is through eBay. He does not get prices for items that he thinks are fair. Selling his work is Fred's only source of income, and he is really struggling. He is older, and I think unfairly skeptical of using other websites to market his stuff.

People go to Ebay to look for bargains. They go to Etsy to look for treasures. That's how I'd try to sell it to him.
posted by showbiz_liz at 9:40 AM on August 15, 2013 [22 favorites]


I would look at the approach Peter Atwood uses.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 9:49 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


There are also some interesting (and often passionate) Facebook groups for custom knifemakers and collectors: here's one example. I'm sure there are similar ones for jewelry. It should be pretty straightforward for you to set up an account on his behalf to try a few sales -- even better if you/he become a "known" (even if only occasional) commenter.

You might also want to check out the discussions and marketplace areas on edcforums.com and bladeforums.com. Good luck!
posted by argonauta at 9:50 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Echoing the Etsy suggestion. I would never buy something custom or quality off of eBay. Etsy, though, I wouldn't hesitate and have many times. For whatever reasons, people in general expect more from Etsy, and the products are often given more respect. Also, Etsy is where more of his potential clients probably are.

Maybe you can sit him down, get it all set up for him, and then see how it goes. I really think he'd have better luck.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 9:55 AM on August 15, 2013 [4 favorites]


He should be using Fixed Price Listings on ebay. It is like having a store, he sets the price, people pay the price.

But also etsy. The thing about etsy is that it is a lot of work to be successful. You can't just post things and they sell. High-quality photos are a must, good descriptions, store policies, SEO, etc. Then he (or someone) will also need to market the shop, you can't just assume people will find you.
posted by magnetsphere at 9:56 AM on August 15, 2013


NO matter what route you choose, Etsy (which I think is a good one) or some other niche site, one way you can help is to make sure his product photos are top-notch. People want to see scale and detail and attractive photos can draw people in.
posted by cabingirl at 10:00 AM on August 15, 2013 [7 favorites]


Can you help him set up a blog? He (or you and he) could write some lively, interesting (even if short) content about his work, his process, maybe even his life history or intriguing auction finds and pair it with photos. He needs to increase his web presence anyway, and if he starts looking at and commenting on some of the blogs (that I assume are out there, as they're out there for everything similar) and builds up a link roll, people will look at his blog and link him back and so on. This will take a while to be effective unless he lucks out, but in the end it can really pay off - I have a different field of interest, but I've definitely seen small maker blogs boost business and profile tremendously. Update content every day or two - that seems like a lot, but if you remember that "content" can be "I bought this neat old chair in 2006, here are some good photos" or "today I did [THING] at the forge, here is a photo" then it can easily be part of the standard work day.
posted by Frowner at 10:09 AM on August 15, 2013


He might also think about the famed "Bowl of Fruit, Yo" theory.
posted by Etrigan at 10:13 AM on August 15, 2013 [3 favorites]


Which city do he live in? Does it have a yuppie (ahem "corporate hippie") area of town where he could put his designs on consignment? Can he make friends with the local shop owners, or join an artists collective? They often have a collective store where everyone displays their work, and then volunteers to mind the store a few hours a week.

Let him start a blog detailing his work - the development of his projects, good finds, and his personal history as a craftsman.

If his stuff is really really good, he could get picked up by Anthropologie or other frou-frou stores, and chic furniture stores. You know those cute little branch rings at Anthropologie? True story, it was picked up from an independent designer who worked out of her own studio.

Pay for professional pictures of his work. Jewelry needs to be professionally lit to show off its beauty. If you have any friends in magazine work (either writers/publishers themselves, or ex-models), send them pictures and see if they like it and would pass it along. Someone has to generate those "new buys!" section of a magazine.

He can donate his stuff to charity auctions (or you do it on his behalf in the DC area) to generate buzz.

It sounds like some of his work is fairly masculine, so see if it can get picked up by a men's blog, like artofmanliness.com or something like it. I could see it in some Brooklyn hipster blog as well. Or look into NYC furniture blogs if there are any.

For his local market work, remember the Christmas rush. Lots of "One-of-a-kind" craft fairs pop up in the October time frame.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 10:50 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


Yes, Etsy is the way to go, for sure. I sell very small scale on Etsy, though, and I think it's essential to do more than just set up a shop. Networking within Etsy, through teams, is a big thing, and can be quite helpful to get involved with them. From what I've seen, the most successful Etsy shops in my area have an online store and an additional on-line presence (either FB or a blog, sometimes both), but also do quite a bit with craft fairs and consignment. I think St. Peepsburg's suggestion about charity auctions is spot on, but you'll need to have the shop set up and running first, so that everyone who didn't win can go to his site and buy a different piece.

If he really wants to do this, though, it's going to be a full time job for him and your mom, though. Because it's not just making the things, but it's also dealing with the on-line end every single day, as well as fulfillment and handling the schedule (and work) of the craft fair circuit.
posted by anastasiav at 10:55 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


One thing he might want to do is explore the use of Twitter to showcase his work and let potential clients know about specials, new pieces, sales, etc. I would recommend building up a Twitter presence for him and then making sure his Twitter handle is prominently displayed wherever he sells his work (assuming that's allowed - I don't the specific rules with ebay/Etsy regarding this sort of thing).

Also, I know the question is geared towards online sales but is he willing/able to perhaps set up a booth at a local street fair? This may be more trouble than it's worth but if his work really is that good this might be a way to build up word of mouth, future customers, etc. I found my favorite hat dealer at a local street fair. She has an Etsy store with a much wider selection than what she brings to the fairs. I would've never discovered her online store without first seeing and buying her products in person. That's just a personal data point but something perhaps for him to consider.
posted by moxiequz at 10:58 AM on August 15, 2013


What he needs is a business plan, so that he doesn't waste his effort or yours. How much you help him with this is up to you.

1. Selling locally: I would think this was important for jewelry (which I like to handle before buying, I think that's true for lots of people) consignment shops, boutiques and street fairs. He needs to figure out what he wants to spend/can spend for booths and gas and whatever display materials he needs. But also, if he's been in the business forever, surely he knows people who like his work and will help him with local publicity.

2. Online: Etsy store, certainly, but you do have to set aside time to manage them. Unless you are going to do all that for him, free, he needs to budget that time for himself, and for his eBay store if he wants to keep doing it. Ditto on the really good photos for this, they will make the sale for him (or lose it).

3. Publicity: "Local jewelry guy makes masterpieces in his back yard", well, there's the kind of human interest story your local media would enjoy. If you're in a small town, go ahead and write the article for the paper and then take it by and ask if they'll print it. They probably will, or maybe make a few tweaks. Send a press release to your local TV news station. Can't hurt, and they might need something for the human interest slot. Does he advertise in town? Have business cards? Does he make wedding rings? Then maybe talk to local wedding planners, get a table at the next wedding fair. His stuff sounds like it would sell well at a Trader's Days or rodeo or any cowboy-themed event.
posted by emjaybee at 11:45 AM on August 15, 2013 [3 favorites]


Oh yeah definitely good pix are key, and blogs are great.
posted by radioamy at 12:45 PM on August 15, 2013


Best answer: Make sure the online stuff is all set up, and the address is printed on his nice new business cards BEFORE doing any in-person work like craft fairs or local publicity.

I recently had a stall for my hobby craft in a small free art fair, and while I didn't sell much, many people asked me about my Etsy store... which I didn't have. If the work is online first, a craft fair becomes publicity for the online store in a very real way. Many other vendors I talked to said that most of their sales from the show would actually come through their online shops in the following weeks.
posted by snorkmaiden at 1:33 PM on August 15, 2013


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