More Than Just Etsy – Introducing Artfire.com

It’s no secret that retail is competitive. Whether you are walking through a mall or walking down a street full of stores,  you have many choices as to where to shop, what to buy, and why you may want one thing versus another. So in keeping up with retail competition, Artfire.com is giving Etsy.com something to think about.  Fans of handmade crafts of all kinds can now shop Artfire.com for the same types of handmade goodies they can find on Etsy.com. The catch is they support the artists selling their products online in different ways than Etsy, as well as offer both artists and shoppers the opportunity to social network through blogging and online chatting communities catered to specific artists and shoppers requests.

Sellers

As a seller on Artfire.com, you are supported with the tools you need to sell online, however unlike Etsy, there are no commissions paid out when you sell something. The catch – You must be a member to sell on Artfire, and the subscription to maintain this membership is $20 a month. However, with no commissions and the opportunity for a ton of sales, this is an incredible deal. To sweeten this deal, Artfire is now offering a select number of membership subscriptions for $7 a month for life! If you are even considering joining Artfire.com, I’d sign up while that deal is still available. In addition, their marketing plans are pretty aggressive, though they have not dove deep into all of them yet. A recent interview by Rose Works Jewelry designer Ruthie found out that Artfire.com has a few things up their sleeves to help promote Artfire in the near future. You can learn more by reading the interview of founder John Jacobs for yourself at http://roseworksjewelry.blogspot.com/2009/01/artfire-interview-with-john-jacobs.html

To help you also understand the perks of selling your handmade goods on Artfire.com, check out their easy to understand checklist of the benefits they offer. They even compare their services to Etsy, allowing you to fully understand the competition. How great is that? See for yourself and make your own decision by visiting http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Sell

Buyers

As a buyer of Artfire.com crafts and more, you can be assured that your  money is going straight to the artist themselve, therefore supporitng handmade goods entirely. No corporations, not even Artfire, benefit from the purchases you make. If you are anything like me, you can certainly appreciate the value in this since the artists selling their goods are the ones who deserve the full return on their product. In addition, you have a variety of choices in your shopping direction to help you navigate how you want to shop. There are many categories divided into three sectors. These sectors are Handmade & Fine Art, Design & Media, and Supplies & Vintage. After shopping myself for quite some time, I found more than I could have imagined! There really is a ton of great things for sale, and this is only the beginnig. As Artfire.com grows, so will their choice of options for online shoppers. They plan to have a “sale” section, “local community” section, “featured shops” and more. Make sure to check back onto Artfire.com reguarly to see how it evolves into a great online store for handmade goodies. Take a peak today by visiting http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Buy

Still Deciding My Favorite

While I can’t say I love Artifre.com yet as much as Etsy.com, I can tell you that I am checking out both reguarly and will continue to shop both sites. My gut tells me that Artfire is going to definitely shake things up a bit at Etsy, offering artists a great alternative to be competitive with how they sell and where they sell. While I am sure this may have Etsy shaking in their boots a bit, I personally think competition is healthy and it will hopefully make both sites the best they can be. I’d love to hear what you think, though!

Talk to Me

Whether a buyer or seller, I want to know what you think of Artfire.com. Email me at nicole@retailminded.com with your thoughts. In addition, I’d love to hear about any other online sites that you either sell your product or shop for product from handmade designers. I have also been checking our www.Crobbies.com and www.Bonanzle.com lately and will update you soon with what I find out about these sites, as well.

Thanks in advance! I look forward to hearing from you soon.