Fairy Costumes: Need Feedback

[rottenlittleboys]

$68 is way too low. I'd say you could charge closer to $100 and up for those outfits.

Live models work wonders. Getting the word out is what takes longer than anything else when starting a business like this. Take the advice of kstaron and LA_Fairy. Go find more people to sell to.

Oh, and the one thing that keeps me from wanting to cry while I build my business is finding someone to mentor me. They help to steer me in the right directions and give advice when I need it most. I don't know if you are in the US, but try going to the Small Business Administration. http://www.sba.gov/

Gorgeous work.

Oh! And as a potential client, when I see things like 'under renovation' on an Etsy, I think the site is no longer viable and quit looking there.

[LA-Fairy]

2 More things I thought about last night,
Deviantart.com, they have a category for costumes now, and with lots of costume/cosplay/fairy groups on there to submit your work to, it will get your stuff spread really fast. If you need help with that, lemme know, deviantart can be rather a bit chaotic.

And you might want to think putting some up as singles. Worth a try.

[LoveArtScene]

First, congrats on opening your own Etsy shop! I know it takes a lot of time and effort to get things listed and made!

My field is in Integrated Marketing and Communication, and I thought I would be able to help out a little bit!

I would say your target audience is defiantly children, and women with children (obviously! lol) and maybe even seasonal. I would suggest looking into your local renaissance festivals, any comic-cons and just posting on as many community discussion boards you can. Also check out your local paper for their on-line and print additions. On-line advertisement is a lot cheaper than print (for obvious reasons) but I would suggest just digging really hard for as many outlets on-line as yah can.

I would also print out small fliers (just computer paper but nothing too fancy) and posting them up locally around town. Daycares and second hand thrift stores, and any children-orientied outlets. Family owned businesses are a lot more lenient on posting things, and often more willing to help out because they make their own decisions. (Heck, even Starbucks has a "Community Happenings" board).

Hopefully this gets you started in the right direction. I saw someone also mention the SBA for the U.S. and I would HIGHLY suggest just reading through their site. ( I printed out the whole thing and put it in a binder lol)

Best Wishes!

[Larissa-Rasputin]

Absolutely adorable!  I checked your etsy store and it seems like your stuff is geared towards children.  While I think that your price is fair, you have to consider the time of year in addition to the fact that this is a purchase that most people will look at as a one time wear (considering how quickly children grow)  Is there any way you could adjust it so that it would grow a little with the child?  (adjustable tutu, modesty panel in the bodice so the laces can be further apart or some such.)  That way, they can see the possibility of more than one use.

This stuff would definitely sell for ren faires or halloween.   I'd search for websites or magazines and try to get your stuff in there.

[Macedwarf]

Those outfits are GORGEOUS!  I especially love the wings.  I would also agree that the prices you are charging are way lower than I would expect to pay for something of that quality.

My only query would be - I didn't realise until seeing the photos of the outfit on the young girls that it is designed to have a bare belly.  Possibly that could be a little off-putting for people who see your listings of the outfit on the dummy, covering the body, and then see the bare-belly listing.  Have you made versions with the white undertop being longer to see how that compares?

[dulcet]

It might just be the wrong season. 
Have you considered selling the peices individually?  Maybe someone would just be interested in the wings by themselves (except then you'd have to figure out how to wear them).

[Wulf]

I also think that the low price may be part of what's turning people off. It certainly can't be the designs or the apparent quality, both of which are very appealing. Sometimes people have an idea about how much something is worth and they won't pay a penny less!

One thing that sometimes works to overcome that "too cheap to be good" perception is to have one or two things in the shop that are so splendid that everyone instantly wants them, but priced so high that they're unattainable. Sometimes when people have been drawn in by something that they can't afford, they are pleased to find something else that's within their price range.

And I agree with everyone that live models will sell these dresses much better. Put the adorable little girls on the front page (it almost doesn't matter how much of the dress you can see!) and let them click to the details once they're hooked. I think your descriptive text is really good, once you get to it.

Good luck! Your dresses deserve to be sold far and wide.

Wulf

[ladymizri]

Thanks, everyone for the wonderful feedback!  This one I have shown here is a size 7-8, and I don't have a child that will fit that fairy...  I've been looking for one.  I will definately check out the websites mentioned!  I made the wings myself by embroidering the design onto stiff felt, trimming, and then sewing a second layer of felt with velcro to the embroidered piece.  The bodice has velcro on it.  I've been contemplating selling the bodice and wings alone, or (if I make it to sell at a ren faire) having a "Build-a-Fairy" where, for a set price, you pick the dress/tutu, bodice and wings from a selection in the shoppe.  I have another style of wings and can make a dress for under it, since I know some people are against little girls showing some belly...  lol....  If you checked out my etsy store, you have seen the hot pink one, if not, here is a pic of my daughter in it.  It's a little big on her, though. 

[microjivvy]

I agree that the low prices may be hurting (season and lack of models, too).

Finding the perfect price-point is one of the hardest tasks in any business, but it's also one of the most important.  Here's an easy-to-read "price point" article that I love: http://www.copyblogger.com/click-whirr-buy/

That's not my web site, but every time I start reading it, I end up reading "just one more" article. 

[beth8144]

The other option is to list them for more then put a sale price on them people would see that they are worth more and fell like they are getting a great deal at the same time. But they are lovely.