# Critique my etsy shop?



## FifthCap (Oct 13, 2014)

Eeeeeee! I'm so excited! 
It was a new years goal of mine to open shop.  
I know that sounds really easy,  but I am so afraid of failing,  harsh judgments, ridicule, etc etc.

With the year coming to a close I saw my goal slowly slipping away so Thursday I bit the bullet and posted my first few items. 

It's actually a lot of work. 
Pictures,  description,  description of yourself,  prices,  etc etc.
I'm still trying to 'jazz' my descriptions up to make them stand out a little more. 


I actually sold 3 bars of soap my first night!  ..... it was to an old high school friend,  but it still shows as a sale!  

I've built up a tiiiny following on instagram (I've actually been neglecting it a little), a good bit of friends through a forum who love to support local hobbyists (I haven't announced my opening there yet due to issues with PayPal) and I've generated some interest over the last couple years to local friends who have expressed they'd like to buy. 
So I think if I can get the customer satisfaction and shopping experience down I could do alright for myself. 
If all goes well I'd like to start selling at the local farmers market. 


But,  let's just start with etsy.
Could y'all please tell me what y'all think of my items,  Pictures,  description,  about me description,  And a general impression? 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SarahFairs


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Oct 13, 2014)

I like the pictures of the soap.

I don't like the wording in the descriptions in general but the goat stuff in particular - I am buying soap, not a goat.  If you are going to talk about your goat and have pictures, why not do the same for other ingredients?  I understand it is a bit of a basis for you, but it is not something that you exclusively use (it's not in the beer soap, for example) so it seems a little bit OTT to be talking about the babies from your goat in a description for a soap item.

The descriptions are also not overly uniform, by which I mean you state on the beer soap "I never use Palm Oil in my products" but the same disclaimer is not in the descriptions of your other soaps.

Also, you are not allowed to say that your soap does anything other than clean.  The oatmeal one with "exfoliating, yet moisturizing, scrub" makes your product a cosmetic, not a soap.


----------



## FifthCap (Oct 13, 2014)

Thanks for pointing out the Palm oil and exfoliating points. 

I thought including info on my goats would give the buyer more of a connection about where the soap came from and give my products a little more "independence" from other soaps. 
Sometimes it takes me awhile and a few looks to get a story to "flow".

I guess next time Im making a batch I'll picture all the ingredients to include that as well. 

It's just hard, for me anyways,  to make a "connection" story with olive oil 


But if y'all think I should omit it ask together?


----------



## KatieShephard (Oct 13, 2014)

I liked the story about the goat   But if that is your "hook", then maybe try to use it in all your products.  Good luck with your new venture!


----------



## FifthCap (Oct 13, 2014)

Thanks!  I went back and tried cleaning up to story a bit so it flows a bit more fluently. 

It's just a whole new thing for me and when adding a bunch of new items my brain gets a little junked up 

Someone's it's hard for me to see things
That's why I value yalls opinion


----------



## Ellacho (Oct 13, 2014)

How exciting! Good luck with your new soap biz !


----------



## Kittie (Oct 13, 2014)

I liked the story and pics of your dear goat and I do enjoy reading the personal nature of products I choose to buy too. Your product, soap, should be first focus. It might be best to put that info last, after the product info itself, maybe under a title 
Fun facts about my goat's milk: 

Most readers just want the product info first and they don't like to read a lot. Sigh, I too need to take this into consideration in my shop too, so just know, it's not only you who's done this. 
I would not choose to post a picture of ingredients, since a brand you use may change due to supplies and supplier changes. Aside, it's not necessary and a consumer of time. It's already time consuming enough just to post a listing. 

EDIT:  You say on your about me page, "There was always just something about a piece that made me thing, why would they do that?
Change 'thing' to think. 

I do agree with our Gentleman, regarding statements of what a product does making it a cosmetic and consequent labeling and other sticky laws. Therefore, labeling laws and a whole new can of worms to sort through. Although as I perused through your site, I also looked through soooo many other sites on Etsy that also consistently make cosmetic claims on all their products. IDK how they get away with it, but they do. At least for now. I guess it's just better to err on the good side of the laws, leading to no troubles to tend to, and of course, more of your free time to make soaps n such.


----------



## cmzaha (Oct 13, 2014)

I have to question your ingredient list. With Beeswax being first on the list it tell me that beeswax is the main ingredient in your soap. Beeswax really does not great properties to soap other than hardness and not a paticularly good feeling bar of soap.  You also do not list sodium hydroxide or your liquids. Every item that goes in the pot has to be listed. Your ingredients list is to be in descending order from highest to lowest. If you list what comes out of the pot it would be sodium coconate, sodium olivate etc. I would only state in the shop description of the non-use of palm and let the ingredients speak for themselves. People do not always like to be reminded of the same point over and over, most can read.


----------



## snappyllama (Oct 13, 2014)

I agree with the other suggestions and have one of my own.  I like the picture of your goat that is facing us.  As a consumer, I really don't want to see any part of the back end of a goat when thinking about buying b&b products.  

Yes, I know that's the region where the milk comes from... but....

Maybe you should try to take a few more pictures of your goats outside but make sure all are facing the camera directly and smiling happy goat smiles.

Your soaps look really nice though!


----------



## Aline (Oct 13, 2014)

I would keep the goat story on the About and Profile pages. Just mention briefly that the product is made with milk from goats you raise on each listing. 

Can you really not claim that soap is exfoliating? I thought it was just medical claims that were not allowed or is it different for soap than for other B & B products?


----------



## FifthCap (Oct 13, 2014)

I thought it was just food you had to list order of ingredients?  
I didn't realize it was none edibles as well..


And a lot of time people won't read shop descriptions or even look at other products when shopping for one type of product either. 
....that's how I shop anyways. 


And I wondered about that one picture where she's grazing. The colors were just nice. 
I'll have to go out there and take fresh pictures.


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Oct 13, 2014)

Aline said:


> ..........Can you really not claim that soap is exfoliating? I thought it was just medical claims that were not allowed or is it different for soap than for other B & B products?



If you say that it cleans, it is soap.  If you say that it does anything else or even have any other sort of name in there (shaving soap, for example!) then it is no longer just "soap" that cleans and comes under the rules for the FDA as a cosmetic.  That's right - even shaving soap is not soap to the FDA, as it is not just for cleaning. Bear in mind this is all USA based.


----------



## FifthCap (Oct 13, 2014)

http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/how-to-label-cold-process-soap/

This link says you don't have to list soap ingredients per FDA.

And since I'm just listing them on the site and it's not actually labeled on the product,  does it have to be in order? 

Obviously beeswax is the least thing used,  but some people find it really neat so I kind of listed more interesting ingredients first. 
(Goats milk,  essential oils,  then bees wax,  And the rest of the butters, oils,  and the least interesting ...lye)


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Oct 13, 2014)

It's best to go to the horses mouth in many cases, but one thing to note (even from that blog!) is that IF you do it, you HAVE to do it correctly.  If you don't want to do it correctly, you can't do it at all.


----------



## Aline (Oct 13, 2014)

The Efficacious Gentleman said:


> If you say that it cleans, it is soap.  If you say that it does anything else or even have any other sort of name in there (shaving soap, for example!) then it is no longer just "soap" that cleans and comes under the rules for the FDA as a cosmetic.  That's right - even shaving soap is not soap to the FDA, as it is not just for cleaning. Bear in mind this is all USA based.



The difference being that if it's a cosmetic and not just soap then you have to list all the ingredients correctly.....?

P.S. I really meant to say 'fully and in the correct order' but you're right that soap needs to be labelled correctly too Carolyn


----------



## cmzaha (Oct 13, 2014)

If you do choose to label your soap, which is an option, in the US it still has to be labeled correctly. If selling, customers prefer to have all ingredients labeled


----------



## FGOriold (Oct 13, 2014)

If your product meets the requirements for being labeled as "Soap", you do not have to list ingredients.  If you say your product does anything other than clean (moisturizes, exfoliates, softens, etc.) then it is classified as a cosmetic and must follow the labeling laws for cosmetics.  If you say your product treats any medical condition in any way (implied via ingredient descriptions, testimonials, etc), then you are selling a drug which is a whole new classification of labeling (and proving your claims) that is highly regulated by the FDA.  Plus, if you claim any type of medical condition is affected by its use, it is not allowed to be sold on Etsy even though it can be sold elsewhere (this is an Etsy rule for all products not just bath and body - products making medical claims are not allowed there)

For help in determining what you are selling and how to label it go here:
http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/GuidanceRegulation/LawsRegulations/ucm074201.htm

To get more easy to read info on product labeling, go here:
http://mariegale.com/

That said, in looking at just one of your listings, I would put the goat info into your about page (that is what it is for) and stick to the details of your soap.  More pics of the actual soap would be good too. I am not buying a goat, so I want to see what I am buying.


----------



## FifthCap (Oct 13, 2014)

I went back and fixed my ingredients list.  Thanks y'all for clarifying!


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Oct 14, 2014)

Aline said:


> The difference being that if it's a cosmetic and not just soap then you have to list all the ingredients correctly.....?


 
Just to clarify - 

Cosmetic and drug - you must list and correctly

Soap - you don't have to list, but if you choose to do so then you HAVE to do it correctly.


----------



## FifthCap (Oct 14, 2014)

Can the words "instant satisfaction" be used to describe a product?


----------



## FGOriold (Oct 14, 2014)

FifthCap said:


> Can the words "instant satisfaction" be used to describe a product?



I am not even sure what that would mean and how you would use it for soap. Can you explain further?


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Oct 14, 2014)

From the FDA point of view, most likely.  From a point of view of making sense of your labeling and marketing.........maybe not


----------



## FifthCap (Oct 14, 2014)

Oh,  i forgot to add, that's for lip balm


----------



## FGOriold (Oct 14, 2014)

Lip balm is not soap, it is a cosmetic and must follow the cosmetic labeling laws (unless you say anything about healing or treating a medical condtion, then it is a drug).


----------



## maya (Oct 14, 2014)

Your shop is nice. I have a couple of comments. First, I wouldn't have two unrelated products for sale in the same shop. I.e. jewelry and b + b items. Two for Etsy, the ingredients listings do not matter on the sales page. Its on your product label that all these rules come into effect. So, for Etsy beeswax as the first ingredient is just fine. Many, many, many people do not list their full, proper ingredient list on Etsy (I've heard many reasons, a main one was theft of formulas.)


----------



## FifthCap (Oct 14, 2014)

maya said:


> Your shop is nice. I have a couple of comments. First, I wouldn't have two unrelated products for sale in the same shop. I.e. jewelry and b + b items. Two for Etsy, the ingredients listings do not matter on the sales page. Its on your product label that all these rules come into effect. So, for Etsy beeswax as the first ingredient is just fine. Many, many, many people do not list their full, proper ingredient list on Etsy (I've heard many reasons, a main one was theft of formulas.)



Yeah,  I've wondered about the two different categories making it look like a "Jack of all trades,  master of none" kind of deal


----------



## FifthCap (Oct 14, 2014)

Double post


----------

