Artfire Updates

[GlassAddict]

I'm pretty behind on this, but here are some artfire updates from last month...

08/31/2009

ArtFire is proud to announce the release of our new Coupon Code system. This innovative system gives verified members the ability to create customized coupon codes with dozens of configurations and distribute via multiple channels with just the click of a mouse. The new system allows you to create coupons with incentives like percentage off, dollar amount off, free shipping and or free gifts. You can choose to apply these incentives over the entire range of your offerings, from your entire studio right down to the individual item level.

No more refunding your buyers after checkout when running a sale, with the new ArtFire Coupon Codes offering a sale is quick and easy! Along with the new coupon codes we also added the ability to offer Gift Certificates. You can now create gift certificates for exclusive use in your shop and email them right to the recipient. This means you can also list and sell gift certificates during the holiday season and beyond.

The coupon code launch comes right on the heels of the new ArtFire Facebook Kiosk. This new application allows verified sellers on ArtFire to add your customized fusion studio as a tab on your personal Profile and business Fan page(s). Sellers can now easily pair some of the best features at ArtFire.com. For example you might offer a "Facebook exclusive coupon" that can be used during a no account required checkout through your ArtFire Kiosk, to create leading edge promotion and exposure opportunities.

In the First week of rolling out the new Facebook Kiosk there have been over 3,000 Kiosks put up and reports of member sales increasing! We hope to see similar results with the Coupon Codes and will say that of all the features we have released none have been in higher demand than Coupon Codes. With unique new features we continue to grow the ArtFire community and our member's sales continue to grow as well. In August we saw record site traffic of over 1.7 million unique visitors and major advancements in SEO indexing on search engines!

[dianesdangles]

Here is an update on Gift Certificates. 

I had emailed Artfire with some questions regarding two things:
1. the ability to generate custom codes
2. The receiver of a gift certicate should be notified of who has gifted them a gift certificate, right now a recipient only receives an email notification of a gift certificate code.

So, I asked Artfire to address these concerns, here is their response:

Hello Diane,

Thank you for contacting us. I checked and was unable to create my own gift certificate code as well. I will check with our developers to see if we will be able to create our own codes in the near future.

Also, you bring up a valid point. There should be a "Note to recipient" box along with the email and name fields. I will bring this up to our development team.

If you need anything further, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Kirsten Van Detta
Director, Member Engagement
ArtFire.com
1668 S Research Loop #332 Tucson Arizona 85710
Toll Free: 1.866.683.0994 | Facsimile: 520.722.1206
dianesdangles.artfire.com

[GlassAddict]

Update, 9/30/09

I love this feature!

You can import your whole store from Etsy to Artfire, or specific items.

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=import_items

As a sidenote, when the program asks for your Etsy ID, its asking for your user NUMBER, not your name.  When you are looking at your main shop, you can find this number all the way at the end of the browser bar.  For instance, my username is HannahRachel, but when I see my web address, I see that my user ID number is 5120242.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5120242

[celadon]

I really stay impressed with Artfire.  I should really list some stuff, lol.

[GlassAddict]

Yes, you should, celadon!

Here's ANOTHER update.

----------------
09/29/2009

ArtFire Holiday Free-For-All | Unlimited Listings for Basic Accounts

We are excited to announce that in an effort to help ArtFire members be more successful, we are now allowing free unlimited listings for ALL ArtFire members during the entire holiday season!  We call this promotion the ArtFire "FREE-For-All" and when we say FREE, we mean Free! You never pay a penny to list and sell UNLIMITED ITEMS.  On ArtFire there are no costs, no fees, no commissions; no credit card on file with us, no kidding! 

Regardless of marketplace or venue, we have routinely found that those artists who list more products have a much greater chance of sales success.  Unlimited free listings for the holiday season removes the most significant barrier to success, giving every artist their best chance to prosper.  With the handmade boom and the economic recession, this gives everyone a risk free way to get more handmade, vintage, fine art, media or supplies items in front of the millions of unique visitors that stop by ArtFire each month.  This is the perfect time to make your presence known on the fasted growing handmade venue on the internet.  For more information on the Holiday free-For-All, click here or list more now!

If you are a Basic Member and want to move up to our more powerful Verified/Pro account level, you can still lock in the rate at just $12/month which will never increase as long as you stay a member of the community.  As a Verified/Pro member you have access to our most powerful promotion tools such as the Facebook Kiosk and you receive more onsite search traffic and overall buyer exposure.  Compare account types here.

October Special:  Easy Etsy Importer and Global Product Editor for Basic Accounts

For the month of October only we are sharing the new "Etsy Importer" and the "Global Product Editor" with Basic Members.  These are two features normally reserved only for Verified/Pro account holders that will make importing all or some of your Etsy items over to your ArtFire Studio automatic!  All imported items that do not contain prohibited content or other Google violations will be automatically submitted to Google base for you and will be immediately available for buyers on Google Shopping!   

Once the import process is completed you will automatically be redirected to the Global Product Editor to finish optimizing your items for ArtFire.  There you can quickly select the best site and studio categories, add tags, mark appropriate holidays, and more; so that you’ll have all of your items ready to go on ArtFire in a matter of minutes.   To get started with the Etsy Importer, just click here.  You can also brush up on the Global Product Editor with our all inclusive help guide.   

Have a Handmade Holiday | NEW Holiday Blog Badges

[dianesdangles]

Just listed Gift Certificates in my studio and a new item check it out.

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=563434
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=437155

[GlassAddict]

Very cool, Diane!  Let us know how they go!

[celadon]

They look great, what a good idea!

[dianesdangles]

Update on Coupon Codes:

I had created a 20% off Coupon Code for 'selected items',  So.... when I re-listed some of those items because they expired, they had disappeared from the 'selected items' coupon code. 

You can view your coupon code by going to CouponCode/Gift Certicate menu , then clicking on Manage My Coupons.

When I viewed my Coupon Code, the items that I re-listed had disappeared from the list.  I contacted Artfire and asked them to add those items back in. They replyed that they didn't know how and would have to direct my message to the developers.

So for now I either have to make another coupon for those particular items or not offer them for sale.

Lesson learned:  Make sure you don't have to re-list any items when you create a Coupon Code for selected items.

dianesdangles.artfire.com

[GlassAddict]

Update on Coupon Codes:
I had created a 20% off Coupon Code for 'selected items',  So.... when I re-listed some of those items because they expired, they had disappeared from the 'selected items' coupon code. 
dianesdangles.artfire.com

Oh, bummer.  I didn't realize that they'd finally fixed the expiration thing...  Beforehand, they never expired.  What a drag.

[celadon]

Things expire? 

[dianesdangles]

I hope I didn't confuse anybody regarding my last thread.  Just to clarify things:

What happened to me was the following:
1.  I created a Coupon Code listing various items for a 20% discount.
 
2. Then, later I re-listed some of those items.

3. Then, I discovered that those items that I re-listed were no longer part of my Coupon Code that I had generated earlier.

4. Response by Artfire is that it should not have happened and they will talk to the developers regarding this.

5. So, if I want those items on sale again,  I need to make a new Coupon Code for those particular items.

I just wanted to make aware of this issue to everyone so that they don't run into the same problem.

dianesdangles.artfire.com

[GlassAddict]

New from Artfire

Persistent Cart: Increasing Sales from Non-Account Buyers
We are now tracking non-registered buyers' shopping carts so that they are persistent even if buyers navigate away from ArtFire during their shopping trip. E-commerce statistics show that more than half of all buyers who abandon their shopping carts in the middle of a shopping session will return to finish their purchase within 72 hours. Now, those buyers who abandon their cart will be able to pick up right where they left off thanks to the new cart system. The new system uses a cookie based approach to link a user with their cart for an extended period of time. This new functionality will greatly improve the non-registered shopping experience here at ArtFire.

Amazon Wish Lists
Just in time for the holiday season, we have rolled out Amazon Wish List buttons for ArtFire items. You can find this new button on all non-mature items in the left column near the "Tweet this" and other social promotion buttons. Thanks to Amazon's universal wish list, everyone can let their friends and family know what their top holiday wishes are on Artfire. Help make your holiday a handmade one by letting your loved ones know what amazing gifts you'd love this year with an Amazon.com Wish List!

[dianesdangles]

Has anyone tried to list a new product lately?

I tried to list a new product and Artfire has changed the new listing page.  Some sellers are having problems with this new listing page.  I also have had problems trying to upload photos. 

So, Artfire has provided the link to the old listing page for those who are having problems, so I used to the old link to list some new products and is working okay.

here is the link 
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=add_product&op=old

dianesdangles.artfire.com

[GlassAddict]

Whew, thank you Diane!  I was arguing with it this morning, and thinking maybe I was just coffee deprived.