Member Spotlight: thestudioartist

Hello again, and welcome to our latest installment of the New Member Spotlight.  This time we invite you to listen to the story of a craftsman who has found a uniquely flexible outlet for his creativity. 

Don't forget...we want to hear your stories too, and would like you to "tell" us in any way you like. Be it pictures, illustrations, VIDEO (hint hint), or good old-fashioned words. Remember, it can be anything from a uniquely interesting item you sold, to how eBay has led to a dramatic change in your life.

You can submit your stories directly to chatterblog@ebay.com (team), ryank@ebay.com (me), or on our dedicated discussion board thread. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our RSS Feed, so you can get updates each time a new post goes up.

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My eBay Experience 
by thestudioartist

Thank you to all of you who have made my selling on eBay such a positive experience. I entered the world of eBay initially through buying, finding items that I found very interesting and unusual, and that were not available to me previously. My initial concerns with ordering were quickly eliminated, as I found the items I was ordering were very well represented, well packaged and shipped quickly, and best of all, the human aspect seemed to enter back into the picture.

Although some people seem to think that the computer de-personalizes things, I found my interactions with my trading partners to be much more human than the impersonal and cold attitudes of many of the chains and businesses I deal with locally. It's like a whole bunch of small (yes, even tiny) individually run, charming businesses, where the owner is sincerely interested in what he (she) is selling, and is personally responsible for and attentive to each transaction. My experiences were so positive it made me think about selling on eBay.

I decided to start selling on eBay on a trial basis, and to see for myself whether this might be a desirable way to sell some of my work. My work is unusual, and I thought it would be a good way to bring my work to a much wider audience. I found it was not hard to list the items, and the best part was that I could list, respond to people, pack and ship at times that were convenient for me (with consideration for timely action of course).

The work I do (blown glass) does not allow for unexpected interruption. Concentration is key for me to do my best work. I do not keep a phone in my workshop for this very reason. The eBay system allows me to do all the associated tasks at any time of day or night, so I can continue to do my artwork uninterrupted. I have computer and photography skills, and I am used to criticizing my own work, so accurate listing was not difficult. I enjoy dealing with people, so that part came easily, and the most exciting part was that this was a way to present my work, in my way, to people in every part of the country (increasingly, although it sounds fantastic, in every part of the world).

My experiences have been excellent. My work seems well received (large numbers of people returning for multiple purchases and wonderful feedback), and I have found that buyers, and sellers, have a very high level of integrity. I have thoroughly enjoyed my dealings with people, and found it a very desirable way for me to bring my work directly to those searching for unusual work from an artist they may not have seen or found in other ways.

Scheduling the associated tasks has gone smoothly, as have all transactions.  Shipping exclusively USPS Priority Mail has been near perfect (yes, I'm knocking on wood here), and selling through eBay now feels quite natural.  I have also just recently opened an eBay Store, and will soon be listing a number of items at fixed price in the store listings. I’ll still be selling through my personal web site, and through galleries, but plan now to make eBay a steady part of bringing my work to people.

Sincerely,
George Watson

*You can see George's eBay Store and listings at stores.eBay.com/The-Artists-Studio