Any ETSY users/sellers?

[Andrew Gibson]

Hi all I have a cabinet I have decided I want to sell to try to make some income to reinvest into tools and lumber. I listed it up on CL and got nothing but spam. I didn't expect to get any serious offers on the cabinet but you never know.

My real question is has anyone ever bought or sold anything on ETSY, and how was shipping handled? From what I understand the least expensive method of shipping would be to use a moving service ( I still need to make some phone calls I guess). I'm not sure who to call as far as companies.

I would be interested in hearing opinions on what other may think my cabinet is worth as well. Not sure if that is allowed or not, so feel free to PM me. Also i built the cabinet so that Glass shelves would be easily added to turn it into a display cabinet. Which do you think would be in higher demand? Gun display cabinet or China Cabinet?

Here are a couple pics... I need to bring it outside and get some pick in the sun to really show off the figure.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/portfolio/100_0593-1.jpghttp://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/portfolio/100_0594.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/portfolio/100_0598.jpg

[george wilson]

Nice old Marlin .22 (?) I'd display the guns.

[Andrew Gibson]

Nice old Marlin .22 (?) I'd display the guns.

Yup George its an 1892 Marlin, bought by my G G Grandpa for my great Grandpa who was born in 1892. and it is a .22

One of these days I need to re blue it. One of my uncles took it apart and striped it, and lost all the magazine parts. The firing chamber is in pretty rough shape as well. At some point the stock was broken, I made the replacement.

[Brian Kincaid]

No help with the question, but that is a super classy piece of work you put together. I often see furniture and think 'I would do this or that to it...' but with yours I think it's perfect.

-Brian

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

What I know about Etsy and other similar "craft" sites tells me that the people doing the buying tend to be looking for something as close to free as humanly possible.

[Abi Parris]

Just an off the cuff idea: Make some flyers with your pics on them and take them by your local gun shop(s) and/or shooting range. See if they know anyone who might be interested or would be willing to display the flyer.

[Victor Robinson]

What I know about Etsy and other similar "craft" sites tells me that the people doing the buying tend to be looking for something as close to free as humanly possible.

+1

Due to a vast excess of people willing to underprice their work for the sake of being able to say they sold something, you're not going to get anything close to what you should. That's the sad truth...

[Stephen Cherry]

Nice door.

It seems to me that the molding ending cross grained on the door is the most honest way to do it.

Actually, this, in my opinion, is beyond nice, you really do not see this sort of thing.

[Smith, David W.]

To reply to your question about Etsy...I registered and placed goods there for over a year. Sold two items. I let everything expire and won't go back.

[Doug Carpenter]

Put that baby on Shotgunworld or gunbroker.

It will sell like a hotcake on sunday moning.:)

[Andrew Gibson]

Thanks all for the advise.
Abi, I have a "local"local gun shop/range that I have thought about enquiring at to see if they would be interested in starting a relationship. Im fact My friend works for an IT company that the owner of the shop (possibly all 3 shops by the same name) helped start... some sort of falling out over firearm beliefs, so now their relationship is strictly buisness. There might be a door there.

Doug I had not thought of Shotgunworld or gunbroker, I have stumbled across those sites but they never crossed my mind for this purpose.

Stephen, Im not sure I quite know what you mean, but I know its a complement, thanks. I think you are talking about how I finished the cove on the inside of the door buy hand. I simply could not stand to leave the corner rounded from the router, so I picked up a carving gouge and finished off the corner the right way.

Looks like I will be doing a little more in town digging and leave etsy to others for now.

[Stephen Cherry]

Stephen, Im not sure I quite know what you mean, but I know its a complement, thanks. I think you are talking about how I finished the cove on the inside of the door buy hand. I simply could not stand to leave the corner rounded from the router, so I picked up a carving gouge and finished off the corner the right way.



That's what I meant, and it certainly looks pre-industrial revolution.

[Andrew Gibson]

I thought I would give an update to this thread.
I went in to my local gun shop as was recommended and tried to get to talk to the owner. I knew his name because my best friends IT company works for them. I asked a sales guy if I could speak to him and I was a cabinet maker and wanted to talk to him about a gun cabinet. The salesmen said that he was very busy doing inventory, and asked for my information (it seemed like he had been instructed not to go grab the boss right away). I left a card... Sad thing was I walked right past him when I walked in then he disappeared into the back.

I figure If I don't get a call I will call them and see if I can get him on the phone and go from there... I think pushing this one is in my best interest as this is a chain of 4 stores in central Florida and could turn into a very nice business relationship if I can break the ice.

[Robert McGowen]

I have used Etsy a few times and have had good success selling items at a reasonable price. A gallery is going to take 30-50% commission, so you can set a price from there. It only costs $.20 to list an item for 3 months and there is a 3% charge if you sell something. I am not sure what you would have to lose except for $.20

[Frank Drew]

Andrew,

I'd suggest taking a few pictures with the cabinet fitted out with the shelves, maybe with a few items on the shelves as illustration (not too many, though.)

My reasoning is that women make a lot of the decisions about furniture for the home, many women would be more interested in a display cabinet than a gun cabinet, and you want to appeal to as broad an audience as possible (no pun intended.)

It would be a shame if you couldn't get somewhere close to what the cabinet is worth, handmade and all. (When you're pitching it to guys, play up the hand-cut dovetails, etc.)

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I have sold a couple things on Etsy. Etsy, like eBay, is better suited to small items. You have two things going against you in selling a gun cabinet. We have one for sale which has been for sale locally for several months. People always say what a good looking piece it is, but.... The but is that they won't display guns because it's like displaying jewelry - you're asking for people to steal them. The enthusiasts with multiple guns keep them in gun safes. The other thing is the size of the item. You'll have to find someone who is willing to pay a lot for shipping and insurance. And then you're stuck with the crating and hoping nothing happens to it on the way.