funky box studio

… or simply an online seller of any kind. Being an Etsy seller surely has lots of advantages, but it’s not always pink cotton candy and unicorns and flowers and rainbows. Remember a while back we talked about one of the biggest problems we have as sellers – shipping problems.

Shipping is definitely a major issue and it’s very stressful as it’s clearly out of our control as sellers, but also out of the client’s control too. So it’s definitely a bummer when a client tells you: “My package hasn’t arrived yet. What’s going on?”

*** Since we’ve already given a few tips on the article about shipping (see above), let’s move on to the next terrifying words you could hear from your clients: “I received the package, but i don’t like the items / the items don’t fit.” Awful, right? Here are some tips to prevent such a situation:

– make sure your shop policies are crystal clear on refunds. For example, if ordered items are personalized, could you actually make a refund? You’d be stuck with the items as you couldn’t resell them, you’d have lost time on making them, you’d have lost money on materials…

– make sure you double check every detail of the order before sending it. Make that a triple check!

– send as many photos as possible and as accurate as possible.

*** Another terrible situation is when a client tells you: “I received the package, but it is not what i ordered!” Etsy sellers are either full time online sellers or they also have a day job too. It is tiring dealing with a day job, Etsy promoting, talking to clients, being active on social media, working on orders, shipping orders, creating new designs, maybe also taking care of the family. It is understandable to make mistakes, so here are some tips in order to try and prevent something like this from happening:

– be organized. Even if you’re naturally not an organized person, make sure you have an organized mess there in your workshop!

– use labels. I’m not talking about something fancy, but simple post-it notes or something similar so that you’ll know at all times what is where.

– step by step and one by one. Don’t start working on more orders at once. If it’s deadlines that you’re worried about, you should consider extending the time frame within you tell your clients that you’ll ship their orders. Better safe than sorry.

*** The final terrible situation you can find yourself into as an Etsy seller is having your client tell you: “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to order anymore.” Even though there aren’t any apparent losses depending on the exact time the client has decided not to order anymore, we – as sellers – know exactly what and how much we lost: time, money and materials. Here are our tips:

– communicate. Try and find out what caused the client to change his mind and work your way from there.

– do not send hateful messages to the client. Yes, he might have caused you to waste time and money, but hateful messages won’t bring them back and won’t do any good either. Quite the opposite actually.

– stay positive and don’t get too upset about it. You’ll need that energy for the other billion possible clients who will actually order from you!

Feel free to add your own tips and tricks for these situations or maybe share similar awful situations you had to go through and how you handled them!

The Funky Studio team wishes you, as always, a colorful day!

PS: This is part of the blog articles i’m “rescuing” from the old blog.

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etsy, funky box studio, presentation boxes

New jewelry boxes; presentation boxes, small gift boxes, favor boxes

May 14, 2015 Andreea

Even though the following presentation boxes are fairly new on Funky Box Studio, we’re excited to see how successful they are! We’ve already sold a bunch of them and we’re actually preparing to ship a new batch these days.

There are actually quite many people asking for boxes that open upwards! There are also many people asking for large boxes, but with this i’m afraid we’re not able to help. Even though technically they’re doable and we could have them done, there are a bunch of reasons why we don’t take these orders… Oh, but that’s another story for another blog article! For now, let’s check these cute gift boxes out:

So here are the technical details for these cute presentation boxes:

– jewelry boxes, presentation boxes, packaging, gift boxes for small items fitting the sizes of the box, favor boxes, party favors, wedding favors. Tip: for quick and cute wedding favors, just place a bit of tulle inside, then add those delicious traditional white candies and after that just add a ribbon going all the way around the box. Use a ribbon to match your wedding’s theme color!

– size: 3.93 x 2.75 x 0.78 inches = 10 x 7 x 2 cm

– card stock: extra white, grey or natural brown kraft

– they come in sets of 15

– find them in our shop over here

I would think we’re bound to make a lot more of these jewelry boxes in the future and we’re really excited about it! It’s really rewarding to know that what you make is both useful and well liked.

The Funky Studio team wishes you, as always, a colorful day!

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artist interview, etsy

Interview with Dana of DanaBassotta. Romantic, eclectic, elegant accessories collections

May 5, 2015 Andreea

Here’s the second interview we prepared on the occasion of Funky Box Studio turning 2 years old and finally starting working on Funky Print Studio as well.

Dana Pelnika is the artist and designer behind DanaBassotta. We are really honored to be the ones creating the personalized packaging for her unique bow tie necklaces! Without further ado, here’s a glimpse into Dana’s world:

1. Tell us something about yourself as a person and also as an artist and a crafter.
DanaBassotta is a brand created by Dana Pelnika, born in Latvia and currently based between Rome, Riga and Paris.
While accomplishing studies in Academy of Arts of Latvia, Le Arti Orafe Jewellery School in Florence, and École Boule in Paris, Dana developed her personal creative activities as DanaBassotta.
DanaBassotta is specialized in decorative hand engraving on jewelry and different gift items, as well as portrait and landscape engraving.
Adding to hand engraving DanaBassota focuses her activities on silversmithing, custom jewelry and stone setting.

2. How did you start your business and how did you choose to create the particular items that you make? How did you first get interested in these fields and where do you get your inspiration from?
It began as a nostalgic and sentimental fairy tale… Walking through the charming streets of Montmartre in Paris area with my faithful friend, my cute dachshund Rex, I received a valuable flash of inspiration. Le Marché Saint Pierre with its colorful and chaotic stores tapes, fabrics and buttons, enchanted me and so i have decided to create something special, using the magic and charm of those magnificent colors.

3. What would you say are the main aspects that characterize your work and at the same time differentiate your work from others?
DanaBassotta is innovative and at the same time it represents unique and very original timeless classics, which bases its strength in the use of high quality materials and craftsmanship.

bow ties packaging — “It began as a nostalgic and sentimental fairy tale…”

4. What are your plans for the future of your business?
The future plans of DanaBassotta are quite big! I would like to expand my business and collaborate with other fashion brands. DanaBassotta already was noticed by some important fashion magazines like GQ UK, GLAMOUR UK, JUTE fashion magazine and others. Besides that creations of DanaBassotta have participated in several photo shootings for the fashion blogs and reviews.

5. What did you purchase from Funky Box Studio and / or Funky Print Studio?
From the Funky Box Studio I purchase the boxes for my bow ties.

6. How did you come by FBS / FPS? (recommendation, google search, etsy etc.)
I found this nice provider occasionally. Was struggling for a while with the ‘’perfect wrapping’’ search for my bow ties. One day going through Etsy I came across Funky Box Studio and I am fully satisfied with their products.

7. What did you think of your interaction with FBS / FPS from a customer service point of view?
I appreciate our collaboration with Funky Box Studio also from the customer service point of view. With them all the client’s ideas are taken in consideration and their replies are very punctual! Funky Box Studio is trying to discuss and offer the best solution for the client also regarding shipping and price. Excellent service!

Check out Dana’s updates on Etsy, Facebook and Website.

The Funky Studio team wishes you, as always, a colorful day!

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etsy, tips and tricks

Shipping problems tips & tricks. It’s not always pink and flowers…

April 23, 2015April 22, 2015 Andreea

… Remember that even beautiful roses have thorns!

This is the second Tips & tricks article that i’ve taken over from the old blog. It’s slightly revised as it’s been almost 2 years since writing that article, but the main aspects still are the same to this day. So let’s talk about shipping problems when sending out your clients’ orders and respectively, when receiving a package ordered online.

Probably the most common problem Etsy sellers have is shipping. Everything regarding shipping. Starting with the insane shipping fees and ending with packages not being delivered! Everything in between those two examples is also of high importance, however this time around let’s focus on those two, discuss about them, find solutions and give tips.

1. Shipping fees

This is by far the biggest problem of them all. First things first:

– for Etsy sellers – don’t feel guilty about the shipping fees! You’re not the ones making them; you have no control over them. Try and make your customers understand that. Give them links for the websites of the couriers / post office and have them see the fees themselves. Do not charge less for shipping fees because you feel like they’re too high! A possible solution for this would be taking a little out and putting it on your items’ prices. However, keep in mind that Etsy calculates its fee from your items prices, so the absolute best solution is to try and explain to your clients that this particular aspect is out of your control. Another thing you can do is presenting special offers for the repeat customers or clients with larger orders.

– for Etsy buyers – in order to have your orders sent safely to you, you need to pay shipping fees. They are high, but Etsy sellers can’t do anything about it unfortunately. The lowest shipping fee always comes with risks – damaged package, lost package, delayed delivery, no track & trace, no insurance, no way of ever finding out what happened to your package. You have to pay extra for the package to arrive sooner, you have to pay extra for the package to have a tracking number, you have to pay extra to have insurance, you have to pay extra to have a confirmation of receipt, you have to pay extra if the package is heavy. It’s terrible, all Etsy sellers know that, but this is how it is, unfortunately.

2. Lost packages

The Etsy seller gives you a heads up when he mails your package and you’ve also read about how much time it would take to get to you. That time had come and passed and you still don’t know anything about your package. What do you do?

– check out the track & trace number – usually when you make an Etsy purchase you’d receive a track & trace number for your package. Check it out and see where exactly your package is at the moment.

– no track & trace number? If, however, you don’t receive a track & trace number, contact the Etsy shop owner and let him know about the problem. He would then give you that number and check it out himself. There are situations where there is no track & trace number (for example: packages sent with non-priority mail if the customer so wishes, simple envelopes etc.). For those situations it’s best to have your package sent with a confirmation of receipt. That way it will certainly either arrive to destination or get back to the sender. If there’s also no confirmation of receipt, the Etsy seller should send a new package to his client, but this time making sure all the proper precautions had been taken care of. There is also another situation where post offices simply don’t register international tracking numbers. An example is Australia. We ship to Australia quite a lot, but we can only track the package on our post office’s system until it gets out of the country. After that, if there’s a need for tracking, we can only contact the social media team of the Australian post office (and by the way, this team is awesome! Quick responses, friendly people!).

– for Etsy sellers – it does cost extra, but make sure you either have a track & trace number or a confirmation of receipt. Otherwise, you’d have to send out a new order on your expense.

– for Etsy buyers – please understand that shipping problems are out of the Etsy seller’s hands. They will of course do everything they can in order to have your package delivered safely, but what will happen on the way to you is out of their reach.

Hope everything above will be helpful for both Etsy sellers and Etsy buyers.

The Funky Studio team wishes you, as always, a colorful day!

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Tag: funky box studio

Words you don’t want to hear as an Etsy seller…

New jewelry boxes; presentation boxes, small gift boxes, favor boxes

Interview with Dana of DanaBassotta. Romantic, eclectic, elegant accessories collections

Shipping problems tips & tricks. It’s not always pink and flowers…