ARTISAN FAQ - Profile, Products, Pricing and Shipping

PROFILES

How do I submit the content for the profile?

Upload it to your personal artisan folder on Google Drive.

How can I submit my social media handle?

You can submit it to us here. 

What images do you require for the artisan profile?

A portrait image of the artisan(s) and product making images. Our readers and followers will want to know as much as they can about your work. The more images, the better!

What else is required for the profile?

If you have any other material, such as press features/coverage, please do send them over.

How should the photos be taken?

The products should be photographed against a light background. Textiles shouldn’t have creases or stains (steam beforehand). The images should be of high quality (resolution). All images should be square. 

I don’t have images taken by a photographer, is that a problem?

No, as long as you follow the instructions listed above, even photos that have been taken with a smartphone are acceptable. The same applies to photos you might already have.

I already have photographs, can I use them?

Yes, as long as the requirements listed above are met.  All images should be square.

What about copyright for the images I sent to you?

By sending images to Selvedge you agree to allow Selvedge to use the image to promote the event both within our own channels and to supply these images to outside media contacts.

GOOGLE DRIVE FOLDER

Why am I not able to upload items to my folder?

Please ensure you are viewing the folder using the email address we have shared editor rights with (the email address you received the invitation to).

If access has been shared with xyz@gmail.com, and you forward it to a colleague who is using a different email address, abc@gmail.com, they would not be able to upload items unless you have granted them editor access.

Does the drive link work for other emails hosts other than Gmail?

It doesn't matter who hosts your email, whether it's Yahoo, Hotmail etc. you will be able to upload items to the Google drive as you have been added as an editor on the folder.

How do I upload files to my Google Drive folder?

Please watch tutorial at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQVGr_OM18Q

 

PRODUCTS

Is it possible to add new products that were not submitted with the application?

Yes, as long as the maximum number of products is not exceeded and you submit the information by 31 July. New products are subject to approval from the Selvedge team.

How do I submit new listings?

Download product listing template here. Then upload it to your personal artisan folder together with the product images (label them: country, company, artisan, product name) Please note, only listings that have been submitted with the template will be accepted. All products are also subject to approval from the Selvedge team.

How many products can I list?

Ten. However, you can have variants (for different sizes only) To explain further, if you use different images and prices, then they will be listed as a separate product but if the image and price are the same e.g. blue jacket in 4 sizes, that will be listed together as one product. 

How many products can I sell?

You can sell as many products as you like as long as you only have ten listings. 

How much stock do you require?

You can have one-off items or as many as you have or are prepared to make, as long as there are only 10 different types of products.

Do I need to have the products in stock?

No, everything can be made to order. Customers will pre-order the items. This is actually recommended. We only need product images and product description to be able to sell the item on the website. Then, when we receive the order, you can make the item.

How quickly do I have to dispatch my products after the order is received?

The dispatch schedule will depend on your circumstances. Some artisans will have products in stock while others will make an order which may take several months  - either is acceptable so long as this is included in the product description. In our experience it is better to under promise and over deliver. Customers are happy to wait several months if they are aware of this ahead of time.

What will happen to any unsold items?

Any unsold items may remain on the Selvedge website with open access until 31st August 2022. This is at the artisan’s discretion. Of last years 100 artisans, 65 chose to stay with us for the year with steady sales.

Can we also include handmade artisanal jewels and bags among the ten listed products?

The event is focused on textiles and you can only sell textile products. So, if the jewellery is made of textiles, yes ,and if it is made of any other material, no. The same goes for the bags. We class leather as a textile product.

PRICING

How is the retail price of the products calculated?

The artisan decides how much they need to make from the sale. This should include: material cost, time involved in making the product, profit, as well as any costs incurred for packaging material, the time involved in packaging their products, plus Selvedge commission 33% on the sale price. 

We are concerned that 33% is high, won’t this make the sale price expensive for clients?

The commission covers only a fraction of the expenses incurred by Selvedge in setting up the event. Unfortunately, we cannot reduce the commission but it is completely up to you to take part. The World Fair is not only about the sales but exposure for you and your craft and may open other selling and promotional opportunities for you. Any profit generated by Selvedge will be used to fund the live event in 2022.  (One of our exhibitors last year has been working with a furniture manufacturer via Selvedge on what is anticipated to be a long term relationship -although this is not our primary mission we are are able to coordinate this kind of relationship).

Do you offer products for sale wholesale or retail?

Only retail.

Do you offer discounts on the products listed for sale?  

We never offer discounts on Artisan products.

I have very costly handwoven silk dresses and also more affordable hand-sewn blouses, price ranges from £230 - £1200 (including all costs). Shall I include more affordable products or also the more costly ones have good chances to sell? 

We are not able to advise you on what will and will not sell. That decision has to be made by the artisan. However, we have found that Selvedge customers have a sweet spot between £100 and £500 pounds. If you have products that retail for less than £100 we suggest you bundle them.

SHIPPING 

Do we send you the products to Selvedge in London ?

Please do not send any products to us. You will send any products sold directly to the customer.

Who pays for shipping?

Shipping costs are paid by the customer. When an order is sent to an artisan, Selvedge has already received payment for the products and the shipping. 

How will the shipping costs be handled?

The preferred method of shipping is by the FedEx or DHL on an Insured International tracked service. If you would like to talk to us about shipping please  make a separate appointment with Ronja.

PLEASE NOTE: It is the artisans’ responsibility to ensure their goods can be shipped internationally, please note some countries have import restrictions, it is your responsibility to ensure that your goods comply with these regulations. If this is not the case, please let us know and we will exclude your goods from customers shopping in that region.

Who pays for duty/claims? Please ensure you use an insured, trackable service where the customer is responsible for all duties. Claims are the responsibility of the customer.

If a customer orders two or more items from the same artisan there will be a discrepancy between the conservatively estimated shipping rate and the actual shipping rate. How will this be handled?

The Selvedge World Fair is a non-profit venture for Selvedge. We don't have the facilities to adjust prices in these circumstances, but any discrepancies in our favour will be used to cover the expenses involved in hosting the 2022 event. 

How is the shipping price calculated? Selvedge enjoys a worldwide customer base and you must calculate the shipping cost for each of the 6 continents we ship to:

Europe/ South America/ North America/ Africa/ Asia/ Australasia

What about a variation in shipping rates within a single continent?

Here, you can choose to go with either the most expensive option to ensure you don't lose out based on a customers location, or choose an average and take a gamble of coming out even in the end. Either is fine and up to you.

What do you mean by 6 different prices? 

You will submit 6 different prices for each one of your products. The prices will be calculated by adding the sale price to the shipping price for each region.

For example, the price for a scarf made by an artisan in Asia might be £100.

For a customer based in Europe, the shipping cost could be £50. The European sale price is then £150.

For a customer based in Africa, the shipping cost could be £75. The African sale price is then £175.

Each one of your 10 products must be weighed with their packaging and measured.  

Size and weight both affect shipping rates. Please log onto the FedEx or DHL website input your data and record the rate for each of the 6 continents for each of your 10 products.

PAYMENTS

How will I get paid for the products I sell?

1. Selvedge receives an order. The customer has paid for the product and shipping.
   
2. The order is automatically sent to your registered email address. Please note it is not possible to send orders to an agent.
   
3. You either make the product or package it if you have stock. (Indicated lead time).
   
4. You will ship the product to the customer (using International trackable  Insured shipping).
   
5. Once the order has been shipped you will receive a shipping receipt which you will send to products@selvedge.org
   
6. We will pay you either by Paypal or Transferwise. In my experience, payments under £200 are less expensive by Paypal, but for payments over £200, Transferwise is the least expensive method.

MARKETING

How will we market the Selvedge World Fair? 

We have already started marketing the event via social media channels, through the magazine and on the website and blog. Eleanor (blog@selvedge.org) is handling the PR for the event and will be in touch with you all directly. We have set up a campaign for you to follow and will have meetings about it on the 28 July, 4 August and 11 August. Please note you only need to attend one of these meetings. Choose the one that best suits your time zone.