Super Seconds Festival - My Top Tips
Super Seconds Festival is the UK’s biggest online seconds and samples sale, it’s a great opportunity for independent makers to sell stock that may not be quite perfect, samples that never made it, or discontinued items that are being moved on. As a Buyer you can find some brilliant bargains from over 250 makers taking part, many offering up to 75% off! And as a maker taking part you can sell some of your products, that may otherwise have had to go to waste. It’s a great concept created by Sophie Greenwood of Ink and Bear. It really is a win, win for everyone.
My Top 5 Tips for Sellers
Market Yourself!
Probably an obvious one here, but it’s really important to keep telling people you are taking part, let them know what they can expect to buy from you and some vital information like the date - It’s the 11th and 12th May 2024! Sharing this information on the build up to the sale through your social media platforms is a great place to do this and taking part in the 4 week Instagram challenge during the build up is a also great way to start. Don’t forget to use #SSFMAY24 on all your related posts! One of the best marketing tools for me has been my mailing list. I don’t know the exact stats but I would say that at least 80% of my sales over the Super Seconds weekends in the past have come via customers who have signed up to my emails.
Keep it simple!
Make it as easy as possible for the buyer to make a purchase. Set up a page or category for Super Seconds Festival on your website or Etsy page and add all of your sale products into this. Make it as easy as you can for the shopper to find your products and keep your listings simple. I have found the best method for me has been to sell my products all at the same price.
I have in the past created bundled products which have sold well but have taken me quite a long time to set up and photograph., So now I keep it simple and sell any cards that will be going into the sale at the price of £1. Because I have a low value product in the first place (Greeting Cards) I have never found sales where I may reduce by 10 or 20% at all effective. The £1 price point with one set delivery price (0.85p 2nd class) has been great for me. It means the more cards the customer buys the better deal they get!
Plan ahead
To make the most of the sale, it’s good to plan ahead. Go through your products. Count everything and make sure your listings reflect these numbers. I always seem to sell one or two more that I have stock of so I think this year I will count and then list 2 less just in case! I am now panicking and telling myself this particularly - don’t underestimate how long it can take to get all of your products set up and listed on the site! And make sure you have ordered enough postal packaging!
Invite your VIP’s
My email subscribers are my VIP’s especially at Super Seconds Festival! They tend to grab the best products early and it's a great idea to give them a head start over everyone else by emailing them a shopping link on the day, before the sale officially starts. It’s great for your sale too, to have SOLD OUT product listings showing by 10am!
On the Day
Super Seconds Festival is a virtual market so as long as you’ve prepared everything before hand the only thing you’ll really need to do on the day is some social postings and support other makers taking part too by sharing and commenting on their posts throughout the event. As the festival is over a 2 day period make sure you have content to share both days. I have found it helpful to hide my sold out listings on the Saturday evening so for Sunday’s event it’s easy for anyone shopping to see what is still available.
My Top 5 Tips for Buyers
Visit the Festival Website
Head over to the Super Seconds Website as it’s on here that you can see all of the 250 makers taking part in the event. You can search to see if any of your favourite makers are taking part or scroll through the Maker Line Up to see a list of makers in alphabetical order.. If you are looking for makers in particular product categories then you can also select by category. You can find me in the Art and Cards category
Make a Wish List
Another brilliant feature on the Website is the Wish List. You can sign up with your email to create an account and then start adding your favourite makers into your list! You’ll also then be on the Super Seconds Festival Mailing list and won’t miss any news about the event. Once you’ve created your Wish List it’s a good idea to find the makers on Instagram and give them a follow and if they have a mailing list, make sure you sign up to receive it as it’s likely that subscribers will get first picks. My Wish List in the making below, it’s unintentionally black and white!
Buy Ahead
You may feel like you don’t need anything right now but Super Seconds Festival is a great chance to buy early for Birthdays or even Christmas. I’ll be selling a selection of discontinued Christmas Cards in my sale this year for just £1 each
Support Makers Taking Part
If your not looking to shop at the Sale you can support the Makers taking part in other ways on the day, just by sharing their social posts it really helps in getting get found by others and reach more potential customers. You can find and follow me on Instagram here!
Sign up to Maker Mailing Lists
This is the best way to get early access to your favourite makers sales its also a great idea to turn on post notifications on instagram for your favourite makers so you don’t miss out of their social posts during the event.
You can sign up to shop early with me using my form below. I’ll be sending an early access link on the day of the sale!
