Grand Opening of New PDF Shop — Help Me Spread the Word

My new PDF shop hosted by Payhip...

Ask anyone about the initial startup of their endeavours and he or she will most likely agree that those who were supporters in the early days deserve something for their loyalty.

This blog has been in existence since December 2013, so some readers who were around in those early days have definitely moved on. But to anyone who is a regular reader here – whether from ten years ago or ten months ago – I like to offer the best value I can, and that includes access to more freebies.

A couple of posts ago, I gave an update on my (unsuccessful) search for a replacement for Makerist, which had hosted my PDF patterns for many years and had provided me with a seamless way to sell; i.e., I didn't have to be involved in each transaction. (They did take a commission, but then everyone does.)

Fellow blogger Daryl of Patchouli Moon Studio left a comment about her positive experience with Payhip, so I decided to give it another look.

---

---

By another look, I mean that I had actually begun the setup of a Payhip shop many years ago. It was never completed because there was an issue with how they could or couldn't connect with PayPal. I don't recall specifics, but it was enough to stop me at the time. 

When I went back in to snoop around, it was obvious that Payhip was now offering quite a few perks for a relatively low take on sales. They also don't discriminate on providing features across their various plans; even the free level has access to the same functionality as the premium paid levels.

Apply instant coupon to this PDF...

One of the features that convinced me to go forward and move my entire shop over there was the ease with which coupon codes can be applied. I had previously stated that with the other platforms that I was selling on, adjusting prices is somewhat difficult. Armed with coupon codes, however, I can circumvent any restrictions and essentially offer a better deal right from here.

Which, I think – for the fact that readers here are showing direct appreciation and support for my blog content – it's important to give them the best deal.

Take a look above right. Makerist used to be where I sold my three dollar enhanced version of the Crossbody Sling Bag (pattern only) PDF. When I offered up the pattern to one of my previous platforms, it was stipulated that such a low price was not worth their while to list. (The solution was to list it at a higher price. 🤔) 

With Payhip offering easy instant coupons, I have regained the ability to offer that three dollar version to the "masses." The only disadvantage is that – for now anyway – there is a lack of traffic to the shop, as I don't do any sort of promotion myself.

But I long ago stated that this is not my J-O-B and I have no interest in putting a lot of effort into growing a brand. That said, Payhip also now offers a better marketplace than it used to and I'm intrigued about the opportunity to check out what it can do. In order to qualify for having items listed in their marketplace, however, a shop must first make $10 in sales (which is by no means a huge amount, but if no one knows the shop is out there, it can be a bit of a Catch-22) and the specific products (and shop) must first be approved by Payhip.

The advantage of having an item listed in the marketplace is that it becomes a more searchable entity than it otherwise would, simply sitting out there in a shop in nowheresville. For example, in the marketplace, I have the option to categorize (Crafts > Sewing > Patterns) and tag my products (bag sewing pattern) so that they'll show up appropriately when people look for them. 

Payhip is still way more focused on selling e-commerce platforms to small entrepreneurs than they are on marketing what those entrepreneurs sell, but they've made vast improvements towards offering more of a one-stop shop.

---

Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

---

If you've read this far, here is where you get rewarded with privileged info. 😆

I've listed several of my "free from the blog" PDFs with a two to three dollar price tag in my shop. (That's how it used to be when I had Makerist.) These are all still available to readers for free, provided you use the 100% off coupon found on their original blog posts here.

Example of Payhip coupon code found on my blog post about stacking CD baskets...

This way, readers who take the time to browse the blog can get additional tutorials in PDF format without paying for them. (And not just this way, there are also a number of older PDFs that are available only from links on their original blog pages; they're not listed in the shop at all.) 

Three other patterns that got their price boosted in order to be listed elsewhere have also been given the coupon treatment. These are the ones shown below that are currently priced at $4.50 in the shop; their coupons – which can be found on their respective blog post(s) – offer a $1.50 discount.

Look for discount coupons for these three items...

Oh, and all of this means that I no longer have to do my own order fulfillment. Payhip takes care of providing you with the download link instantly without my involvement. You no longer have to wait until I come home, crawl out of bed, or whatever, before getting your file. And that's definitely a win-win, even with the commission that gets taken by Payhip.

One last thing: if you click through to my shop, you'll see a banner across the top that reads "Grand Opening — Refer a Friend & You Both Get 25% Off — Refer More Friends and YOU Get Up to 100% Off!" (Click this link to see the details of how to get and use the referral code.)

I have this referral promo set for six items: the MyTie, the Diva, the Bodacious Bucket Bag, the Crossbody FOOLER Bag, the Retro Reticule and the Voila Vase. 

Refer enough friends and you could get one or more of the above patterns free!

The unique way in which the referral works is that you can stack your discount if you refer more than one friend who ends up buying that same item. That's right, refer two friends who buy and you can get 50% off your pattern; refer four or more friends who buy and you can stack your discounts to get a full 100% off your desired pattern — i.e., free!

Is there a catch? Urgency. The referral discount must be redeemed by each friend within a 24 hour period of receiving it. If it sounds like it could be a bit of fun for you, let me say that it would be a relatively painless way for my readers to help me get the word out about my shop. After all, I do still need to get some initial sales from there in order to have my PDFs qualified to be listed in the Payhip marketplace.😉

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁