Catch the users/buyers community

#1

This is to jump start a conversation around how to better connect the community on TIndie. Sellers are very active but we don’t really do a good job of connecting users/customers.

@gliderbits brought this up in another topic -

Other thing that I may be missing in Tindie… is that it dont have anyway to catch the users/buyers community. I mean, it is not much more than a webstore. I miss something extra that attract people. If you compare with other electronic webstores (sparkfun…seeedstudio…etc) they have a blog related with the products they sell, foruns, and people can comment and interact with the different products (ask for help to the community…etc)

I just wanted to pull that out into another thread so we could thoroughly discuss it. Thanks @gliderbits for the comment!

Discussion on Raising Listing Quality
#2

Invite sellers to promote their product with customres: Invite customers to discuss with sellers directly, earning some kind of bonus discount, also a 5% sometimes is attractive. Just because the customer has the sensation to be himself, just him, chosen instead of a simple “unknown” that get what he pay for.

This idea should be supported by at least a certain number of sellers, but I think it is the worth (Amazon docet :wink: )

#3

Hmm I’m not sure I follow? Can you elaborate a bit more?

1 Like
#4

Sorry, I see it was not so clear.

Customers will stay somewhere also because they are attracted to the fact that sellers are “humans” not only shops. This is a practice I saw on Etsy managed by the makers themselves: They post on twitter, open pages on facebook (btw, thanks for the launch of my things on FB :slight_smile: ) and so on. Create users interests, try to make them to become “friendly” and hopefully customers. It is also one of the reasons I write on electroschematics.com. People knows the creator of a product, can speak with him, ask about the product, ask for their doubts.

This is important IMHO especially on Tindie, where most of the sellers are makers, or creators or anyway involved in the production process of their own products.

The launch of this concept (hope now it is more clear) maybe interesting and attractive if the adhering sellers agree to use some discount bonuses, and these are noticed through the forum.

For example (but it is only an example): tomorrow the creator of the product XYZ is online: ask him all what you want and you will be answered, doubt solved, more examples and details got by his own “voice” (virtual). To all the participating customers for the next 10 days you can use a special discount of 10% on all the product line of the seller …

Something like this. How does it sounds ?

I make my products based on the cost + a certain percentage. My earning should be 10% but I put a 30% charge. Then create discounts. I think simply that as Tindie is NOT a distributor, why I should keep the money I save with this direct selling? Better many happy clients for low price high quality than the opposite.

Let me know.

#5

A couple comments on this.

  1. The forum link is tucked away at the bottom of the page. Sellers are
    really the only ones who know where it is. Suggest moving the link
    to the top of the page and highlighting it.

  2. I often get a feeling of seller elitism on this forum. Several comments pertaining to “Oh you’re not a seller? Your opinion doesn’t matter”. This attitude dissuades buyers from posting.

  3. I think that the removal of the “Q&A” section in favor of the PM system was a determent for the user/customer interaction. It’s still there but it happens behind closed doors. I’ve sometimes waited weeks for seller to respond to a PM if at all about a product question. If this was out in the open (at the bottom of the listing) there is more pressure on the sellers to respond in a prompt and courteous fashion as it directly reflects on their apparent customers care. Also this allow other buyers to participate in the discussion and promotes the community environment.

  4. I suggest promoting buyer product requests. Encourage buyers to post suggestions to the makers on Tindie of products that they want to see. This is Tindie’s niche. It seems a lot of sellers are “feeling out in the dark” to see what will sell. Hence the whole “backorder” debacle.

1 Like
#6

Hi,

I have no idea if you started from my previous post suggestions but this sure complete it and I perfectly agree with you in all the four points.