From the moment my fingers curled around the ribbon as I finished my very first hair bow, I have been excited about the potential of what I can create. As owner of GiggleBuzz, a Pittsburgh hair bow company, I spend countless hours gathering the right supplies, considering themes, prints and colors, and make bows late into the night to finish my creations. I take so much pride in the products I create, knowing that I have given each of them a piece of myself in their design.
It’s because of this pride, that I believe the way I present these products to the world must be of the same caliber. My packaging must be crisp and clean, reflecting the workman ship of my pieces. Today’s artist marketplace no longer solely lives in a downtown district or in a popup park festival. Our lives are increasingly digital spaces and as artists, crafters, and creators, we need to also consider the digital “packaging” we choose to present our product to our customers. Is it attractive? Easy to use? Convenient? Does it reflect the workmanship, time and love we’ve put into these cherished products?
A new site, House of SASS (www.houseofsass.com) is that virtual embodiment of the “starving artist social scene” – or SASS. Who is an Artist? In the House of Sass an Artist is neither defined, nor categorized, and does not possess a detailed job description. It is the place for bakers, designers, photographers, writers, performers and artists to come together to form a creative space where customers can find everything their hearts desire.
Visiting the site, you’re welcomed into a beautifully designed space where items and services are showcased for buyers who come seeking all the things you can offer. With the ability to add multiple full sized photographs and detailed product descriptions, customers will have all of the information needed to choose the right product for them. Convenient, streamlined checkout ensures a successful customer experience that will bring them back again.
What makes House of SASS different though, is that it offers artists the ability to truly interact with their customer. Artists are assigned a unique room number, which becomes their virtual storefront. This unique room number can be shared in the future with new and reoccurring customers. Its an easy way for the buyers to navigate directly to an artist’s room where their products can be seen and purchased. The ability to share media files can bring customers into your space, sharing with them more than than just pictures and words. A calendar can announce your turnaround time or important dates. Each Room gives the sellers full access to a blog board – where they can post unlimited entry’s to customers announcing new products, features and specials. These posts also are added to the “Live Feed” blog board, sharing your works with all House of SASS visitors and drawing new customers into your room. A really neat and convenient bonus is the active calendar that is displayed to potential buyers, who might be interested in booking an event with a Photographer, or a DJ. Its also a great way to view turnaround time frame’s on handcrafted products.
For me, efficiency is a huge component when choosing an artist eCommerce solution, and House of SASS offers the ability for bulk item uploading – something very few other sites offer. It’s a way to share numerous products with one upload, without tirelessly selecting the same options on screen after screen for individual uploads. House of Sass is more than an alternative to Big Cartel or site like etsy, it’s the focus on the artist that makes this site stand out from the crowd.
An Artist creates with his or her soul, and reaps the benefits, not with their pocket book, but with their hard earned efforts. House of Sass was created to enhance the riches of the Artists. This trendy online Art House Hotel was founded by a woman who is not only a Mommy of two, but she is also an Artist. So she knows first hand how frustrating and daunting it can be to work hard to deliver a quality craft, with minimal return. For this reason, House of SASS never takes a portion of your sales, nor do they charge you for each listing you create. Instead, artists pay a nominal monthly fee as “rent” for their digital room, with three options available to fit everyone’s budget.
Growing Up Madison says
Awesome and I’m sure much cheaper than Etsy. Sounds like an awesome site for people who are creative and want to sell their wares. Fantastic review.