Is it okay to put Morsbags on Etsy.com?

[catlovesbear]

I am a solopoddist and am finding it difficult to get my bags out there. I've stuffed my immediate friends, family, aquantances and their friends, families and aquantances choc full of bags and was even giving three away every time a birthday came up as presents. They want no more!

As a result of this, and my need to keep making Morsbags, i have been looking for other options. In my spare time, i like making other bags such as shopping bags and handbags which i sell on an American based website called Etsy, which touts itself as an International marketplace for handmade goods. The community on the site have come up with an idea called 'PIF' or "Pay It Forward' and the idea of this is that you post an item as a PIF and the buyer only pays the 20 cent (about 10p) listing fee that the seller has to pay to list the item, and also the postage fee, but the item listed is FREE. This was initially an idea to help those with low incomes and people who buy a PIF item are strongly encouraged to either list one of their items as a PIF, or to do a RAK, a Random Act of Kindness (help an old dear across a road, donate some cash to a local charity, etc).

I would like to know if it would be okay for me to list my Morsbags in my Etsy shop as PIFs as they would be free and i would be taking no money for myself. Also, it would be a fab way of getting them around the world, and I know the Americans are currently going nuts for eco-shopping bags and anything recycled.

What say ye?

[beattie]

Hi Catlovesbear Which pod are you in Winchester?

I'm not at all happy about bag recipients having to pay anything at all for their bag. Next thing people will be charging one ninth of the cost of the duvet cover that made nine bags, plus the cost of the thread and the label. It uses the same logic.

Why not do your own Random Acts of Kindness and bag people in the supermarket when you shop, or do some guerilla-ing in you local street? I bet you've got a corner shop or a farm shop, a specialist outlet like a health food shop or a greengrocer that would be delighted to give away morsbags if you can't bring yourself to stroll up and down outside giving them away to strangers.

Having guerilla'd several times I find it's really exciting - you go home all revved up & ready to get the sewing machine out to make the next lot so you can do it again. I see there are four pods in the Winchester area - why not contact the others & see if anyone would like to come with you to bag people in the street, there's strength in numbers & you'll find that having people with you gives you confidence.

Go on, give it a try - but please don't charge for them!!

[Offcuts]

I agree with Beattie. There are so many opportunities for guerilla bagging. What about

Neighbours letterboxes
Dentists waiting rooms
School fairs
Farmer's Markets
etc,etc

Also why should Etsy make 10p out of morsbags, no one should make any money out of morsbags.

[catlovesbear]

Thank you both, Beattie and Offcuts, for your replies. I won't be putting the bags on Etsy, but i'm glad i asked first!

[beattie]

Thanks Catlovesbear. Please do let us know how you get on with the distribution & what strategies you find work for you.

[sazziej]

I have to agree with Beattie and Offcuts.

Good luck with your hand outs - however you choose to do it. Let us know how you get on.

[scallywagbags]

I don't think there is anything stopping you wrapping an item you've sold on etsy inside a free morsbag though catlovesbear

[selby baggers]

Yup Scallywagbags I was just about to say that.

I have bought and sold some things on eBay and I send a bag along with the auction win or I keep the address of the people I have bought from and at a later date I will bag a few up and post them out to them totally randomly and completely freely.

Come to think of it that time of year has come round again. I pack all the things I no longer use or from the boys old toy stash and I sell them on e-bay so I can then get more of the things the kids want for their stockings etc.

It's a kind of recycling lol so I best get going on bag making so I can put in one with the wins lol

[Adorabelle Dearheart]

you're not selling the boy are you ?

[selby baggers]

lol I don't think I would get much for him besides he has his uses round here lol This year we are dressing him up as Cinderella seeing as he already plays the part all year round without the frock

Poor boy!

[kuhtams]

I think we're all missing a big part of the story here, and that's...

the link to your etsy shop! I really love seeing what other people make

[selby baggers]

Good point Kuhtams- link please

[Ivybags]

It is underneath the post - but have checked and it shows a "broken" link

[selby baggers]

Doh !

[barnsley blog bags]

http://www.etsy.com/shop/catlovesbear

I've only done bagging in Pontefract but whenever I sell stuff on ebay, I always put a Morsbag in with the order.

my mother-in-law goes to a coffee morning every week, am I okay to give her load of Morsbags to hand out next time I visit her?