Katie of Gifts Etc and Skin Candy Speaks to BnRs

Have you browsed through the Promotions Forum lately? If you have, then the term BnR has surely been integrated into your Etsy vocabulary. Many people are not sure what this simple 3 letter term means. As an Etsy seller, a BnR is a fabulous way to get some sales, make new friends, and have a ton of fun.

To cut to the chase, BnR stands for “Buy and Replace.” Basically, you make a purchase from any of the shops on the BnR list and your shop replaces their shop. Once you are on the list, someone can make a purchase from you. It’s that simple. Usually there is just one listmaster who updates the list when a purchase is made.

Now, you may be asking yourself, “Why should I make a purchase just to get one?” That’s what I was asking myself when I first joined Etsy. I didn’t see the point. Well, one day I decided to see what the hoopla was all about. I made a small purchase from a wonderful little shop I’d never seen before and within a day someone had made a purchase from me. My “heart views” had also gone up quite a bit and I had more people “heart” my store. I realized that not only did I get a sale, I got traffic to my shop, which in turn leads to more sales.

There are many benefits to participating in BnRs. The most obvious is that you can get some sales. Who doesn’t like getting a sale? ☺ Another one is that you are introduced to many shops you probably wouldn’t have seen had it not been for the BnR. That is especially true in my case. For example, I found a shop in my BnR (which I will discuss later) that sold the cutest little purses. I had to have one…and then another…and then another! I've made 5 purchases from her total and her work is amazing.

Another benefit is the chance to interact and connect with such amazingly talented people. I have made so many Etsy friends in the past few months. I look forward to going online everyday to talk to all my Etsy pals. We talk about our everyday lives, our newest creations and even give suggestions to each other for new items. One Etsy friend of mine encouraged me to open up my second shop this past February, and I have had over 130 sales in that shop.

Of course, as with everything in life, there are a couple of cons with BnRs. Sometimes, you don’t get bought from right away and may be on the list for a while before someone buys from you. It can be frustrating waiting for a sale but in the meantime you can chat with the other shops on the list. Another thing is sometimes the listmaster will be discouraged by lack of sales that they’ll just abandon the list altogether. This is why it is so important that if you buy onto a list that you help promote it. By participating in the thread you are also getting your shop out there for potential buyers to see.

Something fun that most BnRs do is get a Treasury or Treasury West. Not only do you get the benefit of being in the forum thread but you also get exposure with a treasury. This also brings in more sales for the BnR. My latest treasury for my BnR generated 3 sales in less than 30 minutes.

Speaking of my BnR, I am the listmaster for the Rockin’ BnR. I started the BnR on January 1, 2008. Today, the BnR is still going very strong with over 550 sales and it currently has 2 treasuries. There are quite a handful of amazing shops that go online everyday to chat in our thread. Some days we are more talkative than others. We have all sorts of fun too! We’ve had special “Happy Hour” promotions, “Guess the Shop” game and even a scavenger hunt.

Being the listmaster can be hard work (keeping all those shops in line, lol) but I have found it to be truly rewarding. It is remarkable to see how many sales we’ve had in 6 months. Our total sales average out to be 100 per month. I am so proud of all the work my fellow Etsians have put into this BnR, making it such a success.

So, if you are a newbie or in need of a few sales, why not take a moment to stop by a BnR. There’s a plethora of them in the Promotions Forum. Take a chance with a BnR. You’ll be amazed with what you find. And remember, we would always love to have you come chat with us in the Rockin’ BnR. We totally rock! And you can too!

- This post was made possible by Katie of Gifts Etc and Skin Candy

An example of some of the items available from the Rockin' BnR: