Back to Artfire... Digging the New Features

Shortly after joining Artfire, I took a little hiatus from the site. It was hard to handle two shops at once and I wasn't sure if the monthly Artfire fee was worth it for my shop. Over the last few months, I have watched Artfire grow and the updates to the marketplace have been incredible. After reading about their latest updates, I couldn't resist upgrading my account to Verified. Below I outline some of these features and how to access them.

But first, to celebrate Nature Manipulated's return to Artfire, please take advantage of NM's BACK TO ARTFIRE SALE. 15% off all orders of $10 or more through September 2, 2009. Use coupon code BACKTOARTFIRE and the discount will be applied to your total. No more refunds through PayPal! Also, receive a free gift with every order. Happy Back to Artfire!

SAVE 15.00 % On Order Total (orders above $10.00)

Use Coupon Code:

BACKTOARTFIRE

during checkout.

Expires September 2, 2009
Okay, well the most recent updates to Artfire include the Facebook Kiosk, Coupon Codes and Gift Certificates, not to mention all of the updates to the site's userface and look and feel. These new additions are a gem for handmade sellers and if you haven't checked them out yet, you definitely should!

Artfire Facebook Kiosk

The Artfire Facebook Kiosk allows Verified Members to add their Artfire Fusion Shop to the tabs on their Facebook personal and business pages. Just like "Wall" and "Info" are tabs at the top of your page, now "Artfire Kiosk" can be too! Buyers can purchase items directly from your Facebook page without having to sign up for an Artfire account. You can also set the Kiosk as your landing page. This means when people click on your page, the first thing they will see is your Artfire Kiosk.

According to Artfire's Community Newsletter, "in the First week of rolling out the new Facebook Kiosk there have been over 3,000 Kiosks put up and reports of member sales increasing!"

To add the Artfie Kiosk to your Facebook Personal page:
1) Authorize the application
2) Allow access to the application
3) Enter your Artfire username and answer the security question
4) Go to your profile page and click the "+" button. Artfire Kiosk should appear in the drop-down menu. If not, begin typing in the available tabs search box.

To add the Artfire Kiosk to your Facebook Fan page:
1) Follow steps 1-3 above
2) Go to the ArtFire Facebook Kiosk profile page
3) Click the "Add to my page" button on the left hand sidebar
4) Go to your Facebook fan page and follow step 4 above

To set your the Artfire Kiosk as your landing page:
1) Click on "Edit Profile" from your fan page
2) Click the pencil next to "Wall"
3) Select "Artfire Kiosk" as the landing page from the drop-down menu

If you have any trouble installing the Artfire Kiosk, please visit Artfire's Kiosk Guide.


Coupon Codes

Artfire's new coupon system allows Verified Members to create customized coupon codes. Sellers can now offer discounts and free gifts without having to send revised invoices or send refunds through PayPal. Discounts are automatically applied when a registered coupon code is entered upon checkout. Members can offer discounts based on order totals, individual items, shop sections and more. Widgets can be created directly from the "Manage My Coupons" page and added to your shop and twitter feed, or sent to friends, family and customers via email.

According to a recent blog post by Timothy Adam, Artfire is the first handmade venue to offer coupon codes.

To learn more about creating coupons and managing your coupons, please visit Artfire's Help Guide and Reference Guide.


Gift Certificates

Last but not least, Artfire now allows Verified Members to create gift certificates and email them directly from your Artfire. Members can now list Gift Certificates in their shop and when one sells, members fill out the Gift Certificate form and send to the recipient. Artfire will keep track of the certificate's balance. This feature is convenient and GREAT for the upcoming holiday season! More information is available in the Coupon Reference Guide.

Hopefully, you find these features as exciting as I do. If you are not a part of the Artfire Community, be sure to sign up now. This site is headed in the right direction! And the staff are friendly and helpful too!