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My pottery side hustle thrives at farmers markets, not on Etsy.
Face-to-face sales create loyal customers algorithms can't match.
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sandraadams8mo ago
Alright, "face-to-face sales create loyal customers algorithms can't match," but is cultivating a dozen regulars at a muddy field really that transformative? Etsy's algorithm can ping customers in different time zones while you're sleeping, not just when the market opens. Your loyal farmer's market crowd might bail if it rains, or if a better food truck shows up next door. Algorithms scale, personal charm has a radius, and last I checked, pottery doesn't spoil so waiting for local foot traffic seems oddly precious. It's a fine side hustle, but calling it superior to digital reach feels like congratulating yourself for using a landline.
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matthewb397mo ago
But how much of that "loyalty" is just people feeling obligated because they saw you haul stuff in the rain? The digital reach argument is solid because it's detached from all the messy variables, like weather or a new vendor. Both methods are just moving units at the end of the day, one just comes with more personal hassle and a smaller pool. Getting dogmatic about either side seems like missing the point that it's all just commerce, lol.
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luna_grant97mo ago
Watched a ceramicist at a weekend market who always brought a thermos of coffee to share with early browsers. That simple gesture turned into a tight-knit group who now coordinate their purchases through a private Discord server she set up. They pre-order collections based on her market previews, which gives her upfront capital for materials. It's not about scaling charm, but how that small radius can bootstrap a hybrid model that algorithms would never initiate.
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