Retro Chalet : Living A Vintage Life – Details, episodes & analysis

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Unlock the secrets of thriving in the vintage marketplace with me, Cindy Fannistock Schafer, on this enlightening episode of Living a Vintage Life by Retro Chalet. Discover how Etsy has transformed from a modest platform to a bustling marketplace with millions of shops, yet still holds tremendous potential for dedicated sellers. I share my personal journey with Etsy and reveal how 25% of shops manage to stand out in competitive markets like jewelry, psychic readings, and print-on-demand products. Dive into the strategies that can help you succeed, including understanding Etsy's ever-changing algorithms and learning from industry experts like Dylan Jarvis.

Explore a world beyond Etsy as we navigate various online platforms for selling vintage and handmade items. From the promising yet traffic-dependent Go Imagine to the fashion-centric Poshmark, we dissect each platform's unique advantages and challenges. Hear my candid thoughts on eBay's customer service and why Facebook Marketplace is your go-to for local sales. As we circle back to Etsy, I provide actionable tips on optimizing SEO and keywords using tools like Marmalead and E-Rank, to help boost your shop's visibility and potential sales.

Maximize your Etsy sales with strategic tactics focused on the buyer experience and efficient shipping. Learn how small items like individual mason jars can save on shipping costs and improve profit margins, and why thoughtful packaging and personalized notes can lead to repeat customers. I stress the importance of refining product offerings, using social media to drive traffic, and making consistent daily tweaks to improve your shop's performance over time. Whether you're a seasoned seller or just starting out, this episode is packed with insights to help you thrive in the world of vintage sales online.

You can now support the show!  ---> support

Support my shop here:  RetroChalet and use code RETRO10 to save 10% today, bundle that with a 35% purchase for free shipping!

Connect with me on my TikTok and see how I'm Living a Vintage Life!

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Thanks so much for tuning in! Living a Vintage Life is about all things vintage, from buying to selling, foraging natural food sources, making your own cosmetics, living in the old ways! To support this podcast, you can share it and leave it a five star review! Shop my Etsy store RETROCHALET and use code RETRO10 for 10% off your purchase. I offer free shipping over 35$ and you can get there by clicking this link.

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How journaling and scrapbooking are a wonderful way to help heal your mind during difficult times. Easy ideas to start with zero budget. Incorporate nature into your journal. Use an old book!  How it helped me during a rough time this past year. Some Ideas for collage and journaling and grimoire creating.  Grab a scrapbook pack at RetroChalet.etsy.com use code RETRO10 to save 10%

You can also be a supporter of the show here---> SUPPORT ME!

Find me on TikTok here.

This podcast is dedicated to my dear friend and co Host Ed.  May his road rise to meet him with recovery and healing, and of course, great flea markets along the way. <3

Support the show

Thanks so much for tuning in! Living a Vintage Life is about all things vintage, from buying to selling, foraging natural food sources, making your own cosmetics, living in the old ways! To support this podcast, you can share it and leave it a five star review! Shop my Etsy store RETROCHALET and use code RETRO10 for 10% off your purchase. I offer free shipping over 35$ and you can get there by clicking this link.

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I took a tour of Gettysburg and share a little history with you; explaining why Gettysburg collectibles are sought after. Anyone who has not visited there, should in my opinion, to get a better understanding of this amazing yet truly shocking part of our country's history (when you think from the point of how many casualties in such a small town) which is quite overwhelming to see.   I am also dropping a 2 part podcast on my paranormal channel, because at night we took the ghost tour and have more to share.  Here are some video links from my travel:

A witness tree to the Battle of Gettysburg is here on my tiktok.
https://www.tiktok.com/@retrochalet/video/7066029017148804399
A tribute from Maryland on loss of her soldies is here:

A tribute to New York is here:
https://www.tiktok.com/@retrochalet/video/7079385970499456299

A view of the Battlefield is here:

Part One of the Ghosts we met in Gettysburg here:

A video of the Orb from our ghost tour Gettysburg here:
https://www.tiktok.com/@retrochalet/video/7079387341202214190


My Etsy shop supports my hosting fees:  https://RetroChalet.etsy.com

Contract Cedric for a tour in Gettysburg by using this Louisiana contact information as he has moved and is now a resident of Gettysburg at the time of this podcast.   New Orleans Paranormal – Sometimes the right answer is…NOPE! (nolaparanormal.com)   

Connect with me
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Facebook
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Check out Nature Chalet podcast
Check out Paranormal Chalet Podcast

Thanks so much for tuning in! Living a Vintage Life is about all things vintage, from buying to selling, foraging natural food sources, making your own cosmetics, living in the old ways! To support this podcast, you can share it and leave it a five star review! Shop my Etsy store RETROCHALET and use code RETRO10 for 10% off your purchase. I offer free shipping over 35$ and you can get there by clicking this link.

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As promised, I am giving you new direction to succeed in your Etsy shop in regards to the most recent hike in Etsy seller fees which takes place April 11, 2022.   In my opinion Etsy is still the best place to sell, unless you have an already established shop with lots of supportive niche customers and decide to take your store elsewhere :  Example   Three Bird Nest  Exclusive: ‘Etsy’s Richest Seller’ Explains Why She’s Suddenly Leaving — ‘We Can’t Trust’ Them (yahoo.com)This is part two  that gives some solutions about staying on Etsy and cutting costs.  In this episode I discuss with Harry at Lightbringer Designs some of the topics here.  I also use GI3D prints as a business model and encourage everyone to shop this adorable shop full of plastic PLA planters. Part one of this series  is here,

Support Harry at LightbringerDesigns.Etsy.com
This episode sponsored by GI3DPRINTS
Connect with me on @RetroChalet TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Etsy or Twitter.
Look at my plastic fantastic website Melmac Central
Listen to my lIfe at Paranormal Chalet 
Find my Journal of my paranormal life here
out how I'm living greener at NatureChalet podcast. 

Thanks so much for tuning in! Living a Vintage Life is about all things vintage, from buying to selling, foraging natural food sources, making your own cosmetics, living in the old ways! To support this podcast, you can share it and leave it a five star review! Shop my Etsy store RETROCHALET and use code RETRO10 for 10% off your purchase. I offer free shipping over 35$ and you can get there by clicking this link.

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Part one of two, special Episode on Etsy's latest fee hike which takes place April 11, 2022 from a 5% sales fee to 6.5% sales fee, and how some sellers are organizing an #EtsyStrike, which is now all over Twitter, Discord, and has it's own website EtsyStrike.org.  Seller's anger is making news such as MSN Market News, The Street and The Verge, and more.  I discuss the fees associated with selling on Etsy with special guest Harry Burger from Lightbringer Designs who sells wax seals and stamps. Harry is not a paid sponsor, he is a special guest who ran for Congress in New York in 2020.   
SUPPORT HIS SHOP :  LightbringerDesigns | Etsy

Sellers may find these links helpful:
1) FILL OUT THE SURVEY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OFFICIAL FORUM POST ANNOUNCEMENT ON HIKE IN FEES:  A Message from Etsy’s CEO Josh Silverman on our Co... - Welcome to the Etsy Community
2)  EtsyStrike.org   Find out more about the Etsy Strike
Sources:
MSN:   Sellers on This Site Are Livid After Another Rate Hike 

THE STREET: Etsy Sellers Are Livid After Another Rate Hike - TheStreet

VERGE:  Etsy hits sellers with 30 percent transaction fee increase - The Verge

LISTEN TO PART TWO FOR SOLUTIONS HOW TO OFFSET THE FEES

Please SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS, the struggle is real.
Connect with me on all social media @retrochalet
^TIkTok
^Instagram
^Facebook
^Twitter
-->Listen to my ghostly life at ParanormalChalet
-->I have a melmac dinnerware site for the vintage lover check it out.  RetroChalet's Melmac Central
-->I have begun hosting naturechalet for the green healthy junkie in you

Thanks so much for tuning in! Living a Vintage Life is about all things vintage, from buying to selling, foraging natural food sources, making your own cosmetics, living in the old ways! To support this podcast, you can share it and leave it a five star review! Shop my Etsy store RETROCHALET and use code RETRO10 for 10% off your purchase. I offer free shipping over 35$ and you can get there by clicking this link.

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CoHost Pat takes us into a walk back in time in a vintage 1950s five and dime. You may be suprised what they sold in the dime store!  Oh what fun it must have been to be able to spend your allowance in the five and dime! 

This episode sponsored by Pat's both PP in Serendipity Antiques,
Find them:  Serendipity Antiques, Shrewsbury click here-->  2 N Main St, Shrewsbury, PA 17361 ·   Call for hours (717) 235-5422

Also check out my new podcasts, Nature Chalet and Paranormal Chalet.

Connect with me at @RetroChalet on all major platforms
On Etsy
On TikTok
On Instagram
On Facebook
I am editor of Melmac Central, join the other million visitors and learn about vintage plastics fantastic.

Thanks so much for tuning in! Living a Vintage Life is about all things vintage, from buying to selling, foraging natural food sources, making your own cosmetics, living in the old ways! To support this podcast, you can share it and leave it a five star review! Shop my Etsy store RETROCHALET and use code RETRO10 for 10% off your purchase. I offer free shipping over 35$ and you can get there by clicking this link.

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For the love of old books, I love them and am giving you some ideas on what books to look for, which to covet and how to use them.

Connect with
On my other podcasts:  Paranormal Chalet and Nature Chalet

Shop RetroChalet for the coolest vintage finds.  I also run the Melmac Central website where you can learn about cool vintage plastics. 

Follow me on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter

Thanks so much for tuning in! Living a Vintage Life is about all things vintage, from buying to selling, foraging natural food sources, making your own cosmetics, living in the old ways! To support this podcast, you can share it and leave it a five star review! Shop my Etsy store RETROCHALET and use code RETRO10 for 10% off your purchase. I offer free shipping over 35$ and you can get there by clicking this link.

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Ed & I absolutely adore all things Peter Max, we have an informal discussion on Peter Max's timeless designs through the years.   Peter, we love you <3

Connect with me :
Etsy Shop
TikTok
Instagram
Twitter

I havee recently hosted a paranormal Podcast you may like : Paranormal Chalet
I have a vintage plastics site:  MelmacCentral.com

Thanks so much for tuning in! Living a Vintage Life is about all things vintage, from buying to selling, foraging natural food sources, making your own cosmetics, living in the old ways! To support this podcast, you can share it and leave it a five star review! Shop my Etsy store RETROCHALET and use code RETRO10 for 10% off your purchase. I offer free shipping over 35$ and you can get there by clicking this link.

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In this episode I have a chance to interview Naa Ardua , SVG artisan who has a wonderful inspiring Etsy story that all online sellers should listen to.  Her success story is exactly what I've been preaching to Etsians all along, --- so tune in!   Her designs are vintage style and whimsical and she teaches us a bit about the SVG world which is open with opportunities!   Naa Ardua  used to live in the USA, and now lives in Antibes, France.   She also tells us, a bit about French vintage..............

SPECIAL GUEST :  Naa Ardua - Find this SVG Diva at the following links:  

Paper Flo Design on Etsy

Paper Flo Designs Course to teach you how to use and sell SVG art in a very quick course which you can watch videos at your own pace...

SHe is also on Instagram!  NaaArdua Darfoor Illustrator (@paperflodesigns) • Instagram photos and videos

You can find out my top picks by going to my public Etsy Favorites board for Paper Flo Design!

As always connect with me at
TikTok
Etsy
Instagram

Until next time..........enjoy and share!

Thanks so much for tuning in! Living a Vintage Life is about all things vintage, from buying to selling, foraging natural food sources, making your own cosmetics, living in the old ways! To support this podcast, you can share it and leave it a five star review! Shop my Etsy store RETROCHALET and use code RETRO10 for 10% off your purchase. I offer free shipping over 35$ and you can get there by clicking this link.

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Finally I get to talking about what I love, and that's plastic, In this episode, we talk about Boontonware, made by Boonton Molding Company that was then located on Myrtle Avenue in Boonton, New Jersey.  Belle Kogan's  gorgeous design with her widely popular Boonton Belle and Scandia in the Patrician line are some of my favorite things.  Enjoy a little history with a walk back in time.

This podcast was sponsored by Etsy shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/Sdikhermd who offers great graphic designs in their Etsy shop in the form of hats, comfy clothing and more!  Click on the link to check it out or go to my shop favorites!

Boontonware Factory Tour Link: Melmac Central Vintage Melmac Dinnerware and Plastics Fantastic Collecting Site : Boonton Melmac Factory Tour Stop One : This Was The Melamine Factory (retrochalet.blogspot.com)

Listeners, make sure to share, like and give my podcast a great rating to keep me talking :)

Connect with #RetroChalet on all major social media platforms for great vintage pictures and on tiktok.com/@retrochalet for vintage style videos. 

Thanks so much for tuning in! Living a Vintage Life is about all things vintage, from buying to selling, foraging natural food sources, making your own cosmetics, living in the old ways! To support this podcast, you can share it and leave it a five star review! Shop my Etsy store RETROCHALET and use code RETRO10 for 10% off your purchase. I offer free shipping over 35$ and you can get there by clicking this link.