Etsy used to have a section called Alchemy, where you could bid to make an item that someone wanted. I got my first (and pretty much only) Etsy customer through that, by making her a T-shirt quilt (and yes, I bid waay low!). I have made her several more since then. They have shut Alchemy down now. That first success has not translated into anything else, and the only reason I keep my Etsy store open is because I am certainly NOT going to sell my odds and ends if they are neatly packed in tote boxes on the top landing! The only Etsy fees I pay (unless I make a sale) are the $0.20/item listing fee, which lasts for four months. This doesn't seem very high to me...especially if I sell even one small item per year! My other problem is that the stuff in my shop doesn't change very much - I'm not adding new and exciting things all of the time...this may be part of the problem. Most of my quilting is done for my friends and family.
I will be doing my very first craft fair next month, so I'll see if that is any different...
Alison