Years ago when I sold metal charms on Ebay, which my husband and I had cast in our casting class, I never included what is now referred to as “swag,” little extra goodies included in the package you send to customers who purchase products from you. Since then, I have heard a lot about swag and how it is a good way to create a loyal customer base. But when does swag cross the line? When does it become an annoyance to the customer rather than a sweet treat?

I’ve been checking out the Etsy forum now and then, and there was an eye opening thread about when swag goes bad: “Do you NOT like to received freebies with your order?” While I have yet to make my first sale there and admittedly haven’t spent the time I know I need to over there, swag was in the back of my mind when and if I make a sale. Since I’m primarily trying to sell supplies over there, I thought maybe a small bag of beads would be an appropriate freebie item to include, such as some hematite stars, which I think are a good Crafty Princess sort of swag item.

Anyway, I was amazed at how many buyers really don’t like swag, or at least the wrong kind of swag. I think that is one interesting aspect of the Etsy forum. You have a mix of both buyers and sellers over there, so you can hear ideas from both sides of the issue.

So, what are your thought as either a buyer or seller? Are freebies a good thing or just extra junk to toss in the circular bin? What is good swag and bad swag?