Saturday Night Specials (SNS) on Etsy

If your social calendar is so busy that you've never been home to kick back and browse the Saturday Night Specials on Etsy, you're missing out. Every Saturday starting at 5pm EST, several Etsy shops gather together in a single discussion thread on the Original Saturday Night Specials (SNS) team to offer special sales and bonuses. SNS was originated by Willowglass back in July 2006 and the complete rules can be found on her FAQ.

Now if you're a shop trying to list a sale and want a spot close to the front, you'd better arrive early with your special ready to paste and refresh the forum window like it's going out of style. Within seconds of the host posting the official thread of the night, there are pages of specials by other shops. However, I have shown up fashionably late several times, landed on page 7 or so, and can't say the night was noticeably less busy than when I make it on one of the first few. I usually do a lot more buying than selling, though. I can't resist getting good deals on awesome handmade items. It's a great place to find gifts for friends and family. It's also a fun time to get to know other crafters - there's a separate thread for chatting only.

I've been rocking the Saturday Night Specials since late 2007. I don't participate every week - sometimes I am out dancing or traveling instead - but when I do, I post the special in my shop announcement and on twitter. SNS sales are supposed to turn into pumpkins by 6am EST Sundays, but my customers have until I wake up and sign onto the internet to inactivate the coupon code. I rarely run other sales, so stalking my shop on Saturday nights is the best bet if you're trying to save money and want to own some of my fantasy art. So go, click on my Etsy mini below. I won't report you to the authorities.