I have had a few emails in the last couple months from blog readers/etsy sellers/wanna be etsy sellers...asking how to boost sales, start selling, promoting, and just general "how to's". I am oh so flattered that I would be asked, since I do not consider myself some big entrepreneur. I am just a happy mom who loves to create into the wee hours of the night!
I am certainly no expert when it comes to etsy and I do not claim to have the best shop around. I like (LOVE) what I do and enjoy knowing that my handmade goodies are going to good homes and that people are making an effort to buy handmade and support little shops like mine.
I wanted to bring this topic to my blog and ask you, my readers (many of whom are super talented artists, and creative junkies that I admire), what your thoughts and opinions are for having a successful etsy shop. I know that several of my readers have etsy shops and I'd love to share and compile our thoughts/ideas/tips into one post/comment area to help others. I do not see etsy as a competitive marketplace, but rather a place where fabulous, talented gals (and guys) come together to share their love of everything handmade.
So, will you help out?
I will start with a couple of my ideas/tips (these are not written in stone, but just a few things I have learned along the way):
*If you are new to selling or just opening your shop....have enough inventory to list over several days. I would not list everything you have made all in one day. Things tend to get buried quickly (i.e. in the searches) with etsy's new batch loading system. This is especially true of jewelry. I would list a couple items here and there....and build up your shop slowly. But, still have enough items in your shop to keep people interested.
*Do not get discouraged! I opened my shop on February 14th, 2008.....and didn't sell a thing until March 2. For fun, this was the first thing I sold.....a set of Amy Butler paper tags....(and I plan to keep selling them once I get back home to my die cutter, hehehe).
*Have fresh new stuff....all.the.time. This is what keeps people coming back...when you keep re-inventing yourself....new paper, new fabric, new material...used in different ways.
*Be good to your "regulars" (offer incentives just for them, like free shipping, coupons, etc). They will keep coming back...trust me!
*Visit the etsy forums ... I have learned A LOT there...and it doesn't hurt to be "seen" once in a while...I have made some friends and some sales from the exposure there.
*Answer ALL your convo's...with a quick turn-around. I try to answer them all within 24 hours....I think people appreciate the attention to promptness. Of course, this isn't always possible, but.....I try my hardest.
*Use all your tags!
*Take advantage all 3 featured items in your shop.....and keep changing them to freshen up your shop. It's like a display window....the first thing people see when they come to your shop.
*Take good pictures! Ugh, I am constantly battling with this one. I try really really hard to make sure my pics are worthy, but it's a struggle. I firmly believe that a good picture is worth a thousand words (and sales!).
*Try advertising.....I tried Craft Cult for a week ($15) and it seemed to pull in some business, if not...at least some traffic and some hearts.
*Package your orders like they are special "gifts". Who doesn't like receiving a prettily packaged item in the mail? It doesn't have to be expensive either.....think recycled materials....vintage tissue paper pattern sheets, newspaper, etc.
*Do not sell yourself short, value your time....I think that if you value your work, your customers will too.
*Be original and unique! There are so, so many awesome sellers on etsy, it's easy to get lost in the pack. I am constantly amazed by the talent I see on etsy....it can be quite intimidating! But, I strive to make sure I am consistently coming up with my own new ideas and designs.
So, there are my lil tips.....not to be taken as the etsy bible! Just a few tidbits I believe are important. I hope they can help someone, anyone!
Now....your turn...tell us your etsy advice!
(or ask your questions here, happy to help)
15 COMMENTS FROM CUTIES:
I have learned a few things myself. I have found that Thursdays are great selling days for me, so I make sure to list a few items on Thursdays.
Also there is a renew option on the left side of the page, I have heard to try and renew items every 2 weeks so they don't get lost in the shuffle of it all.
Use tracking on your store provided by etsy and eay to set up, to find your best selling days.
Set up a blog, comment other blogs, use plurk.com and twitter.com to promote your store.
It takes a lot of work but when people start to notice you it makes it all worth it.
Great ideas, Terri! I forgot to mention that I have found that 10ish (AM) and late night are GREAT times to list....remember the international customers....your shop is open 24/7!
I agree with you! Etsy has never seemed to be a competitive market, more of a supportive community willing to offer advice, support and cheerleading services.
My advice as a fairly new seller with only a few sales under my belt is to get involved with a Team.
Find one that fits what you do or one that is based locally. Teams, when they are active, can be a great resource for marketing ideas, promotion and support. In some cases they can be a great way to form meaningful creative relationships.
I don't consider Etsy to be competitive either. And Shelly I do usually list at night, you are right it seems to get noticed more.
Being knowledgeable to sell Internationally is huge, so many people don't want to fuss with it. There are many sales they are missing out on.
I agree with packaging it nicely. I always wrap my items in tissue paper and raffia with my shop tag. I also include a nice picture of something crafty with a thank you note on the back. I do things with my shop like I would want others to do with me if I order from them. Good customer service has always been very important to me.
The thing I struggle with most is shipping. I want to charge a fair price, but a lot of times I'm not sure exactly what cost will be until I mail it. I recently found that going through paypal for my shipping saved me about half my cost. When I go to those postal places they seem to charge me double, or will only send it priority and not consider first class, which is usually just as fast. Now this is something I can pass on to my buyers. I want them to be paying what it actually costs. When I buy on Etsy I consider the shipping cost part of the item cost and keep that in mind when pricing my items.
Super ideas Shelly!
My shop is like a turtle..........a bit slow, but you've mentioned things I've yet to try, so THANKS!!!
Happy Saturday :)
Denise
This is some great advice and lots of wonderful tips. I've been selling clothing on eBay for years and really, really, really want to ditch that and do Etsy full time. It's much more fun and Etsy is such a friendlier, nicer marketplace.
Shelly, you're one of the first sellers I really bought from and I will admit I have always looked up to you and aspired to your level of creativity, success, customer service - I definitely look up to you! Thank you for the inspiration and advice!
I've been wondering about the blogging and how important that is in relation to sales - it seems like all the sellers I look up to have an Etsy related blog. The one i'm posting with I set up a long time ago to promote my eBay store and then never followed thru with it. So I've really been considering a new one where I can promote BlackCatMima - I just have no idea how to make it fun and interesting!
Hey! My shop is called *Shey*[B] Camera Strap Slipcovers. My shop is under Shealynn.
My thoughts? GIVEAWAYS GIVEAWAYS GIVEAWAYS!!!!
This has been HUGE for me! I opened my shop for business last August and since then have had almost 900 sales. Giveaways are hands down *the best* way to get your business out there. Yes, you are giving something away, but most of the time, you get orders in return!
Eventually... you will have exhausted those that offer to do giveaways for free, and then run into having to pay to advertise on blogs or websites in order to have giveaways done.
I just started paying for advertising last month, and it was SO worth it! Just make sure and research their views, etc. before deciding who you'll advertise with.
I personally do not package my stuff all crazy. Cellophane bags and a shipping label that has been customized and printed myself. Period. Spending a lot of money on packaging is usually a waste, because it eats into your cost, and most of the time, it is ripped open and packaging is thrown away. I say keep it simple. :)
Hey girl, what a GREAT post! I have been one of your 'help me' emails, tee hee and you were so great at responding with an answer that I knew you really wanted to help...which I really appreciated.
Your shop is the cutest and you have been so successful because of your originality and craftiness, I love it!
I was going to say list frequently, not all at once but you covered it. And I learned to use ALL the tags too. And yes, I've had a few repeat customers...you must take care of them, they always appreciate it! I have struggled myself with the picture thing and am constantly working on getting good ones. Still not there yet, but just got a new camera and it will come. Thanks for all your tips, if I can think of others, I'll come back and comment.
You are a rock star Shelly ;-)
Jamie :-)
Oh this is SUCH a great list!!!! So very helpful!
One tip I have is to purchase a domain name for your Etsy shop and forward your longer, less professional Etsy link to your new website link.
Example: I bought www.ModMemento.com for just $8/year through godaddy.com.
I then forwarded my Etsy address:
www.modmemento.etsy.com to the above link. So now when someone types in www.ModMemento.com it goes right to my Etsy shop!
It's just a nice little professional touch and it's easier to put on biz cards or in emails or advertising opportunities.
Thanks for all the fantastic tips everyone!
Wow what a bunch of great ideas everyone has. I haven't had much luck on Etsy but I do have a website and an ebay store and seem to do well there. I am an Aussie Seller and I think that the US Dollar is a bit confusing for local buyers. I guess everything take time to build up and you just have to keep at it and believe in yourself. Feel successful to be successful a bit of positive thinking as well as being conistent with your creations and marketing. I love your blog and your shop is an inspiration. Anna
Looks like you covered most of it. :) Here's my tip...featuring a PIF (Pay it Forward) sale seems to always bring people to my shop. The cost of it is .20 cents and a lot of people search by price. This brings newcomers who haven't yet become comfortable shopping on Etsy. Most people are searching for a bargain and end up buying more than what they bargained for. I hope this helps someone. :)
This is a wonderful post! All your suggestions are what I'd say to a new Etsy seller too. Not that I'm a big time seller myself! If anything, Etsy has been a way for me to meet other crafty people and let my work be seen. It seems every time I finish up a custom order, another pops into my inbox. So even though my actual shop is very sparse and I have low sales, I am constantly creating and selling, just at a super slow pace.
I have about half of your shop in my Etsy favorites right now!!!
Great post....thinking about opening my own shop, but I can't help but wonder if people really make money doing this or not. As in replacing a full time job (which I'd like to do) or if it's mroe of a part time gig and/or hobby for most..Any thoughts? Thanks!
I don't sell but I do shop Etsy a lot. I agree so much with the parts of your list that apply to what I would see. I love quick responses and I really love the pretty packaging. One commenter said it was a waste but it really isn't. I love opening something that someone took time out to do. I ordered gift enclosures. She sent them inside in a box in a clear gift bag (very inexpensive) with a tiny ribbon on it. I opened them and used the ribbon that day on a card I made for a friend. Very cheap... seemingly meaningless and I used it. Keep up the great work!!
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