Etsy Success Tips: Make Your Shop Work for You

Etsy.com handmade and vintage goods
palomasnest

Story by palomasnest

Published on Sept 10, 2009 in Seller Handbook

Caroline, who runs the successful Etsy Shop Paloma’s Nest, has some expert advice for sellers. Read on to find out some of her tips!

Etsy sellers are known for the time, love, and energy they dedicate to their craft — using quality materials, originality, and great attention to detail. Buyers come to Etsy for a special shopping experience, and your shop is your window to the world. Make sure you are putting your best foot forward so buyers like what they see and come in for more. This post is to encourage you to use the tools Etsy provides to make your shop a success!

Photo by TammysTreasureChest

So, Who Are You, Anyways?

Your Etsy shop is loaded with great products…but is it loaded with great information about you and your business? Your Shop Policies, Profile and Location sections are the perfect places to share this information — they tell your buyer about who you are and what type of shop you have. Part of the process of buying handmade is knowing from where and whom your purchase is coming. Buyers LOVE to know the story behind a product, so share a little in your Profile section!

Basic Shop Policies help to legitimize your online shop, and they can reassure customers that they are making a secure transaction with a reliable seller. After all, this is a business you are running, so be sure you are coming across as a professional. Try your best to not leave these sections blank. For more help with Shop Policies, check out this post: Service Tips for Sellers: Creating Policies That Work. These posts delve into crafting a Profile page and other text bits of your Etsy shop.

Photo by kittybblove

More Than One

Are you ever disappointed when an item you’ve been admiring is sold, or the link you are using is no longer active? Don’t let your lack of inventory be the reason your customers can’t find you! If your designs can be remade (and you are willing and able to create like-designs or multiples), or you are selling supplies, be sure to take advantage of the “Quantity” feature when listing your items.

Many sellers like to list each and every item, one at a time, and then simply relist it when it sells; while this method does give you a fresh listing each time, there are many sometimes overlooked benefits to listing larger quantities of your item at one time.

Some of these benefits include:

  • Your links stay active — both in your buyers’ Favorites lists, and in blogs and other sites all over the web that may be linking back to your Etsy shop listing.
  • You can see long term stats on your listing, such as views and hearts, which can be tracked over time and give you valuable information about your product and any marketing efforts (such as Showcase slots). This will also be relevant to your Google Analytics.
  • You won’t “miss” a sale because you didn’t relist another item quickly enough.
  • If you’re featured in a high traffic area, such as the homepage of Etsy, your item will remain featured until you’re sold out. Higher quantity means more sales and more happy shoppers.

Photo by KeysAndMemories

The “Top Three”

The top three spots in your shop carry a lot of weight here in the interconnected world of Etsy. Many Etsians love to shop by searching through other members’ lists of Favorite Sellers. Ever notice the three photos that show up next to the avatar on these Favorites lists? They are the first three items (the last three you listed) in your shop — NOT necessarily your “Featured Listings.”

Make sure these three most recently listed items are representative of the variety of items available in your shop, or you may be missing out on catching your target audience…if you sell mittens, hats, and scarves, don’t let three hats sit in the “top three.” Mix it up, so it is clear you offer more than one style of items. Take care to notice this each and every time you renew or add a new item listing. It serves as a mini snapshot of your shop.

Photo by Canemah

Photos Photos Photos

Images are your most powerful tool as a seller. Luckily, Etsy offers sellers many opportunities to display multiple images of your product in your shop. Take your “good” photos a step further, and ask yourself if they are living up to their potential as important marketing tools for your shop.

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Are your photos consistent throughout your Etsy shop?
  • Do they lend a cohesive look to your brand and convey a strong sense of quality?
  • Pay attention to the various backgrounds or props you are using in your photos. Are they in line with your shop style and the story you are telling through your work?

Extraordinary images will build recognition for your shop. There are several great photo tutorials and tips offered right here on Etsy’s blog; if you combine these tips with your own brand and vision, the photos of your work will stand out in a crowd, both on Etsy and throughout the Internet.

Best of luck with these tips and happy selling!

These tips were first published in the Etsy Success newsletter; sign up here for a plethora of more great tips and advice (and be sure to frequent the Etsy Seller Handbook Series for a collection of all our seller tips).

Caroline Colom Vasquez is an artist, designer and stylist living in Austin, Texas. She is the creative founder of Paloma’s Nest and is known for her modern interpretations of traditions and heirlooms, such as the Ring Bearer Bowl™, which was introduced on Etsy in 2007.

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