Storque articles by HeyMichelle

How-Tuesday: Snowflake Gift Wrap with the NewNew Team

2009-12-17T17:00:00-05:00

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We published this how-to last year but we're bring it back up for your holiday preparations!

Etsy How-Tuesday presents Kari aka ikyoto and Stella aka lookcloselypress of The {NewNew} York Team. Today we're going to learn how to screenprint our own snowflake gift wrap for the holidays. Kari and Stella remind us that recycling paper bags is a great source for materials for this kind of project.

The snowflake screenprint graphic was designed by the NewNew Street Team with each individual snowflake from a different member of the team. To download the unique snowflake graphic for this project, check out their team blog. The following members contributed a design:

redbridge.etsy.com
pulpsushi.etsy.com
cakehouse.etsy.com
Jantar.etsy.com
mshoelace.etsy.com
AdornmentsNYC.etsy.com
ikyoto.etsy.com
lookcloselypress.etsy.com
Kimmchi.etsy.com
karensmonsters.etsy.com
citybitz.etsy.com
allenelaspina.etsy.com
bungaloe.etsy.com
mayluk.etsy.com
luckx4.etsy.com
cajajewelry.etsy.com
bshorr.etsy.com
lapistolera.etsy.com
linguanigra.etsy.com
Fubabee.etsy.com
wabisabibrooklyn.etsy.com
jdavisstudio.etsy.com
bluestitchbooks.etsy.com

For more of their work, simply search "newnewteam".

Materials Needed:

Silk Screen
Squeegee
Paper Bags / Junk Mail / Card Stock
Scissors
Ink Spreader / Spatula / Stirring Stick
Iron
Ironing Board
A flat protected surface (table with construction paper works just fine)

Steps for Making Screenprinted Gift Wrap:

Cut up your bags until they lay flat.
Iron the bags with the iron on a cotton setting with some steam.
Lay one bag on a flat protected surface (you can tape the edges down if you like).
- Place the screen over the bag.
- Have a friend hold the screen firmly in place.
- Use an ink spreader, spatula, or stirring stick to put some ink evenly along one edge of the screen.
- Using a squeegee firmly press down and pull the ink across the design holding the squeegee at a 45º angle.
- Carefully lift the screen, while holding the paper down to separate the two.
- Repeat swiftly until you notice the ink starting to gum in the screen at which point: rinse!

For more about burning your own screen to print with, check out this tutorial with Pete and Matt.

Watch more how-to videos and check out these how-to projects too!

How-Tuesday: Felt Garlands With Littleloveblue

2009-12-11T13:32:00-05:00

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We're bringing this lovely project back from last year, because it's that time of the season! Can you smell pine in your living room yet?

[Originally published December 16, 2008.]

This week, Etsy How-Tuesday presents Cary Walker, a.k.a. littleloveblue. Cary shows us how to make a holly leaf and berry garland out of felt. This simple but elegant project makes a great gift or a holiday decorating project to do with family and friends.

Materials Needed:

Holly leaf pattern
- Download it here, or draw your own
Green wool felt (or felted wool from a sweater, etc. as long as it's fairly sturdy)
Red wool roving
Felting needles
Felting pad
Scissors
Pins
Thread (red for the berries, and a color to match your ribbon choice)
Sewing needle
Tape measure
Ribbon (at least 2 yards)
Small bells (optional)

Steps for Making Felt Garland

Cut out your leaf pattern from the paper.
Pin the pattern to your wool felt and cut out the leaf.
- Repeat this step until you have 12 leaves.
Pull off a small amount of wool roving and then roll it into a ball about the size of a berry.
Using a needle felting needle, poke the ball many times over a needle felting pad, until it holds together firmly in the shape of a berry.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have 18 berries in total.
Thread the red color thread onto a sewing needle and sew three of the berries together, leaving the needle and thread attached to the berries (for now).
Gather two holly leaves and overlap them slightly at the top. Take your red thread through the two layers of leaves, attaching the berries to them. Bring the thread back and forth through the each berry to secure them well.
- Try to come through the same place in the back of the leaves each time, to make it neater.
Knot the thread in the back of the leaves and cut the thread.
- Repeat steps 5-7 until you have 6 sets of leaves and berries.
Measure at least 2 yards of ribbon. Starting about 12 inches from one end of ribbon and using the thread that matches, sew a set of leaves and berries onto the front of the ribbon.
Continue attaching each set, about 8 inches apart on the ribbon, knotting and re-threading your thread and needle for each one.
Make a 2 inch loop at each of the ribbon and sew those in place as well. You can make more sets of leaves and berries, and use longer ribbon to make your garland as long as you like.
Hang your garland and enjoy!

Watch more how-to videos and check out these how-to projects too!

Seller How-To: Shipping

2009-11-25T10:15:00-05:00

On Etsy, shipping and fulfillment are handled by sellers individually. This leaves a lot of flexibility for a seller's shipping options — which means it also presents a lot of decisions! This post will give you an outline of the most important shipping issues to consider as well as some tips and links to more in-depth information. We've included relevant links for US, Canada, UK, and Australia, thanks to help from these sellers: PeculiarForest, estasketch, terrain, Dancingcircle, memake, magicjelly, fenrislorsrai, lamarquisedesanges and katsai. Soon, we hope to translate this post into other languages, including German and French.

General Shipping Information

Shipping as Customer Service
With the general population increasingly shopping online, buyers are looking for more in the way of customer service, expediency, and convenience. Sellers should come up with a plan for what types of shipping they offer, whether they offer express services, insurance, etc. Most of all, providing clear, friendly information will prevent any miscommunication — which can really put a damper on customer service. Along with the shipping costs outlined in the listing, many sellers put additional shipping details on their Shop Policies page, and link to that at the bottom of each listing.

Further Reading: Creating Policies That Work, Policy Overview in the Help section

Felt Watches by BraveMoonman

Calculating Rates

Depending on the shipping service you use, you may need to calculate weights. For example, US First Class Mail uses weights, while Priority Mail rates may depend on the type of box or envelope you send the item in.

So whip out your measuring tape, kitchen or shipping scale, or take note of the weight of your packages when you take them to the post office. Now that you know the weights and dimensions of the packages you offer, you can use your country's postal service shipping calculator to determine the domestic and international rates for the countries you want to ship to. You may decide to factor in the price of your shipping materials into your shipping cost.

Holiday Deadlines

The holiday rush can be a frantic time! Plan ahead with shipping deadlines. You may want to refer to these in your Shop Announcement as a courtesy to your holiday shoppers.

Etsy Shipping Profiles

Etsy Shipping Profiles are a way to save a specific set of shipping information, which you can then quickly apply to any item listing during the listing or editing process. Shipping Profiles work well if you have similar items that ship for the same costs. Determine your shipping costs for an item of a specific size, weight and shipping method, then create a Shipping Profile you can quickly add to your new listings for such items.

Further Reading: Find out how to set up your shipping profiles in our Help section here.
The difference between Regions Shipping and Country Specific Shipping.

Combined Shipping

Combined Shipping allows you to specify a special shipping cost in the event that a buyer checks out with multiple items from your shop at the same time.

Further Reading: Find out how to apply this option to your shipping settings in our Help section here.

Expedited Shipping

You may want to consider offering expedited shipping options. If you end up using these services a lot, you may even be eligible to a discount through your chosen carrier. Chances are, you'll get a customer who needs an item by a certain date, so do your research ahead of time.

I started off this post with a section on customer service, and I think it applies here. If you plan to offer express shipping, figure out how to make it as easy as possible for your buyer. Let them know up front how much additional services cost. Perhaps include some helpful text in your listings and Shop Announcement. Here's an example: "I also offer expedited shipping for an additional cost of $x.xx. If you would like this service, please write a note in the Message to Seller when you check out. I will send you an updated invoice from PayPal for the additional service."

Dancingcircle pointed out in this post that it's "easy to set up your own account through USPS, UPS or FedEx by visiting their websites. Make sure you clearly understand each carrier’s shipping time frames, if they include delivery confirmation, and where you will need to drop off packages or how to schedule a pick up. Don’t forget to check out their claims or lost package policies."

You can compare expedited services offered by the USPS here.
Terrain notes that Canada Post offers a variety of expedited shipping services, and "each parcel delivery type indicates whether or not it includes a) delivery confirmation, b) insurance up to $100, and c) supplemental insurance." Click here to check these out.
Sending Urgent Mail through UK Royal Post
estasketch details the shipping options for Australians, "Auspost offers express post for domestic, or express post and express courier services for international. Express post has quite reasonable rates and good shipping times considering how far away we are from everything! Express courier offers a few more services and faster, but also more expensive."
Express post for domestic
Info on express post international
Info on express courier international

Insurance

Insurance is to protect you, the seller. As noted earlier, shipping is an aspect of customer service, and in the event there is a shipping problem, you may face an unhappy customer and negative feedback on Etsy. Third-party services like PayPal offer protection policies for sellers if certain criteria are met in the event of a delivery dispute (more information on this here). Additionally, there may be local laws in your area that would place responsibility on the seller for a shipping problem. Consider purchasing insurance on big-ticket items, or adding a small amount to each item cost so that in the rare cases where packages get lost, you have a fund that can cover you (or include the price of insurance in your shipping price and let the buyer know you have done so in the item description).

You can find out the cost of insuring your package from your postal service. Some expedited services have certain insurance packages built in, so look into that before buying additional insurance.

USPS Insurance
Canada Post Insurance
Check the UK Royal Mail shipping services' details individually
Australian Insurance (Extra Cover)

Certificate of Mailing

If the buyer happens to claim they have not received their package, this proof of shipping is the key to clearing your name, should the buyer report this to PayPal. Ask for this service in person at the post office. Further, we encourage our sellers to keep detailed and accurate records of shipping, as our Support Team may ask you to provide proof of shipping in a non-delivery case on Etsy.

A Certificate of Mailing from USPS only cost $1.15 (at the time of this blog post).
Canada Post has a DCC, Delivery Confirmation Certificate. Terrain notes that "delivery confirmation is a part of Canada Post's electronic tracking system. PayPal will accept a Canada Post Tracking Number that shows delivery as proof of delivery. To get a refund from the post office for a lost or damaged item, you would present the receipt you obtained when you sent it, which also shows the tracking number. Proof of shipping for Small Packet, which doesn't include DCC, would be your receipt plus the copy of the customs form."
UK Royal Mail's Track and Trace. PeculiarForest points out, "If you have a tracked item (Special Delivery 9am, Special Delivery Next Day, Recorded Signed For, Airsure, International Recorded Signed For) you must take the item to your local Post Office to have it accepted. The Post Office will also provide a signature for your Certificate of Posting document.
Australian seller estasketch says, "To get any proof of mailing you'd need to use an express or registered services. Registered post prepaid satchels seem to be the most affordable way of do this for international packages currently. Delivery confirmation is available but only on parcels over a certain size, and only with insurance. Proof of mailing also comes included with all express post services. Registered post information for domestic mail here."

Further Reading: Proof of Shipping with SCAN by ThePaintedTiger

Tolkien Travel Case by Beesnetta

International Shipping

As of November 2009, 30% of transactions on Etsy are cross-border or involve both a non-US buyer and non-US seller. Part of the excitement of being on Etsy is shopping and selling across borders. Offering international shipping opens up your shop to the world. That said, sellers need to be comfortable with the ins and outs of shipping internationally if they are going to offer this service to their customers. It is easy to learn, and once you do, you will open up your shop to many more customers!

If you are selling to a lot of international buyers you might want to check out Endicia.com. This service allows you to print shipping labels online that integrate customs forms as well. Shipping internationally is much easier when you use Endicia.com. You enter all your customs information in an online form, and this information is printed out along with proper postage.

Further Reading: "How to use Shipping Profiles on Etsy" on Cute, Cuddly, and Cannibalistic, a blog by Etsy seller, fenrislorsrai.

Customs Forms

If you are shipping to another country, you'll need to include the proper customs documentation. Do not mark it a "gift" if you're mailing an item you've sold to a customer. Check with your country's postal service to find out exactly what forms you'll need to attach to your package. In general, filling out these forms thoroughly with information should actually prevent your package from getting held up in Customs.

Shipping internationally will go smoothly most of the time. Every so often a package can get stuck in customs. Make sure your customers are aware that you can't be responsible for these delays. It's nearly impossible to track a package once it leaves your country.

The buyer is responsible for any additional fees that may be charged at customs. You should add this to your Shop Policies page.

In the U.S. you'll need a green CN 22 customs form which you can pick up at the post office or order for free from USPS.com.
In Canada, refer to this link on the Canada Post website. Terrain adds, "For U.S. and International Xpresspost and Expedited parcel services, fill out the 'Customs Declaration' section of the shipping label. For U.S. Small Packet/Light Packet, CN22 Customs Label (white for SP, green for LP)."
PeculiarForest notes that for UK sellers, "Customs forms will need to be filled out at the post office if parcels are being sent outside of the European Union." Memake notes that you may also download a PDF form from the Royal Mail website here.
Australians need the green forms available from your post office for free.

Further Reading: Seller Tip from Katsai

Know What You Can Ship

Some items are prohibited or restricted to individual countries. Did you know you can't send platinum, gold, and silver or precious stones via USPS Express Mail International Australia? Magicjelly underscored that it is "absolutely imperative that non-Australian sellers know about customs restrictions on items being mailed into Australia. Here's a helpful page about what you can't mail to Australia. Also, some Australian buyers may not be aware of what they shouldn't buy from overseas sellers... Australia doesn't have a lot of the plant diseases and pests you have [in other parts of the world], so the Quarantine Dept is very vigilant."

USPS's Country Conditions
Search restrictions by country on the Canadian Post here and here.
UK Restricted and Prohibited Goods
Prohibited goods list on the Australian Post website

Pricing and Sales Considerations

If it costs you little to nothing to ship an additional item to a customer, think about offering free shipping for additional items. This can be an incentive for the customer to look through your shop and see if there is anything else she wants. You may even mention that you offer free shipping on additional items in your listing to entice her.

Free Shipping: Some sellers use free shipping as a promotion. If you plan to do so, first consider your profits and realize that for lower-priced items, this may not be cost effective. If you decide to do free shipping, you may consider using "free shipping" as a tag or otherwise call attention to it in your Shop Announcement and listing description. Really, free shipping is only effective as a promotion if the buyer is aware of it before she decides to make the purchase! You may also consider just using free shipping as an occasional promotion for your shop, or as a special benefit that you give to great or repeat customers, or for orders over a certain dollar amount.
Balancing Shipping Cost with Item Price: It can be challenging to try to find a good shipping cost for heavy yet relatively inexpensive items such as baked goods. If your shipping cost is very high or even higher relative to your item price, you might consider the following ideas: Add a bit to your item price to balance the shipping cost, research and find the least expensive method possible, encourage multiple sales in one order if you are using a flat-rate service that will not cost additional money to ship.

Packaging

Packaging presentation and managing your mailing station is a whole other topic, my friends! But here are a few tips:

Purchase and print some shipping services through PayPal.
SmartStamp in the UK offers printing postage self-services.
Terrain posted a how-to about shipping with Canada Post.

We have many more tips for you, so check out these links:

More Shipping Articles | Packaging Your Items

A great, big thank you goes out to these sellers for their help: PeculiarForest for the UK links, terrain for Canadian links, and as well as Dancingcircle, magicjelly and estasketch for the Australian links, memake, fenrislorsrai, and katsai for their contributions.

Lots to think about, we know! But once you've got your shipping practices and policies down, I'm sure you'll feel a weight lifted. Have a tip for shipping from your country? Let us know in the comments below.

Etsy Success for Beginner Sellers

2009-10-01T13:15:00-05:00

Welcome to selling on Etsy! When you're getting started, it feels like there are so many things to do for your new shop. You'll also want to check out the Seller Handbook — it contains links to lots of great articles to help you sell. Other posts to get you started include Welcome to Your Online Presence and A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Shop on Etsy. Consider this article the quick-start guide, with the most important things to consider for getting your shop in top shape!

Your Name

Having a great, memorable name is one of the more important things you can do to brand your shop and encourage sales. Having a shop name that people remember will encourage them to find you again! You want it to be easy to pronounce, easy to spell, interesting, and it should speak to your style or what your shop is about. Shorter tends to be better than longer. Avoid common words like "designs" or "creations," as well as number strings and consonant strings that don't sound like a word in your name — these make your exact shop name hard to remember. Avoid generic-sounding names; something unique, different, or unusual will be more memorable. As Danielle says in this post, "Make sure it's 'Google-able!' Sure the name 'FriedChicken' might be memorable, but if you go to Google and search 'Fried Chicken,' your shop will be a needle in a greasy (yet delicious) haystack!" Do some research on the Internet to make sure that another company doesn't already have the same name.

What shop names have drawn you in? What about these names interested you? Think about this in your brainstorming for the perfect name.

Your shop name and your Etsy username are one and the same. While you can't change your shop name on Etsy, if you don't like the name you have, you can start a new shop. Simply register for the new shop, and then put a link to your new shop in the Shop Announcement, item listings, banner and Profile of your old shop, and then list your items in your new shop. Here are some more tips on shop names.

Shop Setup

The Shop Setup Help Guide will give you step-by-step instructions for getting started.

Banner: If your shop was in the physical world, your banner would be the sign above the front door. Choose something that looks professional and that will give shoppers a sense of the mood or feel of your shop and makes them interested to scroll down to see more! Here are instructions for creating your own banner. If you have nice product photos, you can use these in your banner if you like. If you're not a great graphic designer, you can save time and frustration by buying a ready-made or custom banner from an Etsy seller.

Photo by rikrak

Avatar: If you plan to use the community spaces such as the Forums, Chat, Virtual Labs, or The Storque, a well-lit, well-cropped 75 by 75 pixel photo of your most interesting item can make a great avatar. It's the equivalent of wearing your pieces when you go out, and it advertises your shop while you are interacting with others. The other sellers and Admin (Etsy staff) in these spaces have the power to feature your items in Treasuries, on their own blogs, and around other spaces on Etsy, so show 'em what you've got!

Avatars by: spiderbite, beadsinthebelfry, greeniemarie, shrimpsaladcircus, studioelan, tissage, magicjelly, ThePaperAddict

Shipping: Set up Shipping Profiles in Your Etsy > Shipping Options to save time while listing. Ship internationally — international orders comprise a big chunk of the market on Etsy! Here is a good Forum thread for U.S. sellers on how to set up international shipping. More shipping and packaging how-to's can be found here.

Shop Policies and Profile: Fill them out! Policies define the rules for your shop and can answer buyer questions. The Profile page personalizes you; Etsy shoppers love that they buy directly from the artist, so tell them about yourself and your craft to get them interested in your work. Having these sections filled out will help build trust for your buyer, especially if you are a new seller and don't have feedback yet. Here are some tips for your Shop Policies and Profile Page.

Item Photography

Item photography is perhaps the most important aspect of your shop. On Etsy, you have one main photo and you may upload four additional photos. Use them all! Here are some tips below and explore these posts for further, in-depth suggestions.

Lighting: Use natural lighting. Either morning or early evening light works best. Avoid direct sunlight and harsh mid-day lighting. Inside, near a window, or outside (but not in direct sunlight) both work well. If the lighting is still a bit dark, increase the EV balance on your camera menu. This increases the "whiteness" in the photo. Avoid using the flash. If the photos look washed out, turn away from the sunlight.

Photos by ecosilver, moop, locallibrary

Backgrounds: Shoot against a background that will complement your item. Think about color: What color background will create the mood that you are going for? If you're going for a sophisticated look, perhaps your dark brown item will look great against a pale brown background — think tone-on-tone, but make sure that your item stands out and is not swallowed by the background. Funky? Maybe try a color that is opposite on the color wheel, so a pale orange for your blue item. Modern items might look great with neutral colors, while natural and bohemian looks might look great next to natural materials such as plants, stones, etc. Maybe you'll have a collection of backgrounds with your color palette, and you can choose the best one for each item. Simple white backgrounds can be great for just about any type of item as well, and this will put the focus on your item.

For smaller items like jewelry, try placing these on props such as papers, old books, and tabletops. You may have a variety of materials in your home that will work well.

Photos by msbelle, SeaUnicorn, stamp

For larger items, look around the inside and outside of your home for good locations. Think interesting architecture, beautiful natural settings, walls with interesting textures, or even plain white walls. Is there a location nearby that would look great — perhaps a church, library, or abandoned building that would capture the mood of your items?

Photos by NHWoodCreations, sarahseven, arlenewatson

Consider including a photo that shows the item being used. This will give the potential customer important information, such as what the item is and how big it is. It will also allow them to envision the item on themselves or in their home.

Photos by CombustionGlassworks, MiaBeads, woodtec

Close-ups: Use the macro mode (flower icon) on your camera when shooting close-ups of jewelry and other small objects. This creates a sharp outline of your item. If the photo is blurry, try adjusting the zoom, or getting closer to or farther from your subject.

Angles: Most people start out taking product photos in the same way: They take the photo directly above, say, a piece of jewelry, and surround it with white space. You can make your photos more dynamic by taking the shot from a variety of angles and distances, and then choosing the one that best complements your item. Take a look in the Gift Guides to see how sellers have created interesting shots by using angles.

Photos by ZerbenaBoutique, firewoodfurniture, kjoo

Cropping: Photos that crop in interesting places create movement in the photo. It may allow you to get closer to the item for a detail shot. If your item is symmetrical, do we need to see the entire thing to understand it? Or would cropping off 1/3 of the item let us see more detail and look more interesting?

Avoid crops that are too "tight." This is where just a bit of the top and bottom of the item are cut off — it looks squashed! Take the photo from a bit farther away if this is the case. Even better, turn 3D objects like handbags a bit to the side for a more forgiving crop. Try taking 2D objects like notecards diagonally — this makes the photo more interesting, and will almost always make for a nice crop.

Etsy will automatically crop your photos for the thumbnails when you upload them. Consider while you are taking your pictures that vertical shots will crop mostly from the top, and a bit from the sides, and vice versa for horizontal shots.

Photos by shoofly, makalewakan, atelierBB

Grouping: Try arranging small items such as pouches, soaps, notecards, and cookies into a group shot. This can make the photo look rich and beautiful. Be sure to specify in the listing how many the customer will receive with their order.

Photos by SucculentsGalore, palomasnest, SunshineandRavioli

What is it?: If at all possible, show what the item is in the gallery (first) photo. If it's not possible, put what it is in the first few words of the title so that it is not cropped out when the customer is browsing in "gallery" (large photo) mode.

Additional photos: Your potential customer can't touch your item or try it on. Show them everything they want to know in the photos!

Show size by showing the item next to an object that everyone knows the size of. Human hands, flowers and objects that it would "belong" next to (such as a decor object on a bookshelf next to vintage books or some foreign money spilling out of a pouch) are great. Avoid unattractive items like paperclips and pennies unless they make sense. What does it feel like? Show the texture of your yarn or baked goods with a macro shot. What flavor or scent is it? Some blueberries and vanilla beans next to your blueberry-vanilla soap will look gorgeous and convey to your customer what it smells like.

Your descriptions may have some great ideas about what you might show in your additional photos. If you say in your listing that your scarf also makes a great belt, then show a picture of that to drive the point home!

Photos by karenssoaps, dolittledesign, OnTheRound

Upselling: Would the item be perfect with another item in your shop? Show two necklaces worn together to encourage your buyer to get them both! Would your art prints look great in a grouping of three? Show the customer a photo of that to get her excited! Even better if you offer a small incentive such as free shipping for additional items. Just make sure to be clear about what exactly is for sale with this listing.

Editing: Use a photo editing program to touch up your photos if necessary. Gimp is a free download that you'll love if you know how to use Photoshop, Picasa is a great all-around free program for mid-level skills, and an online photo editor like Piknic is perfect if you're not particularly computer savvy. If the photo is too dark, increase the brightness *and* the contrast. You can do this using "curves" in Gimp.

Getting Exposure

Categories: One of the best hidden gems for getting more exposure for your items is placing them in the correct Category. If your items will fit into more than one Category (for example, Knitting and Accessories), try putting some in one and some in another for maximum exposure. Once you have chosen your Category, choose from the related tags and/or look in the Category Browser to see what subcategories are available. Add any that accurately describe your item exactly as written into your tags, and your item will appear in all of them. Do the same with any sub-subcategories beneath the subcategories that you've chosen.

Tags: Tags, along with titles, are your search terms. Using keywords that buyers will search for will help put your item in front of them! Here is an article with a list of types of tags to help you brainstorm.

List Regularly: Right now, the default for Search and Categories on Etsy is reverse chronological order — newest on the top. If you have several items to list, try to space the listings out a bit. Here's a super-secret hack that a seller figured out if you want to make your listings go live later: create your listings, and go to page 5 of the listing process. Copy the URL from the address bar, and email it to yourself. You can then return to this later and click "FINISH." Test it first to be sure you are doing it right before prepping a bunch of listings!

Renewing: Renewing normally refers to reactivating a listing that has expired. Some sellers figured out that they got more hearts, views, and sales on days when they listed an item. When they did not have an item to list that day, they renewed an item. Renewing will move your item higher in the Category Browser and search results, and it costs the same amount as creating a new listing. We recommend that you only use this method if it is effective for you. (Learn more about how renewing works technically on Etsy.) Before using renewing as a technique for gaining exposure, first get your shop into tip-top shape and have "enough" items in your shop to promote!

Showcases: The Showcase is Etsy's advertising program. The Main Showcase is linked from the homepage of Etsy, and there are Showcases for each Category, the Gift Guides, and The Storque. Additionally, there are regularly specialized Showcases throughout the year. As with renewing, you will want to get your shop into great shape by using the tips in this article before you purchase a Showcase spot for maximum benefit. Having good item photos, descriptive listings, and enough items to make the promotion worth it are most important.

Getting Featured: Your item may be featured in several places around Etsy: in Treasuries, which are chosen by Etsy members, and on the homepage, Gift Guides, Etsy Finds emails, and The Storque (Etsy's blog). The key to getting featured in all of these locations is having great item photos, using tags well, and being an active member of the community. Additionally, you may look at the merchandising articles each month to learn about upcoming themes and holidays that will be promoted. Use this information to help you tag your listings, or as a reminder of upcoming events for which you may want to create items. If you are featured in the Gift Guides, and you are able to make more of the item, you may increase the quantity of your listing so that your item stays in the Guide when it sells!

Your Items and Product Assortment

Creating a cohesive shop: Create a great assortment of products that work together. Think about the types of items that are sold together at retail stores. Some examples are: a women's fashion shop, a baby shop, a crochet shop, a home goods shop, a bath and body shop. This is not to say that you should *never* have items that don't at first seem to go together in your shop — there are a few sellers out there who are making this work because their aesthetic binds all their items together. The point is to be intentional about what you are selling.

Think of every item listing in your shop as an ad for all of your other items. Every time a customer finds one of your items, now they have access to the rest of your shop. Will that customer who is looking for a baby shower gift who you've brought in with your knitted baby hat want to stay to browse in your shop? If your other items are more baby clothes, accessories, toys or children's art, she most likely will. If she has to sift though your dish towels and nature photographs, she may lose interest, no matter how lovely they may be! Consider focusing on what you find most interesting or what's most popular in your shop. You may set up another shop for your other interests, but be aware that it is a lot of time and effort to try to market two shops. You may be better off focusing on one shop.

Having a cohesive shop will make it memorable! If I see a fabulous, feminine vintage-style necklace in a shop full of jewelry of a wide variety of different styles — everything from fun 'n' funky to sophisticated — I will probably not remember the particular shop. Conversely, if that same necklace is surrounded by jewelry in a similar style with an appealing color palette (and photographed in a similar way), it is much more likely to stick in my mind.

You may be worried that this will limit your creativity. Au contraire! you might find that this frees your creativity. It is very enjoyable to create a look and style that is uniquely "you" and to share your vision with the customer. Your style can (and probably will) change over time...but at a given moment, try to have a style that can be summed up in a few words. As you bring your unique style to your product photos and descriptions, your shop itself will become a work of art. Try it!

Photos by theblackapple, paradisehilldesigns, ruffeoheartslilsnoty

What to sell, and how to stand out from the crowd: There are so many wonderful shops on Etsy, that many newbies wonder how they can make an impact. Here are some tips for making your shop shine:

What to do in crowded markets: If you notice that there are lots of others sellers with items similar to yours, say, children's hair bows, you may try creating the items in a different and surprising material, or creating a new style of hair bow to stand out. You may stand out with fabulous photos, a great shop assortment, and lots of items for your buyers to choose from.
Find a niche: Better yet, find an undeserved niche to establish yourself in. Look around in the Categories and subcategories for inspiration...are there any where you might make a mark? For example, if you can make great gifts for men, you will find a market that is hungry for new sellers!
Create a new product, or find a new way of making something that's been around for a while. Some great examples are neawear, who became Etsy-famous with her "Wall Wear," a modern art incarnation of cross-stitch samplers, and girlsavage, who reinvented taxidermy as "Feltidermy" — stuffed animal creatures on trophy boards.

Relisting: Successful sellers use the "relisting" technique to create a profitable business. If you sell an item and can make the same item again, you can "relist" it by using the link at the top of the sold item page. This copies your listing and costs the same as a new listing. You will save time since you do not have to make, photograph, and create a description for your item before selling it again. Try to make items that you will be able to make again. If you prefer to only make one-of-a-kind items, be sure to price them accordingly (read: more expensively).

Pricing: Check out this series of articles for help with pricing. Most Etsy sellers who are new to retailing set their prices too low. Many find that they sell more when they raise their prices! Your price gives your customer a hint of the quality of your item, so make sure you are selling at a fair price! Ask for the price that your time and skills are worth. You will want to consider your material costs, fees and other costs associated with selling, and time spent making items, creating listings, and communicating with customers. You may consider using a combination of pricing equations and then comparing these prices with what the items would sell for in a boutique, or how successful sellers are pricing similar items.

Other Tips

Set up your shop stats: go to Web Analytics in Your Etsy. You will also want to set up Site Search to see what search terms shoppers are using to find your items on Etsy. See #2 on this article for instructions.
Enter your items into Google Base so they appear in the Google Shopping results. It only takes about 20 minutes!
Optimize your Etsy shop for Google.

Helpful Links

Etsy Hacks: This site provides time-saving tools that give you special functions for your Etsy shop, such as the ability to copy one of your current listings, or the ability to upload up to five photos at once while you are listing.

Craftcult: View your hearts in an easy-to-see list format. Also, see when you have been featured in the Gift Guides, The Storque, and on the homepage.

What are your top tips? We'd love to hear them in the comments of this article! ...But there are so many comments now, it's slowing down the page load. So please join the discussion in this Forum thread.

How-Tuesday: Elegant Parchment Flowers with Jeffrey Rudell

2009-06-23T16:13:00-05:00

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This week's How-Tuesday comes from Jeffrey Rudell, a paper artist, inventor, and engineer who has an eye for simple, beautiful projects and a knack for sharing his marvelous creations. This project makes a remarkably simple and beautiful flower that can be used to make a bouquet, a boutonniere, a brooch, or just about any flowery thing that starts with the letter B.

Materials Needed:

White vellum or parchment — the exact vellum shown is white ink on white vellum, made by US Silkscreen, available from New York Central Art Supply
pH Neutral Glue
Scissors or Xacto knife
Straight edge
18" of pre-cut, straight lengths of floral wire
Floral tape

Elegant Parchment Flowers:

Step One:

Begin with a 3" disc of paper, parchment, or vellum. You can use a 3" hole punch, a compass, or trace the rim of a cup.

Fold the circle in half, into quarters, and finally into eighths, until you have a little triangle.

Once folded, use scissors to round out the the top.

Step Two:

Remove one and one-half petals as indicated and glue flap A to the underside of petal B. This gives the blossom a bit of realistic dimension.

Step Three:

Crimp the edges of each petal — as indicated by the dotted lines — between your thumb and forefinger.

Step Four:

For the stem, begin with a straight, 10" to 15" length of floral wire. Use needle nose pliers to curl a 1/4" loop in one end of the wire.

Cover the wire loop with a small length of floral tape to create the pistil of the flower.

Gently thread a wire stem through the center of each completed paper blossom until the pistil is seated snugly within the hollow of the flower.

Take another small length of tape and wrap the top of the stem just under the blossom to keep it in place.

Step Five:

Wrap the remaining portion of the stem with an equaling length of floral tape. Pinch the tape at the top under the blossom and while holding the tape taut with one hand, slowly rotating the stem between the thumb and forefinger until the stem is covered.

Step Six:

Lather, Rinse, Repeat, for as many of these gorgeous flowers as you need, and then arrange them as you see fit. Maybe just a few for a boutonniere or for a gift bouquet for a special someone you are hoping to woo. Make a whole bunch for a full bouquet for your wedding or to brighten up any room any day!

Visit the Plants and Edibles & Weddings Categories

Hand-picked Items for Your Big Day

Guidelines & Tips: Tagging on Etsy

2009-03-25T14:20:00-05:00

Tags are keywords sellers attach to their items in the item listing process. When searching for the perfect handmade or vintage item or supply on Etsy, a shopper will browse Categories, or more often, use Search to find their items. Since tags are keywords for Search, and they are also used to organize items in Categories and Subcategories, it's important to understand how to tag your items correctly and effectively so that buyers can find them!

The step-by-step guide below will give you 13 ideas for good tags to help buyers find your item and help it get featured. If you are having a hard time thinking of tags, look in your title and description for keywords.

Please see special rules and help for Art, Bags and Purses, Bath and Beauty, and Clothing at the bottom.

TAGGING SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS

For your first tag, choose a main Category from the drop-down.

If the item is handmade or hand-altered by you, your first tag can be any category but vintage.
- Don't use the tag commercial.
- Handmade crafting supplies? Your first tag can be supplies or another appropriate handmade category.

If you're not sure, go to the Categories page, and see if your item is a Subcategory of any Category. Or, do a search for like items and see what Category most of the items are listed in. Eg. Does an apron go in Accessories or Clothing? Doing a quick check will help you find apron listed under the Accessories Category here.

If your item fits in two categories (eg. Children and Clothing), you may pick which one you use for your top category tag. Try to decide where might a shopper look first.

Only select vintage if the item is 20 years or older. See more on vintage items here.

Now you will choose your remaining 13 tags.

The order of them does not matter. Related tags will pop up as you add tags, remember these are only suggestions that *might* apply to your item. You may choose any that accurately describe your item.
You may also create your own tags based on what will be most accurate for your item. Here are some helpful questions to ask yourself:

1. What is it?

Tip: Don't pick any words that are related, but not what it is. Eg. Don't tag bracelets with "earrings".

Tip: If the word describes what something is, don't use that unless your item *is* that. Eg. Don't tag a tote bag with "clutch", even though you can clutch it in your hand. Don't tag anything but a dress with dress. Eg. Don't tag cookies with "tea" or "coffee", even though you can eat them with these drinks.

2. What is it specifically? What type?

Eg. Hoop (for earrings), v-neck (for sweaters), long sleeve (shirt).

3. Who is it for?

Tip: You may pick as many correct ones as you want. Eg. women, men, baby, children, boy, girl, adult, pets, dog, cat.

4. What is the main material?

Tip: Add the major material to your tags, if it is something you think a buyer might search for to find your item. Add minor materials or component materials to the "materials" box on page 1. Eg. leather, cotton, canvas, felt, metal, 14K gold, sterling silver, glass. If there are two words to describe a material, use them both, as separate tags. Eg. cotton, canvas. metal, 14K gold. mahogany, wood. merino, wool.

5. What is the main color?

Tip: Buyers are not likely to look for minor colors in your piece, so stick to the main color(s) or important color combos! Eg. white, black, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.

6. What method or technique did you use to make it? Only relevant for some items.

Eg. hammered (for metal jewelry), burned (for woodworking), appliqued, embroidered.

7. Where will the item be used? Only relevant for some items.

Eg. kitchen, hair, office, beach, garden, car, nursery.

8. What size is it?

Eg. small, extra large, 7mm, 18in, 8x10.

9. What style is it?

Eg. goth, victorian, hippie, punk, impressionist, post-modern, feminine, sophisticated, southwestern.

Eg. sweet, spicy, salty (for bath and beauty and food items).

10. Imagery or motifs that are on the item.

Eg. owl, landscape, nature, Marilyn Monroe.

11. Are there synonyms?

Tip: Use these if the word means exactly the same thing as the tag you already used, it is accurate for your item, and you think it will be an important search term that buyers will look for. Eg. Infant for young babies, handbag for purses and clutches, toddler for children 18 months - 3 years, drink for coffee, trousers for pants.

12. Mature content items must have the tag "mature".

Mature content is defined as: sexual activity or content, profane language or graphic violence. Artful representations of the nude human figure do not need the tag "mature".

13. Don't tag with potential uses for the item.

Eg. Don't use "stocking stuffer" or "gift" as tags. Do not tag a messenger bag with "backpack", even though you can wear it on your back. Don't tag a blank book with "poetry".

14. Don't put multiple words in one tag box, unless they are a phrase.

Eg. Do tag with "sterling silver". Don't tag with "silver earrings", these should be two different tags.

Helpful Tips

Feeling stuck? Look to your item description for keywords to use as tags.

Check out this list of colors to inspire using more than just a simple "blue" tag. What about "Cornflower Blue", instead?

Use a second browser window to navigate through the Categories and Subcategories that pertain to your item. This way you can be sure to include tags for all the Subcategories that relate to your item.

If you sell similar items in your shop, it is helpful to create a listing template on your desktop with your most commonly used tags. This way you can quickly pick and choose which ones are appropriate and just copy and paste them into place.

Using Google's Keyword Tool or Yahoo's Keyword Selector Tool will help you generate a list of the most popular related search words and phrases. This involves a good amount of time and research, but can be a valuable tool to help create a list of the most commonly searched for words to use as tags.

You do not have to duplicate words found in a compound tag. Eg. "sterling silver" does not also have to appear as "sterling, silver".

Common Definitions of Tags by Category

Art: All 2D artwork is either an original or reproduction, but not both.

Original: for original 2D artwork only.

Reproduction: for copies or reproductions of your original 2D artwork.

Bags and Purses:

Only tag your bag or purse with the correct terms (as defined below) so buyers can find what they are looking for. Almost all items should only be tagged with one of these.

Backpack: primarily meant to be worn on the back. With rare exception, has two straps that are worn over both shoulders at the same time. Messenger bags and tote bags are not backpacks.

Clutch: small (sometimes medium sized), usually flat bag primarily meant to be carried in the hand. Usually does not have straps. Wallets and simple zip-top cotton pouches are not clutches.

Diaper Bag: a large bag with multiple interior and/or exterior pockets. Main purpose is to be used to carry diapers and baby items. A messenger bag or backpack is not a diaper bag. A tote with no pockets is not a diaper bag.

Laptop Bag or Sleeve: A padded bag designed to snugly fit and protect a laptop.

Messenger Bag: A medium to large sized bag with one wide, long strap that is long enough to wear crossing the chest, over one shoulder, to waist.

Pouch: a small to medium sized bag, usually with a zipper. Not worn as a woman's handbag or "carrying bag"- usually holds items within a larger bag.

Purse: a women's bag with 1 or 2 straps or handles, worn over one shoulder, or carried in the hand.

Tote: Bag with two long straps, that is meant to be worn over the shoulder.

Wallet: Primary function is to hold money and credit cards. Not worn as a handbag or carrying bag — it goes inside another bag. A simple pouch with no inner dividers is not a wallet.

Wristlet: A bag with a looped strap that is wide enough to wear on the wrist.

Bath and Beauty:

Body Wash: liquid, gel, or other non-solid body wash. Solid soap is not body wash.

Fragrance: perfume, cologne, eau de toilette. Not scented lotions or soaps. Use the tag scented instead.

Oil: for products in oil form. For products containing oil, list the name of the oil as a tag, but do not use the tag oil by itself. Eg. jojoba oil.

Vegan: contains no animal products, or products directly produced by animals, even if the animals are not harmed. No honey, no milk, etc. See this how-to on tagging vegan items.

Clothing:

Dress: means an actual dress, not formal wear.

Plus Size: size 16 (USA) or larger.

Sweater: an actual sweater, not scarves or other things made of sweater material. The name for sweater material is knit, or knitted or sweater knit or "crocheted." Not a sweatshirt.

If you notice a seller misusing tags, you may report it to flagged@etsy.com.

If you would like to share any of your own tagging tips, or have questions about how to tag your items, please ask in the forums. Check out our other tagging how-tos for more help.

Seller Handbook | Shop Makeover Series

Etsy Finds: Lovely Legs

2009-03-03T10:15:00-05:00

It's almost skirt weather again, which means hibernation time is almost over. It's time to poke those legs out and test the temperature! This year, I'm super-excited about spats and patterned tights, and I can't forget about leg warmers, my perennial favorite. Here are a few Etsy Finds to tide you over until that glorious barelegged season arrives.

Floral Collection Leggings - Lavender Floral

By iheartnorwegianwood, $50.

View Item | View Shop

Handknit Hook Up Over the Shoe Legwear

By yearofthegoat, $68.

View Item | View Shop

Heirloom Spats

By EfiaFair, $80.

View Item | View Shop

SHIMMER SEQUIN LEGGINGS

By kelseygenna, $28.

View Item | View Shop

Red and gold tapestry shoe decoration

By mariapozodesign, $85.

View Item | View Shop

Spatz, Cream, Vintage Style, Noir, Steampunk, Gothic, Tribal, Exotic, Bellydance, Spats

By darkfusionboutique, $77.

View Item | View Shop

Polka Dot Leggings XS S

By poppyswickedgarden, $25.

View Item | View Shop

Brown Leather/ Houndstooth Ruffle Spats

By ashesandempires, $96.

View Item | View Shop

Custom Cashmere Legwarmers - Adventuresofjr

By adventuresofjr, $85.

View Item | View Shop

Transitioning from cold to hot never looked so cool!

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Guest Curators | Trends | Accessories Category

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Etsy Finds Vintage: Organize Your Crafting Space

2009-01-03T08:00:00-05:00

The New Year is the perfect time to do some organizing, and your crafting space is a great place to start. Since pre-fab shelving and storage from big box stores don't tend to inspire creativity, here are some vintage Etsy Finds to help you transform your space into an artist's retreat.

Vintage Stained Wooden Box

You'll need plenty of medium sized boxes to hold your supplies. I love this wooden one with a divider. From RiverBazaar, $12.

View item | View Shop

Vintage 1980s Wooden Spice Rack Set

Spice racks are great for holding spools of thread or other small supplies. This one comes with the original bottles, which can hold buttons and other bits. From VintageUpButterCup, $18.

View item | View Shop

Vintage 70's Wooden Owl Clip Magnet

Get a few cool clip magnets if you have a metal storage cabinet. You can use them for reminders or inspirational tear sheets. From MoonParade, $3.95.

View item | View Shop

Rolodex Model No. SW-35 - Faux Bois and Tan Seventies Officeware

Yes, yes, I know you have all the phone numbers you need stored on your cell. Rolodexes can be used to store important info, like specs or instructions for the projects you're working on. From tigerluxe, $24.

View item | View Shop

Vintage round coiled basket, woven

Pretty baskets are perfect for yarn. From highstreetmarket, $48.

View item | View Shop

Spool and Bobbin Container

Save time spent hunting around for materials by having all of your bobbins in one spot. From kitchencupboard, $10.

View item | View Shop

2 MEN VINTAGE TINS

You can never have too many tiny tins for beads, pins and other little things. From defdif, $7.50.

View item | View Shop

Vintage Samsonite - Medium Suitcase, Mahogany colored

Large suitcases make for pretty and practical storage for oversized paper and patterns. From MysticLily, $35.

View item | View Shop

vintage solid wood wall curio display shelf mahogany finish

Shelves are a must for saving floor and table space. From lulurecycles, $44.

View item | View Shop

Looking for more vintage Finds? Try these Etsy links:

Vintage Category | Vintage Showcase | More Vintage Posts

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Etsy Finds: Spa Day

2008-12-30T08:00:00-05:00

New Year is the perfect time to rejuvenate body, mind, and soul. Why not give yourself a day of pampering and relaxation with a few of these Etsy Finds? May you emerge clean, refreshed, and new!

Patchouli Sandlewood And Ginger

These bath salts contain Dead Sea salts, which have "deep relaxation and softening skin qualities." By kimberquinn, $4.

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Set of 4 Travel Size 3-in-1 Sprays For Linens, Body or Room

These sprays are vegan and are paraben free. Use them anywhere at home or on your body that needs refreshing. By WendyLousNaturalBath, $11.99.

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Rosemary Mint Shampoo That Rocks Fragrance

My new love is bar shampoo. It's good for the environment because it doesn't have unnecessary packaging. By inalather, $8.25.

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Energizing - Ginger Orange Soy Glass Pillar Candle

Soy candles are great because they burn longer and don't smoke like paraffin. By BazilEssentials, $22.

View item | View Shop

Rosemary Mint Heel Butter

Time to heal those dry winter feet! A rich foot salve is just the thing to get them back in shape. By seaspritesoaps, $4.50.

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Mate, My Sweet - 4oz loose yerba mate and lemongrass tisane

Why not stop the coffee habit and start drinking healing, healthy teas instead? Mate is known for its natural energizing effects. By TeaNoir, $10.

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Deluxe Facial Kit

This kit has everything you need to treat your face. By rainwaterbotanicals, $37.

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Cleansing Organic Facial Steam

To use these herbs, you simmer them, put your face over the hot herb water, and then cover your head with a towel. It's a cleansing, relaxing ritual that you're sure to enjoy. By SpaGoddess, $9.

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Cotton Crochet Facial Scrubbies - White - Set of 8

These little scrubbies are for gentle, daily exfoliation. By buyhand, $10.

View item | View Shop

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Bath and Beauty | Related Shopping Posts

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How-Tuesday: Weekly Planner with Julie Schneider aka yoursecretadmiral

2008-12-23T10:30:00-05:00

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This week, Etsy How-Tuesday helps you get organized for the New Year with Etsy admin Julie aka YourSecretAdmiral / julieincharge. Julie shows you how to make a weekly planner, which you an give as a handmade stocking stuffer or keep for all that organizing you'll be doing in the New Year. You can use your own design or download our pdf template.

Materials Needed:

Exacto Knife
Bone Folding Tool
Ruler
Scissors
Paper
PDF template

Steps for Making the Planner:

Print out your image or the template on an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper.
Cut out the template (around the border).
Fold the paper:
1. Fold in half length-wise.
2. Fold in half width-wise (the other way).
3. Fold in half the same way a second time.
Make a horizontal cut along the center two pages of the book.
Fold and crease the book.

Here's a special Bonus video from littlebrownpen, who makes calendars and planners!

Watch more how-to videos and check out these how-to projects too!