Search results (tags) for: "advertising"

Children & Toys Holiday Showcase: On Sale Thursday December 4, 2008 12 PM EST

2008-12-01T10:30:00Z

One of our favorites in the series of Holiday Showcases is back: toys and gift ideas for children (and the kids in all of us).

We encourage sellers to add items that could would make great unique gifts for any child or toy collector this holiday season. Think fun holiday gifts for kids of all ages. In order to keep the Showcase on-point thematically, the tool will only pull items placed in the following categories: Books & Zines (e.g., top-level tag being "Books & Zines") Children, Holidays and Toys.

The Children & Toys Holiday Showcase goes on sale Thursday, December 4, 2008 12PM EST.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
This Showcase will run from Monday, December 8, 2008 12am EST Sunday, until December 14, 2008, 11:59pm EST.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24-hour spot, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in your Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Etsy > Promote > Showcase. Learn more about this process here.

Future Showcases

If you are thinking about planning for other Showcases that may be more appropriate for your items, here is the last of the front page Showcases we will be highlighting for the holiday season:

Holidays: Gifts for Her: On sale Thursday, December 11, 2008; the Showcase will be live from Monday December 15, 2008 to Sunday December 21, 2008.
- Think jewelry, accesories, clothing, artwork, bath & body for women of all ages
After that, we do a pairing of Southern and Northern hemispheres: Winter Wonderland - sellers' top clothing and home picks for winter and then, Sunshine: Summer and Vacation - sellers top summer and vacation holiday picks.

What is this Showcase thing? For a general introduction to Showcase, read Matt's Storque article 13.5 Questions about the Showcase, and for deeper thoughts on figuring out if Showcase is right for you, see Beth's Showcase Deconstructed article.

Holidays: Stocking Stuffers Showcase: On Sale Tuesday, November 25, 2008 12 PM EST

2008-11-20T11:20:00Z

Whose favorite part of opening Christmas gifts is the stocking? Is there anyone who doesn't love all the little treasures found nestled in the stocking on Christmas morning? A great place to find the smaller, less expensive items for stockings is the Holidays: Stocking Stuffer Showcase.

We encourage sellers to add items that would make great, small gifts this holiday season. These items should be able to fit in a holiday stocking.

The Holidays: Stocking Stuffers Showcase goes on sale Tuesday, November 25, 2008 at 12PM EST.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
This Showcase will run from Monday, December 1, 2008 12am EST to Sunday, December 7, 2008, 11:59pm EST.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24-hour spot, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in your Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Etsy > Promote > Showcase. Learn more about this process here.
As you've probably noticed, Etsy tweaked the design of the homepage banner.

Future Showcases

If you are thinking about planning for other Showcases that may be more appropriate for your items, here are some of the front page showcases we will be highlighting for the holiday season:

Holidays: Kids & Toys: On sale Thursday December 4, 2008; the Showcase will be live from December 8, 2008 to December 14, 2008.
- Think fun holiday gifts for kids of all ages.
Holidays: Gifts for Her: On sale Thursday, December 11, 2008; the Showcase will be live from December 15, 2008 to December 21, 2008.
- Think jewelry, accesories, clothing, artwork, bath & body for women of all ages

Holidays: Gifts for Him Showcase: On Sale Thursday, November 20, 2008 12 PM EST

2008-11-19T11:15:00Z

Most of us have that one guy on our list that we're having trouble finding a gift for this holiday season. The Holiday: Gifts for Him Showcase presents an opportunity for sellers with men's items to market their wares, as well as a place for shoppers to get some great ideas for the men in their lives who seem to have everything. Expect cuff links, clothing, accessories, geekery items, bath and body products, artwork and some surprises as well.

We encourage sellers to add items that would make great unique gifts for any man, dad, brother, grandfather, cousin, etc. this holiday season.

The Holidays: Gifts for Him Showcase goes on sale Thursday, November 20, 2008 12PM EST.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
This Showcase will run from Monday, November 24, 2008 12:00am EST to Sunday, November 30, 2008, 11:59pm EST.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24-hour spot, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in a Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Etsy > Promote > Showcase. Learn more about this process here.
Also, please note that we've recently given the front page Showcase banner layout a freshening up.

Future Showcases

Sellers, if you are thinking about planning for other Showcases that may be more appropriate for your items, here are some of the front page Showcases we will be highlighting for the holiday season:

Holidays: Stocking Stuffers: On sale Tuesday, November 25, 2008; the Showcase will be live from December 1, 2008 to December 7, 2008.
- Think about all the great items that can fit into a holiday stocking.
Holidays: Kids & Toys: On sale Thursday December 4, 2008; the Showcase will be live from December 8, 2008 to December 14, 2008.
- Think fun holiday gifts for kids of all ages.
Holidays: Gifts for Her: On sale Thursday, December 15, 2008; the Showcase will be live from December 15, 2008 to December 21, 2008.
- Think jewelry, accessories, clothing, artwork, bath & body for women of all ages

Holiday Gift Ideas Showcase: On Sale Thursday, November 13, 2008 12PM EST

2008-11-10T10:30:00Z

Making that list? Checking it twice? From your family members, to your children's teachers, to colleagues, the Holidays: Gift Ideas Showcase is another great place on Etsy to shop for gifts.

We encourage sellers to add items that could serve as great unique gifts this holiday season.

The Holidays: Gift Ideas Showcase goes on sale Thursday, November 13, 2008, 12PM EST.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
This Showcase will run until from Monday, November 17, 2008 12am EST UNTIL Sunday, November 23, 2008, 11:59pm EST.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24-hour spot, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in your Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Etsy > Promote > Showcase. Learn more about this process here.

Future Showcases

If you are thinking about planning for other Showcases that may be more appropriate for your items, here are some of the front page Showcases we will be highlighting for the holiday season:

Holidays: Gifts for Him: On sale Thursday, November 20, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 24 to November 30, 2008.
- Think accessories, cuff links, geekery, artwork - anything appropriate for the men on our shopping lists.
Holidays: Stocking Stuffers: On sale Tuesday, November 25, 2008; the Showcase will be live from December 1, 2008 to December 7, 2008.
- Think about all the great items that can fit into a holiday stocking.
Holidays: Kids & Toys: On sale Thursday December 4, 2008; the Showcase will be live from December 8, 2008 to December 14, 2008.
- Think fun holiday gifts for kids of all ages.

Holiday: Kids & Toys Showcase: On Sale Thursday, November 6, 2008, 12PM EDT

2008-11-03T14:30:00Z

Looking for alternatives to plastic, mass produced toys this holiday season? Looking for a gift that will ignite the imagination of the children in your life? Want to know where your child's toys are coming from and how they were made? Browse the amazing work of many Etsy sellers in our upcoming Holidays: Kids & Toys Showcase. Expect a full range wooden toys, plush toys, dolls, play food, dress up accessories, puzzles and lots of other creative toys.

Sellers can help by showcasing great gifting ideas for the children with the Holidays: Kids & Toys Showcase.

In order to keep the Showcase on-point thematically, the tool will only pull items placed in the following categories: Books & Zines (e.g., top-level tag being "Books & Zines") Children, Holidays and Toys.

The Holiday: Kids & Toys Showcase goes on sale Thursday, November 6, 2008.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
This Showcase will run until from Monday, November 10, 2008 12am (Eastern Time) to Sunday, November 16, 2008 11:59pm (Eastern Time).
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24-hour spot, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in your Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Etsy > Promote > Showcase. Learn more about this process here.

Future Showcases

If you are thinking about planning for other Showcases that may be more appropriate for your items, here are some of the front page showcases we will be highlighting for the holiday season:

Holidays: Gift Ideas Showcase: On sale Thursday, November 13, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 17 to November 23, 2008.
- Think gifts for the hard to buy for person on your list.
Holidays: Gifts for Him: On sale Thursday, November 20, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 24 to November 30, 2008.
- Think accessories, cuff links, geekery, artwork - anything appropriate for the men on our shopping lists
Holidays: Stocking Stuffers: On sale Tuesday, November 25, 2008; the Showcase will be live from December 1, 2008 to December 7, 2008
- Think about all the great items that can fit into a holiday stocking.

All About Etsy FAQ Series: Etsy 2008 Holiday Marketing

2008-10-27T18:10:00Z

Back in September, I shared some information about how we were working to promote Etsy this holiday season. Some people have been asking for a bit of follow up, so without further ado:

1. SEO and SEM

"Etsy’s most significant marketing investment this holiday season will be in search marketing. Search marketing comprises both Search Engine Optimization (“SEO”) and Search Engine Marketing (“SEM”)."

These ads are running now. Changes to optimize Etsy for search are also already underway.

2. ADVERTISING

"While the bulk of our advertising spending will be on search marketing, we think we can bolster brand awareness by advertising in a number of highly-targeted, socially-aware publications and their related websites."

You can see full-page Etsy print ads in Good Magazine, Mother Earth News, and Plenty Magazine. The ads feature Etsy artist fernanimals, and can be seen above. Beginning in November you will also see a banner advertising campaign running on many of your favorite websites.

3. MEDIA OUTREACH

"We spend a lot of time developing our messaging, pitching to the media and working with reporters and publishers on stories and product requests for the holiday season."

Press outreach has been going very well. We have had recent press in Inc Magazine (Etsy founder Rob Kalin is on the cover), Sydney Morning Herald, Business Week, The Chicago Tribune, The LA Times, The New York Times, New York Magazine, and Time Out NY to name a few. We have also recently been featured on ABC, FOX, and CBS affiliates across the country. Expect to see even more as we approach the holidays. To view some of the press we have already received, please visit http://press.etsy.com and our press report here.

4. IMPROVED SYNDICATION TOOLS

"Like its little sister, the EtsyMini (see how-to use the EtsyMini), the SuperEtsyMini allows you to embed Etsy products on external sites. Now, however, it is purely customizable."

The Super Etsy Mini is in the last phase of testing, and hopefully, will be ready to launch soon.

"Furthermore, we will be adding expanded resources, downloads, widgets, and important business and marketing information into the Promote section of Your Etsy, so we can help you better promote and improve your own shops and businesses."

This is still in progress, but not yet complete. The current resources can be found here. We also published the Etsy Seller Handbook on the blog here.

5. EMAIL MARKETING

"We are planning many changes, but they will not be in place before the holidays. That said, there are a number of smaller but still very important improvements slated to launch pre-holidays. "

This is still true. Recently, the emails were redesigned. The next steps will be focused on increasing the number of people that sign up for our emails. Speaking of, go sign up to our Etsy email lists here.

6. CONTESTS, PROMOTIONS, AND EVENTS

Contests/Promotions:

"NASA and Etsy SpaceCraft Contest: We are currently planning an exciting late Fall promotion with NASA. (Yes, the space agency.) I am not yet permitted to go into too many details, but I think this promotion will help generate a good deal of media attention and open Etsy to many new audiences. We will keep you updated."

This will now be happening in the spring.

"Holiday Sweepstakes: One buyer-focused sweepstakes is currently in the planning stages for November/December. The details are not yet confirmed. "

We will not be going forward with this sweepstakes at this time, as there are more pressing projects that will result in greater impact for Etsy.

Upcoming Events:

"We will be representing Etsy at various holiday events around the country. Details will be announced in the Storque as we get closer to the holidays."

Etsy is involved with over thirty events between now and the holidays. Updates will be given in the Storque and in Etsy Success emails.

7. Public Radio

"We are also considering experimenting with sponsoring public radio in selected American markets where Etsy has strong penetration. The goal of such spots would be to drive brand awareness of Etsy.com."

We considered it, and we did it. From October 31 through December 12th 2008, more than 500 total radio spots will be running on public radio stations in Austin, TX, Washington DC, Columbus, OH, Minneapolis/St Paul, MN, Seattle, Washington, Portland, OR, and Chicago. If you're a public radio listener in one of those areas, let us know in the comments!

I will continue to keep you abreast of any new developments. Have a wonderful day.

To further discuss this topic, please see the associated Forum thread.

Holidays: Home Decor Showcase: On Sale Thursday, October 30, 2008

2008-10-27T15:06:00Z

The holidays are approaching and many of us are looking for fun and inviting ways to decorate our homes in celebration of the season. Think festive items that will spread good cheer, such as wreaths, table runners, menorahs, snowflakes, ornaments and pottery for all of those great baked goods.

Sellers can help by showcasing ideas to get homes ready for the holiday season with the Holidays: Home Decor Showcase.

In order to keep the Showcase on-point thematically, the tool will only pull items placed in the following categories: Art, (e.g., top-level tag being "Art"), Bath And Beauty, Books & Zines, Candles, Ceramics & Pottery, Furniture, Glass, Housewares, Quilts, Vintage, Woodworking and Holidays.

The Holidays: Home Decor Showcase goes on sale Thursday, October 30, 2008, 12 PM EDT.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
This Showcase will run from Monday, November 3, 2008, 12am EDT to Sunday, November 9, 2008, 11:59pm EDT.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24-hour spot, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in your Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Etsy > Promote > Showcase. Learn more about this process here.

Future Showcases

If you are thinking about planning for other Showcases that may be more appropriate for your items, here are some of the front page opportunities we will be highlighting for the holiday season:

Holidays: Kids and Toys Showcase: On sale Thursday, November 6, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 10 to November 16, 2008.
- Think fun holiday gifts for children of all ages.
Holidays: Gift Ideas Showcase: On sale Thursday, November 13, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 17 to November 23, 2008.
- Think gifts for the hard to buy for person on your list.
Holidays: Gifts for Him: On sale Thursday, November 20, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 24 to November 30, 2008.
- Think accessories, cuff links, geekery, artwork - anything appropriate for the men on our shopping lists
Holidays: Stocking Stuffers: On sale Tuesday, November 25, 2008; the Showcase will be live from December 1, 2008 to December 7, 2008
- Think about all the great items that can fit into a holiday stocking.

Get shopping in this week's Holiday Showcase. Now through this weekend only:

Holiday Cards and Gift Wrap Showcase: On Sale Thursday, October 23, 2008

2008-10-20T10:40:00Z

All those holiday gifts will need some wrapping! Why not add something extra to make the package even more special? Think beautiful handmade holiday cards, carefully designed tags and bows, screen-printed wrapping paper — things that create that handmade, thoughtful touch.

Sellers can help gift-givers this holiday season with the Holiday Cards and Wrap Showcase.

In order to keep the Showcase on-point thematically, the tool will only pull items placed in the following categories: Paper Goods (e.g., top-level tag being "Paper Goods"), Supplies and Holidays.

The Holiday: Cards and Wrap Showcase goes on sale Thursday, October 23, 2008, 12pm EDT.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
This Showcase is will run until from Monday, October 27, 2008, 12am EDT UNTIL Sunday, November 2, 2008, 11:59pm EDT.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24-hour spot, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in your Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Etsy > Promote > Showcase. Learn more about this process here.

Future Showcases

If you are thinking about planning for other Showcases that may be more appropriate for your items, here are some of the front page showcases we will be highlighting for the holiday season:

Holidays: Home Decor Showcase: On sale Thursday, October 30, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 3 to November 9, 2008.
- Think anything to decorate for the holidays: housewares, art, candles, quilts, ceramics and pottery, glass and vintage
Holidays: Kids and Toys Showcase: On sale Thursday, November 6, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 10 to November 16, 2008.
- Think fun holiday gifts for children of all ages
Holidays: Gift Ideas Showcase: On sale Thursday, November 13, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 17 to November 23, 2008.
- Think gifts for the hard to buy for person on your list.
Holidays: Gifts for Him: On sale Thursday, November 20, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 24 to November 30, 2008.
- Think accessories, cuff links, geekery, artwork - anything appropriate for the men on our shopping lists

Dolls and Miniatures Category Showcase!

2008-10-15T15:00:00Z

We are happy to announce we are starting to roll out the Dolls and Miniatures Category Showcase today! If you missed it, we announced the launch of the new Dolls and Miniatures Category earlier this month. Shoppers on the prowl for items with artistic inventiveness should definitely check out the new category, and starting tomorrow, shoppers will be able to see the corresponding Showcase too, for sellers' top picks from their own shops.

If you're a seller and want to purchase a spot in the Dolls and Miniatures Category Showcase, slots go on sale today and will go live October 16, 2008 at 12:00am Eastern Time. Click here.

Winter Accessories Showcase: On Sale Thursday, October 16, 2008

2008-10-13T11:00:00Z

Winter is just around the corner for those in the Northern Hemisphere, and we are already feeling a chill in the air. It's time to get cool weather accessories in order. If you are a maker of scarves, gloves, hats, leg warmers or anything else that is ideal for winter, we're looking for you! Items to keep you warm are just the beginning, as every season brings a new set of "must have" accessories. Thus, leather bags, jewelry, boots, mittens, screen printed tights and knee highs — all are great for the Winter Accessories Showcase!

In order to keep the Showcase on-point thematically, the tool will only pull items placed in the following categories: Accessories (e.g., top-level tag being "accessories"), Bags and Purses, Clothing, Knitting, Crochet, Jewelry and Vintage.

The Winter Accessories Showcase goes on sale Thursday, October 16, 2008, 12pm EDT.

Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
This Showcase is will run until from Monday, October 20, 2008, 12am EDT until Sunday, October 26, 2008, 11:59pm EDT.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24-hour spot, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in a Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Etsy > Promote > Showcase. Learn more about this process here.

Future Showcases

If you are thinking about planning for other Showcases that may be more appropriate for your items, here are some of the front page Showcases we will be highlighting for the holiday season:

Holidays: Cards and Wrap Showcase: On sale Thursday, October 23, 2008; the Showcase will be live from October 27 to November 2, 2008.
- Think holiday cards, tags and things for wrapping great gifts.
Holidays: Home Decor Showcase: On sale Thursday, October 30, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 3 to November 9, 2008.
- Think anything to decorate for the holidays: housewares, art, candles, quilts, ceramics and pottery, glass and vintage.
Holidays: Kids and Toys Showcase: On sale Thursday, November 6, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 10 to November 16, 2008.
- Think fun holiday gifts for children of all ages.

Etsy Cooperative Advertising Program: Venus Zine Winter Issue

2008-09-29T13:52:00Z

Next up in the Etsy Cooperative Advertising Program: Venus Zine!

In case you're not familiar with this program, here are the important details:

Etsy will purchase ad space in various magazines, cover half of the cost, and design the ads.
Etsy Sellers are able to purchase spots in the ad at the discounted rate.
You will get to display your shop name, an image of one item, its price, and its category.
The limit is one spot per seller, per advertisement.

This ad will be in the Winter issue of Venus Zine.

30 spots will be available to sellers at a price of $25 each.
Spots will go on sale on Thursday, October 9, 2008 at 1:00pm (Eastern Time).
Spots are purchased in the same manner as a Showcase.
If you successfully buy a cooperative ad spot through Showcase, your item photo and information must be sent to adam@etsy.com no later than 3:00pm (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, October 15, 2008.

About Venus Zine

Circulation is 60,000.
Venus Zine is published 4 times annually. Each issue is on sale for 3 months.
The theme of the Winter issue is "Sixth Annual Hottt List" and it hits newsstands on December 1, 2008.

"Venus Zine is the only magazine covering the intersection of young women in independent music, fashion, film, and art, side by side with emerging DIY culture and entrepreneurship. The combination of today’s indie culture and the modern, independent young women behind the movement makes for tomorrow’s trend.

Venus Zine is more than a publication. It’s a community of thought leaders who distinguish themselves as both fans and creators in this groundbreaking culture. These readers drive other young women into new aspirations, products, and services. Venus Zine is in constant dialog with these leaders — reaching them at events, online, in print, and on the phone."

A few facts about Venus Zine readers:

84% are women.
95% access the internet daily.
82% shop on the internet.
70% buy clothes/accessories at least once a month.
77% visited in person; visited a website or called a company that advertised in the magazine.
79% showed someone an article or ad that appeared in Venus Zine.

Upcoming Ads:

This is the last Cooperative Ad opportunity for titles that come out in 2008. We'll be reviewing the program and making some improvements for 2009, so stay tuned!

FAQ

1. What is the Cooperative Advertising Program?

By purchasing a spot in a Cooperative Advertising Program, Etsy sellers can show off their items in an Etsy-branded magazine advertisement, reach new buyers, and help boost their sales and shop awareness. Print ads in popular magazines are often priced out of reach of small entrepreneurs. Etsy is able to purchase larger ads for more impact, and let sellers buy into the ads.

2. How does it work?

Etsy reduces costs to sellers by subsidizing the ads. We pay half of the cost. The cost to you is the remaining amount, divided by the number of spots for sale.
Sellers get to display one image of an item from their shop, its price, its main category and their shop name. The appearance of the ad is similar to our homepage. See the original article for an example.

3. How do I purchase a spot?

1: Go to the Showcase Gateway.
2: Choose "Cooperative Ads - Venus Zine Showcase." There will only be one date to choose from.
3: Hit the "Purchase" button. The fee will be added to your normal Etsy bill.

*Note: The items that appear in the Showcase section of "Your Etsy" will not affect this purchase. The item photo that you send in via email to adam@etsy.com will be what appears in the ad. There is not an online Showcase associated with this purchase!

4. What do I do next?

You'll receive a conversation from Adam with details, and we will need the following from you:

Your shop name.
The price of the item.
The main category that the item is listed under.
A high-resolution photograph of your item (300 dpi).

If you need help with photo issues, please ask, and Adam will send you detailed instructions. If you already have a photo that you like, great! If not, check out some of our photography tips.

We will need your image by 3:00pm (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 to give us time to lay out the ad and meet our deadline.

5. How many spots can I reserve?

You can purchase one spot per advertisement.

6. Can I cancel a spot after I've made a reservation? Is the fee refunded?

We will only cancel and refund spots under very special circumstances. Deciding you are no longer interested in your spot does not count. If you feel like you really have a valid case please email adam@etsy.com.

7. How do I know if the current Cooperative Ad is right for me?

Do some research! We'll provide helpful info for each ad as it becomes available (see above). And, it may be helpful to visit your local bookstore or newsstand to see if they carry the magazine. Remember, there will be more of these Cooperative Advertising opportunities available in the future — stay tuned for the 2009 plan. If you don't feel like this magazine is perfect for you, there will be other opportunities...

Etsy Cooperative Advertising Program: Bust Magazine December/January Issue

2008-09-25T19:36:00Z

UPDATE: We're so sorry but the Showcase tool had an error today, and consequently we will be selling the spots for this ad on Monday, September 29, 2008 at 1:00pm Eastern time. So for all of you who clued us in that something was wrong, thank you. You've got another shot!

The following was originally published on 9/22/08:
Next up in the Etsy Cooperative Advertising Program: Bust Magazine!

In case you're not familiar with this program, here are the important details:

Etsy will purchase ad space in various magazines, cover half of the cost, and design the ads.
Etsy Sellers are able to purchase spots in the ad at the discounted rate.
You will get to display your shop name, an image of one item, its price, and its category.
The limit is one spot per seller, per advertisement.

This ad will be in the December/January issue of Bust.

30 spots will be available to sellers at a price of $90 each.
Spots will go on sale on Thursday, September 25, 2008 at 1:00pm (Eastern Time).
Spots are purchased in the same manner as a Showcase.
If you successfully buy a cooperative ad spot through Showcase, your item photo and information must be sent to adam@etsy.com no later than 7:00pm (Eastern Time) on Thursday, October 2, 2008.

About Bust

Total Circulation is 93,500.
Bust is published 6 times annually.
The December/January issue hits newsstands on November 25, 2008.

BUST is a groundbreaking women's lifestyle magazine that is unique in its ability to connect with bright, cutting-edge young women. With an attitude that is fierce, funny, and proud to be female, BUST's revolutionary editorial mix addresses a refreshing variety of women's interests, including pop culture, music, crafting, fashion, sex, news, and celebrity interviews. Hip, humorous, and honest, BUST is a cheeky celebration of all things female and a trusted authority on up-and-coming trends among young women.

98% of the readers are women.
Average income is $69,000.
Median age is 27.
80% of readers refer to BUST for fashion.
91% say BUST is their favorite magazine.
68% purchased from BUST advertisers last year.

Upcoming Ads:

Venus: Winter issue. 30 spots, $25 each. Spots go on sale at 1:00pm (ET) Thursday, October 9, 2008.

FAQ

1. What is the Cooperative Advertising Program?

By purchasing a spot in a Cooperative Advertising Program, Etsy sellers can show off their items in an Etsy-branded magazine advertisement, reach new buyers, and help boost their sales and shop awareness. Print ads in popular magazines are often priced out of reach of small entrepreneurs. Etsy is able to purchase larger ads for more impact, and let sellers buy into the ads.

2. How does it work?

Etsy reduces costs to sellers by subsidizing the ads. We pay half of the cost. The cost to you is the remaining amount, divided by the number of spots for sale.
Sellers get to display one image of an item from their shop, its price, its main category and their shop name. The appearance of the ad is similar to our homepage. See the original article for an example.

3. How do I purchase a spot?

1: Go to the Showcase Gateway.
2: Choose "Cooperative Ads - BUST Showcase." There will only be one date to choose from.
3: Hit the "Purchase" button. The fee will be added to your normal Etsy bill.

4. What do I do next?

You'll receive a conversation from Adam with details, and we will need the following from you:

Your shop name.
The price of the item.
The main category that the item is listed under.
A high-resolution photograph of your item (300 dpi).

If you need help with photo issues, please ask, and Adam will send you detailed instructions. If you already have a photo that you like, great! If not, check out some of our photography tips.

We will need your image by 7:00pm (Eastern Time) on Thursday, October 2, 2008 to give us time to lay out the ad and meet our deadline with Bust.

5. How many spots can I reserve?

You can purchase one spot per advertisement.

6. Can I cancel a spot after I've made a reservation? Is the fee refunded?

We will only cancel and refund spots under very special circumstances. Deciding you are no longer interested in your spot does not count. If you feel like you really have a valid case please email adam@etsy.com.

7. How do I know if the current Cooperative Ad is right for me?

Do some research! We'll provide helpful info for each ad as it becomes available (see above). And, it may be helpful to visit your local bookstore or newsstand to see if they carry the magazine. Remember, there will be more of these Cooperative Advertising opportunities available in the future, including Craft, Venus, and Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion. If you don't feel like Bust is perfect for you, there will be other opportunities...

Autumnal Showcase: On Sale Thursday, September 18, 2008

2008-09-15T14:37:00Z

Autumn is my favorite season. Leaves burst into a beautiful array of colors, the air gets a bit crisp and I start to have visions of the warm smell of apple pie: these are just a few of the great things about fall. The Autumnal Front Page Showcase is a great place to inspire a buyers' creativity with autumnal and Halloween themed items to wear or to decorate their homes.

While considering a potential purchase for this Showcase, please try to keep your featured items on point thematically: Think autumn colors — like deep reds, oranges, yellows and browns — Halloween, leaves, pumpkins, costumes and all things fall. It does not matter which category your items are in for this Showcase.

The Autumnal Front Page Showcase goes on sale Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 12pm EDT.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
This Showcase is will run until from 12am EDT Monday, September 22nd, 2008 until 11:59pm EDT on October 19, 2008.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24-hour spot in the Autumnal Front Page Showcase, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in your Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Etsy > Promote > Showcase. Learn more about this process here.

Future Showcases

If you are thinking about planning for other Showcases that may be more appropriate for your items, here are some of the front page Showcases we will be highlighting for the holiday season:

Winter Accessories Showcase: On sale Thursday, October 16, 2008; the Showcase will be live from October 20 to October 26, 2008.
- Think accessories, knitting, crochet, jewelry, vintage, bags and purses
Holidays: Cards and Wrap Showcase: On sale Thursday, October 23, 2008; the Showcase will be live from October 27 to November 2, 2008.
- Think holiday cards, tags and all things for wrapping great gifts
Holidays: Home Decor Showcase: On sale Thursday, October 30, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 3 to November 9, 2008.
- Think anything to decorate for the holidays: housewares, art, candles, quilts, ceramics and pottery, glass and vintage
Holidays: Kids and Toys Showcase: On sale Thursday, November 6, 2008; the Showcase will be live from November 10 to November 16, 2008.
- Think fun holiday gifts for children of all ages

What is this Showcase thing? It's Etsy's internal advertising system for Etsy sellers. For a general introduction to Showcase, read Matt's Storque article 13.5 Questions about the Showcase, and for deeper thoughts on figuring out if Showcase is right for you, see Beth's Showcase Deconstructed article.

Etsy's 2008 Holiday Marketing Plans

2008-09-11T16:00:00Z

Friends, the holidays are upon us, and for the last several weeks we have been working hard to make sure that we are doing whatever it takes to make the season a success for us all. My role, specifically, is to bring more buyers here. What follows is a general look at the seven major areas of my holiday marketing plan.

1. SEO and SEM

Etsy’s most significant marketing investment this holiday season will be in search marketing. Search marketing comprises both Search Engine Optimization (“SEO”) and Search Engine Marketing (“SEM”).

SEO: Wikipedia describes SEO, or Search Engine Optimization as the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via "natural" ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results for targeted keywords. With our new CTO, Chad Dickerson, and the help of a firm specialized in SEO techniques, we hope to increase the volume of organic traffic to Etsy from external search engines. There are best practices that Etsy needs to adopt — simple things like appropriate descriptive title tags for all relevant pages — to maximize this opportunity and ensure that search traffic is growing as fast as direct traffic and referral traffic. These changes will be implemented into the site on an ongoing basis.

SEM: Search Engine Marketing refers to buying paid search listings (e.g. “sponsored links”) on Google, Yahoo, MSN, and other important search sites. We will be working with an outside firm specializing in search marketing to manage these buys and to measure their effectiveness. While it’s always difficult to predict user behavior on search sites, a well managed SEM effort could be a very important driver of traffic to Etsy. Click here to learn more about SEM.

2. PRINT ADVERTISING

While the bulk of our advertising spending will be on search marketing, we think we can bolster brand awareness by advertising in a number of highly-targeted, socially-aware publications and their related websites. We are still determining where all the ads will be placed, but we will be running full-page ads in several magazines that are positioned well to reach potential Etsy buyers this holiday season. These ads will not be part of the CO-OP advertising program.

3. MEDIA OUTREACH

We spend a lot of time developing our messaging, pitching to the media and working with reporters and publishers on stories and product requests for the holiday season. We also take great care planning and producing beautiful, handmade press kits. Our new press kit is a unique handmade book full of gorgeous images of Etsy products and sellers. We truly believe in taking a very personal and thoughtful approach to pitching the media, and continue to realize relatively good success as a result of these efforts. To view some of the press we have already received, please visit http://press.etsy.com and our monthly press report here.

4. IMPROVED SYNDICATION TOOLS

For the past few months, Jared has been developing something we have been calling the Super Etsy Mini. Like its little sister, the EtsyMini (see how-to use the EtsyMini), the SuperEtsyMini allows you to embed Etsy products on external sites. Now, however, it is purely customizable. It can pull from your listings, a specific section of your shop, a specific tag, the front page, your favorites, any showcase, gift guides, treasuries, or any custom collection of product you wish. Furthermore, it will now display these products in a variety of ways: floating through space like the Time Machine, as a slide show, or in a grid. The applications (team tags, affiliate programs etc) are really quite limitless, and we are excited to unveil it to you soon.

Furthermore, we will be adding expanded resources, downloads, widgets, and important business and marketing information into the Promote section of Your Etsy, so we can help you better promote and improve your own shops and businesses.

5. EMAIL MARKETING

We realize that we are not effectively using email to drive new and returning visitors to Etsy. We are planning many changes, but they will not be in place before the holidays. That said, there are a number of smaller but still very important improvements slated to launch pre-holidays.

6. CONTESTS, PROMOTIONS, AND EVENTS

Contests/Promotions:

Halloween: We're teaming up with Instructibles.com, Makezine.com and many others to bring you a fun challenge and spread the spooky spirit this Halloween. Whether you're a crafty costume maker, party decorating diva, or a casual trick-or-treater, there will be lots of ways to get involved and lots of ways to win. Details to follow soon.
NASA and Etsy SpaceCraft Contest: We are currently planning an exciting late Fall promotion with NASA. (Yes, the space agency.) I am not yet permitted to go into too many details, but I think this promotion will help generate a good deal of media attention and open Etsy to many new audiences. We will keep you updated.
Holiday Sweepstakes: One buyer-focused sweepstakes is currently in the planning stages for November/December. The details are not yet confirmed.

Upcoming Events:

We will be representing Etsy at various holiday events around the country. Details will be announced in the Storque as we get closer to the holidays. One of them, about which I am particularly excited, is New York Magazine's Best Bets shopping event in New York City.

7. LIMITED TEST WITH NPR

We are also considering experimenting with sponsoring public radio in selected American markets where Etsy has strong penetration. The goal of such spots would be to drive brand awareness of Etsy.com.

——————

Please understand, this post is really just an overview of the marketing side of things here at Etsy. We are undertaking a great deal of work in all other areas of the site as well: product design, development, merchandising, programming, etc. I also want you to please realize that not all the details are finalized at this point. Some aspects of this plan are subject to change, and may do so.

To further discuss this topic, please see the associated Forum thread.

Holiday How-Tos: Online Marketing Tips

2008-09-03T11:40:00Z

Dear Sellers,

Now is the time to organize your Holiday marketing plan! Get out your calendars and start plotting your plan of attack. There's lots you prep work you can do right now so that you'll be organized and ready to go for the holidays. The following ideas should help you start thinking about your plan, but really these tips are just the tip of the wintery iceberg. Do you have some tips for your fellow sellers? Please post them in the comments below or join us this Thursday (September 4th, 2008) at 4:00 pm EDT in the Treehouse of the Virtual Labs for a discussion on this topic!

Newsletters

Newsletters are a great way to keep in touch with your customers this holiday season. The first thing you need to do is build your mailing list and choose how you are going to send your newsletters. You can create a Google Group or Yahoo Group for free and by inviting your customers to join these groups (a great place to do this is in your Message To Seller field in Your Etsy), you can build an easy mailing list that is simple to use. (Here's an article I found that can show you how to do this.) If you don't mind paying for a more versatile service try ConstantContact or VerticalResponse (or one of the many other newsletter programs). These will allow you to create HTML newsletters, get stats and creatively manage your contacts.

This does take a bit of work to set up, but once you have your mailing list established, you can easily contact your best customers and let them know of your new items for the holidays or a sale! Another great way to use this is to send out a newsletter a week before the last day they can order from your shop in order to get their package before Christmas to let them know the deadline is fast approaching!

Tip: Remember to ask your customers to opt-in to your mailing list! Emailing about a promo without permission is considered spamming.

Blogging

If you don't have a blog yet, now is the time to set one up! Like newsletters, blogging can keep you in touch with your customer base and let them know about your holiday specials, new designs, deadlines for holiday ordering and more. In addition, you can get your customers thinking about the holidays early by pointing out what you are doing to plan for winter. Blog about gifts you might be giving to friends and family, decorating how-tos, your favorite holiday recipes, etc.

Tip: Create a weekday series (for example: "Tuesday's Tips for Holiday Decorating"). This will keep you — and your readers — coming back to your blog!

Social Networking

In a previous article, Pimp My Shop, I wrote about the importance of social networking. Here are a couple of ideas for utilizing social networking sites over the holidays:

Offer an exclusive special or free gift with purchase to all your contacts on one social networking site. This will reward your contacts for following you and make them feel special!
Spend some time wishing your contacts a happy holiday season. Here's my suggestion: No flashy graphics! Just leave a personalized comment to those of your contacts who you are familiar with (ie. past customers, Etsy friends, bloggers). For example, "Dear DeeDee, Thank you for supporting me this year! I wish you all the best and hope it doesn't get too cold in Colorado this winter! Happy Holidays!"

Tip: Now is the time to add one or two more social networking or social shopping sites to your daily routine. Try Indiepublic or StyleFeeder (if you haven't already).

Advertising

Freshen up your advertising and start early! Put together a frosty photo-shoot and get some great crisp shots to use in your online advertising. Think snow, icicles and glitter! Get those holiday ads out right after Halloween, which means you should be lining up your favorite place to run online ads now. Don't know where to get started? Check out your Blog Roll. Many of your favorite blogs offer adspace, and if they don't they might start with you, just ask! Another great resources is a site called ProjectWonderful, where you can bid on adspace for as little as $0.25!

The holidays can be an exciting and fruitful time of year for sellers. Make sure you've done what you can to bring in new customers and connect with your previous customers. These tips should help you start to form your plan.

Need more inspiration for your holiday marketing plan? Remember to join us this Thursday (September 4th) at 4:00 pm EDT in the Treehouse of the Virtual Labs! This will be the first in a weekly discussion on organizing your shop for the holidays. Hope to see you there! And make sure to check back for more Holiday How-Tos!

Fall Fashion Showcase: On Sale Thursday, September 4, 2008

2008-09-02T16:45:00Z

* There was an internal miscommunication here, and I am truly sorry. All of those who bought a spot in Today's (Sunday, September 7th) Fall Fashion Showcase will be issued a full refund. The banner will be going up now. I truly regret any trouble this may have caused.

The weather is changing, and for those in the Northern Hemisphere there will soon be a chill in the air. With cooler temperatures comes the promise of snuggling into old stand-bys and making room for new favorites. If you're a maker of clothing, accessories or bags that fit with the fall weather motif, we're looking for you! We're launching our Fall Fashion Showcase this week, and we'd love to feature all the pieces that make up the ideal fall outfit. Scarves, leather bags, jackets—these are just the beginning!

In order to keep the Showcase on-point thematically, the tool will only pull items placed in the following categories: Accesories (e.g., top-level tag being "accessories"), Bags and Purses, Clothing, and as of 11:59 PM on September 7th, Vintage.

The Fall Fashion Front Page Showcase goes on sale Thursday, September 4, 2008 at 12 pm EDT.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
This Showcase is will run until from Sunday, September 7th until 11:59 PM EDT on September 21, 2008.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24-hour spot in the Fall Fashion Front Page Showcase, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in your Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Etsy > Showcase. Learn more about this process here.

Future Showcases

If you are thinking about planning for other Showcases that may be more appropriate for your items, here is one of the themed front page Showcases that's coming up:

Autumnal Showcase: On sale Thursday, September 18, 2008; the Showcase will be live from September 21 to October 12, 2008.
- Think autumn colors, Halloween, leaves, pumpkins, costumes and all things fall.

Back to School Decorating Showcase: On Sale Friday, August 22, 2008

2008-08-21T17:51:00Z

Dear Sellers,

It's the start of a new school year, and many students are looking to make a new room their own. An empty dorm room can be an overwhelming blank slate; help out in the decor department with some great picks to make a home away from home more comfortable. A screenprinted poster, a new mug, push pins and magnets, blankets and rugs are just a few ideas to spruce up a room. These items would also make great care package ideas, housewarming gifts or just give a much-needed revamp to a tired room.

In order to keep the Showcase on point thematically, the tool will only pull in items placed in the following categories: Art (e.g., top-level tag being "art"), Books and Zines, Candles, Ceramics and Pottery, Furniture, Geekery, Housewares, Plants and Edibles and Quilts.

The Back to School Decorating Front Page Showcase goes on sale Friday, August 22nd, 2008 at 12 pm EDT.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
This showcase goes live on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at 12 am (midnight) EDT and will run until 11:59 PM EDT on September 7, 2008.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24 hour spot in the The Back to School Decorating Showcase, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in your Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Shop. Read more about this process here.

Future showcases

If you are thinking about planning for other showcases that may be more appropriate for your items, here are some of the themed front page showcases that are coming up:

Fall Fashion Showcase: On sale Thursday, September 4th, 2008; live from September 7th-September 21st, 2008.
- Think clothing, bags and purses and accessories.
Autumnal Showcase: On sale Thursday, September 18th; live from September 21st-October 12th, 2008.
- Think autumn colors, halloween, leaves, pumpkins, costumes and all things fall.

Etsy Cooperative Advertising Program: Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, December/January Issue

2008-08-19T11:20:00Z

* Update: The Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion Cooperative Ad will go on sale today, August 26, 2008 at 2:00pm (ET). We are sorry for the inconvenience. *

Here comes the next installment of the Cooperative Advertising Program — Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion!

In case you're not familiar with this program, here are the important details:

Etsy will purchase ad space in various magazines, subsidize the cost, and design the ads.
Etsy Sellers are able to purchase spots in the ad at the discounted rate.
You will get to display your shop name, an image of one item, its price, and its category.
The limit is one spot per seller, per advertisement.

This ad will be in the December/January issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine.

30 spots will be available to sellers at a price of $75 each.
Spots will go on sale on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at 1:00pm (ET).
Spots are purchased in the same manner as a Showcase.
If you successfully buy a cooperative ad spot through Showcase, your item photo and information must be sent to adam@etsy.com no later than 3:00pm (ET) on Wednesday, September 3, 2008.

About Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion

Paid Circulation is 353,859
Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion is published 6 times annually.
The theme of the December/January issue will be Home Companion Holiday, and it goes on sale November 4, 2008.

Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion inspires its readers to unleash their “artistic spirit” to attain personal style and meaning in their lives. The magazine focuses on art and artists, home design and decoration, creative do-it-yourself projects and artistic travel destinations.

The Mary Engelbreit brand has been built on the principle of living an artful life. This artist-turned-lifestyle-maven believes your home should be a personal reflection of whom you are and what you value most, that design and decorating doesn’t come from a textbook, but from the heart. Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion provides readers with a mix of art and whimsy, a lifestyle that follows inspiration rather than fashion trends, to bring comfort and enjoyment to her loyal fans.

A few facts about Home Companion readers:

Median household income is $87,000.
99% are women.
86% took action as a result of reading Home Companion.
90% purchased handmade objects of art.
71% do home decorating.
97% say interest in creative arts will continue to influence their lifestyle.

Upcoming Ads:

Bust: December issue: 30 spots, $90 each. Spots go on sale at 1:00pm (ET) Thursday, September 25, 2008.

Venus: Winter issue. 30 spots, $25 each. Spots go on sale at 1:00pm (ET) Thursday, October 2, 2008.

FAQ

1. What is the Cooperative Advertising Program?

By purchasing a spot in a Cooperative Advertising Program, Etsy sellers can show off their items in an Etsy-branded magazine advertisement, reach new buyers, and help boost their sales and shop awareness. Print ads in popular magazines are often priced out of reach of small entrepreneurs. Etsy is able to purchase larger ads for more impact, and let sellers buy into the ads.

2. How does it work?

Etsy reduces costs to sellers by subsidizing the ads. We pay half of the cost. The cost to you is the remaining amount, divided by the number of spots for sale.
Sellers get to display one image of an item from their shop, its price, its main category and their shop name. The appearance of the ad is similar to our homepage. See the original article for an example.

3. How do I purchase a spot?

1: Go to the Showcase Gateway.
2: Choose "Cooperative Ads - Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion Showcase." There will only be one date to choose from.
3: Hit the "Purchase" button. The fee will be added to your normal Etsy bill.

4. What do I do next?

You'll receive a conversation from Adam with details, and we will need the following from you:

Your shop name.
The price of the item.
The main category that the item is listed under.
A high-resolution photograph of your item. This means 300 dpi, at 1.25 inch (L) x 1 inch (H) size.

If you need help with photo issues, please ask, and Adam will send you detailed instructions. If you already have a photo that you like, great! If not, check out some of our photography tips.

We will need your image by 3:00pm (ET) on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 to give us time to lay out the ad and meet our deadline with Home Companion.

5. How many spots can I reserve?

You can purchase one spot per advertisement.

6. Can I cancel a spot after I've made a reservation? Is the fee refunded?

We will only cancel and refund spots under very special circumstances. Deciding you are no longer interested in your spot does not count. If you feel like you really have a valid case please email adam@etsy.com.

7. How do I know if the current Cooperative Ad is right for me?

Do some research! We'll provide helpful info for each ad as it becomes available (see above). And, it may be helpful to visit your local bookstore or newsstand to see if they carry the magazine. Remember, there will be more of these Cooperative Advertising opportunities available in the future, including Craft, Venus, and Bust. If you don't feel like Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion is perfect for you, there will be other opportunities...

Cooperative Advertising Program: CRAFT Magazine November Issue

2008-08-08T15:46:00Z

Presenting the next installment of the Cooperative Advertising Program — CRAFT Magazine!

In case you're not familiar with this program, here are the important details:

Etsy will purchase ad space in various magazines, cover half of the cost, and design the ads.
Etsy Sellers are able to purchase spots in the ad at the discounted rate.
You will get to display your shop name, an image of one item, its price, and its category.
The limit is one spot per seller, per advertisement.

This ad will be in the November issue of CRAFT magazine.

36 spots will be available to sellers at a price of $50 each.
Spots will go on sale on Thursday, August 14, 2008 at 1:00pm (Eastern Time).
Spots are purchased in the same manner as a Showcase.
If you successfully buy a cooperative ad spot through Showcase, your item photo and information must be sent to adam@etsy.com no later than 3:00pm (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, August 20, 2008.

About CRAFT

Circulation is 50,000
CRAFT is published 4 times annually. Each issue is available for 3 months.
The theme of the November issue will be "Green (as in: eco-friendly)."

CRAFT will reach creative, free-spirited DIY enthusiasts, tech-savvy makers and crafters, students (of all ages), teachers, the intellectually curious, artistically inclined, and environmentally aware. Today's crafters derive an innate sense of pleasure in finding unexpected ways to repurpose, remake, and reuse materials, art, technology, and devices in their daily lives. Makers and modern crafters are typically:

Very well educated
Intellectually curious
Exceptionally influential
Top-10% household income

FAQ

1. What is the Cooperative Advertising Program?

By purchasing a spot in a Cooperative Advertising Program, Etsy sellers can show off their items in an Etsy-branded magazine advertisement, reach new buyers, and help boost their sales and shop awareness. Print ads in popular magazines are often priced out of reach of small entrepreneurs. Etsy is able to purchase larger ads for more impact, and let sellers buy into the ads.

2. How does it work?

Etsy reduces costs to sellers by subsidizing the ads. We pay half of the cost. The cost to you is the remaining amount, divided by the number of spots for sale.
Sellers get to display one image of an item from their shop, its price, its main category and their shop name. The appearance of the ad is similar to our homepage. See the main image above for an example.

3. How do I purchase a spot?

1: Go to the Showcase Gateway.
2: Choose "Cooperative Ads - Craft Showcase". There will only be one date to choose from.
3: Hit the "Purchase" button. The fee will be added to your normal Etsy bill.

4. What do I do next?

You'll receive a conversation from Adam with details, and we will need the following from you:

Your shop name.
The price of the item.
The main category that the item is listed under.
A high-resolution photograph of your item. This means 300 dpi, at 1.25" x 1" (L x H) size.

If you need help with photo issues, please ask, and Adam will send you detailed instructions. If you already have a photo that you like, great! If not, check out some of our photography tips.

We will need your image by 3:00pm (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 to give us time to lay out the ad and meet our deadline with CRAFT.

5. How many spots can I reserve?

You can purchase one spot per advertisement.

6. Can I cancel a spot after I've made a reservation? Is the fee refunded?

We will only cancel and refund spots under very special circumstances. Deciding you are no longer interested in your spot does not count. If you feel like you really have a valid case please email adam@etsy.com.

7. How do I know if the current Cooperative Ad is right for me?

Do some research! We'll provide helpful info for each ad as it becomes available (see above). It may be helpful to visit your local bookstore or newsstand to see if they carry the magazine. Remember, there will be more of these Cooperative Advertising opportunities available in the near future, including Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, Bust, and Venus. (And that is just the begining!) If you don't feel like Craft is perfect for you, there will be other opportunities...

Back to School Fashion Showcase: On Sale Thursday, August 7, 2008

2008-08-06T15:00:00Z

Dear Sellers,

Some people are already back to school, some are lucky and have a few weeks. Whether at school or thinking about it, many are considering what they will need to spruce up their back to school (or back to work, for some of us) wardrobe. We are looking to feature back to school fashion items in this showcase, such as dresses, shirts, skirts, pants — or that special first day of school outfit. Think clothing staples for all ages.

In order to keep the Showcase on point thematically, the tool will only pull in items placed in the Clothing Category (i.e. top-level tag being "clothing").

The Back to School Fashion Front Page Showcase goes on sale Thursday, August 7th at 3:00 pm EDT.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
Said showcase goes live on Tuesday, August 12 at 12 am (midnight) EDT and will run until 11:59 PM EDT on August 25.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24 hour spot in the The Back to School Fashion Showcase, which will be linked from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
Sellers determine which item will be featured in your Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Shop. Read more about this process here.

13.5 Questions about Showcase

2008-08-05T17:12:00Z

1. What is Showcase?
Showcase is Etsy’s internal cooperative advertising program. We don't sell outside advertising to companies, but we do sell ad space to our sellers. By purchasing a spot in a Showcase, Etsy sellers can show off their items and help boost their sales and shop awareness. The Showcase is a great way to get more hearts, favorited items, and sales.

2. How does it work?
Showcase spots are sold as 24 hour chunks.

For $15, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24 hour spot in the Main Showcase, which is linked to from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage.
For $7, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24 hour spot in The Storque Showcase, which cycles through on the homepage of the Storque, Etsy's blog.
For $7, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24 hour spot in one or more of the Category Showcases. As of mid November 2007, we offer showcases in each Category. These Showcases are located at the top of the respective Category's pages.

3. How many Showcases are there at a given time?
Usually there is only the Main Showcase, The Storque Showcase, and the Category Showcases one at any given time, but for holidays and special events, we often create additional themed Showcases.

4. Showcase spots were selling out so fast, I could never get a spot. Did you ever do anything about this?
Because of the great demand for promotional opportunities on Etsy, we started to expand Showcase throughout the site. We will always keep it affordable so we can help as many sellers as possible have access to this excellent promotional opportunity. See bethela's Showcase Deconstructed article and the Shiny New Showcases announcement.

5. What currency are the $7.00 and $15 fees in?
US Dollars.

6. What time zone determines the twenty-four hours of the day?
Eastern Time in the USA. This is GMT -4:00

7. Can I cancel a spot after I'd made a reservation? Is the fee refunded?
We will only cancel and refund spots under very special circumstances. Deciding you are no longer interested in your spot does not fly. If you feel like you really have a valid case please email support@etsy.com.

8. How many spots can I reserve?
You can purchase up to two spots per Showcase each month. On a given Showcase, each seller can have only one spot per day. For example, your jewelry can be in the Main Showcase, the Storque Showcase, and the Jewelry Category Showcase all on the same day. But you cannont have two spots in one of those Showcases on the same day.

9. How do I choose which items appear on the Showcases?
The Category Showcases only draw from your items in the corresponding category (with the corresponding first tag). Go to Your Etsy and look for the Showcase link under the Promote section. There, you can manage which correctly tagged items you want to feature. With the Main Showcase and Storque Showcase (and our occasional holiday Showcase), you can change up which items you want featured on the fly and the changes will be reflected live in the Showcase.

10. What happens when an item being displayed sells?
When one sells, it pulls up the next featured item in your shop, then the next, then the next etc… If all your featured items sell and you do not add more, the Showcase will randomly pull another item from your shop (or in the case of Category Showcases, it will pull another one of your items from the corresponding category). This random item will change each time the Showcase is loaded.

11. What happens if the site is taken down for maintenance and I am on the Showcase?
You will be given bonus time to make up for the trouble.

12. How do I purchase a spot?
Step 1: Go to the Showcase Gateway.

Step 2: Choose the Showcase in which you'd like to reserve a spot.

Step 3: Select from the available dates on the top right side of the page.

Step 4: Hit the purchase button.

Yay! You are all set, the fee will be added to your normal Etsy bill.

Still having trouble? Check out the Step-By-Step Showcase Help Guide.

13. I cannot remember my scheduled Showcase day! What Do I do?
Remain calm! No need to post in the forums or email support. Instead, please login to Etsy, click Your Etsy, and check out your Etsy Bill. It will tell you the day of your Showcase and serve as a receipt for your purchase.

13.5 How do I know if the Showcase is right for me?
Some sellers have done very well with the Showcase in terms of exposure and sales, some not so much. We recommend you check out bethela's article Showcase Deconstructed for tips on what considerations you should think about before purchasing. Exboyfriend also did a great 2-part series for the Storque all about online advertising, A DIY-Friendly Guide to Online Advertising.

Special Frontpage Children's Showcase: On Sale on Thursday July 10, 2008

2008-08-05T15:00:00Z

UPDATE: The special Handmade Kids Showcase has been extended through August 11, 11:59pm. Sellers can continue to purchase spots in this Showcase for your Childrens category items.

The following was originally posted on July 9.

Dear Sellers,

In conjunction with our Handmade Kids project, we'll be running a special frontpage Children's Showcase for three weeks. Three frontpage banners — rotating one per week — will link to the special Showcase.

The larger Handmade Kids project includes related Storque content, outside ads, a contest and more. A dedicated landing page will serve as an introduction for newcomers to all things kids on Etsy. This landing page will also feature a link to the special Children's Showcase, giving it added exposure. Read more about the Handmade Kids project here.

In order to keep the Showcase on point thematically, the tool will only pull in items placed in the Children's Category (i.e. top-level tag being "children").

The Handmade Kids frontpage Showcase goes on sale Thursday, July 10 at 3:00 pm EDT.
Go to the Showcase Gateway to purchase a spot.
It goes live on Monday, July 14 at 12 am (midnight) EDT and will run until 11:59 PM EDT on August 3.
For $15 USD, Etsy sellers can purchase a 24 hour spot in the Handmade Kids Showcase, which is linked to from a prominent banner on Etsy's homepage, links from the Storque's related series, as well as the special landing page.
Sellers determine which item to be featured in your Showcase slot. Sellers must use the tool in Your Shop. Read more about this process here.