Search results (tags) for: "etsy"

Thank You, Etsy Community

2009-11-25T16:17:00-05:00

In the United States, we are gathering together with family and friends this Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving, a day of gratitude for all we have. For fellow Etsians outside the U.S., it may be just another day hard at work; nevertheless, it is a good reason to take pause and thank each of you for being our partners in this wildly wonderful and inspiring venture we call Etsy.

As Etsy grows, the responsibilities we have to our community also grow. We take our responsibility very seriously. It is humbling to know that so many of you have come to depend on the service we provide. We are grateful for your support and will strive to continually earn your loyalty.

Over the course of 2009, I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting many Etsy sellers not only in the U.S., but also in Canada and Europe. Next year, I hope to meet in person with many more members of our global community. It is incredibly motivating to hear your stories and to understand what Etsy means to you. I am excited and inspired by the possibilities of what we can accomplish together.

Here’s to you, your many achievements, your vast creativity, and your immense talent.

Warm wishes and a heartfelt thank you.

Maria

Tech Update: Google Product Search Syndication

2009-11-25T15:05:00-05:00

Sellers,

We're excited to announce that Etsy is partnering with Google as a participant in the Google Product Search Marketplace Partner Program.

Etsy's Google Product Search Syndication feature will allow Etsy sellers to have their items automatically submitted frequently and with all relevant attributes to Google Product Search. You can find Google Product Search via the "Shopping" link at the top of most Google search pages.

As a Google Product Search Marketplace Partner, participating Etsy sellers' items will appear in Google Product Search with the associated Etsy shop name and shop feedback visible and searchable.

This feature is being rolled out gradually to the Etsy seller community. Beta testing has been underway and we are now gradually activating this feature for Etsy sellers who currently use their shop feed to submit items to Google Product Search. No action is required from sellers. A gradual rollout to the remainder of the Etsy seller community will follow.

Participating sellers will see a link called Syndication under the Promote section inside Your Etsy when signed in. This Syndication page lists the partner websites Etsy is working with to help you maximize your shop's exposure. More partner websites will be added in the future.

Google Product Search Syndication will be enabled by default for participating sellers. Sellers can opt out of this service at any time.

We'd like to thank all the beta testers for their ongoing valuable feedback. We will update this article as the initial rollout is completed, with a link to a dedicated discussion thread in the Forums.

Please visit Etsy's Help site to learn more details about using Google Product Search Syndication.

Other Tips for Your Etsy Shop in the Seller Handbook

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, 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?

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, estasketch , terrain for Canadian links, and as well as Dancingcircle, 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 Finds: Party Time, Excellent!

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

When it comes to shindigs, it doesn't take much to please this party girl. Give me some spiked punch of a fluorescent hue, a bedazzled dress and bumping bass and I'm happy as a clam. However, primping for said bodacious bash is half the fun of attending. Put on your semi-formal game face with today's collection of glamorous Etsy Finds. Discover Etsy's Holiday Fashion style guide for more glitter and glitz as the disco ball turns.

routine (fits all)

By Kcoline, $349.

Search results (tags) for: "etsy"

Thank You, Etsy Community

Tech Update: Google Product Search Syndication

Seller How-To: Shipping

Etsy Finds: Party Time, Excellent!

Etsy Finds: Wandering the Manifolds

Vote for Your Favorite Holiday Ornament

Etsy Finds: Makin' A List

RedMarionette Wins the Holiday Decor Vote

Etsy Finds Decor: On the Set of Twilight

The Cullen Household

Charlie and Bella's Rustic Cabin

Bella's Bedroom

Etsy Finds: Gifts for the Eco-Minded

For the Home

On-the-Go

All the Details

Etsy Finds: Thoughtful Gifts Under $50

Join the Etsy Facebook Community: New Etsy Fan Page & My Etsy Application

Etsy Finds: Destination Unknown

Come Craft With the Etsy Labs & Esther K. Smith: Rolling Ball Books and Ornaments

John Allspaw Joins the Etsy Team

Etsy Finds: Small Wonders

Holiday Kids & Toys Showcase: On Sale Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 12 p.m. ET

Etsy Finds: Four Corners

Vote for Your Favorite Holiday Decoration

Etsy Finds: What's Your Flavor?

Tracychong Wins the Holiday Card Vote

Etsy Finds Decor: Traditional Style From the Experts at HGTV

Etsy Finds: Holiday Cheer

Etsy Finds: The A-Team

Etsy International: Cécile Guérard's Top 10 List

Come Craft With Bags for the People & Katherine Bell at Etsy Labs

From Etsy's Merchandising Desk: December Festivites

Upcoming Dates to Remember:

Customer Care: Improving Etsy Support

Etsy Finds: True Colors

Etsy International: We're Visiting Europe...Again!

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