Search results (tags) for: "help"

Holiday Tips for Sellers: Notes on Cyber Monday From DiffractionFiber

2009-11-23T14:30:00-05:00

Beth of DiffractionFiber held a very informative workshop in our Virtual Labs last week on promoting your Cyber Monday sales. Did you miss it? Hopefully these notes will help!

What is Cyber Monday?
Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving. Traditionally (or at least how the media markets it), Black Friday, the Friday after Thanksgiving, is the time for big brick and mortar retailers to offer their huge deals on their wares. And Cyber Monday is the time for Internet retailers to do the same. What I suggest is to offer your deals and discounts the entire weekend, so from Friday through Monday.

What kind of deal should I offer?
Well that’s entirely up to you. People are out shopping in force, but they are also out for a good deal. Obviously, don’t offer more than you can afford. But your prices should have enough wiggle room and mark-up so that you can — on occasion — offer a discount. You can offer a percentage discount, Buy One Get One deals, or free shipping. Regardless of what you offer, make sure that your deals are clearly explained in your announcement and in the beginning of your descriptions. After all, a discount doesn’t mean much to a potential shopper if they don’t know what the price was originally.

How should I provide discounts in my Etsy shop?
This leads me to my next point, mark down ALL your designated listings before the sale starts. I do this on Thanksgiving night when I’m recovering from my turkey coma. That way customers can buy and pay and they aren’t waiting for revised invoices or refunds or anything. It makes their lives easier, it makes your life easier. Tip: Editing your listings and changing the price does not cost you any additional listing fees, and it bumps you up in Shop Local results (provided you have entered your geographical location).

What do I do leading up to the sale?
Plan your marketing strategy! Here are some ideas:

Remember to tag your items with the sale tags Etsy is promoting this weekend! Read this Etsy blog post: Seller How-To: Get Involved With Black Friday and Cyber Monday Promotion to find out more.
If you have a mailing list, send out an email blast on the morning of Black Friday announcing the sale.
Purchase ad space on your favorite blogs. Either directly or through companies like Project Wonderful.
Use social media like Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace to get the word out.
Stock up on your most popular items so they can get mailed as soon as possible. That includes packaging and shipping supplies as well. That way you are ready to go!
Look over your listings and be critical of your photos. If you have anything that might need some revision, now is the time to do it. It’s helpful to have a friend look over your shop with a critical eye. After all, you are so close to your listings; what seems obvious to you might be confusing for a potential shopper.
If you don’t already sell internationally, do it now! It's easy, and you open your shop to so many more potential sales overseas. Probably a third of my customers are international. Just pick up some customs forms or order online from USPS or your country's postal website. These customs forms are simple to fill out and can still be used if you're scheduling a pick up. Make sure your international shipping profiles are all set up — it is about making it as easy as possible for your customer. To calculate prices just go to USPS.com and plug in the weight with a few far flung locales.

What do I do over the sale weekend?
Check Etsy often. Make sure everything stays in stock, consider upping the stock numbers prior to Thanksgiving weekend. I know it goes against common Etsy wisdom, but I consider it smart to up your numbers so that if a blog links to a listing, your listing stays as active and doesn’t show up as sold. Be sure to answer any Convos as soon as possible. You don’t want to keep customers wondering and waiting.

How quickly do I need to ship out my orders from the sale?
With, hopefully, an onslaught of purchases coming in, you need to consider how quickly you’ll be able to ship out new orders. Set a realistic expectation for being able to ship out orders. Customers would much rather know up front that they are going to be waiting five days for their orders to ship than to be left wondering. You can post the days you plan on shipping in your Shop Announcement.

What else can I do to wow my buyers?
Will you be offering gift wrapping? Gift tags? Shipping direct to the recipient? Figure all this out now and put it in your policy page. If you are able, I suggest offering all of these at no charge. They are little perks that few people will take you up on but will make you seem more generous and friendly. Nothing is worse than when you look like you are being cheap and trying to squeeze a buck from someone. Just buy some non-denominational holiday wrapping paper like snowflakes, and then whatever is left over I’m sure you can use for your own holiday wrapping.

How do you turn all these new customers into devotees?
First thing is of course exceeding their expectations, making them happy and providing a great product. You can consider including a coupon that is good in the slow months of January/February/March. You can ask if you can include them on your mailing list. Side note: NEVER automatically enroll people in your mailings, ALWAYS ask first.

Make sure you are including a business card in all your packages going out. If it's an item that is conducive to a branded tag or label, make sure to attach it. That way both the buyer and the recipient have your name in front of them for future purchases.

Try PrintRunner.com for hang tags, you can get 250 for $12, full color, fabulous quality. There are lots and lots of options out there for business cards. Moo.com sells small fun cards for something a little different.

What should I expect?
If you are brand new to Etsy with no followers, don’t expect to be blown over with sales. You have to have a following to get that sort of barrage. Think of it as a percentage increase. Just like selling on Etsy any time of year, the more you put in as far as marketing and publicity, the more you get out of it.

More Tips in Etsy's Seller Handbook

Customer Care: Improving Etsy Support

2009-11-12T12:30:00-05:00

Etsy's Support Team is committed to providing the best possible service to the Etsy community. We are delighted to announce that we are launching a brand new Help section and a new set of internal tools for Etsy's Support Team.

As we have with other recent features, we are going to roll out use of the new Help system over the next few days instead of all at once. We appreciate your patience and participation as we get the new Help system up and running.

Here are the highlights:

Searchable Help. Wave goodbye to those long, clunky, list-style Help pages. For the first time, Etsy's Frequently Asked Questions knowledge base (FAQs) is searchable! View FAQs by topic on Help Home, or quickly find answers by searching for a keyword or phase.

Contact Etsy Support. The new Help site allows you to contact Etsy's Support Team via a web form, instead of leaving Etsy to use email. Super convenient! (Note: You must be signed in to your Etsy account to use this feature, and we're gradually rolling this out to members. Until you your account comes up in the queue, this section will direct to the old FAQ.)

Help History. You can view and update your questions to Etsy's Support Team — and see our responses — right from the Help site using the My Help History page. In addition, a copy of the response from Etsy's Support Team will be sent to the email address on file in Your Etsy > Account Info. (Note: You must be signed in to your Etsy account to access My Help History, and we're gradually rolling this out to members. Until you your account comes up in the queue, this section will direct to the old FAQ.)

Submit a Suggestion. Have an idea to make Etsy even better? Want to offer us your point of view about Etsy? Use this handy form to let us know. (Note: You can alternatively discuss your ideas with other members in the community Ideas Forum.)

Teach Etsy How to Help. The new Help site allows members to rate the helpfulness of each FAQ. This provides us with valuable information so we can continually improve our resources for you. The Help site "learns" which FAQs are the most popular and automatically keeps these near the top for easier access.

Better Admin Tools. Etsy's Support Team has a new set of internal tools that integrate directly with the Help site to better serve our community. Every message sent to Etsy's Support Team is read and responded to by a real person. This human touch is vital to provide personalized assistance to every member who needs help. As we ramp up to full speed with these new tools, we have the ever-present goal in mind of improving the quality and timeliness of our customer support.

You may notice this week that emails you receive from Etsy's Support Team will look a little different. You can now easily see both your question to Support and our reply as a discussion thread. In addition, you will receive a reference number for your issue to improve correspondence tracking.

If you've recently sent an email to Etsy's Support Team, don't worry! You do not need to resubmit your question through the new Help site. We will respond as usual. Currently, you can still contact Etsy's Support Team by email to support@etsy.com, abuse@etsy.com, billng@etsy.com or content@etsy.com. We will forward emails to these addresses into our new Help system. (Be sure to send your message from the email address on file in Your Etsy > Account Info.) Over time, we will phase out the use of these email addresses and transition to using the Contact Etsy Support web form to contact the different areas of Etsy's Support Team.

P.S. If you would like to receive breaking, vital Etsy news as it happens — delivered straight to your email inbox — then sign up for Etsy News Alerts emails. Read more about it here. Expect this as an Etsy Alert email in your inbox if you already subscribe to the list.

You can also get an RSS feed of all TechUpdates here.

Seller How-To: 5 Tips for Item Descriptions

2009-11-11T16:48:00-05:00

Do you have writer's block when it comes to crafting your Etsy item listings? You're in luck! Optimize your shop with the following five tips for effective and descriptive prose in your product listings. You'll have a way with words in no time!

1. Create an inverted pyramid. The most important information about your item should be first in your description — not only because shoppers want the details on your items as soon as possible, but also because it's a smart way to optimize the way your description displays in Google search results.

Tip: Always use the Google search results preview.

2. Short paragraphs and bullet points are your friends. Visitors to your shop might be looking for a specific size or material, so make it easy for them to glean that info from your descriptions by cutting out superfluous language and making good use of bullet points. Think about your descriptions as a way to answer your buyer's questions (within reason, of course). Here's a forum thread, 20 Questions Your Buyers are Asking, to help you get an idea of what those questions could be.

3. Keep an eye on your web analytics results. (Find out how to set that up in the Seller FAQ.) Keep a list of the keywords visitors searched for when they found your shop and write with these keywords in mind. Remember that your tags are keywords used by Etsy Search, but your most important tags and materials should also be scattered throughout your descriptions so that internet searches (through Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc) can find you too! These sites are more likely to pick up keywords from your descriptions rather than your list of tags.

4. Just like a good therapist suggests, use "I" statements. Speaking in the first person will help you connect with your visitor on a personal level — and isn't that what they are looking for when they come to shop on Etsy? Show a bit of your personality! Think of your item descriptions as you would when meeting a new friend: you want to be polite, but you also want to be your natural self.

5. End with a link. Did you know you can copy and paste Etsy URLs in your descriptions and they will function as a hyperlink? Use this to your advantage. If your visitor has read your item description and is not biting, don't let them float away off the computer, to another website, Etsy shop or back to their search results. Instead, give them a link to learn more about you, see your entire shop, check out your policies or even a link to send you a conversation.

Want more tips? Check out these links:

Writing for an Online Audience | Seller Handbook

The Etsy Seller Handbook: All Our How-To's About Selling

2009-11-04T21:45:00-05:00

Sellers!

Below you'll find a handy index of all the useful How-To's about selling on Etsy. We're calling it the Seller Handbook, and we first posted it on the Storque in September of 2007. We'll be adding all new how-to's for sellers to this index and bumping up the post when we do. In this way it's a living document.

You can also search the Storque tags for "Seller Handbook" for a chronological list of all our published how-to's related to Selling.

Your Shop 101: How-To's for Getting Started on Etsy
Start with this one: Etsy Success for Beginner Sellers!
Please also see the Setting Up Shop Help Guide, Selling Dos and Don'ts, Selling FAQs, Listing an Item Help Guide, Etsy Guide to SEO.

[image by Artsy]

Photography How-To's

[image by CarolinaCottage]

Etsy International How-To's (plus How-To's translated into foreign languages)

[image by T woHiddenHeads]

Alchemy and Custom/Reserved Listing How-To's

[image by moxiethrift]

Shipping How-To's

[image by missplum]

Advertising How-To's
Please also see the Showcase Help Guide.

[image by Earmark]

Business and Pricing How-To's

[image by NewDuds]

Promoting & Marketing How-To's

[image by DancingMooney]

Craft Show & Events How-To's

[image by photohale]

Gallery Go-getter Series

[image by MiNDJACKET]

Social Networking, Blogging, Podcasting & Video-making How-To's

[image by growbots]

Handmade Code (Third Party Applications from the Etsy Developer Community)

"Etsy Addict" iPhone Application
Craft Cult (a site that let's you track your hearts and where you've been featured, plus more)
ColorMatch from 26OliveStreet (a tool that suggests items that fit along your color palette)
EtsyHacks (a suite of tools for sellers — "Copy Listing" is particularly handy)
Morecloth (an application that lets you browse fabric on Etsy by color)
Sellit.com (a service that helps you spread the word about your shop)
Soopsee (an easy-to-use website building service that enables you to feed in your Etsy shop, blog, etc.)
Tag Finder Tool from Craftweasel.com (one of this developer's many applications the Tag Finder gives sellers insights into what tags might be appropriate for their items)

[image by houseofharriet]

Legal Info for Artists

[image by jessgonacha]

Tagging How-To's

[image by Anda]

Team Tips Handbook

See all the how-to's relating to Teams, groups of sellers who self-organize by location or craft.

[image by iheartmoustaches]

All about Etsy & Site Features

We have to close comments here because the page is taking too long to load! So if you have additional tips, please post in this Forum thread.

If you'd like to write a how-to for the Seller Handbook, pitch to the Storque editors.

Clarifications and Changes: Updates to Etsy's Site Policies

2009-10-27T18:45:00-05:00

Last week we let the Etsy community in on a "sneak peek" preview of the proposed updates to our site policies in the DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy. During this preview week, we received lots of feedback and discussed the policies in the Forums, by Conversations and email with members of the Etsy community. After a rather positive reception and a few tweaks, we're ready to put the updated DOs & DONTs into effect today. In addition, we have updated the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy to complement the revised DOs & DON'Ts. These are important changes that every Etsy member should review, so we're sending out an email notification to all members (with millions of members in our community, it may take a few weeks for the emails to reach everyone).

For the most part, the core of the policies are still the same. Our aim was to address concerns expressed by members over the past year, and we made several clarifications and a few additions to the policies. For your convenience, we've summarized the highlights below, but we expect every member to read through the updated DOs & DON'Ts and Terms of Use in their entirety.   The updates below will look familiar to those who participated in the preview last week. Please follow the links to see the specific sections where these policies are defined.

Membership: A few notable policies that apply to all members have been moved up to the Membership section, like our policy for linking from a shop or profile to another selling venue. Collectives (seller accounts involving multiple people) have been further defined with the categories of Collaboration, Sharing a Shop and Shop Management Help. We clarified our rules for younger Etsians; collectives that include minors under the age of 18 may not utilize community features unless otherwise stated by Etsy.

Conversations: You may not use Conversations to interfere with a transaction (with details on this in the Transactions section, too). We've also elaborated on the definition of "spam" as it relates to Etsy Convos.

Transactions: We’ve added information to the Transactions section, describing the roles of the seller, the buyer and Etsy in a transaction. Keep in mind that in addition to these basic expectations for a transaction, each seller has their own Shop Policies and the policies of third-party services (for example: PayPal, shipping services) may be a factor. Additionally, we’ve outlined in detail various concerns or scenarios in which a transaction may be disputed, including: non-payment, non-delivery, refusal of service, dissatisfaction and interference. We’ve clarified the circumstances in which a transaction may be canceled. In general, the additions to this section outline in greater detail the processes and policies already in place for transactions.

Feedback: To better accommodate custom orders and international transactions, we will be increasing the time frame for submitting feedback from 90 days to 120 days. Additionally, we’ve clarified the circumstances in which Etsy will review feedback for removal, and we've lifted the 30-day limitation to requesting review of feedback for a policy violation.

Shops and listings: Formerly called “Selling,” this section has been expanded to include detailed policies about shop set-up, listing items, tagging and specific rules for handmade items, vintage goods and supplies. The section on Tagging is entirely new to the DOs & DON’Ts, but most of this information was available on Etsy’s Help site or through guides posted on Etsy’s blog, The Storque. Expanded sections of rules for handmade, vintage and supplies items should help sellers understand what can be sold on Etsy and how to list items for sale.

Charitable shops and listings: Etsy appreciates the spirit of giving back. Due to some laws and the existence of unsavory individuals who may try to take advantage of this spirit, we have added some policies for shops and listings that use charitable fundraising as a promotional tool. Etsy does not intend to limit your ability to donate to the charity of your choice; these rules merely apply to members who wish to promote or advertise charitable giving as a reason to purchase from their Etsy shops.

Prohibited Items: In response to a variety of community concerns, we have clarified our prohibited items list. These items — though they may be handmade, vintage or a crafting supply — are not allowed to be listed for sale on Etsy.

Showcase and Treasury: Making a first time appearance in the DOs & DON'Ts are specific sections for participation in the Showcase and the Treasury. We have gathered information from other areas of the site about these interactive features to formalize as policies in the DOs & DON'Ts.

Terms of Use: In general, the Terms of Use and DOs & DON'Ts complement one another. Notably, we added an arbitration clause and an idea submission clause. To explain the idea submission clause in plain language: if you submit an idea to improve Etsy, Etsy may use the suggestion to better the site. If you have a secret idea to improve Etsy, simply do not share it with Etsy, on the community spaces or via email. We truly appreciate all members and your feedback to improve the site. Both Etsy and the community benefit from these ideas.

The policies are live and in effect as of today, October 27, 2009; therefore, all your activities or content on Etsy from today forward must be in line with these new policies. As we mentioned in the post about the sneak peek, we are allowing all members a grace period to bring their existing content (for example: account information, shops, listings) up to speed with any changes in the policies. We also wanted to take into account the timing with the busy holiday season. All members have until the end of the day on December 31, 2009 to edit their content created prior to today's date (October 27, 2009).

Thank you for your input over the past year and during the policy preview week. By keeping our policies clear and up-to-date, we help preserve the integrity of Etsy.

If you have questions or comments about Etsy's updated policies, please join the discussion in this Forum thread or email support@etsy.com.

Being Safe on Etsy: Spotting and Avoiding Advance Fee Fraud

2009-10-26T18:15:00-05:00

It's important for us at Etsy to ensure our community is safe while using the site. Unfortunately there is no foolproof way to ensure safety online at all times. Sometimes all we can do is give information and hope that well informed users will be able to protect themselves. As the Etsy name spreads throughout popular culture and the world, it is bound to attract more and more unscrupulous individuals with ulterior motives. Unfortunately, this happens to web companies as they become more popular.

One of the most common scams is known as Advance-fee fraud. Also called the "Nigerian scam" or the "419 scam," this type of scam is frequently seen in emails where a person claims to be looking to engage in a business deal involving a large some of money, but these scams are now cropping up more and more on online retail sites.

How this scam shows up on Etsy:

Typically this scam begins with the scammer sending out conversations (also known as "convos," Etsy's internal messaging system) to a wide range of Etsy sellers, specifically those that list one or more high priced items. In some cases the scammer may simply purchase a large number of these expensive listings. If they have checked out and committed to buy these listings, it's likely they have not "paid" in any sense and will send a conversation along with their purchase.

The convo will usually indicate that this buyer will pay with a money order or a check and will need to tack on an extra amount for their "shipping agent." Usually this amount is very high — sometimes even higher than the original cost of the listing. If this is agreed upon, then the buyer will send out the money order or check and typically a fake "invoice" from the shipping agent. They will then request that any over-payment from the money order be sent back to them.

This works because the check or money order (typically from an overseas bank) is a forgery. Your bank will allow you to deposit it, and then by the time the bank realizes it is a forgery, you have already sent back the over-payment to the scammer. Once the forgery is detected your bank will hold you liable for the amount, and now that the con artist has their money, you will not hear from them again.

What to do:

If you receive any suspicious convos like this the best thing to do is ignore them and report it to abuse@etsy.com. You can cancel the transaction as well.

Sellers should never send any money in a situation like this, no matter what reason is given. If you do find yourself facing a potential loss, or realize too late that you were being targeted by a scam, be sure to contact your financial institution as soon as possible. You may also want to contact local law enforcement. Again, let us know about this and send us the pertinent information, so we can take steps to remove and block these types of users from our site. Please share this article with your family and friends so we can spread awareness!

More posts about Scams | Seller Handbook

Not-So-Top-Secret: Policy Sneak Peek

2009-10-20T10:32:00-05:00

Psst ... Secret Squirrels! You may not know this, but for the past few months, a special task force at Etsy has been locked away in a tiny conference room, buckling down to polish up Etsy's site policies. I've just smuggled some highly classified documents out of the heavily-guarded, steel-doored Lawyer Hole over at Etsy HQ. I think you'll want to take a look at this file — it contains proposed revisions to the DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy.*

It’s been over a year since we last updated the DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy. During that time, the team has received feedback on our existing policies from the Etsy community — through the Forums, emails, Virtual Labs and in-person meet ups. Thank you for your input! Keeping our policies clear and up-to-date is one way we can help preserve the integrity of the site. We want to continue working with the community to better our services and our marketplace. This sneak peek preview provides another way for us to improve the site together. The revised DOs & DON’Ts will be posted on a special page for about a week to offer the opportunity to read through the document and respond with your thoughts about the proposed changes. If necessary, we may make final tweaks before we go live with the new DOs & DON'Ts. Our other policy documents, as well as Help content, will be updated to reflect the revisions to the DOs & DON’Ts at that time.

We understand that the changes may have a direct impact on some members and shops. Once we go live with the new policies, we will institute a grace period of several weeks to allow all members to edit existing account information, shops and listings as needed.

Visit this special page to see the preview of the revised DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy.

As you will see, most policies remain the same. In many areas, we've just clarified existing information or elaborated upon current practices to include these items formally in the DOs & DON'Ts document. Below I’ll highlight the changes, but be sure you preview the updated DOs & DON'Ts in their entirety.

Membership: A few notable policies that apply to all members have been moved up to the Membership section, like our policy for linking from a shop or profile to another selling venue. Collectives (seller accounts involving multiple people) have been further defined with the categories of Collaboration, Sharing a Shop and Shop Management Help. We clarified our rules for younger Etsians; collectives that include minors under the age of 18 may not utilize community features unless otherwise stated.

Conversations: You may not use Conversations to interfere with a transaction (with details on this in the Transactions section, too). We've also elaborated on the definition of "spam" as it relates to Etsy Convos.

Transactions: We’ve added information to the Transactions section, describing the roles of the seller, the buyer and Etsy in a transaction. Additionally, we’ve detailed various concerns or scenarios in which a transaction may be disputed, including: non-payment, non-delivery, refusal of service, dissatisfaction and interference. We’ve also clarified the circumstances in which a transaction may be canceled. In general, the additions to this section outline in greater detail the processes and policies already in place for transactions.

Feedback: To better accommodate custom orders and international transactions, we will be increasing the timeframe for submitting feedback from 90 days to 120 days. (This will go into effect when the policies are "live.") Additionally, we’ve clarified the circumstances in which Etsy will review feedback for removal, and we've lifted the 30-day limitation to requesting a feedback review for policy violation.

Shops and Listings: Formerly called “Selling,” this section has been expanded to include detailed policies about shop set-up, listing items, tagging and specific rules for handmade items, vintage goods and supplies. The section on Tagging is entirely new to the DOs & DON’Ts, but most of this information was available in Etsy’s Help section or through guides posted on Etsy’s blog, The Storque. Expanded sections on rules for handmade, vintage and supplies items should help sellers understand what can be sold on Etsy and how to list items for sale.

Charitable Shops and Listings: Etsy appreciates the spirit of giving back. Due to some laws and the existence of unsavory individuals who may try to take advantage of this spirit, we have added a section for charitable shops and listings.

Prohibited Items: In response to a variety of community concerns, we have clarified our prohibited items list. These items — though they may be handmade, vintage or a crafting supply — are not allowed to be listed for sale on Etsy.

The DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy, Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy and the Help site all will be updated for consistency. Once we gather your feedback and make any changes, we will launch the final versions of everything together. At that time, we will send an email notice to all members. As stated above, we will also allow a grace period for all members to edit their existing content to comply with any changed policies.

*OK, so I admit it. I'm a lousy spy and a loyal Etsy employee. I totally made sure I had permission from the head honcho before I released this not-so-top-secret sneak peek of our new policies to you, the Etsy community. Truth is that we really want your feedback. Be sure to read the preview of the entire revised DOs & DON'Ts to provide us with the most accurate feedback, and then join us for discussion in this Forum thread.

Pikaland's 9 Tips to be More Creative

2009-10-15T11:48:00-05:00

Amy Ng, Pikaland blogger and artist collaborator extraordinaire, has many a helpful article on creativity, business and life in her zine, The Good to Know Project. Amy hosted a Virtual Lab as part of our Holiday Workshops for Sellers series on Getting Out of the Box (you can find the recap here). I asked Amy to share more tips on sparking the creative process with Storque readers. Here they are...

About fueling creativity:

Creativity is fueled by experiences, sights, sounds and smells. Sitting still won’t bring new ideas in; experimenting and trying new things will jog your creativity.
I maintain a certain pattern to the day, with my morning bath signaling to me that I am starting my work with a fresh mind and spirit. After breakfast is when my day officially begins — I turn on the radio and look at my to-do list (see #3).
I jot down notes every night before I go to bed about what I need to accomplish the next day. This way, I’m actively placing my worries onto paper so I can go to bed not fretting about what needs to be done.
I have a box labeled for each different project I’m involved in, so I don’t worry about misplacing things or ideas. (This one was inspired by The Creative Habit.)
I also keep a different sketchbook for different topics and ideas. I have one for business, one for random sketches and another for my writing. And in these sketchbooks I sometimes allocate different sections so that my thoughts don’t get messed up too much (there isn’t a search function on them, like a computer has!).
I throw these sketchbooks all over the place, so when I have a thought I scribble it down quickly.
I try and find the pattern between things, and connect the dots between random things just for fun when I’m stuck in a rut. For instance, when I see the color yellow around me, I start to focus on finding yellow things — stuff that I didn’t notice before will show themselves to me. I’m heightening my sense of awareness because I’m narrowing my focus to one thing.
Doing things differently helps. I love calligraphy, but sometimes I seem to be stuck in a rut — it seems that I could only write in a certain way! So I stop, and see what others are doing, and try to analyze what I could do differently. A little more pressure on the downward stroke? Or how about adding more flourishes to that letter? It took me about a week of constant practice to free up my hand. If you’re stumped for ideas, have a look at Keri Smith’s 100 ideas to get you started.
Practice, practice, practice. Creativity is like a muscle that you need to flex regularly. I dread staring at a blank piece of paper, but everything begins with that first stroke. I’m a perfectionist, so I train myself to not use erasers at all when I’m drawing. And if I do make mistakes, I start on a new piece of paper — that way I let new ideas in and not just dwell on what I previously did.

Here are some books in my collection that I pick up whenever I need a boost:

The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp: I love this book. Twyla is a dancer and choreographer, but a lot of the things she has to say cuts across all disciplines.
How to Be an Explorer of the World: Portable Life Museum by Keri Smith: Keri reminds everyone to put on their explorer goggles and look at the world with new eyes — I did a review of her book here.
Living Out Loud by Keri Smith: Although the book is a little girlish for guys, I love the article she wrote about how to find what you love to do.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: This is an amazing book that I pick up and read again and again. The message is simple — you won’t find what you’re looking for until you follow through on your dreams.
How to be an Illustrator by Darrel Rees and Nicholas Blechman: I like how they talk to illustrators and get their feedback on running a creative business.
Lines & Shapes by Lena and Mav: Amazing artists and beautiful, beautiful pictures. I have volume no. 5 and I treasure it.
The first issue of the Good to Know project: I like keeping a copy on my bookshelf so I can read up on what my friends have to say about being creatively stuck.

Seller Handbook | More Posts on Creativity | Your Shop 101

Seller How-To: Entrepreneurial Tips From DailyWorth

2009-10-07T17:30:00-05:00

This guest post is by Amanda Steinberg, founder of DailyWorth.com. DailyWorth is a daily email about money for women — delivering practical tips, empowering ideas and the occasional kick in the pants. Want to learn more about money management? Make sure you check out DailyWorth.com.

1. Network From Your Desk

Network. Walk into an event or a lunch ready to rub elbows, shake hands, introduce yourself and exchange information. Opportunities are everywhere. Be ready to recognize and seize them. It means putting yourself out there to fail — or, more likely, succeed. Learn more tips here: Network From Your Desk.

2. Sell Your Friends

Celebrate the success of others. When someone you know — a colleague, a friend, even a professional acquaintance — succeeds in getting what she wants, be a cheerleader. Announce her success on Twitter or Facebook.

Good karma. Good business.

3. Be Phoney

You know what you want. You've been scheming for months. Now it's time to go the extra mile to show that you're serious. Here's a timely tip: don't hide behind your email. Whether you're seeking a new supplier or a new customer, pick up the phone and call. Call someone who knows someone who knows someone. More reading on this subject: 10 Tips for Telephone Success.

4. Deal With Doubts

You're juggling a day job with your business and feeling overwhelmed by both. At times like that you may wonder why you thought you could bring your dream into reality. What were you thinking? To be honest, if a lot of entrepreneurs knew what they were getting into, they might have run away screaming instead of starting a business. The thing is, dreams don't go away that easily. You may try to dismiss them, but they're always in the back of your mind.

Doubts will never completely go away. They're part of being human. So don't wait for them to disappear before you embrace your dreams; keep believing in them and visualizing them. You'll be surprised at what you will accomplish. It takes courage to step out of the crowd and create a business out of an idea. Working on a full-time job and a business will take every ounce of belief that you have in your dream -— and the reward will be beyond what you could have imagined. Check out this post for more steps on Dealing With Doubt.

5. Aim Higher

You know that saying, "Careful what you wish for, you just might get it?" Here’s a twist: Careful the amount of money you seek to make, you just might earn it.

According to “Client Attraction” coach Fabienne Frederickson, a recent survey of 200 women about income revealed just how low women are aiming. In her survey results, women entrepreneurs said they aim to earn $50,000-$75,000 per year. But judging from their professions, Frederickson determined that many respondents had the potential to earn far more.

All of this invites the questions: Why are you aiming so low, and what constraints are you placing on yourself? Shame on you. Seriously, no shame, but umph. Triple your goals. What's the worst that could happen? You could earn half of your goal, and still be better off than when you started.

These tips (and more) will also be featured in our Etsy Success newsletter (sign up here!).You can find out more about Amanda and DailyWorth over at DailyWorth.com.

Seller Handbook | Art of Pricing | Your Shop 101

Seller How-To: Tag-o-rama With Descriptive Keywords

2009-10-05T14:00:00-05:00

Tagging is an essential part of the listing (and selling!) process. Many shoppers are using keywords to search for the exact type of items you make, and you want your work to show up in these search results! The key component in this search-and-rescue mission are your items' tags.

Tags are keywords sellers attach to their items during the item listing process. After selecting the first tag, which determines the category for your item, sellers can attach up to 13 keywords or tags. These tags are used to help surface items in search, and they currently determine which subcategories your item falls under.

After you choose the category and subcategories, you then can choose words that accurately describe your item. Etsy Admin often suggest using style, color, textures and motifs as tags for your items, so with the help of some of my colleagues (and sellers) I've come up with the following lists to help you if you get stuck.

Want a few more tips? Come on by the Virtual Labs for a workshop on Tagging, Titles and Descriptions on Oct. 15, 2009 at 4 p.m. ET.

Style 1980s (or any decade) adorable African Americana angelic antique art deco art nouveau Asian autumn avant-garde bizarre black tie bohemian boho chic bold burlesque business casual cheerful chic circus classic classy clever cocktail colorful complex contemporary country cute cyber dark deconstructed delicate DIY dramatic earthy eccentric edgy Edwardian elegant ethnic European everyday fall fantasy feminine flapper folk folk art formal formal French funky funny futuristic gag geek geekery gladiator glam goddess goth gothic gothic lolita grotesque harvest hippie hipster horror humorous Indian indie industrial Japanese kawaii librarian lolita luxurious manly masculine mermaid Mexican midcentury Middle Eastern mod modern modest modish mystical natural nautical nerd noir nostalgic old world organic oriental Paris peasant pirate playful polished prairie preppy pretty Primitive punk quirky refined Renaissance Renaissance Fair (Ren Faire) retro rockabilly Roman romantic rustic sailor secretary seductive shabby chic simple sophisticated southwest sporty spring steampunk summer sustainable tasteful traditional trendy ugly urban Victorian vintage waldorf weird western whimsical winter witty woodland zany	Texture airy bright bumpy buttery coarse cool cozy cuddly delicate downy embossed feathery fluffy frilly frizzy furry fuzzy glittery grainy hammered hard iridescent light luminescent luminous matte metallic opaque patina plush pointy polished prickly puffy rough ruffled sculptured shaggy sharp sheer shimmery shiny silky slick smooth soft sparkly stamped translucent transparent velvety waxy woolly	Size baggy big bulky chunky curvy deep delicate dense extra small fitted frail gigantic heavy huge large lightweight little long loose massive medium miniature oversized petite plump plus size shallow shapely short small snug streamlined substantial tailored tall thick thin tight tiny voluminous voluptuous wide	Motifs and Patterns argyle Asian asymmetrical brocade Celtic checked checkered complex damask dotted Egyptian fleur de lis floral geometric gingham Gothic hearts paisley plaid polka dot scalloped stars striped swirls symmetrical tartan tweed woodland	Specific Colors charcoal chartreuse chocolate brown cobalt blue coral pink cornflower blue cream crimson cyan emerald green fuschia gold hot pink indigo ivory kelly green lemon yellow lime magenta mauve navy blue nude olive green periwinkle robins egg blue royal blue sapphire silver sky blue slate grey taupe teal turquoise

Feel free to add other keywords that fit in these lists in the comments below!

Guidelines & Tips: Tagging on Etsy | The Seller Handbook

Prep Your Shop for the Holiday Rush: 2009 Seller Workshops

2009-09-24T10:29:00-05:00

Looking at the upcoming calendar can be a daunting prospect for Etsy sellers this time of year. If you're wondering how to optimize your shop to appeal to the coming influx of holiday shoppers, you're in luck! We've created a series of live workshops in our Virtual Labs, hosted by your fellow Etsy sellers and Etsy Admin. We'll talk about everything from developing the perfect gifts that will fly off your virtual shelves, to making sure you're prepared to ship all of those items.

These workshops are sure to whip you into shape for the holidays! Most will be held on Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET in Etsy's Virtual Labs. Core tips from these sessions will also be shared in the Etsy Success newsletters, so be sure to sign up here.

Wondering how our online workshops work? Have a look at this blog post to get a quick understanding of Etsy's Virtual Labs.

Sept. 24, 2009 at 4 p.m. ET

Product Development and Photography

Hosts: Daniellexo & MaryMary

Topics covered:

Product development brainstorming session
Colors and styles that will be hot this season
Tips for photography and tagging from a merchandising expert

For more info, check out these posts on creating great products.

Sept. 28, 2009 at 9 p.m. ET

Creative Ways to Gain Exposure

Host: Amy from Pikaland

Brilliant ways to gain exposure
Building a solid reputation
Start thinking outside the box!

Recommended reading: Creativity, Competition and Copycats by Pikaland.

Sept 30, 2009 at 8:00pm ET

Oct 1, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. ET

Oct. 1, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. ET

Bigger Than a Breadbox: Photography for Medium to Large Items

Host: Amby from JulipBags

For more info on JulipBags, check out this Quit Your Day Job interview.

Photography for 2-D Artists

JenKiaba will cover taking photos of paintings, prints, collages and drawings.

Jewelry Photographing for Etsy

Host: Rhonda from ProlifiqueJewelry

For more info on ProlifiqueJewelry, check out this Quit Your Day Job interview.

Oct. 8, 2009 at 5 p.m. ET

How to survive your first Holiday Season on Etsy

Host: Aja from SagittariusGallery

Topics covered:

Question and Answer session for newbies
Making your first sales on Etsy
Lots of tips and insights for your first holiday season

Check out SagittariusGallery's Ultimate Newbie Guide.

Oct. 15, 2009 at 4 p.m. ET

Tagging, Titles and Descriptions

Hosts: Daniellexo, HeyMichelle, MaryMary, JulieinCharge

Topics covered:

Using tags to get noticed
Creative descriptions to woo buyers
Optimizing tagging, titles and descriptions for SEO

Recommended reading: Guidelines and Tips to Tagging on Etsy.

Oct. 22, 2009 at 4 p.m. ET

Promo Mojo: Get Recognized This Season

Host: Jen from JStephens13

Topics Covered:

Spice up your shop
How to coordinate your look and get recognized
A complete look, from your shop banner to your packaging
Etsy friends who can help
Where to get labels, banners, tech help and packaging
How to get the word out there

For more info on JStephens13 check out this Quit Your Day Job interview.

Oct. 29, 2009 at 4 p.m. ET

Brown Paper Packages Tied up With String

Host: Kristal from RikRak

Topics covered:

Beautiful, budget-savvy, eco-friendly DIY packaging ideas
How to make a great first impression with your package
How to efficiently organize your packaging supplies
Packaging and shipping materials and shop branding

For more info on RikRak check out this Quit Your Day Job interview.

Nov. 5, 2009 at 4 p.m. ET

Shipping Tips

Host: TBA

Nov. 12, 2009 at 4 p.m. ET

Make the Most of Cyber Monday

Host: Beth from DiffractionFiber

Topics covered:

Product tips
Having a sale
Promoting
Customer service and more

For more info check out these videos from DiffractionFiber's last workshop.

Nov. 19, 2009 at 4 p.m. ET

Customer Service for Your Handmade Business

Host: Stephanie from StephanieFizer

Topics covered:

Great customer service communication
Handling tricky situations with style and grace
More nifty skills to help run your business

For more info on StephanieFizer check out this Quit Your Day Job interview.

Nov. 24, 2009 at 4 p.m. ET

Staying Organized in the Holiday Rush

Host: Nicole from Lillyella

Topics covered:

How to prepare your shop
Maintain your sanity and stay on top of your work load
Organization, time management and efficiency

For more info on Lillyella check out this Quit Your Day Job interview.

Dec. 3, 2009 at 4 p.m. ET

Top Ten Tips to Bring in Last-Minute Holiday Sales

Host: Corrina from Piddix

Topics covered:

Small changes that make a huge difference
Research on holiday buying trends for 2009
Great places to find last-minute packaging supplies
What to do if and when those sales start pouring in

For more info on Piddix check out this Quit Your Day Job interview.

Dec.10, 2009 at 8 p.m. ET

Sell Local

Host: Kimm of Kimmchi and leader of The NewNew Etsy Team

Topics covered:

Setting up your location for more local sales
Etsy Teams
Utilizing local boutiques and galleries
Finding and selling at local craft shows

For more info about The NewNew, check out this Featured Team article.

Dec. 17, 2009 at 4 p.m. ET

Holiday Recap and Party

Host: Etsy Lab Rats Team

Reflections, reactions, and fun!

Looking for more Holiday Tips? Check out this list of all our Holiday How-To's:

The Seller Handbook | Visit the Virtual Labs | Virtual Labs FAQ

Tech Update: Upcoming Changes for Shop and Item Page SEO

2009-09-23T18:00:00-05:00

UPDATE: We're happy to announce that the search engine optimization (SEO) changes described in the post below are now live on Etsy. It's important to note that the changes won't appear in Google search results immediately. Google checks web pages for updates periodically, so the changes won't appear in Google search results until Google visits your page again and updates the information it has about your page. If you want to see when Google last checked one of your pages, search for the page in Google and click the "Cached" link for your page.

At the top of the cached version of the page, Google states when they last viewed the page.

We're also excited to announce the launch of a tool that enables sellers to preview how their item pages and shop home page will appear in Google search results. When you list a new item or edit an existing listing, you can click a link to "View a preview of how your item will appear in Google search results."

This shows a preview that updates as you enter or edit your item title and description. You can simply enter your item title and description and instantly view how your item will appear in Google search results. This tool is also available on the Your Etsy > Appearance page where you can update your Shop Title and Shop Announcement and preview how your shop home page will appear in Google search results.

As we mentioned in the original post below, SEO is an ongoing process. We'll continue to make improvements and keep you updated on our progress here on The Storque.

[The following was originally posted on September 1, 2009.]

Etsy has been working with SEOmoz, a third-party consultancy, to improve the search engine optimization (SEO) for Etsy.com, including shop and item listing pages. Improved SEO means shoppers are more likely to find Etsy pages when they use search engines like Google and Bing.

We're excited to announce that we’re getting ready to move forward with some changes based on the guidance of the experts at SEOmoz. (Big thanks to Rand, Lindsay, Jen and everyone at SEOmoz!)

We're pre-announcing these changes to ensure sellers have time to prepare, but it's important to note that you don't need to make any changes to your shop or item listing pages. It's your choice whether you want to work on SEO. We know some sellers will want the opportunity to optimize their pages and take full advantage of these changes, and we also want to explain what Etsy is doing to improve SEO.

These changes will take effect within the next few weeks, and we’ll update this announcement to let you know when the changes are live on the site.

We'll start with an overview of changes we're making and then dig into some examples.

Titles

Google and other search engines limit the number of characters displayed in the page title of links on their search result pages. SEOmoz has found that the likelihood of Web searchers clicking through on a specific link in search results increases if the page title appears complete in Google or other search engines. To prevent page titles from getting cut off, we will remove non-essential characters, such as periods and commas, and then truncate page titles at the end of the last complete word up to 66 characters. (If this sounds complicated, check out the details and examples below.)

It's important to note that page titles are only visible to search engines, on search engine search result pages, and at the top of web browser windows.

SEOmoz has also found that brand names tend to increase the likelihood of Web searchers clicking on a page title in search results, which is why we're putting "on Etsy" at the end of page titles. Familiar brand names help searchers quickly identify links they trust, and to the extent the Etsy brand has gained significant awareness, SEOmoz recommends including "on Etsy" at the end of page titles. However, sellers' shop, section, and item titles are likely most relevant to searchers, and will be prioritized at the beginning of page titles. In certain situations "on Etsy" will be removed to create more room for the seller's shop, section, and item titles. We're also making sure that the seller’s username, which is often the seller’s brand, appears in page titles.

And now for some detailed examples.

Shop homepage title

The current format is: <username> on Etsy - <shop title>
The new format will be: <shop title> by <username> on Etsy

In order to keep the page title tag to 66 characters or fewer, we created rules for how the content will be truncated. The rules ensure that the full username is in the title tag, remove "on Etsy" if the <shop title> is too long, and truncate the <shop title> if it's still too long after "on Etsy" is removed.

If the <shop title> + <username> is greater than 54 characters, but less than 62 characters, "on Etsy" will be removed.

If the <shop title> + <username> is greater than 62 characters, "on Etsy" will be removed and the <shop title> will be truncated to the end of the last complete word, up to 42 characters + (20 - <username>). If your username is less than 20 characters, there's more room for a longer <shop title>.

Here are a few examples:

<username>: littleblackrabbit (17 characters) <shop title>: vintage and recycled inspiration (32 characters) <shop title> + <username> = 49 characters, so "on Etsy" will be included and nothing will be truncated Page title: vintage and recycled inspiration by littleblackrabbit on Etsy

<username>: BettyTurbo (10 characters)
<shop title>: mostly involving cake ice cream and moustaches (45 characters)
<shop title> + <username> = 55 characters, so "on Etsy" will be removed
Page title: mostly involving cake ice cream and moustaches by BettyTurbo

<username>: iheartnorwegianwood (19 characters)
<shop title>: Harnesses cage skirts fringe leggings specialness (49 characters)
<shop title> + <username> = 68 characters, so "on Etsy" will be removed and the <shop title> will be truncated
Page title: Harnesses cage skirts fringe leggings by iheartnorwegianwood

Here's a tool you can use to calculate the number of characters in your <username> and <shop title>.

Because you have limited space in titles it's best to include the most important keywords at the beginning of your <shop title> and to focus on the unique value of your shop.

It's important to note that your <shop title> will only be truncated in the page title, which is visible to search engines, on search engine search results pages, and at the top of web browser windows. Your full <shop title> will still appear on your shop homepage on Etsy.

Item page title

The current format is: <item title> by <username> on Etsy

While we're not changing the format, we are adding rules for how content is truncated. The rules ensure that the full username is in the title tag, remove "on Etsy" if the <item title> is too long, and truncate the <item title> if it's still too long after "on Etsy" is removed.

If the <item title> + <username> is greater than 54 characters but less than 62 characters, "on Etsy" will be removed. If the <item title> + <username> is greater than 62 characters, "on Etsy" will be removed and the <item title> will be truncated to the end of the last complete word up to 42 characters + (20 - <username>).

Section page title

The current format is: <username> on Etsy - <section name>
The new format will be: View <section name> by <username> on Etsy

If the <section name> + <username> is greater than 49 characters but less than 56 characters, "on Etsy" will be removed. If the <section name> + <username> is greater than 56 characters, "on Etsy" will be removed and the <section title> will be truncated to the end of the last complete word up to 37 characters + (20 - <username>).

Canonical tags

We're going to use canonical tags on shop homepages, section pages and item pages.

What's a canonical tag? This is part of the code for your Etsy pages that lets search engines know when different URLs (web addresses) are actually the same page. For example, check out these two URLs: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sc_main_21&listing_id=29577528
and http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29577528

The URLs are different, but they point to the exact same page. Generally, search engines assume that a different URL means it’s a different page, unless the code of the page uses a canonical tag to tell the search engine otherwise.

This change will only be visible to search engines, but is important because it will help improve the search engine rankings of sellers' pages. The number and quality of links to a page is an important factor in search engine rankings. If Google thinks those two pages are different, it will count the number of links to each page separately. If Google knows pages with different URLs are the same page, it will add up the links to the different versions of the page and give credit for all of those links to one version of the page, likely increasing the ranking of the page.

If you're interested, SEOmoz has more info on canonical tags.

What's next?

It's important to note that SEO is an ongoing process, and we'll continue to make improvements. We're working with SEOmoz to identify how to improve site-wide SEO, and we'll keep you updated on our progress here on The Storque.

Over the past several weeks, many Etsians have participated in Forum discussions and a Virtual Lab with Rand Fishkin, CEO of SEOmoz. If you didn't get a chance to participate in the recent Virtual Lab with Rand, we'll be announcing additional Virtual Labs in the coming weeks.

We're closing comments here and starting a Forum thread so that Etsy Admin can better answer your questions and the discussion will be searchable. Join us there

P.S. If you want to get the breaking, vital Etsy news as it happens — delivered straight to your email inbox, then sign up for Etsy News Alerts emails. Read more about it here. Expect this as an Etsy Alert email in your inbox if you already subscribe to the list.

You can also get an RSS feed of all TechUpdates here.

PayPal Workshop in Etsy's Virtual Labs

2009-09-17T10:22:00-05:00

On August 31, 2009, PayPal customer service representatives Deb and Tim hosted a live Virtual Labs chat to answer sellers' questions about PayPal and walk Etsy sellers through some of the features and tools that PayPal offers. If you missed the workshop, you can watch clips below and check out the links that were shared by the PayPal team.

1: Verifying Payment

How do you know you received payment from a buyer? Tim walks you through the multiple ways to find out. You can even use PayPal's download log feature to view your transactions in a spreadsheet or in software like Quicken or Quickbooks. For more information: Downloadable History.

2. Shipping and Seller Protection

Tip: When shipping on your PayPal invoice is incorrect, it's often a problem in your PayPal account settings. If you need to revise the invoice for the customer, go to your PayPal account and click on "request money."
Then, be sure to enable transaction-based override:
    1.    Log in to your account at http://www.paypal.com/.
    2.    Go to My Account > Profile > Shipping calculations (in the Selling Preferences column)
    3.    Select the Shipping Method and click Edit
    4.    Select Yes for "Use the shipping fee in the transaction instead of my calculator's settings" and press Save Changes.
Please note that if you have not set up any Shipping Calculations in PayPal, the default is to override shipping methods per transaction. (You should not need to change anything.)

3. Types of PayPal Accounts

Ever wonder whether you should upgrade to a Premium or Business PayPal account? Tim explains the benefits of each account. Helpful Links: PayPal Account Types & Which account is right for you?

4. Refunds

Want to know how to send a full or partial refund through PayPal? Or how fees work when refunding payment? Watch the video above. Helpful link: How to Send a Refund.

If you have another PayPal question that wasn't answered here you can probably find an answer in one of three ways:

PayPal Help Center
Ask Sarah — an automated PayPal customer service rep
Contact PayPal by phone or email

Want to attend a Virtual Labs workshop? Learn more about our online meeting space here.

Listen to the audio podcast of Deb Popek's last PayPal Virtual Lab here: Seller How-To: PayPal Coming to Etsy Virtual Labs!

Etsy's PayPal FAQs | PayPal Tips for Sellers | Etsy's Seller Handbook

Etsy Success Tips: Make Your Shop Work for You

2009-09-10T10:15:00-05:00

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

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

Photo by TammysTreasureChest

So, Who Are You, Anyways?

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

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

Photo by kittybblove

More Than One

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

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

Some of these benefits include:

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

Photo by KeysAndMemories

The “Top Three”

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

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

Photo by Canemah

Photos Photos Photos

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

Ask yourself these questions:

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

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

Best of luck with these tips and happy selling!

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

Finding Your Niche with DiffractionFiber

2009-07-24T14:05:00-05:00

DiffractionFiber here! A few weeks ago I hosted a live workshop in Etsy's Virtual Labs on Finding Your Etsy Niche. Thank you to everyone who joined me. For those who couldn't make it, watch the short videos below for a recap! On the left you'll see the live chat during the workshop and on the right you'll see the avatars of the community members who attended.

To start off, I want to talk a little about the Psychology of Shopping. How we make spending decisions and how we choose between products can help you in marketing and creating.

How do buyers choose what to buy? You want people to lust for what you are making. Part 2 covers lust and loyalty.

Remember, advertising to those 10 people is a lot cheaper than to 1,000 people!

Let’s talk about the actual process of making a purchase.
Four steps are required for a purchase to be made:

Customer has a problem, a need or simply a want. Maybe it's to look hip, to give a gift, to organize, to get clean. Whatever it is, there is a need you are filling.
They need to know about you.
They need to like you and your products.
They need to trust you.

I want to wrap this up with talking a bit about instilling loyalty.
For me, there are two important components in instilling loyalty, both with customers and with bloggers who might return and write about you again:

Exceed their expectations.
Give them a reason to return.

For more tips on running a shop that has a unique stamp of individuality, check out this article by TortillaGirl.

The Seller Handbook | Visit the Virtual Labs | Virtual Labs FAQ

Seller How-To: Top 10 Graphic Designs to Give Your Shop the Edge

2009-07-23T10:17:00-05:00

There is a proverb which says that experience is a formidable teacher — it hands the test first and the lesson afterward. Graphic design, the studiously crafted personality profile of an individual, is one of most formidable teachers of all. A graphic designer has to tread on speculation and potentiality, and there is a certain degree of risk involved in the creation of art that looks not inwardly to oneself, but to the customer.

However, good design does not simply "exist." It also "does," and it is most effective when communicating objectives close to our hearts. In my little sphere as a graphic artist, good design teaches that we are not here simply to make a living, but to bring back locality and handmade value in a world of increasing abstraction.

This is a list of 10 different (and progressively expansive) ways in which graphic design can give your shop the edge by building a professional, consistent image, while letting the world know you mean (handmade) business!

Custom Etsy Banner By jackandmolly, $30.

1. The banner. The first step of graphic design, and one's immediate identification for sellers and buyers alike, banners can be made using a wide range of graphic programs — from the free (but very good) GIMP to the more challenging Adobe Photoshop.

Custom LOGO DESIGN and BUSINESS CARD by ARTbyNIKA, $120.

2. The logo. More expansive than the banner (which can be changed as often as desired), the logo is a symbol of constancy and becomes one's business ID to the world. Consistent use of the logo is the key to clear communication and maximum visual impact. It acquaints others with your shop.

Custom Character by McPrincessMaree, $50.

3. The custom-character. Similar to the logo in creating an identity, but far more detailed is the custom character. Its style can range from humorous and simple to high-fashion, and is an endearing, memorable component of branding. This is becoming more popular with online, socially-networked sites and may be used as an avatar.

preFAB Business Cards by nbcreative, $15.

4. The business card. This is by far the most efficient method of making oneself known to the world, and is therefore extremely important. Many people collect striking designs; to quote a fellow Etsian upon seeing some formidable business cards, "These will end up being retained by the recipients as art!"

Custom graphic design Twin Stylish Marketing Brochures by CraftyChefGraphics, $150.

5. The postcard or brochure. For those who wish to give product details and photographs that cannot fit within the storage-space of a single business card, the brochure is a very useful (and personal!) way of communicating with one's audience.

Darby Website Template - Complete 4 Page Site by byMasselyn, $100.

6. The website. When it comes to websites, as elsewhere, less is more: simple, easy-to-navigate and stylish designs inspire. If you have many photographs that you wish to showcase, a personal website is the ideal place to do so. Look for a web-designer who knows how to install a Coppermine photo system for easy uploading, clear layouts divided by category, and minimum maintenance work.

Dark Spark Hang Tags - Build Your Own - 2 Sided by lolaness, $30.

7. The product thingamabobs. This is a wide-ranging section which can include anything from product labels and stickers to ornamental gift tags. A stylish and eye-catching label exudes confidence, consistency and professionalism, encouraging the buyer that they have made an excellent selection.

Custom Rubber Stamp - Girl on Bike Bookplate by babyjewels, $21.

8. The vector. Vector graphics are two-dimensional, flat images — beautiful for their austere simplicity and limited number of colors. They are perfect for letterpress work, for the creation of stamps, and can be easily transferred onto the less conventional wood or acrylic gift-tags.

PREMADE graphic design personal chef or catering logo, business card, postcard, and letterhead for fliers by CookingClipArt, $75.

9. The letterhead. These are slightly sneaky (yet very professional!) ways of influencing others to visit your shop without having to ask. A good letterhead design is thus a powerful marketing tool with many benefits.

Etsy Business Package by Thompsondesigns, $50.

10. ...and finally, the horn of plenty! To maintain consistency, it is important to use the same graphic designer throughout. For that reason, many graphic artists offer a cornucopia of selections in a single package.

Do you have any graphic design tips for sellers? Post in the comments below!

Seller Handbook | Shop Makeover Series

Top Modish BizTips for Etsy Sellers

2009-07-16T11:00:00-05:00

We all know that marketing and promotion are vital in order to make your shop a success. However, the constant focus on sales, marketing, photography, etc., can start to take a toll on your psyche. It's easy to get overwhelmed, and often we can work so hard we zap the very spirit that set us into self-employment in the first place. So, my goal today is to remind you that to truly make your shop a success, you need to go easier on yourself, don't get discouraged when you're feeling overwhelmed and above all, to remember that you're not alone. Here are my the top tips I have for Etsy sellers, all from my blog Modish BizTips.

Dealing with Distraction

How can you possibly focus on your Etsy Shop when there's family and pets and laundry and flickr and sunny days to think about too, not to mention your day job? Phew! I'm tired just thinking about it! It's easy to be distracted, but to get your business into gear, you need to get on course. If you're too distracted, pull yourself out of the situation to refocus. Make a list of all your to-do's (a really big one) to get them out of your head and where you can see them. And above all, don't be too hard on yourself when you find productivity is just not in your favor. A day of too much distraction can be your motivation to make tomorrow better.
Read on for more tips on dealing with distraction.

Photo by angrypenguin.

Are you Selling Your Creative Inspiration Away?

Turning one of your favorite creative hobbies into an income source can blur the lines between business and fun. What used to be your artistic escape gets tangled up with marketing, money, deadlines, and the constant feeling of needing to produce. Suddenly, it isn't where you escape to anymore; instead it's the job you wish you could escape from! It helps to keep a creative pursuit: make things just for yourself or friends, keep some of your favorite thrift finds for yourself. Don't always gear towards sell, sell, sell. Remember the passion that brought you to your work in the first place and make sure you don't successfully over-sell yourself into a creative rut. More BizTips here.

Photo by CosmicFirefly.

When you Feel Like You Just Don't Measure Up

As an Etsy seller, it's easy to constantly compare yourself to others, as you are literally surrounded by a hotbed of creativity and talent. The more people you discover and admire, the more you may feel like you just don't quite measure up. But remember what brought you to Etsy — you're creative and talented too, you have something special to offer that no one else can, and you only have yourself to answer to. Work at your own pace. Realize how much you've achieved! Give yourself a moment to feel accomplished and proud of your efforts — you deserve it. And remember, you're worthy of admiration too. More on this topic.

Photo by MadameCupcake.

Dealing with Competition, Resentment and Your Ego

On the flip side to being surrounded by all those other creative people, you may have moments when you feel jealousy or resentment towards others' apparent successes. These are moments when you can't understand why they are getting all the sales and attention, and you're not. That's your ego popping in to say "Hello, what about me?" We don't want to let our egos guide our actions. So, what do you do with ill feelings of competition towards your fellow sellers? How do you quiet the hater voices in your head? You need to stop comparing yourself to others. Realize that you can't control anyone else's actions or the success they may receive. Let things go. Find the joy in what you're doing and try not to let competition and comparison distract you. More words of wisdom on this subject here.

Photo by BigHelmetHead.

Learn to Say No

When you're in business for yourself, it's easy to say yes to any opportunity that might help you get more exposure. Saying yes to opportunity is a good thing. But when you say yes to too many things, you may find yourself in up-all-night and tired-all-day zombie work sessions that can lead to burnout. Whether your Etsy shop is your full-time gig or a way to make some extra income, it's important to find a balance. Weigh what you realistically can and can't get done depending on your other commitments. Don't take on too much at once. Don't feel bad saying no to someone if you need to. It'll make for a happier, healthier and saner you, which can only benefit your business in the long run. More tips for "When to say yes" on Modish BIZTips.

Photo by shesells.

Well, hopefully this post will be a little morale boost to help keep you going even when the going gets tough. You can catch me over at Modish BIZtips for more creative business tips.

Check out the Seller Handbook | Visit the Virtual Labs

All About Etsy FAQ Series: Get Involved in the Voter

2009-07-11T17:15:00-05:00

Have you heard about the Etsy Voter? It's a fun part of Etsy where people can vote on their favorite Etsy items. In this installment of the All About Etsy FAQ Series, I'll answer some frequently asked questions about how this site feature works and how you can get involved, whether you're a shopper or a seller. The more people who get involved, the more fun it is!

FAQs

What is the Voter?
The Voter is an interactive tool built by our Flash guru Jared Tarbell. It allows people to vote on Etsy items, and at the end of the voting period, we can all see which items come out on top. Because it's such a neat tool, we're using it every week for informal, fun polls. The Voter can be used as a way to see which items resonate with the Etsy community. Ultimately, it's a way for shoppers to find some wonderful, fresh items.

The Voter is located at www.etsy.com/voter.php. When you go there, you'll see themed groupings of polls — the voting has closed for some, but you can still click in to see how the results turned out and how many people voted.

Who gets to vote?
Anyone! You just have to be registered and signed into Etsy in order to cast a vote. We encourage everyone to get involved in voting! After you place your vote, you can see the running tally of which items are in the lead.

How do I find out about rounds of voting and the winners?
Click on the "Voting" Featured Column on the left hand navigation of Etsy's blog, The Storque. Every Monday, we announce the winner and ask for nominations for the following week's vote. Every Tuesday we put up the call for votes for the current round.

Can I purchase an item from the Voter? Will that remove the item from the Voter and mess things up?
It won't mess things up! Absolutely, you can buy items from the Voter. (That's our not-so-secret mission, in fact!) Purchasing an item you see in the Voter will not remove the item from the application.

How do items get included in a round of voting?
When the top favorite is announced on Monday in a Storque post, we include a call for nominations for the next round. You may nominate one of your own items or any item that you think fits the described theme. Simply paste a link to the item page in the comments of the post.

We cannot include all the nominated items! The Voter performs best with about 45 or less items (60 at max). If your item did not get into a vote and you're feeling discouraged, it could just be that we didn't have the space. You may also want to take another look at your item photography and double check to make sure your item is not breaking any rules and is tagged properly. Here are some tips in the Seller Handbook.

How do Admin decide the weekly themes?
We plan our themes according to the Editorial calendar for our blog, which in turn is integrated with the Merchandising themes. Feel free to suggest ideas in the comments of the posts.

How do I know if one of my items has been included in a vote?
Etsy Admin try to convo each seller individually, but sometimes we're just too swamped with work! We're aware that we need a better way to notify sellers when their items are featured.

My item is included. Now what do I do?
Congratulations! You've been nominated for this week's round of Voting. Please spread the word about your nominations (Twitter, blog, paste the link in your Shop announcement, etc.) and get folks to vote. You should be proud!

What happens after the top favorite is announced?
For our informal weekly votes, the goal is to help shoppers find some great items and to help sellers make some sales or get their products noticed. We use the Voter to share the love (and some fame and glory)!

When the voting closes on Mondays, we will shortly thereafter feature the top favorite on Etsy's blog, The Storque. Etsy Admin use this Voter tool as a way to find a top favorite to feature on our blog, in the Members' Choice Gift Guide (or other Gift Guide if there's a specific one that fits the theme), and perhaps on the Etsy home page. We may include some of the runners up in the curated areas of our site.

If you are a runner up, we cannot promise that your item will be featured in these places — as some items sell or expire, some sellers may already be featured in the Gift Guides, some items may be inappropriate for the curated areas of the site, or we may discover a slight rule infringement preventing us from putting it in the spotlight. Sometimes our tools can be wonky and we have to do things manually (especially when items sell), so let us know if you think there's been a human error. We will do our best to include as many of the runners up as possible.

As a general rule of thumb, if you're a runner up and you've made a sale from the Voter or being in the Related Items in the Storque post, we consider that accomplishing the goal of this exercise!

My item featured in the Voter sold and the sold listing is still in the Voter. Can you replace it with another listing so I can have a fresh item in the running?
Because sold items remain in the running, we cannot replace them in the Voter with new listings once voting has started. Even if it's an identical listing, our tool does not have the capacity to swap out the item id number and retain the votes.

If your item hasn't sold, you can replace the main image of your item and ask us to "refresh," if you want to re-photograph your listing to make it more visually compelling. (Just convo Vanessa).

Wait a second, I thought my item was in the Voter, but it's just in the related items of the Storque post. What gives?
If your item is featured in the Related Items or main image of the Storque announcement, but not in the Voter, don't despair! We apologize if you got excited when you saw your item and thought it would be in the vote. Being in the Storque Related Items is actually really good exposure too. We need to illustrate our posts with eye-catching product, but we cannot repeat items in both the post where we call for votes and the Voter. (This was pointed out as potentially "swaying the votes.")

How come I've never heard of this site feature? Where is the Voter linked on Etsy?
Funny you should ask...We added the link to the Voter to the Community Hub in October 2009. Click on "Voting" under the Featured Columns on the left navigation of The Storque to find the latest post.

The items below are some of our previous top picks!

All about Etsy FAQ Series | Seller Handbook | Help on Etsy

We closed comments on this post and have started this discussion thread.

Etsy International: How to Internationalize Those Measurements

2009-07-03T15:09:00-05:00

The following post is translated from English to Spanish, French, German, Italian, Polish and Turkish. Please scroll down to find your language. Special thanks to FrucciDesign for writing the initial post!

Este artículo está traducido desde inglés a español, francés, alemán y italiano. Por favor, mueva la pantalla para abajo para encontrar su idioma.

Le billet qui suit a été traduit de l'Anglais vers l'Espagnol, le Français, l'Allemand et l'Italien. Faites défiler de haut en bas pour trouver votre langue.

Dieser Blogbeitrag ist vom Englischen ins Italienische, Französische, Deutsche, und Spanische übersetzt. Bitte scroll nach unten um die entsprechende Sprache zu finden.

Piu' in basso trovate la traduzione di questo post in spagnolo, francese, tedesco e italiano.

Poniższy post został przetłumaczony z angielskiego na hiszpański, francuski, niemiecki, włoski, polski i turecki. Przewiń stronę w dół by znaleźć swój język.

Bu yazı İngilizce’ den İspanyolca, Fransızca, Almanca, İtalyanca, Lehçe ve Türkçe’ ye tercüme edilmiştir. İstediğiniz dili bulmak için sayfayı aşağı kaydırınız. Özgün yazıyı yazan FrucciDesign ’a özel teşekkürlerimizle.

[Necklace by MaisyandAlice]

English (translation by FrucciDesign)

Size does matter! (And dimensions do too.)

I experienced some culture shock when I moved to the U.S. from Italy. The Americans use U.S. customary units as their system of measurement, not the metric system!

I actually knew that measurement was different in the U.S. from Europe (we do learn this in school), but it really hit me only when I went for the very first time to the grocery shop and I had no idea how to buy 1 kg of apples or 1 L of milk, and I don’t even want to talk about temperature!

It may sound silly, but dimensions really do matter in our Etsy shops.

When sellers are listing an item, it is very helpful for buyers to have both types of measuring information.

This is my favorite link, where you can find any kind of conversion starting with the most common — from inches to centimeters, to clothing sizes or jewelry sizes or even cooking measurements!

[Photograph by sara*..(= on Flickr]

Espagnol (translation by Karmacrochet of the Etsy in Spanish Team)

¡El tamaño importa! (y las medidas también)

Cuando dejé Italia y me mudé a los Estados Unidos me llevé una gran sorpresa.

¿Qué sorpresa? Los americanos usan diferentes medidas que nosotros, ¡ellos no miden en metros!

Yo sabía que esto iba a ser diferente que en Europa ( nosotros aprendemos eso en la escuela), pero esto fue una cruda realidad la primera vez que fui al supermercado, no tuve las más pálida idea como comprar 1 kilo de manzanas o 1 litro de leche, ¡y no empecemos a hablar de la temperatura!

Esto te puede sonar gracioso pero la realidad es: las medidas son muy importantes en tu negocio en Etsy.

Cuando los vendedores listan un producto, es muy importante para los clientes mostrar las medidas en los dos sistemas de medidas.

Este es mi favorito sitio, donde podés encontrar como convertir de una unidad a la otra, empezando con las más comunes - pulgadas a centímetros, medidas para ropa, joyería y ¡también las medidas que necesitas cuando estás cocinando! http://es.metric-conversions.org

[Ponytail holders by jackandjane]

Francais (translation by Sarah Camut)

Oui, la taille compte! (et les dimensions aussi).

J'ai fait l'expérience d'un « choc culturel » quand j'ai déménagé de la France vers les Etats-Unis. A propos de quoi? Les Américains utilisent leur propres unités comme système de mesure, pas le système métrique!

En fait, je savais que c'était différent de l'Europe (on apprend ça à l'école). Mais cela m'a vraiment frappée quand je suis allée pour la toute première fois au supermarché et que je n'avais alors aucune idée comment acheter 1kg de pommes ou 1L de lait, et je ne parle même pas de la température!

Cela peut sembler fou, mais les dimensions ont vraiment leur importance dans nos boutiques Etsy.

Quand les vendeurs mettent un objet en ligne, cela aide beaucoup les acheteurs d'avoir à disposition l'information sur les deux système de mesure.

Voici mon lien préféré, où vous pouvez trouver toutes sortes de conversion, en commençant par la plus commune — des pouces (inches) aux centimètres — en passant par les tailles d'habits ou des bijoux, jusqu'aux mesures de cuisine!" http://1000conversions.com — et aussi http://www.convertworld.com/fr

[Scarf by malam]

Deutsch (translation by Stefanie Karp)

Größe ist wichtig! (und Maße auch.)

Ich hatte einen kleinen Kulturschock als ich aus Italien in die USA zog. Warum? Die Amerikaner benutzen ihre eigenen Maßeinheiten, nicht das metrische System!

Eigentlich wusste ich, dass es hier anders ist (das lernen wir ja in der Schule). Aber ich verstand es erst so richtig als ich das erste Mal einkaufen ging und keine Ahnung hatte wie ich ein Kilo Äpfel oder einen Liter Milch kaufen sollte; von Temperaturen ganz zu schweigen!

Es mag lächerlich klingen, aber Abmessungen sind wirklich wichtig in unseren Etsy-Läden.
Wenn Verkäufer Waren anbieten hilft es den Kunden beide Maßeinheiten zu haben.

Das hier ist mein Lieblings-Link, wo man jede Art Umrechnung findet, von den üblichsten wie inches zu cm, bis hin zu Kleider- und Schmuckgrößen und sogar Einheiten fürs Kochen! http://www.umrechnung.org — und auch http://www.convertworld.com/de

[Photograph by WillowsWorld]

Italiano (translation by FrucciDesign)

Le misure contano! (cosi come le dimenzioni)

Quando mi sono trasferita a vivere in America uno dei primi “shock culturali” che ho avuto e’ stato al super mercato.

Di cosa parlo? Qui in USA non si usa il sistema di misura metrico.

Certo, in teoria lo sapevo che era diverso che in Europa l’avevo studiato a scuola, ma ho toccato con mano la differenza solo la prima volta che sono andata a fare la spesa ed ho cercato di comprare 1kg di mele, per non parlare di 1L di latte...e che dire dei gradi fahrenheit!

Lo so, puo’ suonare sciooco ma le dimensioni contano specialmente nel nostro negozio su Etsy.

Quando si mette in vendita un prodotto e’ molto utile per i nostri clienti avere entrambe le misure in metri e in pollici.

Questo e’ il mio link favorito dove potete trovare ogni sorta di conversion dalle piu’ comuni per convertire pollici in centimentri,ma anche taglie per vestiti o per gioielli fino a misure per la cucina...che possono essere sempre utili! http://www.green-acres.com/it/convert_unit.htm — e anche http://www.conversioni.it

[Photo by Matt Carman on Flickr]

Polish (translation by HAREandDRUM):

Rozmiar ma znaczenie! (i miara też)

Doznałam sporego szoku kulturowego kiedy przeniosłam się z Włoch do USA. Amerykanie używają własnych miar zwyczajowych jako głównego systemu pomiarowego, a nie miar metrycznych!

Wiedziałam wcześniej o tym że miary amerykańskie różnią się od europejskich (uczą nas tego w szkole), ale naprawdę dotarło to do mnie przy pierwszej wizycie w sklepie spożywczym kiedy nie miałam pojęcia jak kupić kilo jabłek czy litr mleka, że o mierzeniu temperatury nie wspomnę.

Może to oczywiste, ale miara ma znaczenie dla sklepów na Etsy.

Kiedy wystawiamy przedmiot na sprzedaż, pamiętajmy o podaniu, tak pomocnych klientom, miar w obu systemach.

Oto mój ulubiony link, gdzie znajdziesz wszystkie ekwiwalenty miar, począwszy od najprostszej wymiany cali na centymetry, aż do rozmiarów ubrań czy biżuterii, a nawet miar kuchennych: http://www.onlineconversion.com/

A oto link to podobnie wygodnego kalkulatora w wielu językach: http://www.green-acres.com/pl/convert_unit.htm

[Photo by ozgurmulazimoglu on Flickr]

Turkish (translation by NenoBebo)
Ölçüler önemlidir! (Boyutlar gibi.)

İtalya’ dan ABD’ye taşındığımda ilk kültür şoklarımdan birini süpermarkette yaşadım.
Neden mi bahsediyorum? Amerika’da metrik sistem kullanılmıyor.

Sistemin eğitim gördüğüm Avrupa’ dan farklı olduğunu teoride elbette biliyordum, ama aradaki farkı ancak ilk defa alışverişe, 1 kg elma almaya gittiğimde tam olarak anladım. 1 lt sütten ve fahrenhayt derecelerden bahsetmiyorum bile!

Kulağa aptalca gelebilir ama ölçüler Etsy mağazalarımız için özellikle önem taşıyor.
Satıcıların, ürünlerini listelerken ürün bilgilerini her iki ölçü sisteminde birden vermeleri alıcılara büyük kolaylık sağlayacaktır.

Bu link benim favorim; burada en çok kullanılanlardan en az rastlanana kadar çeşitli ölçü birimlerinin karşılığını bulabilirsiniz; inçi santimetreye çevirebilir, ayakkabı ölçülerini bulabilir, hatta mutfakla ilgili ölçüleri çevirebilirsiniz.

Etsy International Posts | Multi-lingual Posts

Like this post? Comment below with your suggestions for the next one.

Getting Creative with Moo

2009-06-29T15:21:00-05:00

Every time I'm at a craft show, there are always a few sellers giving away Moo MiniCards (which are mini business cards that display photos of your work). There's something about the compact size and design that draws a lot of attention. What's more, you can use up to 100 full color photos on your mini calling-cards, and these photos can be pulled right from your Etsy shop. Moo is offering a special deal just for Etsians for the next two weeks: Spend $30 (£15/€22.50) on Moo.com and get free shipping on your order. Use the code: "etsyjune." This promotion ends on July 13, 2009.

All these options seem to be inspiring Etsy sellers to get crafty with their Moo minis! Check out some cool examples below...

pretty buggie sachets by jekbot

sweet jewelry packaging by wiccked

Moo Bookmarks by Emmalynne

How I use my moo cards by clevergirl

MooPocket with window by splatgirl

tagged with a matching moo card by memake

So what can you do with your Moo cards? We want to see! Upload your photos to Flickr and tag them Etsy Moo MiniCard Challenge!

The items below are some of our previous top picks!

More Moo Posts | Seller Handbook | Help on Etsy

Etsy Seller How-To: Creating a Facebook Fan Page

2009-06-05T10:29:00-05:00

Many of us are connecting with old friends, classmates and peers through Facebook. Did you know Facebook is also a great way to share your Etsy Shop news? Not only can you create an Etsy Shop Badge for your Facebook profile, but you can create a Facebook Fan Page for your buyers and devotees. ArtBySusmitha says her Facebook Fan Page has lead to many connections with new customers and she has created a simple tutorial to get you started!

You'll first need to already have a Facebook account to have a Fan Page. (A page is different from your personal Facebook profile.)

1. You start by adding an application called Pages. The easiest way to find a link to this application is by going to an existing Fan Page and finding the Create a page for my business link. Here's a screen shot of my Art by Susmitha Page. You can see that the link you're looking for at the bottom of the left hand column (click picture below to see a larger version).

2. Add the application and you will be taken to the Create New Facebook Page link where you enter the first bit of information.

3. Now your new, empty Fan Page has been created. Begin by clicking on the Edit Information link.

4. Enter the basic and detailed information. Hit Save Changes at the bottom and then Done Editing on top.

5. Now you'll be taken back to your main page where you can add your website info and URL and also a profile picture of your logo or product. When you hover over the top right corner of the profile picture space, the edit icon will appear.

6. After you've got your photo and URL info added, go on to edit the page by clicking Edit Page.

7. This will take you to the Settings and Applications page. Make any adjustments you'd like here.

8. Then scroll to the bottom of the Settings and Applications page. Click on the edit icon at the corner of "More Applications" and browse for more apps.

9. To add your Etsy Mini to your page do a search for My Stuff and click on the Gigya My Stuff application and add it.

10. Go back to your page, click on the + sign next to the Wall, Info, Photos... tabs. Add the My Stuff application to your tabs.

11. Follow the instructions and paste the flash version (larger code) of the code into the box (the java version cannot be added). Now you have your Etsy Mini tab all set.

12. Finally, click on the Photos tab and add loads of images of your products.

Your basic Fan Page is now ready. Hit Publish This Page link (in red) on top to tell all your Facebook friends about it.

Don't forget to check out the Seller Handbook - all our how-tos about running your Etsy business!

Etsy's Trademark Guidelines

2009-05-19T14:45:00-05:00

Hi! This is SarahSays, Etsy's in-house legal counsel.

A little over a year ago we launched the Etsy Trademark Permissions Program. Since that time, dozens of Etsy members applied to use and were granted permission to use the Etsy marks in products, for free.

In an effort to further support and encourage ideas, services and tools that use and supplement the Etsy services while also protecting Etsy’s reputation and brand identity, Etsy is excited to introduce the Etsy Trademark Use Guidelines. We hope that these Guidelines will help Etsy members, Etsy Teams, and others refer to Etsy or our services without compromising the strength of our trademarks or our brand identity. Please note, these Guidelines are intended clarify Etsy’s existing policy; this is not a policy change.

The Guidelines consist of three parts: a general overview section, an examples section with specific and detailed explanations, and a section dedicated to the Etsy Trademark Permissions Program to request permission to use the Etsy mark.

The Guidelines only concern the use of Etsy’s intellectual property (for example, the term “Etsy”). For issues regarding any intellectual property which is not exclusively owned by Etsy, please refer to Etsy’s Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy.

We will be holding a Virtual Labs at 10:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, May 21, 2009 to answer any questions you may have regarding the Etsy Trademark Use Guidelines or the Etsy Trademark Permissions Program. I want to personally thank the community for your passion, your patience, and the creativity you bring to Etsy.

The Art of Pricing: Three Helpful Pricing Exercises

2009-04-16T15:00:00-05:00

How do you know if you're pricing your handmade work correctly? There's a lot of info out there, including right here in our Art of Pricing series. The trick is to keep learning and evolving, not only in your craft, but in your pricing strategies, too. I've put together three exercises to bring focus to your bottom line. These exercises are here to make you think about your pricing, hopefully they can help you create a formula that works for you. I hope they help you as you continue to work on pinning a value to your items.

Exercise 1: What's It Worth to You?

Imagine if you will, a complete stranger asks you to create an item (something you currently sell in your shop). That's not all, they want you to photograph, list and promote this item as well. Whew! "Is that all?" you ask. No, they have one more request: package that item, print a shipping label and drop it off at the post office. Now imagine they want you to do all this for the price you currently have this item listed for in your Etsy shop. Would you do it happily? Would you grumble? Would you deny this task altogether? Reality check: It's up to you to determine the value of your time and efforts. Make sure you take a step back from your work and your prices and look at it from all angles.

Exercise 2: Get to Know Your Customer

Close your eyes and think about the ideal person you would like shopping in your Etsy shop. How old are they? How do they dress? How much disposable income do they have? Do they shop online? What type of handmade items do they love? Now that you have a clear image of this shopper, ask yourself, "How much would this person spend on a unique item?" How do the prices in your shop compare? If this is a hard exercise for you to imagine, get a clipboard and hit the streets! Find someone who pops out to you as your ideal customer and ask them a few questions. Yes, I am instructing you to talk to strangers. Feeling shy? Get your local Etsy Team together to survey as a group.

P.S. If you are brave enough to do this, leave a comment below and let us know what happens!

Exercise 3: Number Cruncher

1. Decide what you would love your yearly gross sales to be.
2. Figure out how many items you make per week, and how many for an entire year.
3. Divide your gross sales goal by the number of items you can create. (For example, perhaps you work on your shop part time and you'd like to sell $12,000 worth of goods. If you make five items a week, your yearly total will be 240 items. Dividing $12,000 by 240 items would give you a $50 price point.)

This equation will give you a suggestive price. Keep in mind this is just an exercise, some items may be more and some less, depending on time and materials. Also, you (most likely) won't sell every item you make, but with this average amount as an indicator, you'll know if you're on your way to your yearly goal!

Have another pricing tip? Share it with the community in the comments below!

Want another opinion on these tips? Check out MagicJelly's forum post here.

P.S. These exercises were originally publised in the Etsy Success Mailing List. Sign up here to get helpful tips delivered to your inbox twice a week!

How to Make a Treasury: The Nuts and Bolts

2009-04-15T17:30:00-05:00

Have you ever wanted to choose the handpicked items on the home page of Etsy? Do you enjoy carefully selecting and arranging collections of wonderful things? If you’ve answered “yes” to either of those questions, then Etsy’s Treasury may quickly become your favorite feature. Below is a step-by-step how-to for snagging a Treasury list and creating your own collection of featured items.

Satisfy your inner curator — Treasury to the rescue! The Treasury is an ever-changing, member-curated shopping gallery of handpicked items. Members can feature their favorite items, items selected on a theme or just whatever they like. The Treasury is not intended for self-promotion, but instead to acknowledge and share the many cool things for sale on Etsy. Etsy’s staff (“Admin”) often choose whole or partial exceptional Treasury lists to promote to the featured, handpicked items on Etsy’s home page. Treasury lists are temporary and limited in number, so there is some competition involved in creating a list of your own.

This How to Make a Treasury guide was created to help you navigate the Treasury with ease, answer questions and perhaps show you some new tricks you might not have discovered on your own.

How to Get a List

Step 1: Enter the Treasury. (You can easily find the Treasury via the link on Etsy’s home page, under Explore on the left side menu.)

Step 2: Look in the upper left portion of your screen. Find the number of lists that are currently in the Treasury.

IF THAT NUMBER IS LESS THAN 333:
Step 3: Scroll to the bottom of the page. You will see a box at the bottom where you may type in the title for your Treasury list. Think carefully, this cannot be changed later. Read the Treasury terms, then click Create. Continue on to the other sections in this tutorial that show you how to fill your list with items.

IF THAT NUMBER IS MORE THAN 333:
The Treasury is full and will not allow you to create a new list. You must wait for enough lists to expire so the number falls below 333.
Step 1: Sort the lists by "expiration" (click on the "expiration" tab).
Step 2: Count backwards from the end to find out when the 333rd list will expire. Come back to the Treasury a few minutes before that list is set to expire and wait for it.
Step 3: As soon as you see the box appear at the bottom of your screen, click inside so that you see your cursor blinking. You should have a list. Now, type in your title, and you're ready to continue on to the other sections of this tutorial that show you how to fill your list with items.

With a limit on the lists, it can be tough to get one. Be patient, try again, and you're bound to get one eventually.

TIP: Go to the FAQ at the bottom of this tutorial to find more answers.

Welcome to the Treasury!

This is the screen you see when the box is available for you to type in your title.

You can see 16 lists at a time. When you see a list you might like to check out, simply click on the title.

You can sort lists by:

Hot: This sorts by popularity. Hotness is calculated by a special, secret formula of clicks, views, comments and other factors.
Title: This sorts by title, alphabetically.
Curator: This sorts by username of the person who created the list, alphabetically.
Expiration: This sorts by how many days/hours a list has before it expires (sorting by time, essentially).

Treasury lists are temporary and will generally expire two days after creation. Bonus time (up to 24 hours) may be randomly added to the lifetime of a list to help stagger the expiration of large batches of lists. New lists may only be created when the total number of lists drops below 333.

Starting With a Clean Slate

When you enter a title for your list at the bottom of the first screen, you will be taken to a page like this.

There are:

Places for your subtitle and location
12 empty slots to insert items
4 alternate slots for extra items
A place for comments
A direct URL link to your list. You can copy this URL (web address) and send it to your friends

Important things to note:

Only one Treasury list per person. Do not create lists with multiple accounts at the same time.
Etsy may, at times, promote whole or partial selections from a Treasury list to the home page.
This list will expire two days after creation. Bonus time (up to 24 hours) may be randomly added to the lifetime of your list.
Treasury is not intended for personal promotion. Please do not include more than one of your own items.
Your list can be edited as many times as you like.
All items in your list should be actively listed for sale, not already sold.
Your alternates are only visible to you, the curator.
If an item featured in your list sells, if will remain in your list. You may which to manually replace it with an alternate.

TIP: Use the Poster Sketch Tool to create a "test" list. See the FAQ at the bottom for more about using the Poster Sketch Tool.

Customize Your List: Edit the Subtitle

Not only do you get a title for your list, but you get a subtitle as well. You can do something like this:

Title: My top 12 list
Subtitle: things with numbers

Title: Color Me Bad
Subtitle: Red Items

Customize Your List: Edit Your Location

The default for the location is "somewhere special," which is very sweet.

But, should you want to say "Paris, France" or "from my backyard" you can choose to edit this area. You can also add a link to this text if you choose. So, you can link to your favorite coffee shop, your Etsy shop, your blog, your website, where ever you want.

Curate Your List: Adding Items

Before you can add an item to your Treasury list, you need to first locate the item’s listing ID number. When you’re viewing the item listing page, the listing ID is found in the URL (web address) of your browser window or in the side bar under “additional item info.”

To add the item to your Treasury list, click within the "listing id" blank box. When you find an item you like, copy the listing ID and then enter it into the listing ID field in your Treasury list and select "ok."

TIP: Open two browser windows when adding items to your list: one window with your Treasury list and one window to browse and select items. You can also copy and paste the entire URL (web address) for the listing page into the listing ID box on your Treasury list. The number will automatically be selected from the URL you pasted in.

Here is how a completed list looks to the curator. You are allowed twelve items + four alternate items. (More on alternates below.)

To reorganize your list, simply click and drag items around to different spots. Mix and match to make the best looking list possible.

Alternate Items

You can choose up to four additional items for your list, called “alternates.” These alternates will only be visible to you, the curator. You can choose to show/hide your alternate selections while creating your list. If an item from your list sells, you can move an alternate in to take its place. This does not happen automatically, so keep an eye on your lists. The alternates are a handy way to help you visually curate your list. If you have all sixteen items visible, you may want to mix and match a bit, or see that two items go better next to each other.

Alternates are only visible to the curator, and are shown at 50% opacity to indicate their inactivity. You can drag an item from "active" to "alternate" and vice versa. Alternates are also visible to Etsy Admin as they search through for great Treasury lists to promote to the handpicked items on home page of Etsy. Admin look for lists with alternates that don't repeat the same items or sellers. This makes the list nice and robust for the home page and gives the highest number of sellers a chance to be featured. When an item sells from the home page, the alternates will be used to replace those items.

Community Comments

People can leave comments on your Treasury lists. Hear what others have to say about your choices and comment right back! A great way to say why you like your favorites. Note: Comments are limited to a maximum of 44.

Seeing Stars

On the main Treasury index, you may occasionally see different colored stars by list titles. These stars have special meanings:

Blue stars: This indicates that you are the curator of the list
Gold stars: This indicates that one of your items is featured in a list (visible to the public)
Silver stars: This indicates that one of your items is an alternate in a list (visible only to the curator)

FAQ and Additional Info

Why doesn't the Treasury work?

If you are getting a black screen, simply click the black screen to start the loading process.
Try downloading the latest version of Flash
If the Treasury is running slow, it may be that your internet connection isn't powerful enough... sorry.

Why don't I see a place to create a list of my own?
Look at the bottom of the page. If there is a notice saying the Treasury is full right now, you need to come back later when the number of lists drops below 333. See the posts above for tips on getting a list of your own.

Why are there limits for the Treasury – 333 lists, one list per person?
These safety measures are in place to ensure that the Treasury does not crash. Embrace the decay! Wait for a list to expire, then pounce. The one list per person limit is to ensure that more people get the chance to make a list.

Why does it say the Treasury has more than 333 lists? I thought there was a limit of 333?
Sometimes people create lists at almost exactly the same time. The Treasury allows for some wiggle room, to be fair to the many people who patiently wait for the opportunity to appear to create a list. Everyone that sees the box and types in their title at the same time will get a list.

How can I get into more Treasuries?

Take fantastic photos. This is a good rule in general for selling online, but curators want to make their lists as beautiful as possible. Help yourself by taking clear photos.
Use your tags appropriately. Often, curators are looking to create themed lists. Be sure to use your listing tags for themes and colors.
Create unique and interesting products that stand out from the crowd.
Join an Etsy Team. Help to get the word out about Etsy and meet up with other Etsy members who share interests or live in your area. Often, Etsy Teams will come together to create Treasury lists of their members.

Can I prepare my list ahead of time to make it easier once I get a list?
Yes, there are a few methods for preparing a list in advance:

Use the Poster Sketch Tool, which is a feature that lets you create a “mock up” Treasury list.
Browse items on Etsy, and copy the listing ID numbers or URLs into a text document on your personal computer. Save that document, and when you've got a list, copy and paste those numbers into your Treasury list.

How do I save my Poster Sketch?
You don't need to! The Poster Sketch Tool will automatically save, and you will be able to see it again if you are using the same computer. Just make sure that you don't delete your flash cookies (these are different from your internet cookies).

Can I send my Poster Sketch to others?
Only you can see your Poster Sketch Tool. If you would like to send your Poster Sketch to anyone, take a screenshot of it and save it in a photo format.

This article is adapted from (and updated over time) the original Treasury guide written by Jen Bennett Gubicza of zuugoo.etsy.com, and published on the blog, etsytreasurydemo.blogspot.com.

You may also wish to read How to Make a Great Treasury List, which covers not so much the technical details, but more of the compositional techniques for making pretty lists and tips for making your items appealing for Treasury curators.

We have to close comments on this post because there are so many that the page is taking too long to load! Please continue the discussion in this Forum thread.

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 by 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

Shop Makeover Series: Feature Friendly Photos

2009-01-14T11:31:00-05:00

Want a few tips on getting your items featured? (...Not only by other Etsy community members curating their Treasuries, or Etsy Admin, but also all those bloggers featuring Etsy items?) Here are a few tips from the Shop Makeover Series to help make your photos and listings more appealing to curators everywhere!

1. Take Crisp, Clear Photos

Before and After by KreatedbyKelly

While this may be an obvious tip, it's still worth stating. Crisp, clean photos that show the details and texture of your work can make a world of difference. Make sure your photos are at least 430 pixels wide. (If they are smaller, Etsy will stretch them out to fit in your item listings and this will make them look blurry.) Here are a few great articles that can help you with photography. Put in the time to do some Photoshop touch up if you can't get a perfect exposure or lighting is tricky— it really counts! There are free tools now too, such as Piknik.

2. Keep it Simple

Before and After by KarensMonsters

Most featured items have very simple backgrounds that won't clash with the rest of the curated list or a curator's site. These types of backgrounds also make your work the star of the photo!

3. Angle & Crop

Before and After by lpdesigns

Before and After by idyllhands

Angles add depth and cropping adds a bit of intrigue; together these make for a detailed and eye-popping photo!

3b. Get Really Close

Before and After by InuInspirations

Look how "up close and personal" InuInspirations gets in this 'after' photo. I can immediately see how well made this item is, and in addition, it really makes me want to see more of the product! Experiment with the macro setting on your camera.

4. Steer Clear of Graphics & Text

Before and After by TatteredElegance

Aim for your photos to play well with others. Graphics will make your photos stand out in a way that may not complement the design aesthetic of neighboring items, or the design elements in the curator's own blog or site. Let your items speak for themselves in your item listing photos, especially the first thumbnail.

5. Take It to the Next Level with Background & Settings

PerlaAnne's final photo surely helped her get featured on Design*Sponge

A menagerie of your items in one photo (preferably NOT the first photo) can make it easy for a blogger to write about your work as a whole. (Make sure you note in your item description that this photo is to show a collection, and only one item is for sale.)

6. Live Models

Before and After by forthetiny

There's something about a living, breathing model (be that adult, baby or pet) that makes a product more relateable (and clickable!). Note in your description that the item is pictured in photo is just a sample (especially if you're selling something "intimate" like underwear). A great example from Hopeless says, "This item is made to order, you are not purchasing the item on the model."

On last example. This before and after incorporates a few things we love: model, natural light, cropping and simple backgrounds. Nice work rubypearl!

Thinking about making your item photos easier to feature? Send your before and after pics to our Etsy Shop Makeovers Flickr group.

Seller Handbook | Shop Makeover Series

Shop Makeover Series: Google PageRank Tips for Your Etsy Shop

2009-01-09T19:00:00-05:00

The following article on Google PageRank was originally written by Aprilrobin for TimothyAdamDesigns' blog (a great resource for Etsy sellers!).

I've seen the question so many times on the Etsy forums, "Why isn't my Etsy shop showing up in Google when I search for XYZ?" While that is actually a very complex question, in a nutshell: to get seen, you need to optimize your Etsy shop for Google and increase your "PageRank".

Google's PageRank is the designation from 1 - 10 of an algorithm that assesses how important your website is (10 being the most important). Here's the kicker: it’s machines making this determination. You may have heard these machines referred to as "spiders" or "robots". I prefer to think of them as robot spiders merely because it amuses me. These robot spiders crawl the web hunting for information and bring it back to the Googleplex. This is known as indexing. If your information is good and full of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), the robot spiders will come back often and give you a higher PageRank, therefore greatly increasing your chances of top search results.

PageRank for any website can easily be viewed by installing the Google's Toolbar. How do you get this PageRank?

If you search the web for SEO techniques you'll find plenty of them — too many. Unfortunately, a lot of the information you'll find is either not applicable to current versions of the algorithm, spam techniques, or not applicable to Etsy. Etsy is not the same as your regular personal website and I'm not going to suggest you obtain a personal website today either. Baby steps.

Inside Your Etsy Shop

The best thing you can do on Etsy is provide good titles and descriptions and use all of your tags. When writing your titles and descriptions, think of key terms. “Key terms” in this sense simply means that you are using descriptive language that includes words and terms buyers might use to find products like the ones in this listing.

If you were searching for items such as yours in Google, what kind of language would you use? Put yourself in the mind set of the searcher and write accordingly. Keep in mind that Google likes change. If you re-list the same items again and again, change your titles and descriptions up every once in a while. Try some slightly different verbiage and new key terms each time.

Outside of Your Etsy Shop

Link, link, link! As in, get people to link to you (inbound links/ IBL). To start, use links to your Etsy store in your signature on any blogs, forums or message boards you belong to.

One of the biggest factors in boosting your rank is inbound links from sites with a high PageRank. Not only is Google more likely to index these high ranked sites quickly and repeatedly, but you're more likely to get click though traffic to your site and more people linking to you. Site click through rate (the people following these IBL to visit your shop/CTR), is another important factor to determining your PageRank. Inbound links from a low ranked site won't necessarily hurt you, so don’t freak out on your friend for linking you from his low ranked site. Ignore reciprocal link services and engines that litter the web. These are spam and Google hates spam.

Relevant Links

There is some argument among web developers on the topic, but many, myself included, agree that your IBL should be “relevant” whenever possible. Relevant refers to the relevancy of your IBL to your store.
An example of relevant IBL: If your Etsy shop containing crocheted face scrubbies is linked to by a cage fighting website, Google is going to see that and be sort of “Ok, what the...?” If your Etsy shop containing crocheted face scrubbies is linked to by Martha Stewart, Google is going to see that and be all “WORD!” Your store is now associated with high-ranked information on crafts and handmade goods. You’re also bound to attract higher click through traffic. Consider how relevant IBLs are to your shop before investing time pursuing them or paying to advertise.

Hyperlinks

A hyperlink is when you use words to link to your Etsy store instead of graphics, or in addition to graphics. Remember, the robot spiders can’t see pictures, so do not rely solely on graphics when you link to your shop. Use descriptive key terms in your hyperlinks. Creating a link to your shop that says “buy handmade crocheted face scrubbies” is going to be more valuable than a link that‘s your shop’s name. “Daisydoodle’s Boutique” might be the perfect shop name for you, but how the heck is Google supposed to figure out that has anything to do with handmade crocheted face scrubbies?

Tips

1. Don't try to trick Google.
Google’s main purpose is to weed out spam and garbage content and organize legitimate content. Google also carries a grudge. Even though we’re dealing with robot spiders here, they’re a lot smarter than you may think. Filling descriptions and links with nothing but irrelevant key words and trash can get you on the blacklist or “sandboxed”.

2. Be realistic and don't obsess.
Get this through your head right now. Say it out loud… “I WILL NEVER RANK A 10”. Say it again and believe it. PageRank is global compared to all other websites in the world. At the time I’m writing this, Etsy’s homepage has a PageRank of 7 and Amazon ranks a 9. Those would have to be some very magical face scrubbies for your shop to have a PageRank like that!

Find other Etsy shops to look up to and compare yourself to those. Figure out what it is that they’re doing right. Your ultimate goal might be a 4. That’s completely OK and likely very appropriate. As part of my business — I run very popular statewide real estate websites — if I can rank a 5, I’m over the moon.

3. Be patient.

New shops might take a while to be indexed at all and jumping an entire number is an enormous job.
Keep up with ethical SEO: write organically, be thoughtful, network for relative IBL, DO NOT SPAM, and in time you’ll get there. The cream always rises to the top.

4. Keep your eye on PageRanks.

Download Google's Toolbar to find out the PageRank of any site your browsing (including your own!) Learn more about this here.

Seller Handbook | Shop Makeover Series

Crafting + Activism with Betsy Greer

2008-12-19T16:00:00-05:00

To keep the spirit of the season in perspective, we invited Betsy Greer, author of Knitting for Good! and founder of Craftivism.com to engage in a little Q & A on the topic of changing your life and your world one stitch at a time. Her coinage of the word "craftivism" and the movement it represents inspired this very section of the Etsy blog!

Please introduce yourself and talk a bit about your blog and book.
I'm an overly curious dilettante who is always asking questions and
looking for new adventures. For the past 4 years, I've been writing about craftivism, the place where craft and activism connect, from a cultural perspective. The nerdy stuff began in 2004 when I wrote my master's dissertation on knitting, punk/DIY culture and community.

Craftivism.com started out as a sociology project: What happens when you create a theory/idea using a new word and don't tell anyone about it? Who finds you? Why? I'm so happy to see that so many people also feel that used in tandem, craft and activism can be incredibly strong and powerful.

The main message of the book, Knitting for Good!, is that craft can change yourself, your community and your world. It was written for people who want to get more from their crafting than solely product or sales. I hope that it will encourage readers to expand their own thoughts about what their two hands can make and do.

Can you talk about the inspiration for the book and how it came together?
In late 2006, I was contacted by Shambhala Publications about the possibility of writing a book for their new creativity imprint, Trumpeter. Jennifer Brown, my editor, (who knitted the globe on the cover) was interested in a project that would show where craft could take you... if you let it. We agreed that there needed to be more out in print about the driving forces behind crafts, instead of just craft itself.

I was lucky to have the opportunity to explore where I wanted to go with the text, which includes some sidebars by some of my favorite crafters, makers and thinkers. It was lovely to share some of the dialog I've been having with people, in their own words. The main inspiration was to excite people about craft in deeper ways. We hear all the time about all the cool things we can make, but we don't always hear a lot about how craft can be a catalyst for change.

I had a vision of the intended reader being someone who wondered, "So I know how to knit. I know lots of patterns. Now what do I do with it?" That being said, there are 9 knitting patterns by talented designers in the book, all examples of items you can make for charity, we just didn't want the patterns to be the book's focus.

Can you give an example of an unexpected use of craft for good?
One favorite project I discovered while writing the book was Naomi Dagen Bloom's condom amulets. After discovering that women over 50 were contracting HIV at an alarming rate, Naomi decided something should be done. She made patterns of necklaces that had a place to hold a condom. Not only were they created to promote safer sex, by turning them into jewelry, they were a starting point of conversation.

She has really helped spread the word about the rising illness rate of a demographic people don't often associate with HIV/AIDS, older women, who are often seen as non-sexual entities instead of sensual individuals. I love how Naomi discovered a need for education and then filled that need in such a way that conversation about the issue naturally flows from the crafted item.

How do you plan to give back this holiday season?
This season I've been working on some newborn infant caps to donate to the local hospital, and participated in The Chicago Sun-Times Season of Sharing program.

I also bought handmade gifts for many people on my holiday gift list, buying from local artisans and businesses. (I wish I could buy everyone handmade, but we still have a ways to go before everyone starts to realize that craft does not equal crap, the way that some people still have the idea that making a gift for someone is not as good as buying from the mall.)

[Baby hat by Uproar. Proceeds from the purchase of the yarn went to safe shelter, education, and health care for the women of Nepal.]

As such a stigma about handmade exists, I've been really excited to have the chance to talk to people of varying demographics about the significance and strength of craft! The book has allowed me into conversations I would have otherwise never had. It's my hope that through dialog some people's opinions have changed regarding craft. In a perfect world, people looking for gifts for others would immediately think of a local store or artisan rather than Amazon or Wal-Mart.

[Handspun Suffragette Yarn by WeirdAndTwisted. Donations to Terre de Femmes.]

How can people integrate craftivism into their everyday lives?
Finding something that you're passionate about is a very good first step into activism. It may be craft, it may be soccer, or fishing. If it is craft, then craftivism is something you should look into! If it's fishing, you can take the tenets in the book to apply them to your situation, it just may need a different name?

After you've discovered what makes your heart sing, you can the brainstorm ways you can use it to connect with others and make positive change. One of the nice things about craftivism is that it's based in the idea that one small act can have an enormous impact. For example, if you knit a hat for a homeless shelter, it will go to someone who was previously hatless. You are not only showing them that they are worthy of handmade objects and that someone cares for their welfare, you are also helping make their life a little better in an instant.

[Hand-dyed yarn by Sanguinaria. Donations to a girl's summer camp in Maine.]

Another thing that I think is imperative is to really start opening yourself up to where you live. There are so many things going on in our own lives that strangers often become blurs in our peripheral vision. In order to help make your environment better, you need to start paying attention to its needs, both immediate and long-term. Make eye contact with the homeless man that asks for change, acknowledge his presence, don't just avert your eyes; bake dinner for your neighbor that just got home from the hospital; offer your crafty knowledge and volunteer to teach art classes when the arts funding is cut. We tend to get so into our own little bubbles and shy away from what others around us are going through that we become disconnected from our community and our world, not to mention our own whims and desires. By starting out small and opening your eyes to what's happening around you, you are more apt to see what voids you can fill.

[Photo by localcolorist, who makes paper cranes for peace.]

Once you truly understand that your actions really do make a difference, then in many ways everything you do is a craftivist act. At the end of the day, craftivism is about turning two culturally negated words into something positive that helps towards the greater good. The hard part is finding that place between the vastness of the planet and how you as one person with your specific talents can help. It may take some seeking, but it's worth it.

Anything else you'd like to share?
I'd like to challenge people to learn a new craft in this upcoming year. And then once you've learned it, find new ways to use it to help yourself, your community and your world. In learning from scratch, you allow yourself to make mistakes and explore, something you might not necessarily be able to do in a craft or hobby you've participated in for years. By picking up something new we can begin to not only increase our skillsets, but we can live our lives in a more creative manner by giving ourselves license to discover and question.

Please share your craftivism projects in the comments below!

Tech Updates: New Tools for Flagging

2008-11-19T15:00:00-05:00

Today we released an update which will make it easier to flag an item on Etsy. If you notice an item listing that violates Etsy's site policies, you can "flag" it to notify the Etsy Support admin who work on Content. Previously, the "Report this item to Etsy" link would lead you to contact Support by email; now the link leads to a simple form you can fill out and submit right on Etsy.

If you're new to flagging, here are some FAQs:

What is flagging? How do I flag an item?
If you find an item on Etsy which appears to violate the DOs & DON'Ts or Terms of Use, you can bring it to the attention of Etsy's staff by clicking "Report this item to Etsy" in the right sidebar on the listing page. Just complete the simple form by selecting a reason and adding any additional information in the message field.

What happens when I flag an item?
Etsy admin review every flagged item. If the item appears to violate Etsy's policies, admin will contact the seller by email. In extreme cases the item may be removed from the site immediately. Flagging is confidential; only Etsy's staff will know who flagged an item.

Oops, I flagged an item by accident! Can do I undo it?
There isn't a way to undo a flag, but don't worry, each flag is reviewed by a human being. If you flagged an item in error, it will be cleared when the Content admin reviews the shop.

Will I know right away if one of my items gets flagged?
Etsy admin review each flag before notifying the seller. You will only be contacted if there is something you need to change about the listing or if Etsy's staff have questions about the item or shop. If you do get an email from Content, it's important to respond promptly so the issue can be resolved quickly. Etsy admin will email you at the address on file in your account information (Your Etsy > Account Info), so be sure that info is up-to-date.

What else do I need to know about flagging?
You can read more about the people who work on Content here at Etsy in this previous Storque article: Meet the Content Folks on the Support Team. You may also want to familiarize yourself with Etsy's policies for flagging from the DOs & DON'Ts.

All about Etsy FAQ Series| TechUpdates | Help

Seller How-to: PayPal Coming to Etsy Virtual Labs!

2008-11-13T11:00:00-05:00

blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

UPDATE: Please download the PDF file so you can follow along with this audio podcast of Deb Popek's Paypal Virtual Lab. It's a very thorough resource for sellers who use Paypal. Thanks for listening and thanks to Deb for doing this! Below, we've typed up some highlights from the talk as well as some other tips Deb shared with us while visiting the Etsy Labs.

Web Accept Express (WAX Payment): Paying with a credit card without a PayPal account
Sellers have the option to offer the WAX payment through their PayPal account settings. There are spending limitations for buyers who use WAX. The spending limit follows the specific credit card they selected to use for a period of four months. At the end of the four month period, the limit will be reset to the standard pre-verified (by PayPal) spending limit. The buyer may use a different card, which will have it's own four month period and spending criteria.

PayPal Mobile: Manage your business by phone
* Check balance
* Send and request money
* Buy things from mobile websites

PayPal Shipping Labels: A convenient service for Etsy-sized businesses
* Create postage-paid shipping labels in just minutes
* Pay for shipping and insurance with your PayPal account, with no monthly fees or surcharges
* Create and print a pre-filled packing slip, detailing what you are shipping to your buyer
* Ship internationally with PayPal-provided Customs forms
* Track and confirm the arrival of your shipments with delivery confirmation
* Void your shipping label and get a refund for misprinted labels canceled within 24 hours
* Print multiple U.S. Postal Service labels at once with MultiOrder Shipping

Benefits of using PayPal:
* Free for Buyers
* Fast
* Financial information is kept private
* Payments are deposited instantly
* Seller Protection Policy
* Transfer money from PayPal account to bank accounts
* Fraud prevention protection

Business or Premier Account?
Both accounts offer all of the following services with the Business account offering one additional feature: Multi-user access.

* Send money
* 24-hour fraud surveillance
* Customer Service availability
* eBay Tools
* Merchant Services
* Accept credit or debit cards
* PayPal Debit Card

Fight Phishing Emails:
PayPal is working with Iconix eMail ID, which can reduce phishing by confirming whether or not an email is really from Paypal. It's FREE, and it works with most major email services. More information: http://www.iconix.com/paypal/

PayPal Resources:

Merchant Support
1-888-221-1161

Merchant Tech Services
paypal.com/mts

PayPal Radio
paypal.com/paypalradio

Online Merchant Network
onlinemerchantnetwork.com

PayPal Blog
thepaypalblog.com

[the following was originally published on October 30th, 2008]

Dear Sellers,

We are very excited to announce that PayPal customer service representative Deb Popek will be hosting a live Virtual Lab on November 6, 2008 at 3PM EDT. She is here to answer your questions and walk us through some of the features and tools that PayPal offers.

A few of the topics she plans to cover include:

1. The benefits of using PayPal

2. Survey results

3. Premier/business accounts vs. personal accounts

4. Maximizing your global footprint/new world marketing

5. PayPal account settings and security

6. The many ways to send/receive payments

5. WAX (Web Accept Express) payments, i.e. using a credit card to pay without a PayPal account

6. A review of PayPal resources

This is also a unique opportunity to get your PayPal questions answered directly by an expert. Please bring your queries to the Virtual Labs, or better yet list, them in the comments below!