Search results (tags) for: "sections"

Shop Makeover Series: Broaden Your Target Audience with Tiered Product Lines

2009-01-15T16:30:00-04:00

Hey there shop owners!

A popular strategy for maximizing traffic and sales in your shop includes broadening your target audience. Think about your niche — if your items have a distinctive brand or style, you can extend what you make in order to start inviting new types of purchases. Consider the items you offer in terms of their "giftability" and the different price points or "lines" you are offering.

Items as Gifts: Picture the types of people for whom your customer would buy gifts. Everyone has their loved ones, family members, best friends, casual friends, office-mates, etc. While you might want to offer a pricier, more involved item for the people closer to your customers' lives, you can also have the smaller, more affordable gifts, perfect for casual friends. Some sellers find that once a shopper buys a smaller item, she may support your store again — as a happy returning customer, perhaps spending more money because she trusts your craftsmanship and has enjoyed her interaction with you.
Ongoing Celebrations: There are so many events throughout the year that are great for gift giving, including anniversaries, birthdays, baby showers, weddings, housewarmings and hostess gifts. Think about these types of celebrations and the types of items you may be able to make and market for the type of person who may be receiving the gift. Get creative!
Seasonal Lines: Don't forget the bigger year round gifting holidays such as Valentine's Day and Winter Holidays; having a small seasonal product line that would fit well with these holidays will also help you get a leg up on maximizing your traffic. You don't have to add hearts and snowmen to your items if they have nothing to do with those holidays, but you can consider marketing your items as seasonal gifts. Changing of the vignettes and colors of your listings' photography could add that special connection point for shoppers.
Item Lines: Introducing a new line or series of lines to your shop with different price points can open up a new audience to your shop. Please have a look at our articles with our best tips, strategies, and the benefits of introducing tiered pricing and trying out a new line in your shop.

Sellers, have you noticed any tiered product lines like this working for your shop? Share in the comments below to let us know what did or didn't work through your experiences.

And if you're participating in the Shop Makeover Series, post a link to your before and after shots! Check out the Etsy Shop Makeover Flickr pool here.

Seller Handbook | Shop Makeover Series

Seller How-to: Guiding Buyers with Shop Sections

2008-11-12T12:00:00-04:00

So sellers: you've stocked your shop with holiday goodies, you've taken great photos, you've cleared your calendar, and you are ready for the holiday stampede. Your shop looks fly, and you need your customers to look at more than just your cute featured items. Enter shop sections. Help your customers hone in on what they need, and make it easy for them to cross off each item on their holiday shopping lists. This is the time of year when we shoppers are super organized.

Organize by Shipping
Recent featured seller topsyturvydesign has a great way to get her customers looking at crafts that will ship to suit their holiday needs. This is especially excellent for the nearing Thanksgiving holiday, since she has made it easy for customers to look at the hats that will get to them on time.

Organize by Size
Another great use of the Shop Sections is to organize by size. As a shopper, I am so grateful when I can go right to the clothes, rings or shoes that fit me. This is great even for totes and bags, as it can be difficult to gauge size from a photo unless there is a scale reference. Small, medium and large is an economical way to use your shop sections, as you can create up to ten.

Organize by Price
Bath and body sellers, or other sellers that make use of gift baskets or groupings, can get a lot of mileage from using their shop sections to organize by basket and price. During the holidays, many shoppers have a budget that they have in mind for each one of their special people. For example, if I know that I'd like a luxurious bath basket for my mom, I am chuffed when I can use a shop section to go directly to: Gift Basket 70-100 dollars. And for my cousin? Gift Basket 30-50 dollars. Perfect. Check out this how-to on bundling items. For more info on pricing, see the Art of Pricing series.

You might also find this how-to, about introducing a new line, useful.

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

Comment below if you've used these techniques and seen the effects! Shoppers, do you like to shop with sections?

Tech Updates: Placing Items in Sections During the Listing Process!

2008-07-07T12:39:00-04:00

Dear Sellers,

You asked for it, and now it's here! We've just integrated the step of placing an item in your shop sections into the listing process. No more annoying extra step after you are finished, and no more forgetting once an item is listed.

Here's a screen shot of what it looks like during step 3 of the listing process:

If you still have items that are not listed in sections, you can manually add and edit them the exact same way as before by clicking on the "sections" link in Your Etsy. Now would be the perfect time to list a brand spankin' new item to test out this great new feature! There have been several related requests that items be allowed in more than one shop section at a time. This is a feature we are still researching, but is not on the list of priorities at this time.

Again, thanks so much for all of your continued feedback and suggestions! We appreciate it. Here's an article with some ways to use your shop sections.

Forum Decorum: More Sections for your Posting Pleasure!

2008-04-10T10:39:00-04:00

Stellaloella may love the library, but I get stoked whenever a grocery store starts to renovate. You know how it goes: when the changes are all done, the produce is still just inside the door, the eggs, milk and beer are still near one of the far walls, and the grumpy guy who can pick out the best cuts of meat for you is still going to be at the back. The basics need to stay the same, because you don't want anyone wandering into the grocery store and then throwing a fit when they can't find the carrots at the usual spot.

So what actually changes? From what I've seen, what gets added are always pretty specific additions that these grocery stores think you're going to make use of. Fairly specific stuff like prepared food sections, more space for "gourmet" items or the weird little olive bar. In any case, their focus is narrower than your typical "baking aisle."

That's how the new additions to the Etsy Forums work. We've provided a little tighter focus on some specific topics so that you'll be able to find the information you're looking for (both by reading and posting) quicker than before. So what goes in what Forum now? I'm glad you asked! It's important to get the right topics in the right places so that no one has a "where's my carrots?!" moment; important enough that we wrote "Do keep your posts on-topic and in the appropriate section of the forums" in our rules.

Admin are here to help, too. We regularly look through the Forums (often based on tips from the community) and move threads to their proper locations as we happen upon them. However, it saves us time and is easiest for our wonderful and information-hungry community when you start by posting threads in the correct places. To help you do that, check out this updated outline of where to post some of the most common topics on the Forums:

Site Help
not sure of how to use something on Etsy? Ask the community and Etsy staff

questions about how to use the site
questions about site features
questions about site policy

Business & Marketing
the ins and outs, ups and downs of being an independent business owner

advice/questions about marketing a shop or successful selling
advice/questions about running a shop
advice/questions about running a business
threads about PayPal issues

Critiques
give and receive specific advice about your shop

critiques on:
- Etsy shops
- items
- banners
- avatars
- listings (descriptions, titles, photographs, etc.)
- shop policies

Techniques & Materials
share and seek advice about creating items

photography questions
crafting how-to help
questions about any material or tool

Teams & Events
connecting people locally and globally

"anyone from (location)?" threads
street team discussions
blog threads specific to street teams only
threads discussing street team sales/promotions/ contests
collaborative art projects
craft fair or local crafty event announcements

Ideas
have a way to make Etsy better? let us know!

suggestions for new features
discussions of changes to the site
sometimes Admin announcements go here (unless they fit in better elsewhere)

Bugs
if you've found a glitch in the site, please report it here

reporting technical glitches
downtime notices from Admin (also posted in The Storque 's TechUpdates)

Promotions
looking to shop, promote yourself or a favorite seller? post here

"show me your..."
"I'm looking to buy..."
anything that is advertising or promotion
sales threads for street team promotions
sharing your Treasuries, favorite shops or recent purchases
requests for promo items for goodie bags, giveaways, etc
blogs/blog entries highlighting specific items or shops
milestones in number of sales, hearts or views

Etc.
if it doesn't fit in another forum, it belongs here

anything goes in Etc (unless it fits in one of the above sections)
socializing
other threads about blogs
off-Etsy networking (via MySpace, Flickr, personal websites, etc.)
off-Etsy critiques (blogs, personal websites, etc.)
NOT your diary entries

These are the guidelines that we're now using in moving threads, but we know that some threads don't quite fit any of the above. We'll use our best judgment in those cases to determine whether or not anything needs to be moved. We hope this update will help to keep things organized across the sections of the Forums, and can prevent you from having any carrot freakout moments of your own!

Discuss this article on the Forums, in this companion thread: Forum Decorum: Where to Post What.

Tech Updates: Forum Remodeling

2008-02-18T15:00:00-04:00

We've noticed there has been a lot of huddling, crowding and just general congestion in the Forums lately. With all the new buyers and sellers (about 2,200 a day!) there just doesn't seem to be enough room to fit us all comfortably. Good discussions are being buried faster than you can sew a button on a plushie. We've come up with the first of a few changes to help keep conversations flowing (versus overflowing).

Today you'll see three new sections (Critiques, Business & Marketing, Techniques & Materials) and some revised descriptions so we can keep everything as organized and comprehensible as possible. We also have some staffing changes in the Forums happening today also (it seemed like good timing).

I'd also like to introduce myself (Daniellexo) as the new Forum conductor. A bit about myself: I started working for Etsy after being a dedicated member of the community as a seller. I ran two street teams and sold my work on Etsy full-time for nearly a year. I started teaching at the Etsy Labs and came to know a few Admin and I loved what they were doing for artist and crafts(wo)men. I wanted to become more involved because not only do I believe in their vision, I believe that the community of people they bring together can make a big change in the world. I'm very excited about this new role. My goals are to create a forum that allows us all to be heard and to facilitate discussions that can shape the future of our creative community. Oh, and I like to use a lot of brackets and exclamation points!

I'm going to need a lot of help, so joining me in this task is our faithful nightowl (who many of you already know) RobWhite and the ever-delightful MaryMary. Rob White has been a forum moderator for a while now and he'll keep working hard to make your nights on the Etsy Forums fun and orderly! (Perhaps he'll share a cookie recipe with you and melt your heart with its deliciousness.) Mary, while she has been active in the Forums since day one, will now be moderating full-time. Mary has a passion for the community and a cheeriness that makes everyone adore her. She loves to share her top-seller skills and make us laugh at the same time. Mary also runs the Virtual Labs, a place for chat, online workshops, critiques (and much more to come)! So look for us on the Forums and in the Virtual Labs! We'll meet you over there!

So, now you may be wondering, "What about Stella?" Lauren (stellaloella), who has been overseeing the Forums for the past year, will be taking on some big behind-the-scenes projects and getting Etsy's Help section whipped into shape. (Stay tuned to the Storque for more news on that front later this year.) Lauren will still be around and in the Forums occasionally — but trying to manage large-scale projects while tending to the Forums full-time is a bit like being interrupted by your telephone ringing every ten minutes. Mary and RobWhite and I are answering the call to give Lauren the chance to focus on some long-overdue initiatives. (You can still send her a Convo to say "hi" or ask a question once in a while!)

If you have any other concerns or questions about these changes feel free to contact me, MaryMary or RobWhite. Remember the open door policy from high school? We're totally into it. Our convo doors are always open, so come on in and take a seat. Care for a Werther's?

"xo",
Danielle

PS. We've included some Q&A below, but if you have more questions or comments please join us in this forum thread.

FAQs

What will the sections be?

Site Help not sure of how to use something on Etsy? Ask the community and Etsy staff
Bugs if you've found a glitch in the site, please report it here
Business & Marketing the ins and outs, ups and downs of being an independent business owner
Critiques give and receive specific advice about your shop and items
Techniques & Materials share and seek advice about creating items
Teams & Events connecting people locally and globally
Promotions looking to shop? promote yourself or favorite seller? post here
Ideas have a way to make the site better? let us know!
Etc if it doesn't fit in another Forum section, it belongs here

Why do we need new sections?
More sections in the Forums will allow us to stretch our legs a bit. Get a little more relaxed. More topics will be seen by those who might want to find them. Questions can get answered instead of buried. Hopefully we can discuss with each other tips and tricks for marketing, photography, how-tos, crafting or art tips and more in the new sections.

What about the Promotions section? My promotions always get buried!
Mary and I are working on a plan to help promote your sales. We want to talk about it with you soon, but first we have to make sure its "do-able." So stay tuned!

Now there are threads in the wrong places, what's up with that?
I may take us a little while to get all the threads from the former Crafting & Business section moved to the three new sections (Critiques, Business & Marketing, Techniques & Materials). If you see an active thread that needs to be moved, feel free to send us an email at community@etsy.com to let us know.

Can we have stickies or a section for Admin posts only, so I can see what Admin are saying?
We've heard this request. Right now we want to steer everyone to the Storque for Etsy updates. We want to keep the Forums open for discussion between the community — including Admin, buyers, and sellers alike. The Forums aren't a place where policies should be made (because not all of the community is active in the Forums), the Forums should be a place for open discussions about how to make Etsy a better place and help each other grow. All important Admin announcements will be posted in the Storque's Etsy News section (we promise). And if something unclear or important comes from an Admin on the Forums and you feel it's something the entire community should know about, send us a convo and we'll probably write a Storque article about it. We know you still want to hear what we have to say in certain threads, so we're brainstorming a new way to highlight Admin posts (or even posts by your favorite Etsy member!).

Where did the chat rooms go?
The chat rooms are still here! They're just not linked at the top of the main forum page. You can find them on the Community landing page, which is a more prominent location on the site.

Is this the "big change" for the Forums everyone keeps talking about?
This is the first in a series of "upgrades." More to come — but we thought this mini-remodeling effort was a needed one for the time being.

Shop Makeover Series: Introducing a New Line

2008-01-14T13:10:00-04:00

As part of our Shop Makeover series, we're sharing some tips and tricks for organizing your shop. You can think of this as introducing a new line or just using the sections function of your shop to better entice customers.

One of the fastest ways to give your shop a makeover for the New Year is to create and introduce a new line in your shop. You can create a new look and line by utilizing these handy steps:

Change and reorganize your shop sections.

You can get creative with the names of your sections, but remember that your customer should be able to intuitively and easily navigate your shop without being confused by section names that are too abstract.
Organizing and naming your sections by category, function, size, shape, color, price, style, gender, age, etc. are all great ways to help your buyers navigate your store; just remember to name and organize in a cohesive theme that your shoppers will understand.
An interesting way to make your sections stand out is by manipulating the text. Changing the names of your sections to all capital letters or putting a space between each letter of the section names will make them stand out from the crowd.

Offering a new design or upgrade a previous line with new price points.

Been itching to create a new design? Now is the perfect time to make one and coin it your “New Line for the New Year!” Surprise your shoppers with something fresh to look at and keep them coming back to see what new designs you'll come up with next!
A new line could be a variation on a current design or even something as simple as offering your best sellers in new colors. If you offer a lot of items within one style or medium, try coming up with a new item using the same medium and style but with a new twist or function!
Try introducing a new line of items that are at a different price point than the rest of your items. For example, if you make a lot of high-end items with pricier price tags, try introducing a smaller scale (that still fits in with your current line) line of items with a lower price point to match. The same goes if you tend to make and sell things at the lower price end of the price spectrum; go ahead and make a few more exclusive items. Different and varied prices can attract a new range of buyers. Someone who buys small at first is likely to come back and buy more higher priced items once you have built that initial trust during the first transaction (for more on this see Beth's pricing series).

We can't wait to see your new lines and sections! And don't forget to check out the other posts in this Shop Makeover series. Please comment below if you have questions and tips of your own.

Remember to take your before and after screenshots. Upload them to flickr and share the link here. At the end of the month, we'll be choosing the most radical Shop Makeover success stories!

Forum Decorum: Order in the Forums!

2007-11-15T07:15:00-04:00

I love the library. I love how organized everything is within a strict system of numbers, codes, subjects and alphabetical order. Whether it's the Dewey Decimal or Library of Congress system - either way, everything has a very specific spot in the library where I know I'll find exactly what I'm looking for every time. Hooray for order! If only all of life were so organized, huh?

I'm always disoriented when I first walk into a bookstore, because it's so very much not like the library. Books are arranged by generalized topics and hardly ever in alphabetical order. Sure, there's a loose system, but not a carefully mapped coordinate for each and every thing. It takes some browsing and flexibility to find what I'm seeking, but along the way I often find many other interesting things in the mix.

The Etsy Forums are definitely more like a bookstore than a rigidly organized library. That said, we do have different general sections for different types of threads. And like our rules say, "Do keep your posts on-topic and in the appropriate section of the forums." It's important to keep some semblance of order.

As Admin, we will move threads to the sections where they fit best. However, it saves us a lot of time and your fellow community members a lot of confusion if you post your topic in the right place from the get-go. So to help everyone understand where to post what, below is a rough outline of the most common types of threads for each section of the Forums.

Site Help
have a question about the site? ask the community and Etsy staff

questions about how to use the site
questions about site features
questions about site policy

Ideas
have a way to make Etsy better? let us know!

suggestions for new features
discussions of changes to the site
sometimes Admin announcements go here (unless they fit in better elsewhere)

Bugs
if you've found a glitch in the site, please report it here

reporting technical glitches
downtime notices from Admin (also posted in The Storque 's TechUpdates)

Crafting & Business
share and seek advice about creating items and running a shop

advice/questions about marketing a shop or successful selling
advice/questions about running a shop
advice/questions about running a business
requests for promo items for goodie bags, giveaways, etc
threads about PayPal issues
shipping and postage discussions
photography questions
crafting how-to help
shop critiques

Etsy Teams
connecting people locally and globally, while getting the word out

"anyone from (location)?" threads
street team discussions
blog threads specific to street teams only
threads discussing street team sales/promotions/ contests
collaborative art projects
craft fair or local crafty event announcements

Promotions
having a sale? looking to shop? post here!

"show me your..."
"I'm looking to buy..."
Alchemy-type requests for custom items
anything that is advertising or promotion
sales threads for street team promotions
sharing your favorite shops or recent purchases

Etc.
if it doesn't fit in another forum, it belongs here

anything goes in Etc (unless it fits in one of the above sections)
socializing
threads about blogs
NOT your diary entries

Please note that these are not hard and fast rules, and often there will be threads that still don't quite fit. We use our best judgment if/when moving those. We hope this will help the whole community by keeping the Forums more organized and user-friendly.

An extra tip for this week: Make sure the title of your thread clearly describes the subject. This way people will know at a glance if it's a topic they're interested in reading.

In the Forum Decorum series, Lauren (stellaloella) and RobWhite of the Community team explain some of the finer points of cultural etiquette in Etsy's community spaces. When something is an official site rule, we'll be sure to link you up to the DOs and DON'Ts or Terms of Use. Simply consider these as tips for avoiding a forum faux pas.