Search results (tags) for: "tips"

Business Growth: Separate Your Personal and Business Finances

2009-12-17T11:10:00-05:00

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.

2010 is almost here. How can you improve your business operations? One simple yet incredibly important financial step you can take is to separate your personal and business bank accounts. No more comingling of accounts, no more gray area, no more personal checks for business expenses.

Back in 2006, around tax time, I remember it taking me three days' worth of effort to separate my Quicken report into personal and business expenses. Opening a second bank account is pretty easy and, even better, free. Okay, so you have to buy checks. But the time it will take you to separate data “after the fact” is ugly. Think of it as time that you could be using to sell or make your services or products.

Photo by WhimsyHouse

When Your Business is More than Just a Hobby

When you’re first starting out, it makes no sense to go overboard with new accounts or a dedicated credit card. It’s just a hobby, right? Wrong! Sales will start rolling in, and before you know it you'll have orders to fill and more raw materials to purchase. Suddenly, you need a website, an accountant, business cards and more supplies –- you even buy ad space on a few key websites. Do yourself a favor and open a bank account specifically for your business expenses.

Yelena McManaman, social media marketing specialist and founder of 1Click VA, knew it was time to make her move when she and her husband were buying an apartment. Her business was already generating steady income, but she hadn’t yet set up a separate business account – all her earnings went into the family account and expenses were charged to her personal credit card. So when the agent asked McManaman to verify her income, she couldn’t. There was no proof of cash flow. Whoops. “That’s when I realized that having a separate business account was not only good for my business, but essential for getting any type of financing deals in the future,” she says.

Clearly, at some point it pays to separate your personal finances from your business finances. But how do you know what to do and when to do it?

You know it’s time when…

You’re not sure how much money is going in or out. Budgeting is overwhelming. Costs are rising, and you're losing track of receivables (cash that's owed to you that you haven't collected). You know you “should” be earning more based on sales volume. In practice, you still can't make ends meet and you never seem to have enough cash in the bank. You wish you could run reports (expenses, income), but you can't access the data (because it's all mixed together).

Photo by mamaroots

A few ideas on what to do…

Set up a second checking account. Use your business name and Employer Identification Number (EIN) on the account — do NOT make it a second personal account. If you don’t have an EIN, you can apply for one online on the IRS website. Make it your business bank account. Get a separate credit card. Concerned about running up debt? Please, be concerned. If you’re sweating a second credit card, get a debit or prepaid card instead. But get a card to manage all expenses like website hosting and PayPal transactions. Remember: A credit card is free as long as you pay off the balance every month, and there are plenty of cards out there with no annual membership fees. Deposit all of your sales income into your business account. Technically, all profits are your earnings and you have to pay taxes on the profits. But that doesn't mean you should always take all of the profits from your business account. Put yourself on a fixed “draw” to make sure there’s operating money in the account and budget accordingly.

Set a goal to hire a bookkeeper with Quickbooks expertise. Or hire a bookkeeping service (cheaper than an employee in the beginning). Request monthly profit-and-loss statements. You need real data to understand which areas of your business are performing well – and which aren’t.

For Kate Lister, founder of Undress4Success.com and author of Undress For Success: The Naked Truth About Making Money at Home, the defining moment came when she was line-item audited by the IRS. Among the issues were credit card membership fees, if the card was used for both business and personal expenses. “In the end, they owed me money,” Lister says. “But it wasn’t enough to pay the $2,500 it cost me to defend my innocence.” Since then, she has started three successful businesses — and become religious about keeping separate accounts.

By separating your accounts, your personal financial choices (good or bad) can’t affect your business — and vice versa. You'll also find you have better control and far more sanity when it comes to your finances.

Get more financial tips like this by signing up for DailyWorth.com, a free daily email about personal finance for women.

Find More Tips for Running your Shop in Etsy's Seller Handbook.

From Etsy's Merchandising Desk: January Beginnings

2009-12-07T15:23:00-05:00

It's that time again, and those of us behind the scenes at Etsy would like to share our merchandising plans for January. As we continue to plan Etsy’s calendar for the year ahead with thematic merchandising, we will be incorporating many of the concepts you shared in response to December's report and continue to welcome your input. It is our goal to create a healthy balance between promotions for traditional holidays, seasonal changes, and lifestyle trends.

Rounding Out December

Keep abreast of the December seasonal themes, holidays, dates to remember, and trends we are looking to highlight in December's Merchandising Desk edition.
Promotional opportunities for sellers in December:
- Nominate your favorite birthstones for our December Turquoise Guide in this Forum thread.
- Post your last promotions of the year in this Forum thread for a chance to have your promotion highlighted in a December 11, 2009 through December 13, 2009 Etsy Finds email.
- Offer expedited shipping options guaranteed for the holidays? Tell us in this Forum thread for your chance to be highlighted in a December 18, 2009 Etsy Finds email.
- Suggest and nominate items for Etsy's Holiday Gift Guides in this Forum thread.

Stay Engaged in January
January marks a fresh start and with it, optimism for the possibilities in the new year ahead. Our critical merchandising focus this month will center around handmade resolutions and love in the air. Below you will find the extended list of topics we'll be looking to highlight throughout the month of January. We're looking for your creative interpretation and spin on each of the upcoming seasonal themes.

Calendars and Thank You Notes: 2010 calendars and thank you notes begin the new year and express gratitude to those who remembered you this holiday season.
New Beginnings: Handmade resolutions, learning a new skill or hobby (for example, learning a new instrument, recipes, crafting, journaling, etc.), self-reflection and appreciation, active-wear, spa, bath and beauty, organization (home, studio, office, etc.).
Nesting: Focusing on the home, organization and fresh decor. We'll be scouting for home accents that evoke a cozy dwelling (candles, baskets, furniture, tabletop, quilts, blankets, pillows, storage solutions, rugs, windows, lighting, bedding, and bath). Rich materials and fabrics remain at the forefront of style.
Winter Fashion: Emerging designs and classic takes on warm layers, coats, knit, woven and crochet accessories, boots, sturdy bags, and jewelry.
Intro to Valentines: Valentine's Day is quickly approaching; look for highlights in early January with a stronger focus mid-month on all things amorous, conventional and not-so-conventional. We'll be highlighting the following topics and themes: cards, jewelry, relationships, engagements, romance, gifts for her, him, the little ones, and for friends. Also look for the funny Valentine, naughty side, the anti-Valentine, DIY solutions for parties, decor, and edible delights.
The International Vacation: Global adventures, features on warmer weather destinations, taking a holiday, romantic getaways, beach gear, and highlights of spring/summer fashion in the Southern Hemisphere.
Winter Weddings: Attire, decor, invitations, favors, and gift ideas.
January trends: Vintage decor, organizational solutions, knits, rustic and natural motifs. Geometric patterns, floral and foliage motifs, nostalgic and modern design, and personalization across many categories. In fashion, statement jewelry to dress up a simple wardrobe, carryall bags, and oxford style shoes and boots remain at the top of the trends. Color trend forecasts for January include vibrant and pastel shades of champagne, gold, ivory, silver, white, pink and red, hues of plum and lavender, and tones of natural to dark, rich browns.
Shop Makeover Series: In the vein of our handmade resolutions highlights, we'll be expanding the Shop Makeover Series to help sellers interested in revamping their shops with a fresh face and new tips and tricks for success.
Garnet is January's birthstone, and January's astrological signs are Capricorn and Aquarius (December 22 - January 20: Capricorn and January 21 - February 19: Aquarius).
Promotional Opportunities for Sellers:
- In preparation for our Garnet Gift Guide, we will be looking for community suggestions and nominations for what items you'd like to see in the guide. Suggest your favorite garnet-related items in this nomination thread.
- Suggest and nominate items for Etsy's Gift Guides in this Forum thread.
- Stay tuned to the Selling section of The Storque for additional promotional opportunities through January.

If you'd like to stay engaged and involved with the approaching merchandising themes, interpret them in your own artistic voice. This can be translated in your listings, photos, shop announcement, descriptions, tags, titles, sales promotions and more. We're excited to see your creative interpretations!

If you make items that would fit well with the themes outlined, try stocking up and listing them in advance to take advantage of potential shipping deadlines and on site features. Do you already have items in your shop that meld well? That's great! Now it's time to revisit those items to make sure your tags, titles, and descriptions reflect keywords shoppers might be looking for this time of year. This is also a great opportunity to revamp your item photography with a new look, if you think they need some work. Check out some great how-to's for item photography to get started.

If your items fall under the main thematic categories we'll be highlighting this month, it might be a great time to consider purchasing a spot in a Category Showcase. For those of you who enjoy making Treasuries, we'll be looking to highlight lists that interpret December and January's themes in a creative and cohesive way, as well as the many innovative and beautiful collections that we normally feature.

Upcoming Dates to Remember

January is known as National Blood Donor Month, National Hobby Month, and Hot Tea Month.
January 1: New Year's Day
January 2: Berchtoldstag (Switzerland)
January 6: Epiphany, Three Kings Day
January 12: Holy Thursday (Argentina)
January 15: Martin Luther King's birthday (to be observed on January 18)
January 19: Edgar Allan Poe's birthday
January 24-26: Lunar New Years
January 25: Foundation Day (Brazil)
January 26: Australia Day

Do you have a date to remember that you don't see on the list? Let us know in the comments section below. We are currently working towards incorporating a more detailed calendar of international holidays into Etsy's thematic merchandising plans, so we're eager to hear which dates you would like to see included.

We’d like to hear from you!
We appreciate your support and look forward to your feedback and suggestions in the comments section below.

View More Merchandising Posts | Gift Guides

Seller How-To: Banner Tips

2009-12-01T12:20:00-05:00

There are many techniques and free resources out there to help you create your Etsy Shop banner. I've gathered a few of my favorite tutorials and links to help you get started. Before you go off exploring these, I thought I'd share a few of my favorites banners — think of these as ideas to spark your own experiments. Make your banner work for your shop!

1. Give viewers a good idea of what they'll find in your shop.

2. Crop a photo to the correct banner size (760 x 100 pixels) and you are good to go!

3. Make sure your banner ties in with the colors and branding of your item listings.

4. Use your banner to punch up your promotions.

5. Use your banner to share more about you as an artist — give a little insight into your process.

6. Don't stress! You can update your banner whenever you want. Keep in mind that your banner is only seen on the front page of your Etsy shop, and if you use the My Etsy Facebook application, people will see your banner there as well. I suggest making sure your avatar is a current representation of your shop. After all, your avatar is seen on every single page of your Etsy shop, and in other areas of Etsy (the Forums, Pounce, etc.) You can use the tips and techniques below to help you create a great avatar, too!

Video Tutorial:

DIY Shop Banner by (the unofficial) Etsy Business Blog

Blog Tutorials:

Boston Handmade presents: How to Make an Etsy Banner

PowerPoint Banner Designs from strumpfkunst

Forum Posts:

How to make a banner without a fancy program

Tutorial: How to Make an Etsy Banner Using Picnik

Cool Resources:

Etsy's Bannerator — Enter your text on one of our pre-made designs

Pre-made Announcement Etsy Banners on our Resources page

Free Etsy Banner Holiday Templates from Etsy member catherinetterings

Free Photo Editors:

Picasa - Free photo editing software from Google

Picnik - Online photo editing service

Aviary - Web-based photo editing with lots of fun tools

Gimp - Free image editor, alternative to Photoshop

Don't forget about all the designers on Etsy that can customize a banner for your shop. Try searching "Etsy shop banner" to browse the banner designs currently available.

Have a helpful link of your own to share? Please post it in the comments below!

More seller how-to's about banners can be found here.
Etsy Banner help can be found in Etsy's Help Guide.

Quit Your Day Job: lulubugjewelry

2009-11-30T16:00:00-05:00

Sue of lulubugjewelry began her Etsy shop as a way to help support her newfound passion for jewelry making using Precious Metal Clay (PMC) jewelry supplies; she never imagined it would be a means to quit her day job. Her previous jobs lent her skills not only in jewelry design and manufacturing, but also the business know-how to eventually run her own business. While she couldn't be happier being her own boss, Sue had to cut expenses, such as her love of motorcycle racing, to make her dream a reality. Her tip for others considering taking the plunge is to be prepared for less free time and to make sure you love what you do — as you will most likely be working much harder than you ever did for a regular paycheck.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
I’ve always loved making stuff. I went to art school but didn’t discover metalworking until after I graduated. I loved it so much that I got a job at a small manufacturer of cast gold, silver and bronze jewelry. I’ve worked at several small jewelry companies since then, doing all aspects of manufacturing and most recently design. Working in manufacturing was a great way to build my skills, but grinding, filing and buffing someone else’s jewelry for eight hours a day left me with little desire to do my own work.

Tell us about your previous working situation.
My most recent job was as the designer for a small fabricated jewelry manufacturer. I was the entire art department — I designed and drew plans (in Spanish) for all the jewelry, set up photo shoots (experience that is coming in very handy now), designed and produced all the print materials (including a large 4-color catalog with over 800 photos every year) and designed, built and maintained the company website. Phew — I’m tired just writing all that. It should have been a dream job, but for a variety of reasons was pretty much the exact opposite. Despite the misery, anger and despair, I did learn a lot in the seven years I was there that is very helpful to me now.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
No, not at all! I’ve always liked having a regular paycheck and never thought about being self-employed. I started doing my own work again after discovering Precious Metal Clay (PMC) about two years ago, and saw Etsy as a way to hopefully help pay for my PMC habit. As my Etsy sales grew and the dissatisfaction with my job increased, I figured that after seventeen years in the jewelry industry, maybe it was time to see if I could do it on my own.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
I did all the basic business setup (business license, bank account, resale number, etc.) before I opened my shop. The first thing I did when I decided to start working towards leaving my job was to take a hard look at my finances. I haven’t balanced my checkbook since Reagan was in office (seriously) so paying attention to money doesn’t come naturally to me. I knew that if I was ever going to work up the courage to quit, I needed to have a nice cushion in the bank to fall back on, so I looked at ways of cutting my expenses. I’m fortunate in that I had a huge expense I was able to cut — my unusual hobby, motorcycle racing. I raced motorcycles for seven years, and though it’s great fun it’s also ridiculously expensive and takes up a large amount of time. I knew that it had to go (at least for now) so I didn’t race at all this year. I researched health insurance costs and made sure I could get it, and started buying my materials in bulk. Those of us who work with precious metal have the added challenge of following the various metal markets, which have been quite volatile for the last couple of years. In the end I just couldn’t take my job anymore, so for my sanity I quit about three months earlier than I had planned. It felt great to leave on my own terms, and was the right thing to do. I haven’t been in a blood-curdling rage since then!

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?

I pay more attention to my product design and development than marketing, because all the promoting in the world isn’t going to work if your product falls short. I started off with a variety of different styles, and let my sales determine which concepts and styles to develop further and which to leave behind. If there’s a design that I really believe in but is not selling I try modifying it in some way, perhaps the size or shape, and see if that helps. It often does.
I find craftcult.com to be a great tool for seeing which products are getting a lot of attention but are not selling and may be in need of a bit of tweaking.
Introducing new designs regularly is a great way to keep your audience interested and encourages repeat customers. Repeat customers are the ultimate compliment, in my opinion.
I do have a blog (which I need to pay more attention to), and I recently set up a Facebook fan page. I’m always surprised when I look at my Google Analytics and see how much traffic comes from my blog, so it’s a worthwhile thing to have.
My best marketing tip is to read this excellent blog post from Etsy seller eyeful, these are great marketing tips!

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
I have to say that I do not like Twitter. I come back to it every so often and give it another try, but I just don’t care for it. I know some people have great success with tweeting, but for me it’s just one more thing to take me away from creating that has dubious results. And I prefer reading and writing in complete sentences, with correct spelling, punctuation and capitalization. I guess I’m just old fashioned that way.

Walk us through your typical workday.
It’s long, not least bit glamorous, and involves lots of coffee.

I get up a bit before 7 and join my boyfriend Kelly at our favorite local coffee house until 8. I don’t especially like getting up, but I enjoy this morning ritual that we’ve been doing for years and it’s good for me to get up and get my day started.
I return home and do all my shipping and any other business stuff that has to get done before doing anything else. I have to make chains and do a bit finishing work to just about everything before it ships, so if there’s a lot going out this can take awhile. I relist anything that has sold, answer Convos and do some renewing too. A varying amount of time is wasted on the Internet during this period, and more coffee is consumed.
I go to the mailbox (or the post office if shipping internationally) in the afternoon and run errands while I’m out. This is when it’s nice to have gotten dressed and presentable first thing in the morning.
If I’ve been up late the night before (which is usually the case) a short power nap is in order about now, and then more coffee, and perhaps a little more internet time wasting, depending on the work load.
I might do photography, new listings, work on custom designs, or do finishing work for the rest of the afternoon. I check my Convos throughout the day and try to respond as quickly as I can.
At some point in the early evening some exercise and dinner will likely happen.
I’m a night person and like to do the bulk of my creative work at night. I tend get going around 8 p.m., and will usually work at my bench until midnight or 1 a.m. I like doing design work at this time too. If I’ve had a lot of sales during the day, I print invoices and shipping labels to get a start on the next day’s shipping work.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
I enjoy the fact that my talents and hard work are fully benefiting me and that I’m responsible for my own success or failure. I like the fact that I no longer have to do something I disagree with just because the boss said so. I love not having to go to long, pointless meetings anymore. I can’t say that I miss one single thing about the job I left, other than a few of the people there.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
Pretty much all the business stuff! I went to art school and not business school for a good reason, but having worked at small companies my whole life I’ve actually picked up quite a bit of small business knowledge. I don’t have the temperament needed for accounting (see earlier checkbook comment) so I figured out early on that it would be very worthwhile to pay someone else to do this for me. I also have someone else do my taxes. My time management is not quite as good as it was when I had a job, so I keep a small whiteboard on my bench and keep a running list of what needs to get done when. Finding balance between work and personal time is much harder now too. When this was not my only source of income it was much easier to take time off.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?
To be prepared for even less free time. There’s an old joke about how you only have to work half days when you’re self-employed, and you even get to choose which 12 hours you work. This is very true! I would advise being sure that you really love what you do, because you will be doing a lot of it, and you will most likely be working much harder than you did for your regular paycheck.

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
I hope to do some higher-end, one-of-a-kind pieces and finally start doing some wholesale. I hope to keep my customers happy and returning to my shop and to keep creating whatever ideas pop into my head.

Thanks to Sue for sharing her story. If you have questions for Sue come by the VIrtual Labs on Wednesday, December 2 at 3 p.m. ET. You can see some of Sue's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

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

From Etsy's Merchandising Desk: December Festivites

2009-11-12T14:15:00-05:00

It's that time again, and those of us behind the scenes at Etsy would like to share our merchandising plans for December. As we continue to plan Etsy’s calendar for the year ahead with thematic merchandising, we will be incorporating many of the concepts you shared in response to November's report and continue to welcome your input. It is our goal to create a healthy balance between promotions for traditional holidays, seasonal changes, and lifestyle trends.

Rounding out November

Keep abreast of the November seasonal themes, holidays, dates to remember, and trends we are looking to highlight in November's Merchandising Desk edition.
Promotional opportunities for sellers in November:
- Nominate your favorite birthstones for our November Citrine Guide in this Forum thread.
- Learn how to participate in Friday Etsy Finds emails in this Forum thread.
- Suggest and nominate items for Etsy's Holiday Gift Guides in this Forum thread.
- Stay tuned to the Selling section of The Storque, Etsy's blog, to learn how to get involved with our broader promotional plans for Black Friday through Cyber Monday.

Stay Engaged in December
December sets the stage for a fast-paced approach toward the holidays. However, we'll soon relax and enjoy the company of family and close friends over delicious seasonal treats. Our critical merchandising focus this month will center around the holiday gift-giving season. Below you will find the extended list of topics we'll be looking to highlight throughout the month of December. We're looking for your creative interpretation and spin on each of the upcoming seasonal themes.

Seasonal Holiday Gift-Giving: Find our full list of seasonal gift-giving thematic topics in the newly released Holiday Gift Guides. Reevaluate your line and describe why your items make great gift ideas; take the time to photograph your items in a way that shows the potential uses it could have.
Seasonal Home Decor: Winter and holiday home decor accents, displays, accessories, centerpieces, ornaments, and all the home accoutrement that make us think of a cozy dwelling. Think candles, baskets, wreaths, garlands, furniture, tabletop, quilts, blankets, pillows, storage solutions, rugs, windows, lighting, bedding, and bath. Rich materials and fabrics remain at the forefront of styling options.
Entertaining: Celebrations including dinner with the family, holiday parties, and those notorious over-the-top New Year's galas abound. We'll be looking for creative and unique seasonal tabletop solutions, dinnerware, glassware and bar, table linens, food for your feast, centerpieces, place settings, place cards, invitations, menus, favors, and hostess gifts.
Winter and Holiday Fashion: Vamped up holiday, formal, and party fashions along with warm layers, winter coats, winter accessories, boots, bags, and jewelry all sparkle this season.
New Year's Eve: Ring in the new year in style. We'll be highlighting party options, celebration accessories and party fashion. Keep in mind with New Year's Eve, resolution time is right around the corner. January sneek peek: Health and wellness, relaxation, detox, reorganization, and all that emphasizes a fresh new start.
Calendars and Paper Goods: Thank you card sets, stationery sets, 2010 calendars, and gift wrapping elements.
Shopping Local: With online shopping, comes shipping deadlines. As we near these deadlines, we'll be looking to promote the Shop Local Etsy shopping feature along with other location-based highlights. Make sure your location is up to date in order take advantage of last-minute shoppers in your area.
Boxing Day: Boxing Day is a recognized day of rest in many countries, originating as a day of extending goodwill to those less fortunate. Over time, it has traditionally become known as a shopping holiday for sales and promotions. For many retail merchants, this marketing strategy has become their highest revenue driving day of the year. We'll be hosting a special Boxing Day extended promotion for sellers interested in participating. Stay tuned for details as we get closer to December including how to participate as a seller.
Winter Weddings: Attire, decor, invitations, favors, and gift ideas.
The International Vacation: Global adventures, features on warmer weather destinations, highlights of spring/summer fashion in the Southern Hemisphere.
December trends: The all-encompassing forest imagery including holly, branches, berries, pine cones, acorns, and related animals (deer, squirrels, chipmunks). Boots, pumps, Oxfords, and ballet flats. Winter accessories. Statement jewelry, metallics and sequined clothing and accessories. Gem tones, deep berry, plum, forest green, and classic combinations of red, white, black, green and royal blues. Vintage decor, eco-friendly options, and tribal motifs continue to top the trends this season.
Turquoise is December's birthstone, and December's astrological signs are Sagittarius and Capricorn (November 23 - December 21: Sagittarius and December 22 - January 20: Capricorn).
Promotional Opportunities for Sellers:
- In preparation for our Turquoise Gift Guide, we will be looking for community suggestions and nominations for what items you'd like to see in the guide. Suggest your favorite turquoise-related items in this nomination thread.
- Suggest and nominate items for Etsy's Holiday Gift Guides in this Forum thread.
- Stay tuned to the Selling section of The Storque for additional promotional opportunities through December.

If your items fall under the main thematic categories we'll be highlighting this month, it might be a great time to consider purchasing a spot in a Category Showcase. For those of you who enjoy making Treasuries, we'll be looking to highlight lists that interpret November and December's themes in a creative and cohesive way, as well as the many innovative and beautiful collections that we normally feature.

Upcoming Dates to Remember:

November is known as Real Jewelry Month, Peanut Butter Lovers Month, and Aviation History Month.
December 1: World AIDS Awareness Day
December 6: Spain's Constitution Day
December 6: Saint Nicholas Day
December 9: Christmas Card Day and National Pastry Day
December 10: Final safe date for international shipping deadlines (save for express and overnight)
December 10: Nobel prizes presented
December 11: Hanukkah begins at sundown
December 12: Poinsettia Day
December 12: Feast of Our Lady Guadalupe in Mexico
December 17: Hari Raja Puasa
December 17: South Africa's Day of Reconciliation
December 18: Final safe date for online shipping deadlines (save for express and overnight)
December 18: Muharram
December 21: Winter Solstice — shortest day of the year
December 25: Christmas Day
December 25: England's Constitution Day
December 26: Boxing Day — also known as the Day of Goodwill
December 26: Saint Stephen's Day
December 26: Kwanzaa begins
December 31: New Year's Eve

Do you have a date to remember that you don't see on the list? Let us know in the comments section below. We are currently working toward incorporating a more detailed calendar of international holidays into Etsy's thematic merchandising plans, so we're eager to hear which dates you would like to see included.

We’d like to hear from you!
We appreciate your support and look forward to your feedback and suggestions in the comments section below.

View More Merchandising Posts | Gift Guides

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

Quit Your Day Job: littlealouette

2009-10-19T16:45:00-05:00

Joe and Amy of littlealouette are successfully supporting their family selling their simple natural wooden toys on Etsy. With backgrounds in carpentry, furniture making, education, and politics, this duo melded their collective skills into a business they never dreamed would take them this far. They both admit being their own boss is the toughest work they have known, but find balance in taking time out from work each day to spend quality time together with their children. Keep reading to find out why Joe misses his daily lunch outings at bistros and pubs and why they both claim a British accent and wicked grin have been one of their best marketing tools to date.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
Joe is a master craftsman who apprenticed in the North of England where he grew up. He became a self-employed bespoke furniture maker. When he moved to the states he worked in carpentry. I worked in education and politics after university, but always found myself spending time on artistic projects and volunteering in local art charities or working with local arts councils. Joe made me furniture and I would create gifts for family and friends. I would write poetry about Joe’s hands and what they could make. I still do. Joe began making simple toys for our first child and the rest is history.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
Not really. We thought it would be extra money for our family; we were in the middle of a very hard financial time as we juggled two mortgages while trying to sell an investment property in a very still market here in Ohio. We knew that our family and friends loved what we were making for our kids and for others so we thought we would make some money, but never did we realize that we would make a whole new life.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
Always adapting and growing, it has been an organic process and a juggling act with two small boys and a passionate marriage. While it's been quite fluid, we have learned that sometimes you just have to roll with it. It requires loads of paperwork and time, so planning ahead is important. We stepped down our spending and live with frugality and perseverance. Lastly, asking for advice and help was and is so important!

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business?
I am a blogger and this has helped me a lot with meeting others and spreading the word. We have a Twitter account (@littlealouette) and a cool Tumblr blog for Little Alouette with daily parenting tips and inspiration (we are always looking for guest parents)! We have a Facebook page and I have a big mouth! Joe is not a big Internet individual. He has a smart phone and sometimes uses Facebook, but he relies on me to work the magic on the Internet. He carries a stack of business cards, his British accent, and a wicked grin. We get a lot of sales from him. I like to work with other bloggers for giveaways from time to time and there are a lot of really great blogs and sites you can advertise on to find your audience. Etsy has been incredibly helpful with the light it has shined on us. The whole world is in love with Etsy and it is amazing to be a part of this family of artists.

What have you found to be unsuccessful promotion?
We came up with an idea of keys and key sets that we named after a great customer's daughter. The keys were a big hit! You know how babies and kids love to play with and chew on your keys? Well, we also thought that kids love other everyday items like remote controls — so we made a remote control rattle and no one bought one. We may try again in the future for some everyday life items. You have to try things!

What's your best marketing tip?

Believe in yourself.
Know that you are amazing and groovy and smashing!
Be able to talk about your business freely and with anyone.
Changing up photos and keeping the shop full works well for us!
We like to offer our customers free shipping and codes and deals.
I think Twitter is excellent for this type of promotion, but just try and remember that Twitter is a give and take and it is a great place to interact and get to know your customers — not just a place to hawk your wares.

Walk us through your typical workday.
Most days are different — some days in the indie life are diamonds and some are not. Yesterday was like this:

6:30 a.m.: Blaise, our two-year-old screamed, "Mama! Mama!" for about ten minutes until we brought him into our bed. We woke up Finn, our five-year-old, and had breakfast and the first of several pots of coffee together. We walked Finn to half-day kindergarten and then we all went off to the gym for an hour. We played with Blaise after a good stress-relieving workout until time to collect Finn from school.
We had lunch as a family and then Daddy went to the workshop. The kiddos had naps and I worked on Little Alouette.
I talked to people all over the world, mailed samples, answered emails and Convos, and worked on new packaging.
I made a cake while doing this all. I love working from home!
The kids got up and I took off the Wood Queen crown and became Mom again. I rolled to the playground and then to the post office and then hosted a play date at our house. I used my BlackBerry to relist some items and chat with customers. I taught my children about Jackson Pollock. I sketched a new toy while the kids went down the slide.
One thing that is constant is that when Joe comes home from work in the evening, we are diligent about putting the work away. The kids get us all. They get the attention and energy and everything. When they go to bed we must work more and it takes a lot of effort, but we must if we want to keep this balance. We do not have TV. This is a big help!

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
My family has eaten most meals together in the last two years. This is amazing. When we both worked outside the home it was rare that I got home before 7 p.m. We ate in shifts and smashed quality time into 1.5 hours. I missed some milestones of my oldest son. I rushed. My husband drove far too fast in his truck. We raced through life. Now we are slower. More deliberate. This is important. The way it feels to just go to the park on a Wednesday at 2 p.m. with my whole family. The freedom to schedule out a day that works for you is exhilarating. The way it feels to know that we are instilling hard work values and an entrepreneurial spirit into our children. We are showing them that even in the middle of your life, you can change gears and do something that makes you feel good. You can follow dreams big or small. Telling strangers about Little Alouette feels stellar!

I miss tons of people and the energy all around me. I worked with so many people in my old career. I miss adult interaction. I often find myself discussing new ideas and wholesale accounts with my five-year-old. He looks at me funny. Joe says he misses lunching out at bistros and pubs. I make him eat healthy lunches at home now. We miss our old insurance. But nothing can take away the reality of being with each other so much. It is gorgeous.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
Heavy shoulders. The paperwork and responsibility that come with this lifestyle are quite hefty. Organization is a sick and dirty word for me. We are learning to keep receipts and may even graduate to a file system this winter! We never stop working. The fatigue is tough at times. No one tells you to stop. You may not sleep properly.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?
Listen to advice and take it! My pal took me out for drinks last fall and told me my business was going to take off and I should get myself in order. I remember laughing about it then, but it has taken off. Be ready for what you want because you may well get it! Find good business folks like cool insurance agents, lawyers, and smart fellow artist mentors. Surround yourself with goodness. Stay in the light. Be kind and open. When times get tricky, keep focused and believe. Be happy and optimistic and acknowledge that you are lucky to be making art and living off of it in these bleak times.

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?

Work on loads of new ideas and toys.
Grow the business.
Perhaps gain an employee.
Keep babies happy throughout the world.
Meet more cool Etsy folk in real life.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Thank you so much to Etsy and our customers. We are so blessed and we thank you! We love you! Smooches. Each product is made by hand and usually all the wood is surrounded by cups of tea, laughing children, and disco music so each product will come to you infused with love and bliss!

Thanks to Amy and Joe for sharing their story. Have your own questions to ask? Come on by and chat with them Wednesday, October 21 at 5 p.m. ET in Etsy's Virtual Labs.

You can see some of their beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Seller Tip: Present Yourself to the Press

2009-10-19T14:20:00-05:00

Attention, sellers! I have been your faithful blogger for the past two years and I have an important tip for you:

You need to be prepared with photos that represent you and your business.

I cannot tell you how many times I've been working on a blog post spotlighting an excellent person — seller, blogger, figure in the arts and crafts world — but they either don't have a headshot or they send me the most low-quality, blurry photo. It's driving me crazy!

And here's the thing — it's not just the Storque editors who may come to call. We're gearing up for a busy holiday shopping season, and bloggers and members of the press will be looking for unique gifts with interesting angles. The stories of crafters, artists, and small business owners should get out there, but in order to take part and get the most out of any exposure, you need to have a mini media kit at hand.

I know, I know, you are creators and you're busy making things! Yes, I hear you. You are makers of objects and art, not self-portraits! But I'm begging you, take a day to invite a photographer friend to come over and style some photos for you.

Here are the basic shots I look for and what many bloggers and journalists are seeking:

Nick and Kimber of littlesaplingtoys | Karin of ValhallaBrooklyn

A nice headshot — This is a portrait that is NOT a fuzzy, grainy photo that you obviously took of yourself with your cell phone. It's NOT a snapshot cropped to include your ex-boyfriend's hairy limb draped around your shoulders. This is a high quality, professional portrait of you looking your best. Like any good portrait, it gets across your vibe and makes you look good. You are the center of the photo, not the Statue of Liberty you're posed in front of with your group of friends. Want to get artsy? Do it! As long as it intentionally reflects your personality and your brand.
A photo of your studio or workspace — Use natural light, not flash. If the room is too dark even in the day time, set up some lights. Tidy up your work area, or if a workspace crammed with stuff is your vibe, make sure it's artfully portrayed.

Kara Ginther, a.k.a. KGLeather, via ToBeInspired on Flickr

A photo of you in the creative process — Have a photographer friend take some action shots of you in the midst of making. Don't be afraid to strike some natural poses and style these shots as you would a magazine shoot. Arrange your supplies, tools and background just so, make sure your outfit, hair and makeup are done the way you like it. Capture some of the action. Experiment with different angles.
Your items in context — If you make paintings, show some of your pieces arranged beautifully on a wall. If you're a potter, show some of your excellent tableware displayed on a kitchen shelf or in a dining room setting. Take some close-up detail shots and some shots that show the whole room. These photos are great for your listings as well as for press outreach.
Your items against a plain background — Shoot some well-lit shots of your items against a plain white background. Some bloggers and magazines prefer simple photos with solid backgrounds. These make it easier for them to incorporate your items into their posts or spreads. (An item on a white background won't compete with the design of their website or blog.) Learn how to remove your colored background in this how-to by Etsy 101.
Keep a high resolution version — Have on hand a version that is at least 300 dpi and 2500 pixels across. You can always size it down and send that copy. Learn more about photo resolution here.

atelierpompadour's studio, featured in the Etsy Open Studio Flickr pool

Now you'll be prepared when you get that call from a blogger or journalist, and with these new photos you can get out there and do some outreach of your own. They may not even use these photos, but the images may speak to them and get across the essence of what you're all about. Here are some of the other uses for these photos:

About Me or Contact Me page of your business website
Your blog
Facebook Fan page
Your Flickr stream
One of the images in your Etsy listings
A blog, magazine, or newspaper interview
Applications for a grant, artist in residency, gallery show or craft show
If you're picked for Featured Seller on Etsy
Etsy Open Studios Tour series on The Storque and its Flickr group
For another example, check out ShareSomeCandy's Workspaces series
Other Storque posts

Take a look at the Etsy Open Studios Flickr group. Which of these photos can you imagine being featured on a blog? Why? Post in the comments below.

More PR Tips | Seller Handbook

Quit Your Day Job: laralewis

2009-10-12T16:30:00-05:00

Lara of laralewis has been able to successfully quit her day job in the teaching field and move her family closer to her hometown as a result of her Etsy success. Lara swears by a daily list of goals and was able to make quitting her day job a reality by planning ahead and making life changes that contributed toward her dream. Today Laura provides some of the most practical, useful and detailed tips for running a successful business that I've ever come across in the Quit Your Day Job series; you're in for a treat!

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
I have such busy hands that I am always making or creating something. It wasn’t until just recently that I thought I could actually make a business out of it!

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
No, not at first, but I have dreamed for a long time of moving back to my parents’ hometown to be closer to my family. With teaching jobs becoming scarce and the economy being what it is, I didn’t think it was possible to be able to afford to quit my job and relocate. However, that was about three months before we actually did! Once we made the decision, things happened pretty fast.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
Yes! Here are the nitty-gritty details; I hope I didn’t forget anything!

My fiancé, Jesse, and I reevaluated our monthly budget and started to utilize Quicken to manage our finances. This made a huge difference when we realized where our money was going, and we stopped doing things like eating out and all those other little extra things that add up.
After we looked at our budget, I figured out how much I would need to make if I was actually going to quit my day job. Then I added in the expenses needed for us to move and cut out the money we’d be saving from me working at home instead of driving to work every day. This gave us a goal to work towards.
I buckled down and worked extra hard in order to pay off debt that I owed. This is really important, because there will always be slow periods. You don't want those extra bills hanging over your head.
I met with an accountant to make sure there wouldn’t be any nasty surprises at tax time. He also helped me keep track of expenses that I didn’t realize were tax deductible!
While I still had my steady income, I stocked up as much as possible on supplies.
Right before our move, we traded in both of our cars for one smaller and more economical vehicle. I called our car insurance company and lowered our rate based on our only having one car, and it being driven so much less.
We still clip coupons like maniacs and plan meals in advance. You’d be surprised how much money the Sunday paper coupons save.
We’re much thriftier shoppers. If we can fix something rather than buy another, we do, and if we need something, we always hit up places like Salvation Army before going to the retail stores.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?
Most importantly I feel it’s crucial to stay visible, and these are the three main ways you can do this:

Take great pictures of your products and you will inevitably be featured in Treasuries, homepage collections and The Storque. Also, fans will blog, Tweet, and Facebook about you like crazy. I use an “old” digital camera and I don’t own a tripod, so I can tell you with certainty that you don't need anything fancy to do this. Here are some tips I have learned that have helped me:

Photograph in natural light and turn off the flash.
Find the sunniest location in your home to set up your shots.
Only shoot in filtered sunlight, because otherwise the shadows are too harsh. If you need to, stretch a piece of tracing paper over your window where the sun streams in.
Take a piece of cardboard and wrap it in aluminum foil. Use it to reflect light onto your subject.
Don't go too crazy with your backgrounds, but definitely choose something that tells the story of what you are trying to sell. When in doubt, go neutral.
Set your camera on macro and after your camera focuses, pull back just a smidge before you take the picture. Take several shots and use various angles.
Set up your pictures knowing that you might want to crop them to a perfect square to look best in your thumbnails. Pick your best one as your "money shot!"

Frequently Add New Items/Renew

I have found that customers will regularly “check in” on your shop to see what you’ve been up to. Keep your store fresh, and your customers interested, by regularly adding new items.
Facebook Connect is a great new feature! I also Tweet and blog about items I am excited about and explain a little more about the impetus behind them.
Renew items that might be in a category that is broad and/or trendy. I know this is highly debatable, but I don't think there is a perfect time of day to list or renew items. Just try to be consistent.

Provide Excellent Customer Service

Customers who are happy with their purchases will tell their friends and family, blog about you, include you in their Treasuries, etc.
Treat customers how you would want to be treated. It’s the golden rule! Provide quick responses to their queries, ship as quickly as possible, use beautiful packaging, and include a little thank you note. Make each and every one of them feel special, because they truly are!

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
I honestly feel that if something brings in just one new customer or brings a little more attention to my store, it was a successful promotion. However, what works for some, might not work for you...so do what you feel most comfortable with!

Walk us through your typical workday.

I’m up before the birds to say goodbye to Jesse as he heads off for work and to get our teenage daughter ready for school. After they leave, I sit down with a cup of coffee and check for messages, print receipts, and make a daily goals list. If I don’t make lists, nothing will get done because I am so easily distracted.
Usually the mornings are spent creating new items and listing them in my shop, while jotting down lists of supplies I need to reorder. I email back and forth with my mom a lot because she also works from home.
Around lunchtime I practically attack the poor mailman when he arrives to see if I have received any new supplies. Then I continue to make and list new items. Because I can multitask like a pro, I am also doing laundry, answering emails, blogging, Tweeting, sketching new designs, and squeezing in food and drink somewhere in there.
By mid-afternoon, I start packaging any sold items to go out in the late afternoon mail run. I also start thinking about dinner because when my daughter comes home, she is like a hungry Velociraptor and there had better be food ready.
Jesse prints out my shipping labels, puts them in their envelopes, and delivers them to the post office. He’s the best! Then we all sit down to dinner, go over homework, talk about our day, and they patiently listen to me blah, blah, blah about my business.
After that, Jesse goes to work on his college classes, and my daughter and I spend time being silly together. If it’s not too late, we will take long walks on the trails surrounding our home, and being the nerd that I am, I love taking pictures of the various trees and wildflowers we see.
After that, I’m back in the studio stocking up on inventory, ordering supplies, working on new designs, answering emails, etc. until around 11 p.m. when Jesse drags me back out and tells me it’s time for bed!

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
What do I enjoy most? Where do I start?! Being “forced” to simplify, we have actually found that our lives are greatly enriched. Now that I am working from home, and not driving 100 miles a day to get to work, I can spend more time with my family. Now that we've moved closer to my grandparents, I love that I can be there when they need me. Also, fellow teachers will appreciate that I now don’t have to wait until planning or lunch to go to the bathroom! I do miss my friends with whom I was lucky enough to work and I truly miss my students. I am so proud to have once been part of the teaching profession and have the greatest respect for those who make it their life work.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
You can’t walk away from it! I think about what I can do to improve constantly, and I’m a really tough boss. Also, with working from home, it’s hard to not get distracted by things like the dishes in the sink and other housework to be done. It can be really scary, too, knowing that I am the only one responsible for my success. Yikes!

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?

Take a class with your local Small Business Development Center early on. It’s free and they provide excellent advice.
Get organized right from the start with an excellent filing system and create a spreadsheet to track sales and taxes.
Plan ahead by organizing a studio and shipping area that can handle the workload of a bigger business. If you’re not there now, you will be eventually, and you will save yourself the trouble of having to rearrange by starting big!
Google your business name from time to time and see what comes up! Use Google Analytics to see how traffic is being directed to your page, and upload shop content to Google Base. Buy a domain name for your shop even if you don’t plan on using it yet; along the same lines, establish an account with the major social networking sites, so someone else doesn’t grab your name first.
Try not to compare yourself to others, it will just make you feel bad and prevent you from developing your own style. Most importantly: Don’t give up!

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
I have been working on some new illustrations, and I hope to open another shop soon to offer paper goods and prints of my artwork. (*Cross fingers*)

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
My most heartfelt thanks to Etsy, my customers, my family, and friends who have all been so supportive. Without all of you, I wouldn’t even be in this position to share this story, and I only hope I can pay it forward to help someone else!

Thanks to Lara for sharing her story. Have your own questions to ask? Come on by and chat with her Wednesday, October 14 at 5 p.m. ET in Etsy's Virtual Labs.

You can see some of Lara's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Seller How-To: Entrepreneurial Tips From DailyWorth

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

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

From Etsy's Merchandising Desk: November With Friends and Family

2009-10-07T13:15:00-05:00

It's that time again, and those of us behind the scenes at Etsy would like to share our merchandising plans for November. As we continue to plan Etsy’s calendar for the year ahead with thematic merchandising, we will be incorporating many of the concepts you shared in response to October's report and continue to welcome your input. It is our goal to create a healthy balance between promotions for traditional holidays, seasonal changes, and lifestyle trends.

Rounding out October

Keep abreast of the October seasonal themes, holidays, dates to remember, and trends we are looking to highlight in October's Merchandising Desk edition.

Stay Engaged in November
November marks a seasonal transition from the harvest into the cooler winter holiday season. Our critical merchandising focus this month will center around the holiday gift-giving season. Below you will find the extended list of topics we'll be looking to highlight throughout the month of November. We're looking for your creative interpretation and spin on each of the upcoming seasonal themes.

Dia de los Muertos: bright colors, skulls, international motifs, and party decor.
Seasonal, harvest, holiday, and winter home decor: candles, baskets, furniture, tabletop, quilts, blankets, pillows, storage solutions, rugs, windows, lighting, bedding, and bath.
Items made from or incorporating rich and raw sturdy fabrics, fibers, and yarns: cashmere, industrial felt, silk, raw silk, wool, burlap, and canvas.
Autumn and winter entertaining leading up to Thanksgiving: creative and unique tabletop accoutrement, dinnerware, glassware and bar, table linens, food for your feast, centerpieces, invitations, menus, and hostess gifts.
Winter fashion: warm layers, boots, bags, accessories, jewelry, legwear, and emerging industry trends.
Autumn and winter weddings: attire, decor, invitations, favors, and gift ideas.
Holiday gift-giving: mothers, fathers, teens, children, coworkers, friends, the person who has everything, the host or hostess, pets, personalized and custom gift options, stocking stuffers. November is your time to shine with items that would make great gifts. Plan ahead and be sure to include why your item makes a great gift and who it might be for in the item description.
Paper goods: holiday card sets, thank you card sets, invitations, 2010 calendars, gift tags, and favors.
Cyber Monday: Cyber Monday is a shopping occasion gaining a reputation as the best day of the year to find sales while shopping online. We'll be hosting a special Cyber Monday promotion November 30 for sellers interested in participating. Stay tuned for details as we get closer to November including how to participate as a seller.
November trends: woodland, tribal, wintry motifs, metallics, winter hues of gem tones, reds, whites, silvers, greens, and blues. Vintage objects repurposed into decor and storage solutions along with eco-friendly options are topping the trends this season.
Citrine is November's birthstone, and November's astrological signs are Scorpio and Sagittarius (October 24 - November 22: Scorpio and November 23 - December 21: Sagittarius).
Promotional Opportunities for Sellers:
- In preparation for our citrine Gift Guide, we will be looking for community suggestions and nominations for what items you'd like to see in the guide. Suggest your favorite citrine-related items in this nomination thread.
- Stay tuned to the How-To section of The Storque for promotional opportunities through November.

If your items fall under the main thematic categories we'll be highlighting this month, it might be a great time to consider purchasing a spot in a Category Showcase. For those of you who enjoy making Treasuries, we'll be looking to highlight lists that interpret October and November's themes in a creative and cohesive way, as well as the many innovative and beautiful collections that we normally feature.

Upcoming Dates to Remember:

November is known as Real Jewelry Month, Peanut Butter Lovers Month, and Aviation History Month.
November 1: Dia de los Muertos
November 1: All Saints' Day
November 11: Veterans Day
November 16: Button Day
November 20: Twilight, New Moon Movie Premiere
November 26: Thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving is October 12)
November 27: Black Friday
November 30: Cyber Monday

View More Merchandising Posts | Gift Guides

Shop Makeover Series: Let's See Your Before & After Rearranging Shots

2009-09-09T13:15:00-05:00

Sellers, we want to see your beautiful shop makeovers using the new site feature Rearrange Your Shop. Post links to your before and after screenshots in the comments below.

Here are some fun ways Etsy Success subscribers are currently using the tool:

"I'm just popping in from the newsletter to say how much I love the new Rearrange Your Shop feature! I worked my own B&M store for over 15 years and changing the shelves and display cases was a daily requirement! Shelf by shelf and case by case, the store always looked fresh. Now that I only sell online, I'm ecstatic to apply the same marketing principle to my shop at Etsy!

I can:

divide up groups of listed items
move older stock to the front again
create theme style pages
create great mixes for pages 1-3 especially
promote full pages on Twitter/Facebook etc so that the "new" page always looks new

These are just a few of the things now possible. But for sure, along with my constant listing on Etsy I'll now be constantly arranging the shelves!" — Etsy Vintage shop owner, anothertimeantiques

"I was one of the last'ies to get the rearrange your shop function, you know, on day three, but it really didn't matter because when I did, I honestly didn't know what to do with it! I just kinda switched some stuff around...but over the past few hours I have been rearranging like crazy! You see, I have some high priced items in my shop ($46-70) and some very low priced items ($2). Well, I never renew the $2 items, since you do that enough times and you won't make your money back once you sell them (and I would not list them if I didn't have the option to move them around my shop, but I'm getting there), so i renew the high priced items. Then I rearranged my whole shop by COLOR! This is great because the high priced items are still front and center in searches, but now the low-priced items are scattered throughout my shop once you get there. I've already seen an increase in views to the low priced items! Moral of the story: shop rearrangement is great!" — tootsweethandbags.etsy.com/

"This tool is amazing. I first found it useful when I sold a few shirts and lost the 'view' history that disappears when you re/list a new product. I love that I can put a highly viewed item first.

Also, I have many similar items that are offered in different colors, or for kids and adults. I love being able to group them together. I had an inquiry today from a mom who just bought a robosaurus tee for her four year old, and now saw that I have a adult version, which was previously buried on my, ahem, second page. That said, I'm sure that those with 12-page stores will use this feature.

Thanks again, the recent updates have been wonderful!" — holdentees.etsy.com

"Now I can place like items together, like my ceramic jewelry items, other ceramic items, silver jewelry & etc. It is awesome." — myriaddesign.etsy.com

"Danielle, I love Rearrange Your Shop! I brought somethig from my third page up to page one, and it sold the same day. Hooray! I've been waiting for this since I opened my shop last year." — cbartist

How are you using Rearrange Your Shop? Upload a before and after screenshot to your Flickr.com and tag it with EtsyRYS. Or you can let us know in the comments below by posting a link to a screenshot uploaded to your blog or website.

Seller Handbook

From Etsy's Merchandising Desk: October's Hearth and Home

2009-09-03T16:30:00-05:00

It's that time again, and those of us behind the scenes at Etsy would like to share our merchandising plans for October. As we continue to plan Etsy’s calendar for the year ahead with thematic merchandising, we will be incorporating many of the concepts you shared in response to September's report and continue to welcome your input. It is our goal to create a healthy balance between promotions for traditional holidays, seasonal changes, and lifestyle trends.

A special note to sellers about the holidays:

For many sellers, the holiday season typically generates the majority of sales for the year. It’s a time when repeat customers visit to make new purchases, and a motivational factor for new customers to buy. You may notice our promotions around the holiday gift-giving season beginning in October. Shoppers are planning their purchases ahead of time and beginning to look to Etsy well in advance for gift ideas. Think of October as a good deadline to have your best gifts and holiday items listed (with multiples in stock!) to make sure you are taking full advantage of the busy and fruitful shopping holiday season we are anticipating.

Here is part one of a two part series of seller tips regarding the holidays:

Merchandising is Storytelling: Many shoppers become buyers when they identify with the story and inspiration behind the product. This is particularly true for handmade items. Buyers want to connect with you. Share your story with short paragraphs and informative keywords.
Good Photographs Rule: Shopping online is increasingly reliant on visual messaging. Invest in crisp, clean photographic images. When using models, emphasize the product, and refrain from over-styling.
Materials and Fabrication: Always inform shoppers of the material content and never take for granted that shoppers understand how your items are made. A short paragraph describing what goes into the handcrafting process is helpful and reveals pride and generates respect.
Name Your Products: When conceptualizing your latest products and collections, give careful thought to describing your creations with a name. Names can have a functional identity, one of humor, or simply a creative reference. Naming helps establish a connection with shoppers, and strengthens your brand, in addition to the name of your business or shop.
Gift-Giving Equals Gift Wrapping: Handmade gifts deserve to be gift wrapped. In fact, gift wrapping can often trigger a purchase, carrying as much weight in the decision to buy as the item itself. If gift wrapping is part of your offering, highlight this, especially going into the major gift-giving season.
Gift-Gifting for Me: Keep in mind that many of us who shop online may say we are looking to buy for a friend or family member, but secretly want to buy for ourselves. If your items are generally purchased as a gift, write copy encouraging your shopper to buy the item for themselves as well. If your items are not normally purchased as a gift, think in the reverse: write a testimonial about why the item is a novel gift idea.
Facts and Figures: Online shoppers are impatient, and they scan quickly for price, sizes, dimensions, and color choices. Ensure that relevant information is easy to see and understand.

Rounding out September

September marks the Autumnal Equinox and brings us into the full harvest, wherein we begin to plan for family celebrations and the holidays ahead. We toast the coming fall with wine, think about updating our homes with seasonal accents, and take ourselves a little less seriously with Halloween around the corner.

The first weekend in September marks Labor Day, a day when many take off to relax and celebrate this symbolic end of summer. It's a classic time for sales as the summer winds down and autumn nears; look for an extended Labor Day Weekend Deals promotion this weekend and find out how to get involved below.
After Labor Day, look for our full Halloween features to begin. We'll be highlighting all aspects of the holiday including costumes for adults, kids, babies and pets, decor for the home indoors and out, party solutions, trick or treating accessories, food and candy alternatives, the DIY side of Halloween, the best in Halloween trends and more. From the cute to the scary, no genre of Halloween will be left in the dark as we bring every facet of this favorite holiday to the forefront.
Coinciding with our Halloween promotions, you'll notice an alternative spin on our Handmade Weddings series highlighting both autumnal and unconventional approaches to pulling off a creative event.
Look for an Etsy spin on the fall season's classic and emerging trends in fashion, jewelry, and accessories. Fall trends already on the horizon have been leather shoes and boots with a vintage appeal, plaid inspired looks, neon colors, the statement (or "bib") necklace, high-waisted skirts and dresses, super skinny and super wide belts, and layering components. This is just the tip of the fall fashion iceberg, so keep your eyes peeled.
The harvest is a time to celebrate rich earthy tones and textures in our homes and the outdoors. Classically a time for focusing on domestic spaces, woodland themes, primitive and folk arts, along with rustic furniture and vintage highlights encompass many of our ideas for home decor.
The sapphire is September's birthstone, and September's astrological signs are Virgo and Libra (August 24 - September 23: Virgo, September 24 - October 23: Libra).
Promotional Opportunities for Sellers:
- Did you see our Sapphire Gift Guide? We've been looking for community suggestions and nominations for what items you'd like to see in the guide. Suggest your favorite sapphire-related items in this nomination thread.
- September's Weekend Deals Topics are posted below:
  - 9/3-9/7 Labor Day Weekend Deals, post your promotion in this thread to participate.
  - 9/11-9/13 Free Worldwide Shipping Weekend Deals, post your promotion in this thread to participate.
  - 9/18-9/20 Buy One, Get One Free Weekend Deals, post your promotion in this thread to participate.
  - 9/23-9/27 Discount Promotion Weekend Deals, post your promotion in this thread to participate.

Stay Engaged in October
Cooler weather brings the rich colors and smells of autumn as we look ahead to winter months and the upcoming holiday season. It's a time to focus on the indoors as our place to nest, entertain, and stay cozy. As we emphasize traditional seasonal themes throughout October and the coming months, we will also intertwine appropriate seasonal themes for those around the globe approaching warmer seasons.

The first weekend in October typically marks the end of Oktoberfest, a 16-day celebration originating in Germany where family and friends celebrate the festivities while indulging in all sorts of rich, hearty foods. As this favorite festival comes to a close, it sets the stage for the harvest season and bounty ahead.
Through the end of the month, emphasized promotions of the DIY side of Halloween and all it entails will take center stage on the site. From the cute to the spooky, we'll be featuring creative spins on everything in costumes, decor, entertaining, treats, and the best in Halloween trends.
October notes a shift into the seasonal harvest. Look for highlights in home decor that embody a harvest farm feel, woodland themes, rustic furniture, and vintage as decor solutions. We'll be talking about warmth and comfort with features of rich fabrics, fibers, and yarns. Think cashmere, industrial felt, silk, and wool.
As we think about the cozy home, we'll be making references to the hearth, candles, baskets and elements that lead us into autumn and winter entertaining. Look for highlights in tabletop accoutrement, the perfect food for your feast, references to the vineyard, invitations, menus, and hostess gift solutions as we plan to celebrate with family and friends looking ahead to Thanksgiving.
In a similar spirit of celebration, look for continued highlights from our Handmade Weddings series featuring DIY inspiration for creating an unforgettable affair. This month we'll be featuring the unconventional, autumnal, and an introduction to winter-themed celebrations.
Fall fashion highlights will begin to transition into a winter fashion preview, look for the beginnings of this preview with winter accessory features on bags, gloves, scarves, layering pieces, and those that embody cooler weather trends.
What's trending on Etsy right now? Woodland themed animals (think our antlered and feathered friends) continue to trend on Etsy, along with vintage cameras, vintage boots and the color shades of blue, rich harvest tones, mustards, neons, and neutral palettes.
Opal is October's birthstone, and October's astrological signs are Libra and Scorpio (September 24 - October 23: Libra and October 24 - November 22: Scorpio).
Promotional Opportunities for Sellers:
- In preparation for our Opal Gift Guide, we will be looking for community suggestions and nominations for what items you'd like to see in the guide. Suggest your favorite opal-related items in this nomination thread.
- October's Weekend Deals Topics are posted below:
  - 10/2-10/4 Halloween Discount deals, post in this thread to participate.
  - 10/9-10/11 Free Worldwide Shipping deals, post in this thread to participate.
  - 10/16-10/18 Halloween Discount deals, post in this thread to participate.
  - 10/23-10/25 Holiday Preview Discount deals, post in this thread to participate.
  - 10/30-11/1 Buy One, Get One Free deals, post in this thread to participate.

If you'd like to stay engaged and involved with the approaching merchandising themes, interpret them in your own artistic voice. This can be translated within your listings, photos, shop announcement, descriptions, tags, titles, sales promotions and more. We're excited to see your creative interpretations!

If you make items that would fit well with the themes outlined, try stocking up and listing them in advance to take advantage of potential shipping deadlines. Do you already have items in your shop that meld well? That's great! Now it's time to revisit those items to make sure your tags, titles, and descriptions reflect keywords shoppers might be looking for this time of year. This is also a great opportunity to revamp your item photography with a new look, if you think they need some work. Check out some great how-to's for item photography to get started.

If your items fall under the main thematic categories we'll be highlighting this month, it might be a great time to consider purchasing a spot in a Category Showcase. For those of you who enjoy making Treasuries, we'll be looking to highlight lists that interpret September and October's themes in a creative and cohesive way, as well as the many innovative and beautiful collections that we normally feature.

Upcoming Dates to Remember:

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October 2: Sukkot begins at sundown
October 4: Oktoberfest winds down
October 12: Columbus Day
October 12: Thanksgiving Day in Canada
October 16: Boss's Day
October 31: Halloween

View More Merchandising Posts | Gift Guides

Shoe-lution: Shoe-horning a Storage Situation

2009-09-02T10:20:00-05:00

I have a lot of shoes. I don't even know how many pairs. I lost count. Rooting through the huge plastic storage bin every morning has become a frustrating part of my routine. It's hideous and inefficient.

Scouring Etsy for shoe-lutions, I was surprised I didn't find more handmade utilitarian items to fulfill my need — even in the Storage Solutions Guide. Let me know if you have something I missed! Any other ideas, friends? Post them in the comments.

I've been inspired by posts I've seen on design*sponge. (Okay, I've whipped myself into a froth of envy looking at design*sponge, but I'm ready to channel that energy in positive ways now.) Peggy Wong had the inspired idea to tidy up some vintage fruit crates with these gray canvas bins with pull handles.

Here's a nice one from 1959 from luckylittledot's shop. These are great for homes with that vintage feel — the typography is a nice touch. Find more vintage wooden crates on Etsy.

These felt storage baskets by TheFeltStore could come in handy. Here's a shorter crate option (perfect for those soda addicts) from TheFancyLamb.

Apartment Therapy posted an idea that calls out the shoe fetish with this expose-my-obsession-shoe-ladder.

This ladder by dustyhans would do be up for the job. Here are some display shelves should you choose to bare it all. I wonder if RiverCitySoaps, who makes these craft fair display shelves to order, could make some a bit wider?

These felt pouches soothe my design sense a bit more than the back of the door hanging organizers you see in big box stores. I found the felt pouches, designed by Henrybuilt, via Remodelista. Or you can make your own with this vintage pattern from Shellbeestreasures.

I could start a new collection of vintage shoe boxes. These ones from backstashandbygones and bellalulu would stack up nice and pretty against a wall.

Try searching for vintage hat boxes too. I think these from jessjamesjake and greatfindz could serve the same purpose.

This trunk by NatJGold would be convenient by the front door.

You could dress up this storage bench by AbleandBaker with a custom paint job or just go with the natural maple finish.

Someday I'll move out of my tiny apartment overflowing with shoes and have a house with a staircase, right? Gregory Han from Apartment Therapy has the right idea!

What do you think? Would any of these work? Where do you stow your booties? Post in the comments below!

From Etsy's Merchandising Desk: September's Seasonal Shift

2009-08-05T16:15:00-05:00

It's that time again, and those of us behind the scenes at Etsy would like to share our merchandising plans for September. As we continue to plan Etsy’s calendar for the year ahead with thematic merchandising, we will be incorporating many of the concepts you shared in response to August's report and continue to welcome your input. It is our goal to create a healthy balance between promotions for traditional holidays, seasonal changes, and lifestyle trends.

A special note to sellers about Halloween:

Here at Etsy, Halloween is much more than a party; it’s a cultural mindset and a source of design inspiration for many of our sellers. The history, myths, and magic of Halloween spark our imagination and inspire the creative world. We want to encourage our sellers to start thinking now about Halloween, which we envision as our major kick-off to the holiday season. In fact, this August we are launching a preview for Halloween, which will be a prelude to a major promotional launch beginning in September and taking us through the end of October. Start now to do your research. We encourage as many sellers as possible to design and produce an item that can be promoted during our Halloween 2009 campaign. Be inventive through color, pattern, and forms. Consider decorating and merchandising your shop with images to capture the flavor and spirit of the holiday.

Rounding out August

As we toast the change of season from summer to fall, we'd like to find ourselves in the midst of a beautiful vineyard. Our muses are family celebrations around the table, entertaining, rich foods, working the land, and the perfect hostess gift, all of which leads us into the harvest. We bask in the last rays of summer, taking time out for vacationing, the beach, global travel, outdoor adventures and athletics, summer barbecues, and toasting to a warm evening on the back terrace as we begin to wonder: just where did those summer months go?

Back to school continues as a featured theme and will transition from a college dorm focus into a younger focus as the traditional school year nears. On the broader side of "back to school," we are taking the opportunity to expand this theme into the idea of a fresh start, new beginning, and what it means for you. All of these ideas encompass apartment and studio design, storage solutions, office and gadget gear, and hunkering back down to business.
As we head into cooler months, we will be highlighting the seasonal transition from summer fashion and accessories into autumn fashion and accessories. We'll be placing emphasis on "build and layer" styling options, mixing new items with current staples already in your wardrobe.
The Handmade Weddings series continues as we share DIY solutions for pulling off an unforgettable affair. As with the summer fashion transition, we will begin to shift from featuring summer weddings to ones with hints of autumn and the harvest.
Halloween Preview: Etsy lends a special welcome to Halloween with the debut of our Halloween Preview Guide. Now is the time shoppers plan ahead to make custom orders for costumes and creative solutions for this favorite DIY holiday. Keep your eyes peeled for hints of everything from the harvest to the darker arts as we prepare for our full promotional buzz around Halloween.
Vintage treasures continue to steal our hearts with nostalgic grace and clever repurposing options for the home. Look for continued emphasis on ways to incorporate vintage finds into your everyday life throughout the month.
Look for an emphasis on home decor, storage solutions and all that defines home comfort as we prepare for the upcoming holiday season.
Peridot takes center stage as August's birthstone, and August's astrological signs are Leo and Virgo (July 23 - August 23: Leo, August 24 - September 23: Virgo). Check out our specialized Peridot Gift Guide for some new ideas.
Keep in mind that August is a key time during which Etsy sellers should begin preparing for the busy holiday season ahead. Keep your eyes on the blog as we prepare early with a series guiding sellers through the steps to prepare themselves and their business for the upcoming holiday rush.
Promotional Opportunities for Sellers: We've planned four promotion-based Etsy Finds posts that will be sent out to our Etsy Finds mailing list in August. These Finds will center around targeted promotions. We've also launched a new Members' Choice Gift Guide in which you can nominate and vote on items for inclusion.
- Weekend Deals 8/7-8/9: Jewelry, click here to learn more and participate.
- Weekend Deals 8/14-8/16: Free Worldwide Shipping, click here to learn more and participate.
- Weekend Deals 8/21-8/23: Accessories Discounts, click here to learn more and participate.
- Weekend Deals 8/28-8/30: BOGO Promotions, click here to learn more and participate.
- Peridot nominations, click here to learn more and participate.
- For inclusion in our newly released Members' Choice Guide, keep up with our weekly voting series and suggest items you would like to see included! See the Voter FAQ here.

Stay Engaged in September

September marks the Autumnal Equinox and calls us into the full harvest when we begin to plan for family celebrations and the holidays ahead. We toast the coming autumn with wine, think about updating our homes with seasonal accents, and take ourselves a little less seriously with Halloween around the corner. As we place an emphasis on traditional seasonal themes throughout September and the coming months, we will also intertwine appropriate seasonal themes for those around the globe approaching warmer months.

The first weekend in September marks Labor Day, a day when many take off to relax and celebrate this symbolic end of summer in the form of a barbecue, picnic, or family gathering. It's a time for fireworks, extended weekend art shows, and relishing the final days of summer at the pool or beach. For the football fans out there, it's your time to shine as this holiday weekend usually means the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons.
After Labor Day, look for our Back to School promotions to wind down and our full Halloween promotional plans to roll out. We'll be highlighting all aspects of the holiday including costumes for adults, kids, babies and pets, decor for the home indoors and outdoors, party solutions, trick or treating accessories, food and candy alternatives, the DIY side of Halloween, the best in Halloween trends, and more. No genre of Halloween will be left in dark as we bring everything from the cute to the scary facets of this favorite holiday to the forefront.
Coinciding with our Halloween promotions, you'll notice an alternative spin on our Handmade Weddings series highlight unconventional approaches to pulling off a creative event.
September is key in showing off the height of fall fashion trends; we'll be looking to feature an autumnal spin on clothing, accessories, and jewelry. Etsy is unique in that our artists and designers are the industry trendsetters in each of their fields; we can't wait to see what's hot this season, bring emerging trends to the forefront, all the while featuring the handmade aspect of classic fall fashion staples.
Can you smell the hints of the harvest in the air? This time of year we celebrate the familiar rich earthy tones and textures in our homes and the outdoors. Classically a time for focusing on the indoors, woodland themes, primitive and folk arts, along with rustic furniture and vintage highlights
encompass many of our ideas for home decor.
The classic sapphire makes its debut as September's birthstone, and September's astrological signs are Virgo and Libra (August 24 - September 23: Virgo, September 24 - October 23: Libra).
Promotional Opportunities for Sellers:
- In preparation for our Sapphire Gift Guide, we will be looking for community suggestions and nominations for what items you'd like to see in the guide. Suggest your favorite sapphire-related items in this nomination thread.

If your items fall under the main thematic categories we'll be highlighting this month, it might be a great time to consider purchasing a Category Showcase. For those of you who enjoy making Treasuries, we'll be looking to highlight lists that interpret August and September's themes in a creative and cohesive way, as well as the many creative and beautiful collections that we normally feature.

Upcoming Dates to Remember:

September 6 Father's Day in Australia
September 7 Labor day
September 10 Sewing Machine Day
September 13 Grandparents' Day
September 15 Make a Hat Day
September 18 Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown
September 18 Independence Day of Chile
September 19 Talk like a Pirate Day
September 19 Oktoberfest
September 22 Autumnal Equinox
September 27 Yom Kippur
September 28 Indian Festival of Dussehra

Do you have a date to remember that you didn't see on the list? Let us know in the comments section below. We are currently working toward incorporating a more detailed calendar of international holidays into Etsy's thematic merchandising plans, so we're eager to hear which dates you would like to see included.

We’d like to hear from you!
We appreciate your support and look forward to your feedback and suggestions in the comments section below.

View More Merchandising Posts | Gift Guides

Seller How-To: Participate in Weekend Deals

2009-08-05T15:04:00-05:00

Each weekend Etsy publishes a Weekend Deals blog post and corresponding Etsy Finds email highlighting different shops with special promotions running over the weekend. All sellers are welcome to get involved and participate should you be planning ahead for a special shop promotion.

Each Weekend Deals email carries a theme; for example, the shop promotions might all have to do with a certain category, season, or type of promotion (such as Buy One, Get One Free), we find this to be easiest for the shopper experience. All of the upcoming themes can be found in the Promotions Section of the Forums by searching "weekend deals." Each thread will have the date and theme in the title, and sellers may post their promotions that match up with the date and theme. Featured weekend promotions are selected each week from these Forum threads. Sellers may post in as many relevant threads as they like; there is no limit to how many times you may participate in our Weekend Deals sign up threads.

Before the article and email are published, we send a convo to each seller to be featured so they will be able to prepare. Sellers not selected for the feature may still be included in the related Weekend Deals Gift Guide over the course of the weekend, but will not be notified.

Insider Tips:

We collect deals early in the week, so try to plan ahead and post your upcoming deal before the Wednesday of the upcoming weekend.

Pasting a link to an item included in your promotion always helps.

Plan your sale ahead of time and show off the best promotion you are offering.

We always look to highlight special Team sales or community driven site-wide promotions in these articles, so be sure to post and let us know the details of these types of sales.

As with each of the curated areas on Etsy, we look to highlight shops with excellent product photography.

Be sure to post the details of your weekend deal in your shop announcement during the appropriate weekend so shoppers can take advantage of your sale with ease.

Click here to see the upcoming Weekend Deals topics

Check out the Seller Handbook

Don't Throw it, Grow it!

2009-07-17T11:02:00-05:00

Moving back to Brooklyn after spending four years in the Bay Area has left me wistful for public composting bins, local produce year-round, and community-supported agriculture sans waiting lists. Fortunately, when in need of consolation, I can turn to such rich resources as Don't Throw it, Grow it! by Deborah Peterson and Millicent Selsam. This portable little book is chock-full of instructions for growing windowsill plants from kitchen scraps — perfect for self-reliant urban gardening! Check out these tips for cultivating your own lemongrass, one of my favorite herbs.

You can start new plants by using various different parts of a parent plant, such as roots, tubers, bulbs, seeds, or cuttings. Different parts of the plant require different growing methods. Start large tubers or seeds and bulbs in water, over pebbles, in soil, or in a sphagnum bag. Small seeds require just one method: soil or peat. In many cases, after you have started your plants, you will transfer the sprouted plants to containers with soil. Some plants, however, are best left in pebbles with water.

Starting Plants in Water. Large tubers, pits, or roots, such as sweet potatoes, daikon, arrowhead, and water chestnuts, can be started in water. Suspend the tuber, pit, or root in water by piercing the flesh or pit with bamboo skewers. (Toothpicks are too weak to hold these plants as they start to grow.) Plants started in water should be transplanted to soil when they have 4 inches of roots. The roots are quite brittle and should be handled with care.

Arrowhead and water chestnuts can be floated in bowls of water until they develop roots that are 4 inches long. Be sure to add charcoal to their water. Use one part "activated charcoal" to four parts water. This helps to keep the water sweet. The charcoal can be purchased in garden or pet centers.

What it Looks Like. Lemongrass in an ornamental plant with long, thin, bright green leaves. The stalks are stiff and hard. It is available year-round in Asian markets and some larger supermarkets.

How to Grow it. Nothing could be simpler. Lemongrass stalks, including bulbs and the leaves, are sold in bunches. Be sure to buy a bunch that has some of the grass blades showing. Place in a tall glass with enough water to cover the bulbous end of the stalk. Put a tablespoon of activated charcoal in the water. The roots will start to grow within a week. When the stalks have 2- to 3-inch long roots, it is time to transplant them.

The supersaturated roots are brittle and should be handled carefully. Cut off the top half of each stalk; the roots are not strong enough to support the full length. Use 6-inch pots filled with very moist potting soil. Make a hole in the soil that is large and deep enough to hold the roots and bulbous end, and plant one stalk in each pot. Keep the plant moist at all times. If you have a garden, transplant the lemongrass as soon as the weather is warm. If you live in the Northern latitudes, you must bring the plant in for the winter.

Time to Taste. You can eat the entire plant. Steep finely chopped leaves to make tea. Crush the bulbous root, much as you would a garlic clove, and add to Asian and Caribbean dishes. Lemongrass is said to relieve headaches and muscle cramps, and aid digestion.

Thanks to Deborah Peterson, Millicent Selsam, and all the folks at Storey Publishing for sharing this inspiring project with us. Looking for more Craftivism posts? Check out our archive here.

Earth Tones Series | Gardening and Horticulture Gift Guide

Environmentally Friendly Gift Guide | Plants and Edibles Category

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

From Etsy's Merchandising Desk: Hints of Harvest in August

2009-07-08T16:04:00-05:00

We’d like to share our merchandising insights for August. As we continue to plan Etsy’s calendar for the year ahead with thematic merchandising, we will be incorporating many of the concepts you shared in response to July's report, and we will be looking for more of your input. It is our goal to create a healthy balance between promotions for traditional holidays, seasonal changes, and lifestyle trends.

Rounding Out July

As we look ahead, our larger themes will continue to center around celebrations, summer travel, antiquing, health and wellness, a taste of international culture, and relishing the outdoors.

We hope everyone had fun on Canada Day and July Fourth, spending time with family and friends. Embarking upon new adventures, summer weddings and the great outdoors remain at our core throughout the remainder of July.
July is a time when we highlight summer rituals like collecting, antiquing, the value in bringing new life to old treasures, travel, outdoor athletics, and Americana, primitive, folk, and nautical motifs.
Look for special nods to the Tour de France taking place as we speak.
Summer attire and accessories continue to complement the season as we show a little skin and get prepared for a special occasion or everyday casual wear.
Organic and fresh Bath and Beauty treatments coupled with comforting, light-weighted summer fabrics keep you calm and relaxed all throughout the warmer months.
Expect to see site wide promotions of back to school themes such as dorm decor, apartment design, storage solutions, office and gadget gear, and hunkering back down to business as we hit mid July and head into August.
The ruby comes out to play as July's birthstone, and July's astrological signs are Cancer and Leo (June 22 - July 22: Cancer, July 23 - August 23: Leo). Have a look at our specialized Ruby Guide for some new ideas.
Promotional Opportunities for Sellers: We've planned two promotion-based Etsy Finds posts that will be sent out to our Etsy Finds mailing list in July. These Finds will center around targeted Free Shipping, and Buy One Get One type promotions. There's also a Christmas in July community generated sale all sellers are welcome to participate in. We've also launched a new Members' Choice Gift Guide in which you can nominate and vote on items for inclusion.
- If you would like to to participate in our Free Shipping promotional email, please read this forum thread.
- If you would like to participate in our Buy One Get One promotional email, please read this forum thread.
- Find out how to get involved in the seller Christmas in July Sale by reading this forum thread, or contacting the lead of the sale, DesignedByLucinda, with your questions.
- For inclusion in our newly released Members' Choice Guide, keep up with our weekly voting series and suggest items you would like to see included!

Stay Engaged in August

August hints at an approaching celebrated seasonal shift: one that begs us to bask in the sun's summer warmth while teasing us back indoors in preparation for the harvest ahead. Our larger themes this month will center around this transition from the nearing end of summer nights into the haunting allure of nesting down as we begin to hear autumn's call. As we place an emphasis on outdoor and summer themes throughout August and the coming months, we will also intertwine appropriate seasonal themes for those around the globe approaching a warmer seasonal shift.

This month we highlight celebrating the heat of summer: vacationing, the beach, worldly travel, outdoor adventures and athletics, summer barbecues, and toasting to a warm evening on the back terrace.
Summer attire and accessories come to fruition and take a bow as we begin to highlight transitional pieces leading into fall fashion. We celebrate the notion and idea of "long-term cool," meaning key components come into play as classic "build and layer" styling options intermingle with the current wardrobe that works for you. Every woman has the basics, and this fall season is all about mixing and matching with seasonal accents for a winning look.
Highlights from our Handmade Weddings series continue as we place an emphasis on the DIY wedding.
Expect to see site wide promotions of back to school themes such as dorm decor, apartment design, storage solutions, office and gadget gear, and hunkering back down to business as we hit mid July and head into August. On the broader side of "back to school," we are taking the opportunity to expand this theme into the idea of a fresh start, new beginning, and what it means for you.
Americana, primitive, folk, and nautical motifs continue to take center stage as visual and lifestyle trends.
As we toast the change of season from summer to fall, we embrace the vineyard, working the land, family celebrations around the table, entertaining, rich foods, and the perfect hostess gift, all of which lead us into the harvest.
Mid August we begin to cling fondly to our dwellings and return to nesting our space in preparation for the cooler season ahead. Look for highlights in home decor, storage solutions and all that defines the ultimate in home comfort.
Keep your eyes peeled for hints of the metaphysical, folklore, and darker arts as we approach September and prepare for all the promotional buzz around Halloween.
Peridot comes out to play as August's birthstone, and August's astrological signs are Leo and Virgo (July 23 - August 23: Leo, August 24 - September 23: Virgo).
August is a keynote time in which Etsy sellers should begin preparing for the busy holiday season ahead. Keep your eyes on the blog as we prepare early with a series guiding sellers through the steps to prepare themselves and their business for the upcoming holiday rush.
Promotional Opportunities for Sellers:
- In preparation for our Peridot Gift Guide, we will be looking for community suggestions and nominations for what items you'd like to see in the guide. Suggest your favorite peridot related items in this nomination thread.
- For inclusion in our newly released Members Choice Guide, keep up with our weekly voting series and suggest items you would like to see included!

If you make items that would fit well with the themes outlined, try stocking up and listing them in advance to take advantage of potential shipping deadlines. Do you already have items in your shop that meld well? That's great! Now it's time to revisit those items to make sure your tags, titles, and descriptions reflect key words shoppers might be looking for this time of year. This is also a great opportunity to revamp your item photography with a new look, if you think they need some work. Check out some great how-tos for item photography to get started.

If your items fall under the main thematic categories we'll be highlighting this month, it might be a great time to consider purchasing a Category Showcase. For those of you that enjoy making Treasuries, we'll be looking to highlight lists that interpret July and August's themes in a creative and cohesive way, as well as the many creative and beautiful collections that we normally feature.

Upcoming Dates to Remember:

August 2nd: Friendship Day
August 15th: Woodstock Music Festival
August 20th: Chinese Valentine's Day, also known as The Daughters Festival
August 21st: National Senior Citizens Day
August 22nd: Ramadan begins
August 24th: US Open Tennis Tournament

View More Merchandising Posts | Gift Guides

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.

Craft Show Applications Unravelled

2009-06-25T10:13:00-05:00

Summer craft shows are in full swing, and mentions of fall and holiday shows are starting to pop up. The dreaded cycle — filling out vendor applications and then waiting and anticipating to see if you've made it — never seems to end.

As one of the Directors of the Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair in Washington, D.C., and the Handmade Mart in Silver Spring, MD, my fellow organizers and I are often asked the frequent question: “Why didn’t I get accepted into the fair?”

This question is hard to answer, as it’s different for everyone. For seasoned crafters who have sold successfully on Etsy and have been on the craft fair circuit for years, the answer usually comes down to submitting the same photos year after year with their application. As an organizer who is looking for an innovative and awesome experience for crafters and shoppers, it’s hard to accept our past vendors who haven’t evolved their crafts.

For example, a vendor who submits the same three T-shirt designs with their application every year is telling me that they really don’t have any new products in their line. This is important, especially when you see more and more crafters joining the handmade community. If a crafter isn’t making new products or designs, there are 100 more who are.

For crafters who are newer to the craft fair scene, not getting accepted usually results from submitting photos that don’t often show off the variety or volume of crafts they produce or don’t show their best products. If crafts in the photos don’t look well made or have a unique style, they lose points. Newer vendors sometimes give us too much personal information and not enough specifics about their product line in their vendor statements.

Vendor statements are important because they explain the photos of your craft. A photo may say 1,000 words, but a vendor statement is there to back it up with a literal explanation. For example, let’s say I sell jewelry and in my vendor statement I say:

“I make whimsical jewelry that will tickle your fancy with vibrant colors and semi-precious stones.”

What is this person trying to say? This is a textbook answer without much thought. The questions I want to know are: What does the making process entail? What makes the jewelry more awesome than the other 100 jewelry designers who applied to the fair? What type of jewelry do you make, i.e. rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, etc? What inspires you? What is your style?

A good vendor statement with the right photos will be a perfect package, neatly wrapped, and need no further explanation.

Here are other tips for applying to craft fairs:

1. Photos

Make sure the file size of your photo isn’t too big and that the photos are crisp and clear.
Be sure to send in photos that show off individual items, but have one or two that also show off the variety of your products.
Show only your products and nothing else that might be distracting or confused with what you make. For example, if you design scarves and you submit a photo with someone wearing a scarf and a large necklace covering the scarf, it’s very misleading.
Let your product shine in the front and center. If you are submitting a photo of your product laying on a crazy, headache-inducing patterned background, or a background that is the same color as your product, you are not doing your crafts justice.

2. Websites
Many fairs ask you for your website along with, or instead of, photos. If your main site is a blog with a small link to your Etsy shop, I’d rather you send me to your Etsy shop directly. This is not necessarily a general rule, but if it’s hard to see your products on your website or hard to find a link to your shop, that’s not good.

3. Vendor Statement
Don’t submit a life story. Stick to your product line and anything surrounding your career as a crafter. Writing my own vendor statement for applications usually takes at least a day. Email your friends your statement and see what they say. They will know if your creativity and who you are as a crafter comes through in your statement.

4. Know your market
Before you apply to a craft fair, check out the vendors from the previous year. What are they selling? What do their websites and Etsy shops look like? You will need to see if this is indeed your market.

You can usually find reviews about shows by searching the web or in the Etsy Forums. Find out if this is the show for you from what their vendors had to say.

5. Burning Bridges
Every year, at every craft show, there is a vendor who didn’t get accepted and decides to yell at the organizers. This usually starts with an email or phone call that begins with “How dare you” or “My stuff is much better than so and so’s” or “I am a very important person in the crafting world...” Every craft show organizer has heard it before, and it’s heart wrenching and not nice. Please be nice. Many shows have at least one vendor who has to drop out at the last minute for various reasons, so you never know if you might be next in line to take their place.

6. Don’t take it personally
If you are not accepted as a vendor, don’t take it personally. This has nothing to do with you as a person. With tens of thousands of crafters on Etsy alone, the competition to sell at fairs, which can only take between 50-300 vendors per show, is tremendous. For all the fun, excitement, and friendship-making that takes place at craft fairs, you must remember that the point of these fairs is all business: Craft fair organizers are creating a marketplace for monetary transactions to take place. You are seeking to conduct said monetary transactions. It’s all business in the front and party in the back.

7. Get feedback
Some vendors who have not been accepted will email us to ask what they could have done better in their applications to get accepted. I’m usually more than happy to take a look at their applications and see if I can give any useful feedback. Sometimes there’s nothing I can say, because it’s just a matter of space at the fair…but it never hurts to ask.

Get feedback about your products from your friends and most importantly, your fellow crafters. Don’t be afraid to get advice and reviews that might not be 100% positive. Being open to hearing what others had to say about your product will help you develop stronger products and marketing lines, and will improve your chances of getting into the more competitive craft fairs.

Check out more tips on applying to shows from crafter extraordinaire and Hello Craft's Communication Director Tina Seamonster here. Questions? Have advice for others? Tell us in the comments and feel free to email Hello Craft at hellocraftinfo@gmail.com. kittenrockswell will also be hosting a follow-up chat today, Thursday, June 25 at 5 p.m. ET in the Virtual Labs, Etsy's multi-user chat room.

And don't forget, applications to this year's Crafty Bastards are open until July 5, 2009! Happy crafting and good luck with all your 2009 applications!

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!

Seller Workshop Recap: Tags, Titles, Descriptions and Most Relevant Search

2009-06-02T11:30:00-05:00

Thanks to everyone who came to our May 28, 2009 Virtual Lab on Tags, Titles, Descriptions and Materials and the new Most Relevant option in Etsy's Search. We had some great questions come up, and we wanted to make sure we shared the answers with those who couldn't make the workshop. Here's a quick Q&A.

Q: How long should my item titles be?
A: We suggest three to seven words. The most important words in your title should be first, as the first 18 characters of your title are going to be seen in Gallery View in Etsy Search, and the first few words will be the ones displayed on external search engine results (see this Seller How-To: Optimizing Your Etsy Shop for Search Engines). If your item titles are too short they will not grab a buyer's attention, and if they are too long they will distract buyers, so balance is key. It's great to be creative in your titles for your branding, but we recommend beginning titles with the specifics. Try to think like a buyer and use words that your customers would use when searching. Generic-sounding titles don't attract potential buyers as well as specific titles, so don't be afraid to be specific! You'll improve your targeting and attract more buyers in the market for your items.

Q: How important is the order of your item's tags?
A: Your first tag is your item's top-level category. If you are interested in promoting your item in a Subcategory Showcase, your next tag should match that Subcategory. We suggest tagging in order of importance, and in general for each of the item fields (Tags, Titles, Descriptions, Materials), go with the most important information first. Note: Major changes to tagging guidelines or the listing process will be communicated in advance. Our current tagging guidelines still apply.

Q: Should I use all 14 tags?
A: Yes! It is important to use 14 relevant tags that properly describe your item. See this article on tagging for lots of tips!

Q: Should I be tagging a striped item with "stripes," "striped" and "stripe"?
A: No. Using the root word "stripe" is enough, and our search function will pick up these variations. No need to use multiple variations of a word.

Q: What about "floral" and "flowers"?
A: Yes. Those words are different enough to be used as two different tags.

Q: How much of your item's description shows up in a Google search result?
A: The first 160 characters of your item description appear in Google search results, so be sure to include the most important information first! Be as specific as possible and use words that you think your customers would use. Item dimensions and measurements are important pieces of information for buyers but can go lower down in your description. Lots of great information on search engine optimization can be found in this article.

Q: I sell soy candles. Should I be adding "soy" to my item titles, tags and descriptions?
A: Yes. The fact that your candles are made of soy is an important selling point. Include this information in the title, description and as a tag, as it is relevant information.

Q: I've heard that if I use only a few tags my items will show up higher in search results sorted by Most Relevant.
A: The best strategy for placement in search results sorted by Most Relevant is to describe your items accurately and thoroughly, using words your customers would use. It's important to follow our guidelines for tagging and to keep your tags relevant (and to use them all!). Improvements to relevancy on Etsy are being rolled out regularly and frequently, with the goal of matching well tagged, thoroughly described items with the often very specific searches shoppers are performing.

Remember, if a shopper is searching for "emerald green earrings" and you've only tagged your item "jewelry," for example, your item won't be found in that shopper's search results. When you describe your item thoroughly and accurately with specifics and details, you give your item more opportunities to be found by buyers looking for your items. Items not described well are simply not seen by the right people. Also, note that optimizing a listing for a single search term you have in mind will actually limit your visibility — you won't appear in as many searches as you might otherwise. The more tags you can use the better.

See this article for more tips on optimizing your listings for search results sorted by Most Relevant.

Q: What percentage of searches on Etsy are currently using the Most Relevant option?
A: A very small percentage of searches on Etsy (less than 1 percent) are currently being sorted by Most Relevant. The Most Relevant search option is not the default search option. It is a feature in active development and updates are being rolled out regularly and frequently behind the scenes, just as with other search engines. Searches sorted by Most Relevant are leading to purchases at a higher rate than searches sorted by Most Recently Listed, and we're actively monitoring the performance of the Most Relevant search option — as well as your feedback — to make it even better.

Q: How important are Materials in search results sorted by Most Relevant?
A: Materials are a factor in search results sorted by Most Relevant, but not an important one. Item tags, titles and descriptions, in that order, are the most important item fields in search results sorted by Most Relevant. However, don't forget that Materials is an option in the Advanced Search.

Q: Why is item listing date a consideration in search results sorted by Most Relevant?
A: It's true, an item's listing date is also a factor in determining relevancy, though not the most important one. We've found shoppers value fresh results for their favorite searches. This is common among other search engines — you'll find Google often returns relevant and current (recently updated) results.

Q: If I put "free shipping" at the beginning of my title, will that hurt me?
A: It can. Remember that in Gallery view, Etsy shoppers can only see the first 18 characters of your title, and you have a better chance of making a sale when you attract shoppers that are searching for specific things. People do perform searches for "free shipping," but they usually qualify those searches with something specific. We recommend doing the same: include "free shipping" in your title if you like, but start with something more specific.

Q: Does using your Etsy Team tag hurt your item's performance in search results sorted by Most Relevant?
A: Team tags are relevant for Team-related searches. Using one or two Team tags will not hurt your chances of being found in search results sorted by Most Relevant.

Q: Is the price of an item a factor in relevancy?
A: No. Price is not a factor in search results sorted by Most Relevant.

Q: How would you tag something that can be made in any color scheme?
A: Use "custom" or "personalized" as a tag.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Seller Workshop Virtual Lab! Please keep an eye on the Virtual Labs schedule to find out about upcoming Seller Workshops. (EDITOR'S NOTE: The previously noted discussion about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on June 15 has been postponed.)

Related Articles:

Quit Your Day Job: 5 Tips from 50 Who've Done It (and Counting!)

2009-06-01T14:34:00-05:00

Over the past several months we have shared the stories of over 50 sellers who have been able to quit their day jobs due to their selling success on Etsy. We're far from finished and are thrilled at the response we've seen with this growing series. We've scoured past articles to find out just what it is all of these successful sellers seem to have in common. We've compiled a list of the most frequently given advice below, as well as other similarities we've noticed from other sellers who have been able to make Etsy their full-time gig.

Top selling tips and traits from Quit Your Day Job features:

Sellers making their living full-time often stress the importance of taking great product photographs. You don't need to hire a professional photographer or be one yourself in order to take great shots, and can find some great photography tips here.
Successful sellers know how to stay visible on and off Etsy. They recommend listing new items frequently and renewing best selling and popular items if you don't have new products to list each day. These sellers develop relationships with bloggers that write to their target audiences outside of Etsy, and suggest talking about your business in a professional way as much as you can in the real world.
Another common trait among full-time sellers is their expert level of customer service. They feel excellent, quick, and friendly communication is vital to the success of their businesses. These sellers take great care in the packaging and branding of their products and will do what it takes to make their customers happy. Excellent customer service has been one of the keys in these sellers gaining repeat customers — who in turn tell their friends where to shop.
Time and time again we see full-time sellers explaining how they treat their Etsy shops like a full-time business. These sellers take the time to get their business licenses, set up expense accounts, and have learned how to manage their time accordingly. While many of these sellers tell tales of 12 hour work days, they attest to never feeling more fulfilled.
Finally, the most common trait we've gathered from our 50 featured Quit Your Day Job sellers is the fact that they absolutely love the freedom of being their own bosses and working under their own schedules, but the one thing they miss the most about having a day job is the social interaction with their friends and co-workers.

For additional selling tips and more advice for a successful Etsy shop, please have a look at our Seller Handbook. We'd love to hear your tips for selling success on Etsy; please share them in the comments section below.

If you've quit your day job and want to be featured in this series, you can get in touch by sending a convo to marymary with information about your story.

Your Shop 101: Hitting the Sweet Spot with Etsy's Most Relevant Search

2009-05-21T13:33:00-05:00

What's the ultimate goal of the Most Relevant option in Etsy's Search? To get shoppers more quickly to the exact items they want. But how does Etsy get them there? The answer is bound up in our site's collaboration with you, our sellers. We need sellers to create listings that accurately and fully represent their items. The goal, really, is to arrive at that magical moment — that sweet spot — when shoppers find the items they love and sellers do the happy dance!

Although that sweet spot feels magical, there are a lot of algorithms and number crunching going on behind the scenes. Etsy's Most Relevant Search is a living feature in active development, and it will evolve over time as we monitor its performance and make improvements to the listing process. However, as a seller, you can follow these golden rules when listing your items:

"ANY 3-Letter Word in ASL Your Choice" By MoonlightAura

Tags: Tags, also known as "keywords," are the most important part of your listing! Sellers can use up to 14 tags right now; use as many as you can to accurately describe your item. Use the most important words in the tags, even if they are in your title. Remember, the first tag determines the category your item. Look at that category's subcategories and include the relevant one as one of your tags as well. Please see this how-to for thorough tagging guidelines.

Titles: Titles can be a catchy and creative way to lure in a shopper, but keep in mind that titles should also be descriptive. Think about it from the computer's point of view: a computer is not going to understand something titled "Welcome to My World," even if that is a really awesome title for your self-portrait art photograph. "Self-Portrait Art Photograph - Welcome to My World" may not be quite as catchy, but our computer friend crunching the algorithm will know how to translate that for relevant searches.

Also, consider if from the point of view of a shopper who is scanning a search results page in Gallery view: when you put your descriptive title first, those words quickly communicate what your item actually is to the shopper. Then when they click through to your listing page, they'll see the rest of the title and get hooked by your clever branding.

Super long and unnaturally written titles don't work well for Most Relevant, and they are unappealing to shoppers. A good, accurate, buyer-friendly title can help your relevancy; a super-long title, jam-packed with keywords — or, conversely, a short title with no descriptive information — will hurt it. Aim for the "sweet spot" in the middle here. Make sure to put very important search words, such as what the item is, in the title. For more tips on Titles, see this how-to.

Descriptions: Thorough and meaty descriptions will boost your relevancy. Having inadequate descriptions for your items will bring down your relevancy. Think about what keywords your ideal buyer would be using in her searches, and try to weave that into the story you're telling.

For example, "This handmade lamp would fit into a chic, modern home or office decor — perfect for contemporary design collectors. When designing this lamp, I was inspired by mid-century interiors and decor, so my piece has a bit of a retro furniture style. Its glossy finish and vivid green make this lamp a statement piece for your living room or workplace. I made this ceramic lamp by hand with a special glaze and fit it with standard hardware. It measures 16 inches high and 6 inches wide. Lamp shade is not included." This is just an example to illustrate that considering your target market when writing your descriptions will lead to proper relevancy.

ElizabethOcean's paper doll description includes the words "Bike Messenger, Rockabilly, Steampunk, Rollerderby, Goth Lolita"...because you can't fit all that in a title!

Extra tip: If you've made the item, use the active (not passive) voice. For example, "I made this item using reclaimed silver." Passive voice works better for vintage items: "This item was made with reclaimed silver."

While you want your descriptions to be thorough, you don't want them to be intimidatingly long blocks of text. Many online shoppers simply scan text. Daniellexo, the Etsy Admin who runs the Etsy Success email list, suggests breaking out your description text into easy to read paragraphs. She notes that you can use bullet points to call out important info, like dimensions, customizations or alternate sizing. For more tips on Descriptions, see these how-tos.

Extra tip: Following the instruction is this how-to will also be good for your search results in Google and other search engines. Learn more about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Etsy here.

I found this Haute Potato Bag by SasakiCreations by searching Materials for "potato sack."

Materials: Fill this section out accurately with all of the materials that are used in your item. Think in terms of supplies (for example: chain, fabric) and content (for example: metal, copper, cotton). Most Relevant takes Materials into account as well as Tags, Titles and Descriptions; however, Materials are weighted lower than these others. Also, remember that shoppers can choose to search by Materials in the Advanced Search page.

Recency: An item's listing date is also an important factor in determining relevancy, as we've found shoppers value fresh results for their favorite searches. Sellers should experiment with what time of day and which days of the week work best for their types of items. Consider things like time zones and climates around the world. What time of day do you think your customers are on the hunt? Use the Craftcult site (craftcult.org), and scan the times that your items and shop get hearted. What times are bringing the best results?

To reiterate, Most Relevant will be an evolving site feature, and this is normal for search algorithms around the Web. Thank you, sellers, for taking the time to make your listings the best they can be. We know this is a time-consuming process, but we hope that the results will benefit both you and your buyers and create that magic moment. We want you doing the happy dance!

Please join Etsy Admin Daniellexo and Sean11 for a Tags, Titles, Materials and Descriptions discussion in the Virtual Labs on Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 3 p.m. ET. Please bring any questions you have.

Etsy Finds Vintage: Crafting the Perfect Display

2009-05-16T10:00:00-05:00

Looking for innovative display ideas for an upcoming craft show? Etsy Vintage is a good place to start! I love adding a few shabby chic elements to a display. My top tips include using multiple levels, keeping displays simple, and adding something special like fresh flowers. Read on to see my favorite vintage display accessories...

Vintage Wire Postcard Holder

Display your logo in this sweet, shabby chic post card holder. From IdaOhio, $25.

View Item | View Shop

Vintage Tray Table

Always look for creative ways to add height to your displays. Tray tables are perfect! From vintagejane, $28.

View Item | View Shop

Spice Rack with 12 vintage glass bottles

This spice rack would be a perfect display for postcards or miniatures. From extravirginhome, $28.

View Item | View Shop

Vintage Linen Tablecloth With Appliqued Window Box and Flowers

Make sure your tablecloth isn't too distracting. Little handmade details are perfect! From violetsandgrace, $22.

View Item | View Shop

Forest of Vintage Coffee Mug Stands Your Choice

These displays would be ideal for handmade mugs, necklaces and ornaments! By NiftyVintage, $10.50.

View Item | View Shop

Vintage Blue and White Mele Earring Box

A great way to travel and display your earring collection. By bluebell, $15.

View Item | View Shop

Curious Kitten On Ladder Earring Holder

Another earring display must-have. From ButlerandMaid, $12.

View Item | View Shop

50's metal step ladder

Vintage step ladders are another way to add levels to your display. You want to make sure some (or most) of your work is at eye level. From atomic, $45.

View Item | View Shop

Large Metal Crate / Basket

People love a good deal! Pile your misprints in a "sale" basket and watch them sell! From HelloVictory, $38.

View Item | View Shop

Androck Wire and Metal Locker Basket No. 507

Here's another great basket to pile your irregulars in. From lisabretrostyle2, $28.

View Item | View Shop

GOLDEN. vintage metal MAIL / LETTER holder

I love this letter holder to display greeting cards or post cards. From RedEyeVintage, $16.

View Item | View Shop

Vintage Child's Folding Chair

Vintage details that tie in with your overall image can help you brand your booth. Search for your style on Etsy. From vintagejane, $39.

View Item | View Shop

If you liked these tips, there are plenty more where that came from! Sign up for the Etsy Success newsletter for crafty tips and tricks for your Etsy business.

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Etsy Vintage | Search for More Vintage Items Tagged "Display" | More Craft Show Posts

Need a daily fix of Etsy Finds? Sign up for the Etsy Finds e-mail! Conveniently delivered to your inbox!

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!

Guidelines & Tips: Tagging on Etsy

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

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

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

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

TAGGING SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS

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

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

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

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

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

Now you will choose your remaining 13 tags.

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

1. What is it?

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

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

2. What is it specifically? What type?

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

3. Who is it for?

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

4. What is the main material?

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

5. What is the main color?

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

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

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

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

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

8. What size is it?

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

9. What style is it?

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

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

10. Imagery or motifs that are on the item.

Eg. owl, landscape, nature, Marilyn Monroe.

11. Are there synonyms?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Helpful Tips

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

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

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

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

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

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

Common Definitions of Tags by Category

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

Original: for original 2D artwork only.

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

Bags and Purses:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bath and Beauty:

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

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

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

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

Clothing:

Dress: means an actual dress, not formal wear.

Plus Size: size 16 (USA) or larger.

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

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

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

Seller Handbook | Shop Makeover Series

Handmade Weddings: A Guide for the Bride (and Groom)

2009-03-18T16:00:00-05:00

Are you getting married, but feel lost in a sea of big name bridal magazines filled with traditional and often cliché wedding ideas? If so, you may not know where to turn for touches such as that vintage gown, that one-of-a-kind button bouquet, and what about those handmade cufflinks?

After you have perused the many amazing vendors on Etsy, if you find yourself still in need of some guidance, here is a handy list of some valuable resources. Instead of the bridal mags, why not save some trees and go cyber instead? These are some of the many amazing blogs and websites that make it a point to source those unique and creative touches for your big day:

Style Me Pretty

Brooklyn Bride

Offbeat Bride

Eco Chic Weddings

WeddingBee

Great Green Wedding

WedSmack

Portovert

BRIDE TO BE - Mini Jot and Go Recycled / Upcycled Journal Notebook
by ivylanedesigns, $6.

If you still prefer the printed page to the digital type, here are a few books that may give you a spark:

Eco-Chic Weddings: Simple Tips to Plan an Earth-Friendly, Socially Responsible, Affordable Green Wedding by Emily Elizabeth Anderson

The DIY Wedding: Celebrate Your Day Your Way by Kelly Bare

Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides by Ariel Meadow Stallings

Anti-Bride Guide: Tying the Knot Outside of the Box by Carolyn Gerin

The DIY Bride: 40 Fun Projects for Your Ultimate One-of-a-Kind Wedding by Khris Cochran

For those who like to get some exercise while planning a wedding, you may be tempted to attend one of those big bridal fairs you see advertised on television. What a great way to sample some cake, watch a fashion show and pick up some business cards! However, many of the exhibitors at these types of event may not appeal to the more unconventional couple. So what is a gal or guy to do? Check your local city paper for any events in your area that may have interesting artists or designers. Try a local craft fair or two. You may just find that one of the jewelry designers at the show has an amazing bridal collection or your favorite paper goods company also does a wicked wedding invitation. To find a craft fair in your area, you can look to resources such as the Indie Craft Show Directory.

"Indie I Do" craft fair in Vancouver, courtesy of Tracey Heppner

Alternative bridal fairs are a new trend, which cater especially towards the non-traditional couple. These are great places, not only to shop, but also to exhibit if you are a maker of anything potentially wedding related. So far, the few lucky cities hosting such an event are Vancouver’s Indie I Do, Unbridaled Expo in Philadelphia, and Indie Wed in Chicago.

Hopefully this list provides you with a few options for finding those distinctive and personal touches for your special event. If you know of any other resources, feel free to list them in the comments below!

Handmade Weddings Series | Vintage Wedding Items | Weddings and Celebrations Gift Guide