Etsy's Handmade Blog
All about RSS
Story by kfarrell
Published on March 31, 2008 in How-To 		Photo by luisvilla

Curious about the little orange RSS links you see all over the web?  RSS feeds are a great way to keep tabs on websites that update frequently, like blogs and Etsy shops. Word on the street is that RSS stands for "real simple syndication."

Check out this video on how to use RSS with Alchemy: 

 
[Music by Barry London] 

To get started with RSS, you'll need an RSS reader and some feeds you want to follow. Some easy to use RSS readers include Google Reader and Bloglines. Firefox has a feature called "Live Bookmarks" which can be used to view RSS feeds. Thunderbird, Microsoft Outlook (2003 or later) and Apple Mail all have RSS readers built into them, so you can get RSS updates alongside your e-mail. RSSFWD will actually email RSS updates to any email account you like.

One handy Etsy feed you'll want to subscribe to is the Storque's Etsy News feed. The Etsy News feed pulls directly from the Etsy News section of the Storque, bringing important news to you in a timely fashion. There are RSS feeds for all sections of the Storque; check out the list of the Storque feeds available. In addition to section-based feeds, you can also get a feed for any of our featured columns. Just want to see our Etsy Success Stories articles? Click the "RSS Feed for this search" at the bottom of the page. You may need to copy and paste the feed URL into your RSS reader.

So be on the lookout for the orange RSS icon! It means that a website's content can be packaged and delivered directly to you. How handy! 

Tags Alchemy, blogging, HOW-TO, RSS, Seller Handbook, selling, site features, video
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61 comments     Login to add your own!

March 17, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. intertwingle

You can also get an RSS feed of the shops you like most. It is a great way to stay abreast of new items from crafters you love.

March 17, 2008 at 6:40 p.m. PickalaPoopa

Thank you for this article!

March 18, 2008 at 4:26 a.m. Basilechko

Hi and thank you for the information! I've been trying to use Feedburner's e-mail susbcription service to keep some people updated (upon request)on my shop's changes but it doesn't seem to work! Any ideas? Have you tried this? Thank you again!

March 20, 2008 at 2:45 a.m. youmeyou

http://litedrummer.blogspot.com/

Thank you...it worked! xo

March 23, 2008 at 9:01 p.m. kerrihale

this is fantastic!!! Lee, you ROCK!!!! I absolutely LOVE how you explained it :)

BING!

(that's the light above my head going on)

March 31, 2008 at 2:18 p.m. jascamille

I was hoping for an article like this. Thanks Storque.

March 31, 2008 at 3:33 p.m. Vanessa

Yay Kelly! Way to go! You are helping so many people become a shade geekier!

March 31, 2008 at 10:12 p.m. treasurefield

I love my RSS feeder (built into Opera)!
Is it possible we may someday be able to see images when we subscribe to feeds for Etsy shops the way we see them in the Storque news?
That would be great for shoppers and sellers alike!

March 31, 2008 at 10:13 p.m. treasurefield

...the Storque news FEEDS, i.e.

March 31, 2008 at 11:14 p.m. intertwingle

I get pictures of the shops that I have RSS for.

April 6, 2008 at 9:11 p.m. shopgoodgrace

Great article! I'm finally beginning to understand how RSS works. (I *just* started using Google Reader about a month ago - I love it.)

April 7, 2008 at 7:50 a.m. ChaunceyPGraham

I've always wondered...now I know!

April 9, 2008 at 10:27 a.m. nicoleleeartistry

Thank you! Very cool. I wondered about it and you provided a very clear and helpful explaination. Etsy rocks!

July 13, 2008 at 9:17 p.m. XODesigns

what a great idea. thanks!!!!

July 20, 2008 at 1:36 a.m. Darque

Since etsy.com deals with GoogleReader, why not use the GoogleCheckout as well?

July 20, 2008 at 10:33 p.m. BrushItOn

Nice to get this great info...now if only some of us older and not computer savvy folks could just figure out how to actually use the info given!! Left behind once again.............

Aug. 5, 2008 at 12:26 a.m. ImagineMagicStudio

This was very helpful for someone who doesn't know alot about computers yet. Thank you so much

Aug. 12, 2008 at 3:23 a.m. mandalajane

Thanks for the info. I'll get to this soon. Still working on banner. YIPPIE!!!

Aug. 21, 2008 at 1:25 p.m. Rose442

Thank You for this information.Every little bit helps!The Storque is wonderful to keep everyone up to date.I need all the help I can get,everyone has been great.It's been five years since I've been on a computer!It's alot easier now. Having Fun!!!

Aug. 31, 2008 at 3:01 p.m. thebirdieshop

Nice to hear this. Go Go Etsians!

Sept. 4, 2008 at 3:30 a.m. ausra

thanks

Sept. 8, 2008 at 7:10 p.m. OhNoUDidntDesigns

Now I know....reading is so fundamental! :)

Sept. 29, 2008 at 7:10 p.m. Amazinaprons

I will like to invited everyone to see my stor.

Oct. 19, 2008 at 11:58 a.m. redbuddesigns

Thanks for the so-o-o simple explanation for a geek illiterate!

Oct. 23, 2008 at 7:13 a.m. MonasMane

Thanks girly, this article is very helpful.

Oct. 30, 2008 at 7:56 a.m. GreekCreations

This is very helpful info!! I feel like a REAL part of Etsy now!! :)

Nov. 6, 2008 at 12:44 a.m. BagsPlusMore

I'm a newcomer on the block and very impressed with all these
shops and the hand craftmanship that's gone into these items.
It's amazing how much is out there!

Nov. 12, 2008 at 2:36 p.m. Konschuh

Thanks for the great video - it works well for visual people like ourselves!

Nov. 14, 2008 at 8:55 a.m. Roadking69s

Thanks for the "FYI" it was helpful!

Nov. 16, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. inezbenoit

excellent... thanks so much for the info. i'm going to pass this on...

Nov. 17, 2008 at 7:29 a.m. Sonshinememories

Thanks so much for explaining that - totally did not understand what that was.

Nov. 24, 2008 at 6:42 a.m. DancingLiteKeychains

Thanks for the explanation.

Nov. 25, 2008 at 8:22 p.m. cintillajewelry

Hey thanks for explaining...always wanted to know.

Dec. 14, 2008 at 12:07 p.m. mlndesigns

Thank you, this has been very useful info. My mother and I recently started our own pages and are just beginning to figure it all out. Your info has been helpful.

Dec. 31, 2008 at 6:44 a.m. CherrynMillerDesigns

Hi thanks for explaining as I always wanted to know.

Dec. 31, 2008 at 1:31 p.m. HHknits

still learning, this was helpful

Jan. 7, 2009 at 3:27 a.m. TwoOfThree

Thanks - love these info articles. Always something more to learn!

Jan. 8, 2009 at 8:29 p.m. PewterGoblet

Does anyone know how to unsubscribe from Etsy's "Favorites Feed?"

Jan. 8, 2009 at 8:43 p.m. PewterGoblet

Nevermind! I figured it out. Thanks!

Jan. 9, 2009 at 8:38 a.m. sacredsparks

RSS has been a mystery to us for a long time. Leave it to Etsy to enlighten us! Thanks you guys, you are the absolute BEST!! Now we know the value of this and plan to look into installing it ourselves. We are on Dial Up here in the boonies, hope we can access RSS too. A valuable tool that we all should be utilizing. Many Kudos...

Jan. 19, 2009 at 10:49 p.m. jewelryexpressions

I had no idea what RSS was. Just another example of Etsy education at work. Thanks so much.

Feb. 16, 2009 at 10:40 a.m. Isabelcards

Thanks, I really had no idea what this was.

Feb. 19, 2009 at 1:09 a.m. MaggieMaeEtc

Thanks!

Feb. 21, 2009 at 8:23 p.m. MagneticJewelryZone

I had no idea...thanks for All your helpful info.

March 14, 2009 at 7:12 p.m. UniquebyRebecca

Thanks for all your help. One truly can learn something new everyday!

April 4, 2009 at 2:36 a.m. artisticlicents

Shoot! I was kinda hoping to learn how to create RSS feeds. I've been on the other end for years but somehow the way to create them has been kept a deep dark secret only distributed to acolytes who come to learn through icy desert and fiery mountain... barefoot.

April 21, 2009 at 5:58 p.m. BeachBling

There's so much to learn!! I am going to look into this interesting tool right now! Thanks for opening my eyes!

May 13, 2009 at 6:20 a.m. PurpleBears

I was just checking email on my new iMac and wondering what in the world the RSS link was for. Now I know! And thanks to this article I'm adding it to my repertoire. I've never used alchemy either, so now would be a great time to start using both of them. Thanks etsy - I tell everyone I know how wonderful you are.

May 23, 2009 at 10:24 a.m. Wildewear

wow this is fasinating... thanks so much!

June 4, 2009 at 11:55 p.m. ItsPursenal

very interesting, thanks so much

June 15, 2009 at 12:36 p.m. Auroraoriginalsjewel

Thank you for the info, I will look into further.

June 18, 2009 at 11:22 p.m. quiltfairykaren

Now it makes sense! thanx

June 20, 2009 at 12:08 a.m. TheWellAndSpindle

Does anyone know how to get the rss feed off your etsy shop for yourminis.com (I want to make a widget). I am still confused. :[

THANKS!

June 25, 2009 at 1:22 a.m. SassysWackdOutGifts

well at least now I know what it is-if ican figure out how to work it in a timely manner i'll be all set.

THANKS!

June 25, 2009 at 1:24 a.m. SassysWackdOutGifts

I kept reading about and rss feed and had no idea what it was. now i thank you,you explained it very well.

June 26, 2009 at 6:07 p.m. BrighidsForge

I'd wondered - this was a great explanation. NOW, how about where does your Google Reader show up and do you need to keep it launched or does it update or?

Feel like I'm running DOS in a Sharepoint world.

June 26, 2009 at 6:15 p.m. BrighidsForge

Hmmm... I didn't see Alchemy RSS - saw Alchemy Feed, with the RSS symbol. I had done the Alchemy jewelry search, as well, since I'm a jeweler. Got the list and clicked on Alchemy Feeds, which brought up HTML coding, rather than an option for a reader. Is there something else I need to do first?

Aug. 12, 2009 at 11:45 p.m. BlueCrushBeads

thanks for the update, this stuff can be so confusing.

Sept. 26, 2009 at 12:41 p.m. kitchenset

Unique, one-of-a-kind, hand-made kitchen sets, which include one towel (15” x 15”) with hang loop and two matching, thick potholders (5” x 5”) with hang loops. Machine washable. Custom designs can be made if you send or email picture of what you want. Deposit is required on custom designs (50% of cost) and delivery takes about two months (time to ship from Puerto Rico to Kentucky to you).

Oct. 15, 2009 at 8:48 a.m. poppycottage

thank you for this article.

Oct. 24, 2009 at 5:28 a.m. Bohemianchicjewelery

EXCELLENT INFO! THANK YOU!

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