Etsy :: The Storque :: How-To :: Holiday How-To: Offering Services

Holiday How-To: Offering Services


Story by adubois, calebwalt, CustomerCare, Dillinger, mermaidclaire Published on September 8, 2008 in How-To	Photo by Anda

Sellers: it's never too early to start thinking about the holiday shopping rush! During the holiday season last year, the Etsy Support Team learned a lot about the issues that sellers face when offering services to Etsy buyers. This season, you may want to offer some promotions and additional services to your customers, and we want to help you be prepared. This article will describe how to provide some of these extras and stay within the DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy. Please follow the links for further information on each of these topics.

Gift Certificates

When selling gift certificates, be sure to create a tangible, physical item for the listing. This could be a traditional paper certificate, notecard or even a digital file that is delivered to the buyer.

More on selling gift certificates in your Etsy shop in this previous Storque article.

Shipping Upgrades

To let buyers know that you can upgrade shipping at their request, you can mention this in your shop announcement, profile or in item descriptions. A buyer can let you know if they need upgraded shipping, and you can then revise the listing or invoice to reflect the shipping changes.

Check out the full article about holiday shipping concerns for more info.

Selling Gift Wrap

All items must be available for purchase, but without requiring other purchases to be made. To offer gift wrapping, the paper needs to be listed as a supply that can be purchased with or without another item. You could write in the item description that if another item is purchased, it can be wrapped in the paper.

For further information on offering gift wrap to your customers, check out this article.

Sales and Other Add-ons in Your Shop

Rather than create a listing to let buyers know about a promotion or add-on, you can include this information in item descriptions, shop announcement, profile or even your banner. Additionally, you can adjust the price of your item in PayPal or make arrangements with the buyer to refund her after she purchases.

How to edit a PayPal invoice to accommodate a price change.

Do you have any questions on these topics or any other holiday rush bugbear and you're concerned about what you can and cannot offer in your shop? Please feel free to contact Etsy's Content Team at content@etsy.com. Happy holidays!

Tags	gift certificates, gift wrap, Holiday, Holiday How-Tos, holidays, HOW-TO, promotions, sales, Seller Handbook, selling, shipping, upgrades, wraps, Your Shop 101

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29 comments Login to add your own!

Sept. 8, 2008 at 5:22 p.m.

Thinkoutsidethebox

Very cool info peeps! I have bookmarked and will refer back to this article often.Having opened up shop after any of last year's holidays there is much I need to know to prepare. This article will help tremendously to prevent any mistakes when it's simply too late...so thanks a bunch!

Sept. 8, 2008 at 5:25 p.m.

iheartnorwegianwood

Very helpful info, especially RE the gift certificate. I love getting gift certs as gifts (picky shopper) and now I'm inspired to get on the computer and design a super cute gift card. Thanks!

Sept. 8, 2008 at 5:30 p.m.

LittleScotia

I agree that it is a perfect time to start thinking about holiday needs and gifts! I like to be well prepared and organized, so that the gifts I give are handmade, and appropriate for the recipient. I've already started my etsy shopping, and am tucking everything away for December.

Sept. 8, 2008 at 5:31 p.m.

KAHOONICA

Very helpful ideas!
Thank you guys for this series. :)

Sept. 8, 2008 at 6:21 p.m.

toybreaker

Thank you so much for clarifying - people ask me all the time for gift certificates, and I was never sure if it was really kosher or not. xox

Sept. 8, 2008 at 8:34 p.m.

ZuliDesigns

I need to go make some gift certificates for the holidays! Thanks for the info!

Sept. 8, 2008 at 8:47 p.m.

idyllhands

The information about reducing the price of an item through paypal is helpful BUT does that not just allow Etsy to get their fee off of the total original price of the item?

Would Etsy refund the fee based on the "sale" price?

Just a question.

Sept. 9, 2008 at 3:17 a.m.

Stargazer02

very helpful!

Sept. 9, 2008 at 6:13 a.m.

Spiderbite

Good to know. I was wondering about the whole gift wrap thing.

Sept. 9, 2008 at 7:55 a.m.

kingfishercrafts

Great article. Time to Power-Up Photoshop and design a Kingfisher Gift Cert. Appreciate the tips and tricks Etsy Guru-folk.

Sept. 9, 2008 at 10:13 a.m.

replicca

Bringing forward a question from the earlier gift certificate article, is there any way around this?

"DuBuhDuDesigns says:

I have been asked to do one this evening and I'm curious as to how we do this without being charged Etsy and PayPal fees twice (Once when bought and then again when redeemed) Does anyone know?"

Sept. 9, 2008 at 10:50 a.m.

theoleanderblack

what a coincidence! I just started adding them to my shop this morning before I saw this article. It helped me refine my listing. Thanks for the support, etsysupport!

Sept. 9, 2008 at 11:11 a.m.

autumnsarrival

Great tips and great finds!!! I love the holidays!!

Sept. 9, 2008 at 12:43 p.m.

mpaperarts

Great ideas! How'd they miss my great holiday giftwrap?? Wah. Oh well, Happy Pre-Holidays!

Sept. 9, 2008 at 5:25 p.m.

ArleenDesign

Thanks a lot for the info. Holidays is just around the corner and i want to prepare fo this festivities.

Sept. 10, 2008 at 12:19 a.m.

PhospheneDream

I have recently set up shop and find the holidays *scary* so I better hurry and get my products posted...lol! Great info for a newbie like me.

Sept. 10, 2008 at 7:19 a.m.

glassredefined

Great question "replicca" I am interested in that answer!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 5:41 p.m.

undertheroot

Magnificent!
Thank you!

Oct. 5, 2008 at 3:09 a.m.

MonasMane

Great, thanks you guys for the help! Us newbies always appreciate it.

Oct. 6, 2008 at 9:53 p.m.

craftsbyposie

Being just another "newbie", all this info is very helpful! Thanks a bunch!!!

Nov. 14, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.

sandraduke

thanks, that's really helpful!!!!!!!!

Nov. 16, 2008 at 12:53 p.m.

julieandco

Great article! Thank you, too, for featuring my Christmas Temari in your "related" section! What an honor!!

Dec. 21, 2008 at 11:03 p.m.

LJNixonartist

This article was very helpful.
Thank you.

Jan. 15, 2009 at 9:20 a.m.

gramsheart

Thanks for letting me know, I wasn't thinking, sorry. Is this why I can't pay my account? I fixed the items, that was wrong, now what, I'm I out. Please let me know.

Jan. 15, 2009 at 10:18 a.m.

gramsheart

I understand now.

July 17, 2009 at 8:41 p.m.