Have you ever wanted to pick the Etsy.com home page items? Do you have the desire to choose and feature only 12 items from the list of thousands currently available for sale on Etsy? The following is some info to help you on your way...if you're diligent and lucky enough to snag a spot on the Treasury (it's in high demand!).
Satisfy your inner curator — Treasury to the rescue! The Treasury is a member-curated gallery of short-lived lists of 12 hand-picked items each (plus four alternates). It functions as a high-demand (and pretty!) promotional tool that many devoted Etsians fight to get. Members can feature their favorite items, items selected on a theme, or just however they like. The Treasury is not intended for self-promotion, but instead to acknowledge and share the many cool things for sale on Etsy. Admin often choose an exceptional Treasury list to promote on the home page and occasionally make them to tie into Storque articles or special events and occasions.
This How-to Make a Treasury guide was created to help users navigate the Treasury with ease, answer questions, and perhaps show you some new tricks you might not have discovered on your own.
How to Get a List
Step 1: Enter the Treasury. It's changed a bit from the screenshot above- now the maximum number of lists is 333.
Step 2: Look in the upper left portion of your screen. Find the number of lists that are currently in the Treasury.
IF THAT NUMBER IS LESS THAN 333:
Step 3: Scroll to the bottom of the page. You will see a box at the bottom where you may type in the title for your Treasury List. Continue on to the other sections in this tutorial that show you how to fill your list with items.
IF THAT NUMBER IS MORE THAN 333:
The Treasury is full and will not allow you to create a new list. You must wait for enough lists to expire so the number falls below 333.
Step 1: Sort the lists by "expiration" (click on the "expiration" tab).
Step 2: Count backwards from the end to find out when the 333rd list will expire. Come back to the Treasury a few minutes before that list is set to expire and wait for it.
Step 3: As soon as you see the box appear at the bottom of your screen, click inside so that you see your cursor blinking. You should have a list. Now, type in your title, and you're ready to continue on to the other sections of this tutorial that show you how to fill your list with items.
REMINDER: With only 333* lists, it's tough to get one. Be patient, try again, you're bound to get one eventually.
*HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS?: Go to the FAQ at the bottom of this tutorial to get your questions answered.
Welcome to the Treasury!
This is the screen you see when the box is available for you to type in your title.
You can see 16 lists at a time. When you see a list you might like to check out, simply click on the title.
You can sort lists by:
- Hot: These lists are the top (popular) lists. Hotness is calculated by a special, secret formula. I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you :)
- Title: sorts titles alphabetically
- Curator: username of the person who created the list alphabetically
- Expiration: sort by how many days/hours a list has before it expires (sorting by time, essentially)
Note: The Treasury is limited to 333 active lists at a time. Each list has a random expiration date when created. A list can last anywhere from one to three days.
Create a List
When you enter a title for your list at the bottom of the first screen, you will be taken to a page like this. There are:
- Places for your subtitle and location
- 12 empty slots to insert items
- 4 alternate slots for extra items (in case one of the items in your list sells)
- A place for comments
- A direct URL link to your list. You can copy this URL and send it to your friends
Important things to note:
- You get to have one active list at a time
- Lists expire anywhere from one to three days
- There is a maximum of 333* total active lists allowed at one time
- Your list can be edited as many times as you like
- All added items must be actively listed for sale, not already sold
- The Treasury is not intended for self-promotion.
- Please do not send conversations to everyone you've included in your Treasury. Etsy considers this to be spam.
Tip: Use the Poster Sketch Tool to create a "test" list. Click edit next to a box and enter an item number. Click ok to enter that item into the box. You can drag boxes around to swao out their positions. See the FAQ at the bottom for more about using the Poster Sketch Tool.
Customize Your List
~ edit subtitle ~
Not only do you get a title for your list, but you get a subtitle as well. You can do something like this:
Title: My top 12 list
Subtitle: things with numbers
Title: Color Me Bad
Subtitle: Red Items
~ edit location ~
The default for the location is "somewhere special," which is very sweet.
But, should you want to say "from the depths of hell" or "from my backyard" you can choose to edit this area. You can also add a link to this text if you choose to do so. So, you can link to your favorite coffee shop, your Etsy shop, your blog, your web site, whatever you want. So cool.
~ alternates ~
You can choose to show/hide your alternate selections. You can choose up to 4 additional items for your list. If an item from your list sells, you can move an alternate in to take its place. This does not happen automatically, so keep an eye on your lists. The alternates are a handy way to help you visually curate your list. If you have 16 items visible, you may want to mix and match a bit, or see that two items go better next to each other, etc.
Alternates are only visible to the curator, and are shown at 50% opacity to indicate their inactivity. You can drag an item from "active" to "alternate" and vice versa. Alternates are also visible to Admin as they search through for great Treasury lists to promote to the front page of Etsy. Admin look for lists with alternate that don't repeat the same items or sellers. This makes the list nice and robust for the frontpage and gives the highest number of sellers a chance to be featured.
Add Items to Your List
First, you must click within the "listing id" blank box, below an item. The listing ID is found in the URL of your browser window. To add an item to your treasury list, it is best to open up a new window in which to do your browsing. When you find an item you like, select the URL from your browser, copy it, then paste it into the listing ID field in your treasury window below and select "ok." The number will automatically be selected from the URL you paste in.
Here is a completed list. You are allowed 12 slots + 4 alternates (like the Etsy home page). Now you can decide what is hot!!!
Notes: The Etsy Home Page rotates many times daily and is selected from a Treasury List or curated by Admin. The Admins choose their favorite lists to feature on the front page.
TIP: To reorganize your list, simply click and drag items around to different spots. Mix and match to make the best looking list possible.
Special Features and Treats
~ comments ~
People can leave comments on your Treasury lists. Hear what others have to say about your choices and comment right back! A great way to say why you like your favorites. Note: Comments are limited to a maximum of 44.
~ reorganize ~
You can grab the cards to drag and move them around, helping you organize your list. FYI — the little number in the upper right of each card indicates the # of times people have clicked the item.
~ stars ~
Blue stars: This indicates that you are the curator of the list
Gold stars: This indicates that one of your items is included in a list (visible to the public)
Silver stars: This indicates that one of your items is an alternate in a list (visible only to the curator)
FAQ/Troubleshooting
Why doesn't the Treasury work?
- If you are getting a black screen, simply click the black screen to start the loading process.
- Try downloading the latest version of Flash
- If the Treasury is running slow, it may be that your internet connection isn't powerful enough... sorry.
Why don't I see a place to create a list of my own?
- Look at the bottom of the page. If there is a notice saying the Treasury is full right now, you need to come back later, when the number of lists drops below 333. See the posts above for tips on getting a list of your own.
Why are there stars next to some lists?
- A blue star shows you which list is yours
- A gold star means that one of your items is in a list (visible to the public)
- A silver star means that one of your items is an alternate in a list (visible only to the curator)
Why are there only 333 lists allowed? Why am I only allowed to make 1 list?
- These safety measures are in place to ensure that the Treasury does not crash. Embrace the decay! Wait for a list to expire, then pounce! 1 list limits are to make sure that more people get the chance to play.
Why does it say the Treasury has 337 lists? I thought there was a limit of 333?
- Sometimes people create lists at almost exactly the same time. The Treasury allows for a *little* wiggle room, but not much. Everyone is waiting for a list all at once. Everyone that sees the box and types in their title at the same time WILL get a list.
How can I get into more Treasuries?
- Take fantastic photos. This is always a good rule in general for selling online, but curators want to make their lists as beautiful as possible. Help yourself out by taking clear photos.
- Use your tags appropriately. Often, curators are looking to create themed lists. Be sure to use your listing tags for themes and colors especially.
- Create unique and interesting products that stand out from the crowd.
- Join an Etsy Team. Help to get the word out about Etsy and meet up with other Etsy members who share interests or live in your area. Often, teams will come together to create Treasury lists of their members. Don't join a team JUST to be in Treasuries, though ;)
Can I prepare my list ahead of time to make it easier once I get a list?
- Use the Poster Sketch Tool to create a list ahead of time.
- You can also browse items on Etsy ahead of time and copy/paste the listing ID # or the URL into a text document on your personal computer. Save that document, and when you've got a list, paste those numbers into the cards.
- Be sure to have many alternates if you are doing this. Many items sell quickly on Etsy, and one of your chosen items may not be available when you go to make your list.
How do I save my Poster Sketch?
You don't need to! The poster sketch will automatically save, and you will be able to see it again if you are using the same computer. Just make sure that you don't delete your flash cookies (these are different from your internet cookies).
Can I send my Poster Sketch to others?
Only you can see your Poster Sketch Tool. If you would like to send your Poster Sketch to anyone, take a screenshot of it and save it in a photo format.
You can also check out yaelfran and Vanessa's How-to Make a Great Treasury List, which covers not so much the technical details, but more of the compositional techniques for making pretty lists and tips for making your items appealing for Treasury curators.
This article is from the original Treasury guide written sweetestpea and published on her blog.
