Saturday, March 5, 2011

EverythingEtsy.com

EverythingEtsy.com

21 Tips for Selling on Etsy

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 04:58 PM PST

I know how it is because I've been there!  You want to increase your sales or start selling on Etsy and you could use a little help.  When I started selling on Etsy in 2008 I had no idea what I was getting into…ha!  I read everything I could find and stumbled through opening my own shop.  

You might not want to read a whole book on it before you go ahead and jump in there, so I'll share a few tips that I've learned along the way.

1. Product Selection – Choose the products you want to make…keep it simple!  Shops that are full of similar products tend to do the best.  You want them to remember your shop for bags, pottery or greeting cards.  Make products that you love and others will love them too!

2.  What's Your Market? – Who is going to buy it?  If you have a super-slim group of folks that would even want or need what you're selling…be ready to wait for those sales.  Specializing is great, just don't get carried away. :)

3. Research – Observe others with products like yours.  Check their prices and tags.  Don't make exactly what they're making, but you want people to find you easily so you need to know the categories and tags that work best.

4. Pick a name you can grow with! – I have seen so many people go wrong with this one.  Read How To Pick a Name For Your Etsy Shop.

5.  Stock Up – You have to have stock to choose from…make 25 items or so to open your shop.  Do you like to shop in stores with only 5 products?  Most people don't.

6. Photograph Your Products – Take multiple shots of each item and edit them to stand out in a crowd…not blend.  You can use free software like Picnik.com. You might want to check out How To Photograph Your Work for Sale on Etsy.

7.  Price It Right! – Research the price for your item and what the shipping charges.  Super-low prices can equal cheap or poor quality to some people.  We all want to make money, but make sure you would buy it at that price.

8. List It! – Describe your item in detail because the buyer isn't able to hold it.  Your multiple photos will help, but explain the quality to them.  Everyone enjoys a little background story…maybe you have something to share about your product.

9. Get Great Cards! – Hand cards to everyone, mail them to family and leave them on tables or billboards.  It's a cheap way to spread the word.  They can't buy from you if they don't know you sell something. :)

10. Packaging It Up – The packaging is the first thing they see when your they open your box or envelope.  First impressions are big!  Plan to include a small gift as an extra surprise.  You'll be happy with the results of this small gesture of appreciation. 

11. Customer Service Counts – Make each sale count and get a repeat customer with quick responses to convos and great customer service.  Show them that shopping on Etsy is so much better than going to the store for their next gift.

12. Grow! – Increase your stock to over 100 items…you will see some sales!  Read Increasing Etsy Sales – Mind Your Item Count.

13.  Blog – Get a blog!  Blog about your products, favorite recipes, how to make your products, great new products in your shop…whatever.  Once you get the hang of blogging you'll find it to be a valuable tool for your Etsy business.

14. Tweet – Twitter is a fun way to spread the word about your products and meet new people.  Just be sure to tweet about other things too.  Tweeting about ONLY your shop and products might not give you the response you want.

15. Facebook – Facebook is widely used by Etsy sellers because you can share your shop products so easily.  Try it!

Are you still reading…I can go on and on about this! {obviously}

16.  Giveaways – Don't be afraid to approach bloggers about doing a giveaway on their blog.  Many will be happy to and you get links to your shop and lots of exposure.  Don't underestimate those links!

17.  Renew Your Products – Renew your listing or list new items daily!!! Trust me on this one…do it!  A dollar or so a day will go a long way in getting you new customers.

18.  Teams – Join teams on Etsy and work together to promote your shops.  We have a team for Etsypreneurs like you…check it out!

19.  Keep Improving – Sales can go up and down for no reason at all…stay positive during slow times and work on your stock and photos.  Think ahead to upcoming holidays and start planning for huge sales!

20.  Have fun with it?  Your creativity shines through when you're enjoying your work.  Don't get caught up in what you're not doing, just take it one step at a time.

I hope this list will help you get off to a great start or improve your sales.  It's not rocket science, but you do have to spend a little time on your shop to see those big results! 

Etsy is a wonderful place to sell your beautiful handmade products!  You can't beat waking up to sales in your shop or working on your next new product while watching a movie on a rainy day.  This is my kind of business!

~Kim

Featured Directory Listings

Posted: 05 Mar 2011 02:59 PM PST

Have you seen the Everything Etsy Directory lately?

There are now over 550 listings! Enhanced listings now include a spot on the home page slider at the directory.

You might enjoy checking out some of these great shops! (you can click on the image or title to visit that listing)
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