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Successful Selling Techniques for
My Experience on Etsy
It wasn’t always smooth sailing...
● 123 sales in the first year● What I did wrong in the beginning:
○ not enough items listed○ poor photography○ lack of advertising
● At the end of the first year, I decided to start over with a new shop
My Photography: A work in progress
November 2009 May 2010January 2010
Getting Started!● Do your homework!
○ Browse the Etsy category you’ll be in○ Find a role model
● Develop your Product○ Compare your product to others on Etsy○ Notice trends, and incorporate them into your shop○ Find your niche
Photography: Your Success Depends on it!
● Photos are the first, if not only thing that can get your customers’ attention
● Invest in a good camera (or borrow one!)● Pay a professional
○ good option for items you can remake
These are both photos of the same dress, from the same listing.
Automatic Photo CroppingAll photos you post to Etsy are cropped into a perfect square
thumbnail image
How to Outsmart the Auto-Crop:Try to make your photo close to a perfect square, with
a little extra room around the focal point
So the crop doesn’t cut into your item!
Making your photos stand out
Crop your photos into shapes Put 2 photos side by side by using simple cropping/ cut & paste.
(best for plain background shots)
By using photo editing programs such as Paint or Photoshop/Gimp.
Actual listing photo for a vintage hat
Thumbnail version (The hat is cropped out)
Macro for Item Close-ups● Item is in focus,
background is blurry● Even if the item is large,
still include a close up shot
● Use “Manual” setting● Hint: use a tripod and
the timer feature to minimize shake! (10 seconds)
Always try to enhance your photos.
First sales (2008) Recent Sales (2014)
Lighting is Key for Great Photos
A good backdrop can make the photo...
Ideas for smaller item backgrounds:
A piece of white oaktag paper (glossy side) propped up on a table against a wall creates a mini white
backdrop
Ideas for smaller item backgrounds:
Paper/book- great for macro photos
Rock/Stone Wood
Item Description Tips:
● Tell how your product is made with detail○ Buyers like to hear about the process○ Differentiates your product from others
● Break writing up into separate lines, not a whole paragraph
Item Description Tips:
● Be sure to include good measurements○ in inches/feet etc.○ add a size reference photo to your listing
Item Description Tips:● Include a link in the item description...
○ back to your shop homepage○ to a category in your shop○ to a similar item from your shop in a different size/color
● Links were meant to be clicked!
Item Description Tips:
● Note how you ship your orders ○ In a gift bag/box (include a photo in the listing!)○ What kind of mail service (USPS Priority etc)○ How quickly you can ship (the quicker the better)○ Offer a free gift with purchase
● Buyer incentives can often close the sale!
Packaging photo ideas:
Item description tip:● Copy and paste recurring info section into each
listing to save time during the listing process!○ edit info where necessary
The “Copy” Feature for Listings
● Copying your listings makes creating new listings easier
● Make sure to edit thoroughly and make any necessary changes
Tagging your items: more important than you think!
● What to tag:○ basic description of what your product is○ colors!○ themes it may fit- feel free to get creative○ mood words to describe the item○ season it fits with○ holiday it may fit with
● Why to focus on good tagging:○ treasury features○ so customers can find your items when they search
Effective Tagging Examples:
Use Etsy Shop Stats● You’ll need a google analytics account to get your Shop Stats
○ Here’s how to set it up: https://www.etsy.com/help/article/230
Etsy Shop Stats: KeywordsFind out what words people are searching for when they find your items
Focus on producing more items/variations that match your top keywords and promote them.
Use the Keyword Shop Stats:● Take out an Etsy Search Word ads:
Etsy Search Ads
● This article explains them: https://www.etsy.com/help/article/1036
● Etsy makes this process very easy○ They will provide you with the keywords you should use
based on your listings● Search ads are a good thing to test out
○ pick your budget, try it for a week, and keep it going if the results are worth it to you!
Etsy Search Ads
Etsy Shop Stats: TrafficFind out how people are finding you
Treasuries: The coveted Front Page Spot!
Tips for getting into treasuries:
● Good photography● Variety of colorful item photos in your shop● Effective item tagging● Relisting items that fit in with trending treasury
topics (and are tagged with the right buzzwords!)
Tips for getting into treasuries:● Sign up for the Etsy Success newsletter
○ Your account->Settings->Emails● Etsy will give you the trending tags for treasury features, as well as other
success tactics!
Starting Strong:
“You can’t sell an item you never posted.”“If you list it [well], they will buy.”
● If you are selling handmade, a varied inventory is important.
● If you are selling vintage, having a large inventory is KEY.
List New Items Often
● Creating new listings forces you to evolve your craft
● The more items you have available to shoppers, the more likely they’ll find something they want to buy
The most successful vintage Etsy shops have huge inventories:
The most successful vintage Etsy shops have huge inventories:
Handmade shops:
● Start off with a very varied inventory○ having different products available can help you find
your niche● Once you find something that sells, run with it!
○ develop more variations of your best seller○ sales will follow
My Niche on Etsy
My first tree necklace sale: October 7th 2010
One of my current tree necklaces.
981/1088 orders
contained a tree of life necklace
What if I never realized the tree necklaces had selling potential?
I developed variations of my best seller:
Pricing Strategies● For new shops, it’s best to start off with very
competitive pricing to drive sales up.○ Once established, you can incrementally raise your prices○ Prices of sold items are not shown
● If possible, offer inexpensive products○ Some customers may love your shop, but are on a very
limited budget○ Get that impulse buy!○ Make a variation of your best-selling products in a lower
price range
It’s good to have a wide range of prices:
● Knowing who you’re selling to can help you come up with the correct prices for optimal sales:
Music Festival-attending girls who want to be fairies...
Brides who are spending thousands of dollars on a wedding- what’s another $180?
When starting a new shop...
● Do all of your behind the scenes work BEFORE opening your shop○ product development○ photo taking/editing○ description writing○ shop policy writing ○ shop banner design
● That way, when you open, you’re more likely to start making sales sooner, instead of wasting your grand opening time developing your shop’s appearance
Relisting: Etsy’s moneymaker and yours too...
● There are 15,692,075 items currently for sale on Etsy● The second you list an item, it goes to the top of the list
○ Recently listed items○ Category section○ Keyword search
● As soon as someone else lists an item after yours, it gets bumped down on the list
Relisting: Etsy’s moneymaker and yours too...
● Don’t expect to post an item, and for someone to see it a few days later○ You’ll have to relist!
Relisting: Etsy’s moneymaker and yours too...
● Relisting an item will keep your shop visible to shoppers browsing on Etsy
Tips for Successful Relisting:
● Develop a relisting budget!○ knowing what you feel comfortable spending per month,
you can figure out how many relistings per day ■ $25 per month/$0.20 per relisting=125 relistings/28 days=4.46
relistings per day
● What to relist:○ The item(s) that gets the most attention
■ clicks, favorites, treasuries, sales● spend your $0.20 wisely...
Tips for Successful Relisting
● I personally like to spread my relistings out throughout the day
● When to relist:○ During the American workday
■ (The morning here is late-night in Australia)■ People browse Etsy at the office
○ Evenings
Tips for Successful Relisting:
● Experiment with relisting:○ Every type of item has a different audience○ Different audiences shop at different times
● Scrutinize your results to find out what works○ Try relisting various items at different times
■ Check how many clicks/favorites each gets■ Edit your relisting schedule to reflect the results
Etsy on Sale App
● Easiest shop management tool!● Automatic Relisting● Holds storewide sales● Set it and forget it!
Etsy on Sale App
Etsy on Sale App
Etsy on Sale App: Holding Sales
● You can hold a storewide sale○ % discount ○ $ off
● You set the time frame
Etsy on Sale App: Holding Sales
Etsy on Sale App: Holding SalesThis is what your photos will look like during your sale:
You can add a sale prefix to the title of your items, so when people are browsing Etsy,
“sale” is the first thing they see in your title.
If relisting doesn’t work for you:
Your photos might need enhancement● You haven’t found your niche● People aren’t searching for items like yours
○ Keep developing new products until one sticks!● People aren’t browsing your section often
○ try putting your item in a different section category!
● The wedding market is HUGE on Etsy○ Tailor some of your items to fit into this category
Sites other than Etsy to increase traffic:
● Facebook- start a business page/use fb ads○ https://www.facebook.com/business/overview
● Pinterest● Wanelo● Stumbleupon● Start a Blog on Blogspot/Tumblr/Wordpress● Twitter● Youtube: make a how-to video● Instagram
Don’t be afraid to change...
● It’s perfectly fine, and often a good idea, to completely change your product offerings.
● Go where the money is.○ it’s very difficult to make obscure, niche products a
cash cow○ find genres that are trendy and fit with your skill set,
or adapt your current products to fit in with trends
Elephantine: Changing Directions
● www.elephantine.etsy.com● 8,845 sales● “I’ve been using Etsy since 2007. I first joined to buy
gifts and craft supplies, and then I started selling felt toys and greeting cards. I only sold enough of them to call it a hobby, and I wasn’t that enthusiastic about it. So I took a break, gave it some space, then re-opened my shop with a different look and a brand new collection: light, everyday jewelry.”
Elephantine’s first sales... Elephantine’s current sales...
Taking your Etsy business to the next level:
● Sell in person at markets and street fairs:○ Asbury Fresh is a great place to sell on Sunday afternoons in
the summer■ AsburyFresh.com
○ Street Fairs ■ Streetfairs.org
○ Local events in your town■ google craft shows/street fairs- there are countless options
Craft Shows/Street Fairs: tips● Make sure to apply in advance! Events can fill up with vendors
quickly.● Many applications require a tax ID number/ photos of your
work/display● Get a Square or credit card reader● Be sure to have business cards (not only at events but always in your
wallet!)● Invest in an EZ-up tent● Create a beautiful display- the more professional it looks, the more
sales you’ll get! (pinterest/google for ideas)● Get a banner printed with your logo!
Selling to Retail Stores:
● Choose your target store type○ Similar style products○ Browse the store to see if they carry any handmade
items (boutiques usually do!)● Give a sample of your most popular product and a
lookbook with photos and pricing, leave a business card
Selling to Retail Stores: Pricing
● Wholesale pricing: normally 40%-50% off regular retail price○ Increase your prices to allow for profits even with
wholesale● Offer consignment for first-time carriers
○ Risk-free for boutiques, a foot in the door for you!
Developing your Business Plan
● Set goals○ Hours budgeted per week○ How many items will you have for sale?○ Sales goals