Tips for success on Etsy... add yours here!

United States
October 7, 2007 1:09am CST
I've read many of the posts on myLot about Etsy. Some sellers have some success and others have struggled to make a sale/sales. Perhaps a thread on tips at improving your store or chance of making sales and building a customer base would be helpful to all. My tip- Promote, promote, promote! And then promote some more. This was the one thing I read often on the Etsy forums. I was leery about so much self-promotion, but I found the more I put my items out there in the Promotions forum, the more interest they received and then one morning I woke up to my 1st sale! On an item I had been promoting the night before. You just never know when someone is looking at the site with the intention of buying something and if you aren't promoting your items on an almost every day basis, someone else will get that sale. I spend 40-60 minutes a day promoting. I add my items to existing threads 3 to 4 times a day to get my items into the Etsy public eye. What is your tip for attracting attention to your items/shop?
3 people like this
9 responses
@skinnychick (6905)
• United States
12 Dec 07
Hey!! Put your Etsy shop on here as well under my website! I just went to go look at your store but I'll find you on Etsy! Just a thought!
2 people like this
• United States
12 Dec 07
What site is that? I've come across a few blogs that have my link listed. It's so cool to find out that my shop is mentioned in other crafters blogs.
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Dec 07
Hey! I just changed to my shop name. When I added my Etsy link, I never listed my shop name, so MyLot listed it as "My Website". It now says CreationsByRobin. Thanks. I went to your shop and hearted you. I love buying Bath/Beauty products, so I'm going to have to pick a little something up real soon. Do you have anything that works well for Eczema? My youngest has it behind his knees and he scratches the heck out if it... poor guy. If you can suggest something that would be gentle enough or even help the eczema, I'd love to try it. Going over to the shop and do some last minute promoting.
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Dec 07
Right here on Etsy and it will be on your profile- if you go to edit your preferences you will see your website and then put your shop addy there. It displays on the left hand side to other people when they are looking at your profile! :) I just did mine hopefully it should be on there! :)
2 people like this
@lillake (1630)
• United States
25 Nov 07
one great idea I've seen others do is to have a craft blog along with your etsy shop. Use it to shale upcoming sales, new products, and show how you come about creating what you sale. It's a grat way to promote and can attract people who might not have known about your shop before. I write a craft blog, http://creativemomcafe.com, and I've ben looking for Etsy crafters who would like to be featured. Just a short question and answer with a couple fun pictures about what you sell and why. It's a great way to get noticed.
2 people like this
• United States
26 Nov 07
Great idea! I've often wanted to do a feature article or two on some of the talented Etsy crafters, but seem to never have enough time to fit it in my schedule. Perhaps after the holidays. I agree with having a craft blog (or 2) it's another way of promoting yourself and keeping in touch with customers that may not feel comfortable with buying online. My blog is at dabblewithcrafts.blogspot.com
2 people like this
• United States
3 Dec 07
Promoting as often as possible is a great way to get someone new to your site. I went on Yuwie and met a woment there who's family owns a yarn shop. She bought jewelry from me and sent me a few beautiful skeins of yarn (no reason, just because!!) I'm going to feature her and her family on my blog in the near future.
2 people like this
• United States
1 Dec 07
Great ideas all- I also promote Etsy itself on my space and all my other forums as some people have never even heard of it- Once they get on- they can't help by buy some beautiful creation! :)
2 people like this
• United States
14 Apr 08
Since there are more Etsyians here than when this went up, I just thought I would push this up. Got anymore ideas? What didn't work?
• United States
15 Apr 08
I've been a bit afraid to jump into the forums on Etsy. I don't want to screw up. Although I did post one question about sales of groups of items. I got really fast answers. Everyone seems nice. But ...
• United States
15 Apr 08
River Rock Bracelet - This is an example of the type of photography that is popular with Etsy administration at this time. A photo that pops out at you, and makes you want to click on the the item to see the rest of the photos and maybe other items in the shop.
Forgot the image....
@fineartist (1217)
• United States
7 Oct 07
Thanks for starting this terrific thread! :-) I will keep my eye on this thread and read all of the responses here! :-)
• United States
8 Oct 07
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you can share some crafting tips with everyone. ; 0
• United States
8 Oct 07
Since there has only been 1 response to this point, I thought I'd add another ETSY tip. Tip #2- Now this is a tip that I'm often guilty of not taking advantage of enough. Ebay allows just 1 free picture per listing, before they begin to charge. Ebay charges .15 per photo, unless you take one of their pricey packages. ETSY allows a seller to post 5 pictures for each listing. Sellers need to use as many pictures as they can to show depth and size. The more info thru pictures that you can share with your potential customers, the better your chances of making a sale on ETSY. Remember ETSY is still somewhat unknown and many of the buyers are also sellers... sellers that are familiar with crafts and you need to sell them on your item, by letting them know they are receiving a quality item for their money. Descriptions will only go so far, but your pictures could seal the deal for you.
• United States
17 Oct 07
Well, I think most of the seller on etsy also buy things off etsy. I know alot of my return customers are from the people I meet on the forums. I think you need to not only promote your shop off the etsy website but also make sure you are seen on the forum. Once people get to know you and start to look at your shop when you are talking to them they are more inclined to buy from you. Also if you can take advantage of people post on forum asking for promo or coupons for your shop to put in gift bags for show or workshops people go to. I made cards for a few people and I got some custom orders out of it
1 person likes this
• United States
12 Dec 07
I'm one of those sellers that also buy on Etsy. I love some of the Bath/Beauty shops on the site and the soaps have helped my son with his eczema problem. Many of my sales have come from members that are strictly buyers (at least to this point) It's really quite funny that so many crafters have never heard of Etsy or have heard something about it, but haven't looked into it.
1 person likes this
@freedomg (1684)
• United States
2 Jun 08
I find groups that I feel might be interested in my stuff and drop a link. I also have business cards and give them to anyone that I can. I've also got links to my shop everywhere I go. I just started a few weeks ago and only have a few things up but I figured if I was going to do it I had better go the distance. I will be putting more up very soon and will have different stuff come time for the holidays. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5596032
• United States
2 Jun 08
It seems you are off to a great start! I have found blogs to also be very helpful and my blog has been linked to several other Etsy members blogs. I have one with blogspot.c om and it's free. I'm going to send you a friend request and then run to Etsy to check out your shop! Thanks for responding!
23 May 08
I used to sell my cards on Ebay but i have found there are so many people that make them now that there is so much choice for people to choose from, also as there are so many people that make them that people tend to buy them from friends and relatives. It's ok Putting loads of photo's of what you are selling on there but you need to make money out of it, other wise it's a waste of time. I tend to sell more of craft things for people to buy to make cards them selves now like punces etc. The other thing i tend to do is if after about 4 months if i have cards at home that i have not sold i sell them on ebay as a job lot. You don't make huge amounts of money out of it but at least it keeps your stock up to date and gives people you sell to different designs each time they buy off you. The best way i make money out of crafts is having card parties at my house or even at friends houses with a little incentive gift for the host, you can sell alot of Christmas cards and you can also get alot of orders from people as well. Good luck with selling your stuff let me know how it goes.
@Madona1 (2096)
• Gibraltar
17 Apr 08
Hello there, I never heard Etsy before because I live in a small island which is far away from you. However, according to your post, I have browsed the site: www. Etsy.com and find it very interesting. I am not very good at crafting, but I can learn and get lots of ideas from the site. Enjoy your crafting, buying and selling!
• United States
17 Apr 08
Etsy.com is a US Based company, but it's members are from all over the world! It is a great site for ideas and for people who enjoy making, selling and buying handmade items. Thanks for your response!
• Indonesia
29 May 08
great thread :) i am looking many tips and hints to boost my sales at my store http://borneodiva.etsy.com i am already promote and doing networking at my space but i think its really need more than that to promote and get many sales....
• United States
29 May 08
Etsy certainly isn't an easy site...there is so many quality crafter/artists and many, many beautiful items. Promoting is one of the keys. I also blog, have my blog linked to other blogs, I'm a member of the EtsyNJ street team, etc, etc. One of the best new features on Etsy is the virtual labs. (under the community link on the toolbar) Etsy offers free live critiques of your shop. You can signup to be critiqued and sometimes they have "open" critiques... a night where they might critique several shops. These critiques are so very helpful. They suggest ways to improve your shop...from listings items, photo images, pricing, shop announcements, store logo, everything. They tell you what you're doing right and suggest how to "clean up" your shop to make it better. It helped me so very much (and I still go to see live critiques because there's so much useful info being shared) Keep at it, the sales will come and you just might not being finding your niche customers yet. There out there, it's just a matter of reaching them. Good Luck and I'm on my way to check out your shop!