Of course you can! Get ready to learn how in my Earning on Etsy series!
When I first heard about Etsy back in 2007, the entrepreneur and the crafter in me got curious. I wasn’t sure if I could make money. I didn’t have a business plan or goals. I wanted to try it, just an experiment. We were grateful for the success of my experiment when my Etsy income fed us during law school. Now it’s helping us as we continue to pay for law school.
I will tell you more of my story as my Earning on Etsy series continues, but for now, let’s talk about you!
Do you have a handmade specialty? Do you make jewelry? Do you sew clothes? Are you a potter? Are you a carpenter? Do you paint portraits? Whatever your crafty or artsy skills are, there is a way to market it on Etsy. If crafting isn’t your thing, but you frequent estate sales and have an eye for vintage treasures, you can sell those on Etsy too!
Etsy.com is an online marketplace for all things handmade. The possibilities really are endless. In addition to handmade, Etsy includes vintage items (at least 25 years old) as well as supplies for arts and crafts.
What should I sell on Etsy?
Sell something that you enjoy creating. Something you’re good at making. Something that you’re proud of. Something that’s unique. If you can figure out how to ship it, then go right ahead and sell it. Browse Etsy to get your wheels turning. The sky is the limit!
Don’t let the logistics of shipping box you in, though. If it’s something you can’t ship, could you sell a pattern or tutorial to make it? You can sell digital creations on Etsy too, so patterns, photography, printables, web design and so many other ideas are fair game.
You have complete control over the price of the item and the shipping charges. You can decide where you are willing to ship. Many handmade items are made-to-order and production times vary, so you can specify in your listing how long it will be before the item is shipped.
Don’t let the price you think you should charge (whether high or low) dissuade you now. We will talk about pricing in another post. Right now, just brainstorm all of the possibilities of what you could sell.
How much does it cost to sell on Etsy?
- Etsy charges $.20 per listing. Each listing can include 5 photos and lasts 4 months or until the item sells. If you have more of the same item available, you can set your listing to renew automatically when an item sells. If you havent opened an Etsy shop yet, you can get your first 40 listings free.
- When a listing sells, you are charged 3.5% of the price (not including shipping). This is added to your monthly bill.
- Each month you get a bill from Etsy that included the listing fees ($.20 per listing), the transaction fees (3.5% of sale price) and shipping labels that you purchase through Etsy.
- You can determine the methods of payment you will accept. Paypal used to be the primary form of payment, but now Etsy has their own payment system, Direct Checkout, that also accepts credit and debit cards. You can also allow customers to send personal checks or money orders.
- PayPal charges a flat $.30 per transaction plus 2.7% of the total money collected (item price + shipping). Paypal takes the fees out and adds the remainder to your Paypal balance, which transfers easily to your regular checking or savings account.
- Direct Checkout charges a flat $.25 per transaction plus 3% of the total money collected (item price + shipping). Etsy takes out the Direct Checkout fees before making the remainder available in your Shop Payment Account. Deposits are made weekly into a bank account of your choice. With the push of a button, you can request that a deposit be made sooner though, if weekly isn’t soon enough.
For reference, eBay charges 10% of sale price+shipping price (and you are still charged PayPal fees on top of that)!
Etsy vs. my own website
- Etsy has lots of traffic. Etsy’s Alexa world rank is 136 (41 in the US), which is pretty awesome. You will not get anywhere near that on your own site.
- People looking to buy (and willing to pay for) handmade start searching on Etsy.
- Etsy listings show up high in Google ranks.
- There’s nothing wrong with setting up your own site (in fact it’s a great idea) and there’s nothing wrong with selling directly from your own site, but until you have a huge following, it will not be as profitable as your Etsy shop. And even if your site grows amazingly, you will miss out on customers who are searching directly on Etsy.
- Another thing Etsy really has going for it is trust. You can read reviews on the products and services of a specific seller. When I buy from a random website I am always afraid it might be some fly-by-night operation that has no reason not to just take my money and run.
- Etsy’s site is easy-to-use and streamlined. You would have to do a lot of design and coding to get something that looks as nice and works as well as Etsy. Some people complain that all the storefronts look too similar and aren’t customizable enough. Personally I think Etsy’s unified look is much classier than eBay, where stores have their own look.
You really can make money on Etsy.
Continue with the other 4 posts of the Earning on Etsy series where I will talk more about how to do market research, set up your shop, setting prices, marketing, and a whole slew of other tips and hints.
More in the Earning on Etsy Series
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Part 2: Market Research
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Part 3: Setting up your Shop
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Part 4: Pricing
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Part 5: Marketing
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Bonus: Don’t Forget the Taxes!: Tax Notes for Etsy Shop or Small Business
Upcoming Ebook
I am writing an ebook full of tips and success stories from some Etsy sellers who have it all figured out. I’ll also be going more in depth about some of the topics in my popular Earning on Etsy series. For notifications about my upcoming Etsy ebook (including special launch pricing) please subscribe to my Etsy ebook mailing list below (which is different than my regular blog email subscription).
Be the first to know!
Want to hear what successful Etsy sellers did and are doing to grow their shops? Learn their tips and tricks in my upcoming ebook. Sign up here to be the first to know when it's released (and get a discount)!
each time i used to read smaqller articles which as well clear their motive, and that is also happening with this paragraph
which I am reading now.
Hi
I started to sell Etsy but in a month I just achieve to sell one item. I am selling handmade carver smoking pipe. I am using the best meerschaum( in the world, it just comes out Eskisehir) and 40 years experienced carver make the pipes, I am using facebook groups as well but I am not successful pls help to find out the reason, I sell the best handmade meerschaum pipes but still fail. I need new marketing strategies.
thank you best regards
Thanks for your article. Very helpful.
Thank you for these great information
http://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/BHandyDecorations
I am a new visitor to your page. I love how interactive you are! I found you today because I have always wanted and etsy shop, just did not know what to do. My husband has always been a wood working enthusiast and does beautiful work. Most of what I have in my home has been made by him. Countertops, kitchen shelving, desks, tables, wine racks….you name it he can make it out of wood, pipe, etc. He has been out of work for 2 months and started making things for me again (it has been a while). Naturally friends and neighbors see his work and want things for themselves, all of which he does for free. A few days ago he was worrying about work and made the comment “well, woodworking isn’t going to make us any money so I need to figure it out”. Then I started googling things similar to what he has made and showed him the potential of his work in an etsy shop. Now the wheels are turning. We have so many questions. Where to start, how to start, what if someone actually buys something, how will we ship it; etc, etc. And of course being a new seller without any reviews – how do you get the buyers when you don’t have the reviews? I need to finish reading your series but need all the help we can get. He wants me to get a shop up and running so he can start making things. Thank you for sharing your expertise!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I just finished my 1st year on Etsy selling organic salve and skin products. Just now running numbers and optimistic. It’s been hard working full time, raising a family and making and marketing all year for https://www.etsy.com/shop/happiecoconut . I still dont have business cards and or have my products up on my own website. I’m working hard to make this my full time gig by this time next year. Wish me luck!
Just came across this blog post. Are the Etsy fees still current?
you can get business cards at vistaprint.com for $15.00
Is it okay to sell jewelries on Etsy that you have not made but you bought them for a good price and would love to resell them? Is that possible?
Nope. Etsy is just for handmade items, vintage items, and supplies. You could sell on ebay though.
The purpose of Etsy is to sell stuff made by you, however there are thousands of merchants buying from wholesalers and re-selling, look it up, I myself have had a lot of my exclusive bead necklaces ripped off by some Chinese shop and sold cheaper on Etsy and this is a common problem. There is also Etsy Vintage where you can sell vintage pre-used stuff, it just has to be at least 20 years old.
Howdy very cool website!! Guy .. Excellent .. Superb .. I’ll bookmark your website and take the feeds additionally? I’m happy to seek out a lot of helpful info here in the put up, we need work out extra techniques on this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .
The thing is, I DON’T MAKE CRAFTS, I SELL VINTAGE ITEMS THAT I DO NOT MAKE. So now that I got that out of the way, can I make money as you say people can? Or is this pretty much just for crafters? Why isn’t there an article about that as opposed to always seeing and reading things about what people make?
Please give me information for making some serious money on selling vintage items that has nothing to do with crafts.
Thank you,
Sandra from VintageOfOdds
Hi, Stephanie… I can’t believe I found your site pinning today. This must be fate. I was just talking with a family friend yesterday, and she was telling me that I should use my creative skills to start my own business. Especially, since I am looking to go back to work. I was just telling her there was a site called Etsy where you can sell products. Years ago, I use to paint on canvas, and decided to try painting with acrylic on fabric. So, I hand painted a sweatshirt. When I would wear the sweatshirt, I would get a lot of people asking me where I purchased it. But, I never really considered trying to parlay it into a business. Now, I am thinking whether this would be a good idea/product to sell on Etsy. And… if this could actually become a business. So, I am really excited to hear all your ideas and feedback about selling on Etsy. Thank you!
I love etsy. It has helped me save for our first home, buy a car and bank most of my earnings into savings while my husband covers our base expenses.
Stephanie, thanks a lot for this blog and post!! I am really thinking to go into ETSY. My passion is photogrpahy but I would like to give it an exclusive and original touch… I have some ideas on mind!!! Your posts are helpful and encouraging. I hopefully find you one day in love also with my products!
Thanks a lot!
I have had a Etsy shop for about 2 years now with my fiance. We started off with just hand painted bottles and now we also sell my hand made wedding jewellery & head pieces and other jewellery. The thing is that yes we have had people view our items but never sold anything! I was so excited when we first made our Etsy shop thinking we would make some money and sell sell sell! But now i’m just disappointed that nothing has come from it! If you have any tips please please please let me know as we would love it to work!
Thank you Beth
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MerakiDesigns1
I have a shop on etsy and thinking about closing. I do not do all that well with it so I’m going to say my stuff just sucks? 🙁
http://www.PorcelainbyMichelle.etsy.com Kiln Fire Art
I think maybe you are selling too many different things. The best items by far are the painted crosses and the Delft inspired tiles. If i were you, I would concentrate on these two things for a while and get listings of them in different colours and/or slightly different patterns/designs on. Lots of colours and choice. work on the tags you use for them. Your photos are ok but top notch photos really are what sells things to the customer. Think about how food is presented in food magazines and cookery books. do you know someone who is good at photography? I think you could present the items in a much fresher, more professional way. All the best, don’t’ give up!
Hi; enjoyed your article on etsy part 1, have you done part 2 and etc or not.
I just wanted to let you know that this series on ‘Can I really make money on Etsy?’ has helped me tremendously! I did a ton of research before opening. In my research, I stumbled across this blog on Pinterest. I used the information I learned, to help set up my shop. I opened my shop in January of this year, and my shop is far from perfect, but I am very pleased with the amount of sales I am getting. I have had several people approach me about wanting to open a shop and I always refer them to this series. Thank you for taking the time to share this information!!
This article is great! I know from personal experience how awesome selling on Etsy is! I’d recommend it to anyone wanting to sell their handmade good online.
http://www.buildyourcraft.com
hi! I have read your series and have found it extremely helpful. I am wondering though do people start their etsy business on just a hobby they have or a business they have? I make wreaths and have considered starting a shop but right now this is just a hobby. I have done some research as you mention and find numerous etsy businesses for the same thing. Makes me wonder if it is possible to get traffic when there are so many out there doing the same thing. What are your thoughts?
At what point does something like this go from just a hobby to a full business? If you open an etsy site are you required to claim the business and earnings or is there a threshold? Just curious how that works. What about branding or copyrights? Would I need to register my name officially somewhere?
I truly appreciate your series and what I have learned so far.
Thank you for this! A friend of mine is marketing things on Etsy and I’m looking to help her.
great post!!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/KarensPhotoCreations
I’m selling again on Etsy. Realizing it’s rather frustrating when some people price things so cheap. It’s almost not worth my time. To design something and someone else is doing the same thing for a $1.00. I’m kind of frustrated. I’d love advice on how to get more views and actual BUYERS. http://www.soulserenade.etsy.com
STEPHANIE…THANK YOU! I’ve been preparing to open my own Etsy Shop and a website…you just gave me the last bit of encouragement I needed (and I really needed it). I’m excited, and grateful. I’ll follow your site…I look forward to the book. Good luck with all your efforts (including being a Mom!!!), and KEEP GOING!
Thanks so much for this information. I had a small business making collages and I sold my inventory in a few shops and at art shows. I had an Etsy shop and only sold one thing the entire year I had it. I had zero understanding of how to market myself. We adopted a child in 2010 and my biz has been on the back burner because I needed to be home with him. However, recently my husband’s job has changed and I am trying to come up with ways to bring in income in a way that is flexible for my family. I really appreciate your blog. It is hard to believe I could make this work, but I am going to keep exploring and hoping! Thank you!
Thank you so much for all the information. I opened my shop in 2012 and I am still having a difficult time trying to even get people to view my site.
I would appreciate any recommendations you might have for site https://www.etsy.com/shop/JmarcDesigns
Thank you,
Jeamie
I had an etsy site. I am a mixed media artist. I make jewlery and other gift items. But I couldn’t compete with the advertising structure. And therefore my views and sales were suffering. They were pretty non existent. It was disappointing. I know I have a lot of talent. But etsy is so large they can afford to do things this way. It isn’t about the little artist anymore. Disappointing!
I’m sorry to hear that Felicia. I haven’t paid for any advertising on Etsy. Did you make sure your items were tagged well? Using good relevant tags helps buyers find your items when they search. You can also read what I wrote in Part 5 of this series about marketing you shop.
I used to have an etsy site I was mesh perspective. I am a mixed media artist. I make jewelry and gifts with a very distinct artistic flair and I work with many different mediums. But I found etsy to be not very user friendly also they changed their vendor advertising and now make vendors compete with each other monetarily for viewing and ad placement so if you’re not getting a lot of views then and not making a lot of sales you can’t afford a lot of advertising. I just couldn’t compete.
Hello,
I haven’t yet set up an store but I want to set one but I don’t know how to do it. Let me be clearer, I love to make jewerly, stamp tshirts and a friend of mine wants to start selling bellydance outfits and we where thinking of share the same shop. I am afraid this are to many ideas into a shop, what do you think?
Setting up your own shop is easy enough. I walk you through the details in Part 3 of this series. I would recommend that you and your friend each have your own shop. Splitting up your profits, etc would get too complicated in my opinion. Sharing a shop wouldn’t save you any money, and if what your selling is really different, the extra exposure (if someone who find your item happens to look at the rest of your shop) wouldn’t really increase sales.
Already saw all of this series. One last question though, is it recommended to have a shop with jewellery and t shirts or should I separate into different shops since they aren’t exactly the same thing?
It’s up to you. Some items can be complementary and go well together. If your target audience is the same, then by all means put them together!
Do you have a link to your etsy page?
I used to have a link in my sidebar, but I took it down when I put my shop “on vacation” for the holidays. You can find it at SimpleSensations.etsy.com. You can click on my sold items (on the left under the stars) to see what I sell, since I haven’t opened my shop back up for the new year yet.
Hi there. Haven’t set up a shop yet. How do you report for income taxes. Does esty provideo report of sales to give to tax preparation and I keep records of expenses?
Etsy keeps track of your sales and the fees paid to Etsy. Since you can purchase and print your postage right from Etsy, all of the shipping costs will be right there in your Etsy bill, which is really convenient! You can easily download the .csv with all the info to pass along to your tax preparer. I have my own spreadsheet where I keep track of my Etsy business expenses.
i want to open a store, and silk screen and heat transfer tshirts. but one thing
i so used staying in my comforat zone. but i want make some extra cash. but
i’ve some things about selling, on etsy. accepting payments. which way would
be better.
I think selling on Etsy works out really well. I’ve never had any problem with payments. You always wait for payments to go through (which is usually immediately anyway) before you send the customer their item.
Hi Stephanie,
Just set up on etsy a week ago, having a few probs with tags, just wondering if you could pass on any advice, just out of curiosity this evening I decided to look for the monster cushion which is green so I typed in children’s cushion it wasn’t there , then as its listed as a green cushion I narrowed the search and selected the colour and still nothing.
Traffic to the site is very low and as we are around the holiday time we thought it would of been much higher.
Any thoughts??
Look forward to purchasing the ebook.
Lisa and Cara
Hi Lisa,
One thing to mention is that it takes several hours after a new product is listed for it to get into all the searches, that’s why you might not find it right away if you search for it right after it’s listed.
Another thing I’d suggest is to make sure your tags and titles include American English terms as well. For example, I had to look at your shop to see what a “children’s cushion” was… I honestly had no idea. 🙂 In the US we just say “pillow!” I would search for a monster pillow. I’d also throw “boy” in as a tag for that one.
Best of luck with your shop! Your things are super cute!
Stephanie- after reading all 5 of your Etsy articles I wanted to check out your Etsy shop, but found no easy way to do that. Perhaps a new link for that would be something good to add.
Hi Sheila! Usually I have a widget on the sidebar that shows my shop and some items in it, but until the beginning of the year, I have my shop “on vacation.” My things aren’t geared toward the holidays at all (birthdays and baby showers), so November and December are my slower months for Etsy and my busier months with my family, so I put the shop on vacation mode. You can’t browse or buy, but you can see my sold orders to get an idea of what I sell. It’s SimpleSensations.etsy.com
I am looking to sell my handmade wax tarts online and trying to find the right place to sell them. With all the fee’s involved it does cut into your profit alot. Still debating on which place I should open up for selling my own website or Esty. Did you feel the fee’s took alot away from your profit? I am such a newbie I have no clue what is the best deals out there. Thanks for all the information you are providing..
Hi Sherry! I actually found etsy’s fees to be vary reasonable and minimal. If you take a look at Part 4, I talk more about the details of pricing. In the comments there is an example of what fees would be for a $25 item, to give you an idea. Hope that helps!
Hi Stephanie,
I’ve been selling things on eBay until now and often visit Etsy to research older (vintage and antique) items. How easy or difficult would it be to take everything off of eBay and start selling it on Etsy? I can give you one of my item numbers and then you can look and see what kind of things I have. I’ll thank you in advance for your help, and eagerly await your reply.
I don’t imagine it would be too difficult since you already have pictures and descriptions. You could try just moving some of your inventory over and see how it does!
thans you for the information . I have start a ship on Etsy for Wall paper, Wall Mural, Goden polka dots and other motivational wall paper
https://www.etsy.com/in-en/listing/211255344/red-heart-wall-decal-self-adhesive-safe?
Thank you for the information. I have a shop on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/acbeadsjewellery where I sell beadwoven jewellery.
I’ve also been trying various artsy platforms, but I think etsy is for me! It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on etsy’s own blog: http://craftycatdesigns.info/10-tips-to-help-your-shop-blossom
Thank you so much for all this info! I just opened a shop and am having a difficult time trying to even get any site views 🙁
My site is: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SpotlightArtbyTHS
What do you think?
I think your shop is really nice! Here is my aunts: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/KEEKreationsLLC?ref=l2-shopheader-name
I love your music sheet origami flower!
I also have an Etsy shop and have found that actively marketing through social media has increased my sales. I’m also a stay at home mom so I do this part time right now. It takes some work to sell on Etsy, but it can be worth it. It’s also helpful to realize that it’s not the only way to sell your items. I’m currently working on a custom order for someone at church. I look forward to the rest of this series.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NewCreationSewing
That’s great that you’ve had success with social media! Pinterest is the only social media I’ve used for my Etsy shop. Great job branching out from Etsy and selling your things in other venues! Your shop looks fun! I love vintage patterns 🙂
I’m so excited for this series! I’ve just started by etsy shop (about a week and a half ago) and am really looking forward to my first sale. This isn’t the first time I’ve tired to sell my makes (I used to have a business), however I have found that etsy allows me to sell as a hobby and not a business at the moment. Going to read through all the posts!
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CraftinEm
I see items with licenced fabric for sale. I worry about things I make and want to sell that may violate the copyright rules. Any advice? Are those crafters just taking a chance or is ok to sell them.
I’m not sure Joan. I think you would have to check the individual licensing agreement for the different fabrics. You would need to see if the license is just for personal use or if what you make from the fabric can be sold. It’s definitely something that I would want to look into before selling things made from licensed fabric!
I have to say that I never thought I would be able to make any money on etsy. I used it more of an outlet for my creativity and hoped that maybe I would be able to have it at least pay for itself. I was wrong. This has been the perfect opportunity for me to do something that I love while I still get to stay at home with my kiddos and keep them as my first priority. I get to use the extra money that I make to pay for their extra sports and piano lessons (and maybe an extra pair of shoes for myself every once in awhile).
A couple of tips that I have to agree with you on is to keep posting new listings and items. Make your things as personalized and custom as possible but still being accessible. My mantra for my business is to make jewelry for people that is meaningful and affordable. It has been amazing the people that I have been able to touch. I wouldn’t have thought that jewelry could be all that meaningful, but it can be, and I love making that possible for myself and others. Another tip that I have found helpful is that I “pin” every posting.
Here is a link to my shop if anyone has any tips for me. I am always looking for new ideas! Thanks.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/CharmingSarabella?ref=l2-shopheader-name
That’s really exciting that your shop has been so successful Sara, especially because you initially thought that you couldn’t make any money on Etsy! I really love your shop! I love all the personalization available. I love the CTR necklace with a child’s name 🙂
Thanks for sharing some great tips! I think having lots of items listed like you do really helps with exposure. Pinning your listings is great too! Thanks for sharing!
This looks like it’ll be a great series. I’ve always wanted to have my own Etsy shop (I do sewing, quilting, wreath making and other things), but whenever I’ve crunched the numbers to figure what I’d be making for my time, it’s practically nothing. Maybe you’ll convince me that it’s worth it for a little extra cash! 🙂
I hope you talk about how very important the photos are. As an (embarrassingly) frequent Etsy shopper, I’ll admit that the pictures usually make or break the sale for me, regardless of the reviews.
We will be talking about pricing soon, Bonnie. Hopefully that will help you to decide if an Etsy shop would work well for you. We will also talk about some other options for when your items’ legitimate prices are too high for the market.
Yes, we will talk about the importance of having great photos. It really is a big deal! I know I need to update some of my photos!
Also, I would really appreciate any critiques or tips you may have on my Etsy shop!
Thanks!
Jackie
Jackie your shop looks great! Your earrings are beautiful and the pictures are nice and clear. For the number of views you have, you have a lot of favorites on your items, so that’s great! My suggestions would be to keep listing more new items. The more items you have in your shop, the more exposure you’ll get. People who have seen your earrings like them, so you just need to get more people to see them 🙂
I have an Etsy store of my handmade earrings using Swarovski crystals and sterling silver. Feel free to check it out if you like a little bling:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ATwistOfSilver
I’m looking forward to rest of this series!
Hello! I’m a new reader to your blog but excited about this series! I’m about to celebrate my two year Etsy-versary and I absolutely LOVE selling on Etsy. I bought a domain name so I can eventually create an independent shop, but right now it links directly to my Etsy shop: http://www.sweetsomedayshop.com I do upcycled/repurposed items and some vintage! And actually, vintage only has to be 20 years so – it’s weird to think of 1994 as “vintage” but according to Etsy, it’s true! 🙂
Thanks for the correction on the vintage date. You’re right 🙂 It is pretty crazy to think of 1994 as vintage 🙂
Your shop looks great! That’s great that you grabbed the matching domain name. I will be talking about that in part 3 🙂
I don’t have an etsy shop but I have bought many things on there. I’m not really crafty! =)
I have an Etsy shop so I’m excited about this series. I hope to learn more about growing my hobby into a little business.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ginghamcottage
Great Mary Ann! I love the hand towels in your shop. It’s so wonderful to have it button so it doesn’t keep falling down!
I’ve always wanted to open an Etsy and run my own little business! I’ve just never found the perfect fit. I do like to crochet but I just struggle to find a project that would actually be profitable. Looking forward to following the series : )
I struggled with finding the right niche in the beginning. You definitely don’t want to do something that takes lots of time, but doesn’t bring in enough to make it worth it. Stick around and maybe you’ll come up with some new ideas!
I am SO excited for this series!! Right now, I am in the collecting and making stage. Before I list any items, I want to make sure that I can consistently make quality products. My parents (who I live with) are getting a bit antsy though. There are about 100 wine bottles sitting in the garage right now and they are ready to get them out of there!
That’s hilarious 🙂 You will show them that hoarding empty wine bottles will pay off!
I’m not sure what you have in mind yet, but just be sure you have a great way to ship those glass bottles 🙂 I’m excited to see what you come up with! Feel free to ask any questions as the series continues!
I have had an etsy site since 2009 and I don’t do very well with it. How do I boosts traffic without paying for the promotion? Feel free to check it out: http://www.dimpleface.etsy.com
Thanks for sharing your site Beth!
Listing more items will give you more exposure. Even if the listings are essentially offering the same thing (custom framing), you could feature a different photo in each one. A lot of people may never click on your listing to see all the other great examples you have. For example, you have lots of great framed Bat/Bar Mitzvah announcements photos under one listing. I would make them each a separate listing. That way, when someone is looking for framing an announcement they see more than one of your examples and your one listing doesn’t slip between the cracks.
Another reason for more listings with different pictures is that some people have a hard time imagining something different than what is on the screen, so when they see the mat with baseballs, they can’t consider it for a girl or non-baseball fan.
Having more listings will also fill up your shop more, which is a good thing. Spread out your listings (or re-listings) so they aren’t all on the same day. The time listed is a factor (not the only one of course) in how items show up in search results, so especially when your items are all very similar, it is better to have them spread out over time.
We will be talking about some other tips in the series that should help too, including some ways to market without paying for ads. I have not paid for promotions on etsy (or elsewhere) either.
Is it better to list (lets say) 100 items all at once or list 20 items wee for 5 weeks?
I’m currently getting ready to set up an etsy shop. At the moment, trying to fiure out what to call it! ) LOL
Also is it better to stick to one theme (for instance) vintage costume jewelry vs Vintge costume jewelry and handsewn crafts?
It’s better to spread out the listings. As for the theme of your shop, if you think both types of items would appeal to a similar audience, you can keep them together. If the audiences are distinct and don’t overlap, I would keep the shops separate.
Well, it also has to do with appeal of the product in the photos. Think of them as your first impression. Some of the pictures have a yellowish tint that dulls out the beautiful product you have. Try shooting in a naturally well lit area, maybe in front of some windows with minimal things in the back ground. You want people to see your beautiful product as well, and the right picture could mean the difference between a sale.
Man. You are making me want to open my etsy shop up again! I discontinued the store when we moved for residency, partially because I didn’t know if I’d have studio space in our new house, since I knew we’d be downsizing (I dyed yarn & fiber, and it tends to make a mess and take a lot of space)… and then there we were thinking about me trying to get into medical school here while my husband is in his residency. Now we are leaning towards me waiting on medical school until the kids are older… and now I’m wondering if maybe I should open a shop back up. I can’t wait to follow along with this series! Oh boy!
That’s awesome that you used to have a shop! You’ll have to share your insights as the series continues.
And wow! You were going to go to medical school while your husband is in residency and you have kids! Just thinking about that exhausts me! 🙂
Looks like this is going to be a great series! I’m currently on Etsy: Recut Designs is the name, sewn and quilted repurposed items are the game 🙂 It is hobby and extra fun money right now, but I may work with it in the future to make it more of my income. Can’t wait to see the other parts to this series!
That’s great that you have a shop already Katy! I love your felt ornaments, especially the owl, fox and other animals! Did you design them yourself or do you use a pattern? I’m excited to hear about your experience as the series continues!