One of the main drawbacks for Etsy sellers is that they think “if you put it on sale, people will pay for it.” One should keep in mind that if you are setting up an Etsy shop you are actually beginning a new venture and you should be prepared in pulling out all the stops and going an extra mile to make it a success, just the way you would do for a bigger enterprise.
So, let’s keep all balls in the air and think like an entrepreneur. Remember – You’re Starting a Business:
Is an Etsy Shop Right for You?
If you’re wondering if Etsy is the right place to sell your products do not worry, Etsy is widely known for selling hand-crafted items which are rare and peculiar. Etsy is the one stop destination for selling all kinds of items for innovative people.
Some of the Etsy top-selling categories include:
Hand-made jewelry
Hand-made clothing
Home decor
Vintage items
Toys and games
Child and infant supplies/clothes
Craft supplies and tools
Etsy Shop Example
Each item in the Etsy shop stand out from the rest and has a specialty of its own which is why thousands of these niche products deplete successfully. If you’re looking for AA batteries kind of stuff Etsy is not your go-to platform.
Also some items are made according to the specifications of a particular individual by giving it a personal touch, internet might not be the right place for them.
For example, you’re into custom wedding cakes business, a single online communication with your customer wouldn’t possibly make the item great specially when the bride is intolerably demanding with her choices. Oh!! not to mention, shipping the thing would be an ordeal.
But with Etsy you would have an advantage in selling hand-made gum paste flowers where individual bakers could order for use in their unique creations.
Also read: Indo-Western Outfits You Must Try in 2021
Etsy Selling: Know Your Market
After you make a firm decision on selling your product on Etsy shop, it’s equally important to know who you’re selling to.
Not all customers have same priorities. To take our cake supply example to next level, targeting the culinary-minded moms who want to make a cute, unique birthday cakes is the best way as it is one of the most potential markets.
In this situation, you pay attention to every single detail and you look forward to match each and every possible interest a child could have to trade your large variety of cake decoration. But as your customers won’t be ordering say some hundred Transformers-themed cakes it’s a wise thing to sell them one at a time.
If you’re picking out specialised wedding caterers, you look forward in selling more mature products. Also you might offer these items in large quantities because each cake could need a wholesome of 500 pearls and 30 roses and your potential consumer might be making more of these cakes at a time.
Etsy Listing: Naming Your Items
Few markets choose different approach and have their own set of priorities even a certain vocabulary. They have their own choice of words while searching the internet, unless you use the same dialect they won’t find you.
A birthday mom, for example who is looking for “Transformers Bumblebee cake decoration” probably wouldn’t give much thought about the details and the technicalities that went into the process of making the decoration, the only thing she is determined about is that it should resemble her kid’s ideal character from the TV show.
She might be searching for the exact thing you have for her but if you are labelling it with the terms she never heard of, your product can never make it into her search results. You might have labelled your product with a best description but for your audience it’s not the right ones.
In contrast the professional caterers might be concerned about every single detail, they probably are very particular about the ingredients, exact dimensions and the color of the spray of gum paste cherry blossoms.
Ensure that your use of imagination is on point while naming your products. Make sure you’re not labelling the products in your own terminology but make a thorough research about the terms your audience use in searchin the products and make use of the same terms. No-one might heard of what a “Spritely fairy cookbook” is, so none will look for it, even if they come across any such term they probably won’t click on it.
Etsy Marketing: Use the Forms
Only Limited characters of upto 140 can be used in your product titles, so you should keep in mind that while you make a strenuous effort to give an effective title to your product, you should be mindful that you are not allowed to use every term people possibly search for your product.
Fortunately, there’s no need to. Etsy website provides you a long form to write the detailed information about the product like size, color, category, material, etc., while you’re listing a product in your Etsy shop.
Though it takes a little effort to type in all the details, it’s beneficial because though people root around with different terms from those in your title, Etsy gives the needed information to recommend your product.
Sell Best Etsy Products: Put Your Best Footage Forward
Impressive titles and apt information about the item is only useful to find the product, but if the standard of your pictures are effective they create a huge impact on people whether to click on your product or not.
Give your best shot to click pictures that are remarkable. You might need a good camera and a nice backdrop to enhance your product.
The finest way to display your product will differ based on what it is :
If you’re selling a bright red bridesmaid’s dress putting it on a mannequin and using a white background to enhance the color would be appealing.
If you’re selling a piece of armor for a costume, by displaying it as part of a complete set your viewers can get a finer insight on how they could look in it.
If you’re selling a vintage wedding ring, taking a close-up shot of your product by showing off its elegant, adorned detail will be alluring.
If you’re selling a vinyl wall-art print, adding some furniture in the picture will be effective so that viewers can realise just how big it is.
Getting an ideal picture is more like writing an apt title..it helps you know more about your viewers perspective on what kind of products they are looking for and what their interest is in.
Your cover photo plays a very crucial role, you can upload upto 9 other pictures and can switch them accordingly if you don’t get the required friction.
Etsy Promotion Codes: Use Social Media
Etsy is a visually-driven trading platform, to publicize your products to vast range of audience you can use other visual platforms as well.
Popular Picture-centric platforms like Twitter, Reddit, Instagram and Pinterest provides you a greater and bigger platform to post your products.
You’re open to choose any picture as lead indifferent to the ones you put on your Etsy store to share it on social media.
For instance, posting a work in progress picture on twitter would make your audience curious in clicking the link to see the end product.
Some platforms like pinterest provides you an option of adding a label by showing the price of an item to your picture to let people know that the displayed image is available for sale.
Etsy Store: Managing Your Etsy Store
After you take one firm decision on which product to sell in your Etsy store followed by creating listings for the products, writing apt titles and descriptions, filling out forms and capturing/editing pictures, you’ll make yourself ready to start your digital venture.
Stop being lazy and do not entertain the thought of being disinclined with your work for sometime as your business needs your full attention.
Etsy provides different ways to keep a track on the performance of your store. It keeps you updated about your customers location and your shops performance every single day. It keeps a count on how many people are looking at your items and how many of them are adding it to their favorite list. Also it lets you know about how much traction your product has.
Information like this makes you aware of your audience preference and interest to fine-tune your catalogues to meet their requirements. Also you’ll get a clearer picture about the products that are not performing well through which you can make required changes to make them work.
A/B Testing
Instead of guestimating about your customers interests, their likes and dislikes, a practical application of creating an A/B test would be better.
Whatify- an online service program meets your purpose as it helps in setting up a trail on your Etsy shop in which it divides the people who are seeing your product into two halves where each half sees a different image. The application software collects data from both sets and decides on which version they liked the most.
On frequently using services like these you will get to know more about your customer choices and interest such that you can guarantee that your listings will meet their needs.
Etsy Sellers: Keep Them Coming
After you start trading it’s pivotal to remain involved in etsy shop.
Etsy is unique in its own way because unlike other transactions people imagine a real person on the other end that helps you build a real connection on an individual basis which in turn helps in having a loyal relation with your customer.
A swift and a kind response to your customers questions makes a huge difference in changing their cliks into purchases, an additional care in packing the items and shipping the products a little early can gain their trust in getting nice reviews and repeat business.
Gifting them coupons after their first purchase and providing periodic sales on few of their items can also encourage customers to come back to shop.
To captivate more attention from customers and to attract those who already purchased your products building a favourable reputation by being trustworthy, reliable, being good at what you do and being loyal to your work is the only key.
Summary – Creating Etsy Account, Listing, Ads and Revenues.
The best way in turning your passion into a successful venture is to start an Etsy shop.
You just need to remember that starting an Etsy store is like taking a first step in setting up a small business which requires lots of hardwork and effort like any other business.
If you have a good practical knowledge and has the ability to make good judgements on things you desire for, Etsy is your one stop destination to follow your passion and you get paid for it too!
How do you perceive about starting an Etsy shop? Are you amazed in knowing that your specialty would make for a good Etsy store? Leave your thoughts in the comments.