Selling on Etsy for Beginners

Selling on Etsy for Beginners

Have you crocheted more hats than you can wear? Do you trip over paintings you have stacked up against the wall? Is your closet bursting at the seams with vintage clothes? This is how it all starts. I had too much in my small apartment so the night I found Etsy and realized there was actually a market for this stuff I got to work. It’s been five years now and due to recently being fired, my full time job is making, selling and marketing my crafts and vintage clothing.

In this post are some of the things I have learned in my time selling. I made so many mistakes in the beginning that could easily have been avoided with the tiniest bit of research.

I’ll put this in a Do’s and Do Not’s format to make it easy to understand and to prevent me from rambling.

First, DO take the time to read the rules and guidelines. On Etsy you can only sell handmade or vintage items.

Do not waste your money on anything you don’t need in the beginning like avatars, fancy mannequins, a huge inventory etc. Start with what you have and make do until you know if this is a long-term or short-term project. Just start and go from there.

Do take interesting, bright photos on the lightest background in your home at the brightest time of day. Photoshop the photos if necessary, study the photos that get your attention. A good photo is over half the battle. Etsy gives you 5 photo spots, use them all. Take a picture of the back of what you’re selling too.

Do not screw yourself by not charging enough. I used to guess on postage and often guessed wrong. The post office website is very easy to use and very accurate, use it! If you’re trying to figure out how much to charge for a handmade item a good formula is $10/hr + the cost of supplies. I sell hand crocheted hats for $24-$28 because they take about two hours to make and the yarn is between $4 and $8.

Do take advantage of the community forums and blogs. They are chock full of valuable information. Comment on the blogs daily if possible. Join teams of like-minded people. Support others and they’ll support you. There is the concept of “Etsy Karma” I believe in.

Do research your target market. Are you selling to high-end designers or poor college kids? Make sure your prices fit within their budget and that they will be interested in your photos. This concept is key to your success!

Do not make your avatar photo lame! Sorry, this is the first thing people see often and it has to reflect the spirit and quality of your shop. Make it bright, unique, and think about the branding direction you want to go in. Walk 10 ft. away from your computer and see if it stands out to test it.

Do tell the truth in your descriptions. When selling vintage items this is even more important. You want positive feedback from every customer. If a dress has been repaired or you replaced a button, say so.

Do not list items all at once because you’re excited. You will get more exposure if you list one thing a day or so. List your items when your target market is home and awake. I sell to mostly 20 somethings who are awake at night like I am. Weekends are obviously better for sales and listings than weekdays.

Do not worry if you sell in more than one category. You do not need to open multiple Etsy shops. In fact, the opposite is true. It is a good idea to have items listed in different categories because it brings in more traffic. I sell art, knits, and vintage clothing and just have my one shop divided into logical sections.

Do not get discouraged. It can be an emotional roller-coaster online. One day you may set a new sales record and then you might go a month without a sale. Look at the overall picture and not the minute details. It will be slow at first for most people, be patient.

Do your best to make every customer happy but do know that you cannot make everyone happy all of the time. There are cranky and crazy people out there! Accept it.

I am continually learning new things and improving my Etsy shop still.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/shannondzikas?ref=si_shop

Find me on Facebook too, ShannondzikasArtYarnVintage

Be your own boss, secretary, and janitor!