Tips From A Pro - Treasury Questions Answered

Jen Bennett Gubicza, from the Etsy shop SweetestPea, shared her “Treasury” guide with us in the article “Treasury Time – Step by Step“.  The tutorial-style information came from Jen’s blog and was created with the help of Jared Tarbell, the creator of Etsy’s Secret Treasury.  Enough said, right?

In case you had some questions after reading the article, here are some “Frequently Asked Questions” Jen addresses on her blog:

1. Why doesn’t the Etsy.com “Treasury” feature work?
   “If you are getting a black screen,” Jen writes, “simply click the black screen to start the loading process.  Try downloading the latest version of Flash.“  Not seeing those errors? “If the Treasury is running slow, it may be that your computer isn’t powerful enough – sorry.”
2. What’s wrong if I don’t see a place to create a list?  “Look at the bottom of the page,” Jen says.  “If there is a notice saying the Treasury is full right now, you need to come back later, when the number of lists drops below 333.”  Need some tips about how to create a list?  Check out the other article with Jen’s information about creating a Treasury list when the site is full.
3. Why are there only 333 lists allowed at one time? Why can I only make one list? Jen has the answer – “These safety measures are in place to ensure that the Treasury does not crash.”  Jen writes, “Embrace the decay. Wait for a list to expire, then pounce! One list limits are to make sure more Etsians get the chance to use the feature.”
4. My screen shows the Treasury has 347 lists. I thought there was a limit of 333? “Sometimes people create lists at almost exactly the same time,” Jen explains with Jared’s help.  “The Treasury feature allows for a tiny bit of wiggle room, but not much. Think about it – everyone is waiting for a list all at once. Everyone who sees the box and types in their title at the same time will get a list.”
5. What’s with the conversations rule for those I feaure in my Treasury list?  Why can’t I convo them? “The Treasury is not intended for self promotion. Etsy considers conversations about including someone in your Treasury list as spam,” writes Jen and Jared.  Keep in mind that Etsy has created another way for sellers to find out if their Etsy items are in Treasuries.  “Users can quickly scan the titles of lists to look out for a gold star. This indicates that one of their items is in a list.”
6. How can I get featured in other Etsians’ Treasuries? “Take fantastic photos,” Jen writes, “Curators want to make their lists as beautiful as possible. Help yourself out by taking clear photos.”  HandmadeMarketing.org readers have you covered on this one.  Take a look at HandmadeMarketing.org photography tips in our “Photography” section. 
   Other ideas Jen and Jared have to get featured?  “Use your tags appropriately,” they suggest. “Often, curators are looking to create themed lists. Be sure to use your listing tags for themes and colors especially.  Also, create unique and interesting products that stand out from other shops.”
   Another great idea is to join an Etsy Team.  “Often, Etsy Teams will come together to create Treasury lists of their members,” Jen writes.
7. Can I prepare my Treasury before having it posted to make it easier once I get a list? Jen and Jared have a great idea to help prep before a list.  “You can browse items on Etsy shops ahead of time and copy and paste the listing ID number or the URL into a text document,” they suggest.  “Save the document, and when you’ve got a list, ust those numbers for the Treasury cards.  Have many alternates if you are preparing for a list. Items sell quickly on Etsy.com.  It’s likely one of your chosen items may not be available when you go to make your list on the Treasury.”
   They have another easy idea to get ready for a list.  “Etsians can use the Poster Sketch Tool to play around and experiment with different item arrangements. This tool lets you create a Treasury list that is only visible to you.”

Thanks for the help Jen (aka SweetestPea)!  To read more about Jen’s Treasury advice, take a look at the Treasury Tutorial.

Keep in mind, Jen and Jared last updated this guide in December 2007. Do you see a commonly asked question missing that you can answer about Treasuries? Want to share a tip that you have learned while using the tool?

Submit your tip to HandmadeMarketing.org or comment on this post! If our editors like your idea, we will feature your information and cite you as the source.