New Shop On The Block – Tips for Starting an Etsy Shop

Starting a new Etsy shop takes more than a simple registration process.  From browsing the wonderful site resources available to you on Etsy.com to figuring out how to create a brand that sells, starting an Etsy shop can be a bit overwhelming.

To help you on your way, our team at HandmadeMarketing.org worked with Etsy sellers to create a list of the top things every newbie should know:

1. Get Ready to Expose and Communicate.  Don’t be shy on Etsy.com!  HandmadeMarketing.org reader Edith, from Etsy shop Ugly Jewelry, has pointers that work.  “Visit as many Etsy stores as possible, communicate with other sellers and shoppers, post messages on forums, put your name everywhere you can, so that people will remember you,” Edith suggests.  Although you may be shy on Etsy.com at first, you must branch out and connect with other Etsy sellers.  “Do not be shy about yourself!” Edith said.  Our team thinks exposure is vital to sales, and Etsy.com is a great place for new sellers to start!
2. Forums = Opinions. Depending on the Etsy.com forums for your shop business decisions may not be the best idea.  The forums are a wonderful place to get opinions from other sellers about what works and what doesn’t for their shops.  However, just because another seller swears by an avenue for advertising or a method for attracting potential buyers does not mean those tips are right for your shop.  Use the Etsy.com forums to help gather ideas, not run your shop.
3. Learn About Etsy. Who shops at Etsy?  Knowing the Etsy user demographic stats will help you understand what the average potential buyer looks like.  Our team at HandmadeMarketing.org suggests taking a look at all the useful features on Etsy.com.  Learn about the Etsy Treasuries, site forums, alchemy feature, etc!
4. Create a Memorable Shop. Edith from Ugly Jewelry has a tip for picking a shop name.  “Pick an intriguing name for your store, so that shoppers would be curious about you,” Edith says.  With over 100,000 shops at Etsy.com, getting creative is vital.  Do what you can to create a memorable Etsy shop.  An easy way to begin creating a memorable shop is picking a unique Etsy shop name.
5. Cut Costs. Look for ways to cut costs on things you use most for your Etsy shop.  Our “Basics on Etsy.com” team discovered you can eliminate your cost for shipping supplies by checking out the United States Postal Service website.  The “Priority Mail” shipping supplies are free to you!
6. Slow Down. You’ve opened your shop 12 hours ago and don’t have a single sale?  Don’t worry!  Sales take time, and being patient with yourself early on will help later when you have longer dry spells.
7. Plan Now. Know what your goals are from the start and outline the reasons why you created the shop.  Our team thinks creating a “First Year” poster for your Etsy shop.  Start by taking a poster board (or even an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of copy paper) and draw a circle in the middle.  Inside the circle, write 3-5 sentences about why you are joining Etsy.com.  Then, list some goals for your Etsy shop for the upcoming 12 months.  How many sales would you like to see?  How would you like to see your craft grow?  What do you hope to get out of Etsy?  Make sure to date the text inside the circle – this is your beginning point.  Each month, create another circle with a brief summary of how the month went.  How did you meet some of your year-long goals?  What are you plans for the next month to bring you closer to your beginning center circle ambitions?  Sometimes it’s easier to see where you are by looking at where you’ve been!
8. Business Cards. Consider picking up some business cards for your new Etsy shop.  Low on funds?  Print them on cardstock at home!  Business cards are the easiest way to bring those around you to your shop.  Consider printing a first-time purchase coupon on the card to give that extra push to a potential buyer.
9. Look for Press Opportunities Early.  With many outlets for shop press, begin your research now.  “Book some advertising spots for extra exposure such as Etsy’s Storque,” Edith from Ugly Jewelry says.  “It’s a modest yet worthwhile investment.” Our team thinks seeking out bloggers who feature Etsy sellers or who organize in giveaways is another easy way to look for press.  Utilizing press opportunities within the Etsy community will get you ready to seek press outside of Etsy.com.
10. Shop Text. Check out successful shops on Etsy.com to see how sellers are using their shop text to their advantage.  Does a shop with many sales skip the profile page?  How does their Etsy shop announcement look?  Pay special attention to the length of the text.  No one needs a biography or a 300 word description of your shop policies before they have even bought an item from you.  Need ideas with how to write engaging text?  Check out our Etsy com shop text tips!
    Also, if you aren’t using a web brower that has spell check built in, make sure you are double (triple!) checking your shop text spelling.
11. Connect Locally. Etsy seller Sarah Gupta sent us this tip for selling handmade: “I am a vintage re-seller in the Omaha area, and have decided to give local people 50% off if they can pick the item up. I figure it is a good way to get a few more sales, and might be a neat way to connect with other Etsy fans in my area face-to-face,” Sarah said.

Do you have tips to add to this list?  What advice would you give a new seller?

Pass on your Handmade marketing tips to HandmadeMarketing.org.  If our editors likes your ideas, we will post them in an article on the site – and link to your shop, blog, or website as the source.