Top 5 – Must Read Articles on Etsy’s Storque

Our HandmadeMarketing.org team searched Etsy’s handmade blog “The Storque” for must-read articles for those selling on Etsy.com!

1.  The Etsy Seller Basics: Get a Jumpstart on a Stellar Shop – This article was published on the Storque in March 2010.  This article has 10 things every Etsy shop owner should be doing to sell more handmade.  Our team’s favorite suggestion was shipping internationally (#9).  Looking for additional tips from sellers?  Etsy seller CrochetGal shared her ideas for how to improve your Etsy shop in this article “Sell Handmade Online – 12 Ways to Improve Your Shop“.

2.  Wednesday Workshop Wrap-Up: Gift Certificates in Your Shop – Since Etsy.com does not offer site-wide gift cards, some sellers have listed gift certificate that shoppers can use in their store only.  This article has the do’s and don’t of gift certificates, and is a great resource if you are thinking of utilizing gift certificates during the holiday season.  For tips on how to keep your branding consistent when incorporating gift certificates, check out this HandmadeMarketing.org article from reader Jessie McCann “Handmade Branding – Keeping Consistent and Smart“.

3.  Quit Your Day Job: 5 Tips from 50 Who’ve Done It (and Counting!) – Looking for some entrepreneur inspiration?  This June 2009 article from The Storque is a must-read.  It lists five tips from those who have left their day job to become entrepreneurs on Etsy.com.  Tips include great photography, which has been a common suggestion from readers of HandmadeMarketing.org.  If you are looking for more photography tips and tricks, read these tips for photography here.

4.  Etsy Seller Inventory Worksheet – This article was published in January 2008, and is very much relevant to handmade sellers today.  In addition to Etsy sellers, other handmade sellers on venues like ArtFire, 1000 Markets, and even their own website shop can benefit from this article.

Don’t worry if you are not tech-savvy.  These tips for inventory can be utilized easily on a spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel.  Our HandmadeMarketing.org team recommends utilizing Google Docs for this tracking. Google Docs allows users to create basic documents from scratch or start from a template. It allows for all the basics for document prep, and it’s as easy to use as computer’s word processor, spreadsheet software, etc.  However, it beats out traditional methods because it’s free!  Since it’s web-based, you can update it from anywhere – a WIFI stop on vacation, from your next craft fair, or from a friend’s computer.  Looking for other ways Google Docs can help you manage your craft business?  Handmade seller Amy Vander Vorste recently shared her idea for creating a form for her Etsy shop using Google Docs.

5.  Etsy’s Treasury: Finding Focus – This article was published in April 2009.  The Treasury feature on Etsy.com was launched in August of 2006, with the goals of creating an interactive place where members could create and share their own featured lists of Etsy items.  This feature has truly developed into a community feature, and is loved by many Etsy sellers and buyers alike.  This article on The Storque outlines some revised guidelines for the Treasury feature, as well as thoughts out where this feature is headed.  Look for more info on Treasuries?  Read tips from HandmadeMarketing.org reader Leah Mackin about how to get featured in Etsy Treasuries.  Be sure to also check out Tips From A Pro – Etsy Treasury Questions Answered from Etsy seller Jen Bennett Gubicza.

Tell us what you have found in The Storque that has helped you sell more!  If HandmadeMarketing.org publishes your information, we’ll link to your shop or website.  Sellers receive free press for lending their knowledge, and both new and experienced sellers alike get new ideas.  Share with HandmadeMarketing.org.