Etsy: Handmade Marketplace
Etsy is a great online platform if you're selling handmade items. You can list your handmade wood signs, jewelry, make-up, bath and body cosmetics, tinctures, dolls, paintings, clothes, party decorations, books, toys, and the list goes on. Surprisingly, you can also sell vintage items but the items have to be over 20 years old. I wanted to share a few things I've learned while being on an Etsy seller. I've been on Etsy for a year and 4 months, no complaints just yet with Etsy. It's an easy process and hassle-free.
Aside from the tips and advice I'll be expressing here, read this before setting up an account with Etsy.
YOUR RIGHT AND OBLIGATIONS AS AN ETSY SELLER
Rule #1 - Read and follow all of Etsy's rules.
All photos mustn't look cluttered and should look attractive. Your product should be the only thing standing out in the photo. No grainy photos, it's a huge turn-off. Your product should be well lit and easy to see. Try to use a white background or a very subtle colored background. If it doesn't pop out to you, it won't pop out to your potential customers.
Do not underprice or overprice your products. You must also consider the $.20 it costs you to list each item and 3.5% after each completed sale. You'll need to pay your fees on the 1st and 15th of each month.
There's an announcement section on your shop page. You should keep this updated with fresh information as much as possible. If you listed new products than say so in the announcement section.
If someone leaves bad feedback, contact the customers personally. Most of the time, the customers overreacted or didn't read the description properly and you can easily solve the issue. You can politely ask the customer to change the review, sometimes they won't because they will forget but at least you did your part in expressing good customer service.
Here is a semi-bad review I received. Immediately after I received this review, I contacted the customer and apologized for the overpowering scent and politely told her she could run the spray part of the bottle under some warm water for a few seconds to help get rid of the aloe vera gel that sometimes cakes on. The customer noticed I was trying to help and her tone suddenly changed. She replied that she "liked the spray and it works for her feet!" I also offered to give her a partial refund. Although she denied the refund, I have a happy customer. The customer never changed her review but the problem was still solved and that's what matters.
- Detailed descriptions are a must. If your product has multiple ingredients, try to break down every ingredient and its benefits. Customers love seeing how much effort you put into helping them understand what each ingredient could do. If you're selling jewelry, customers will want to know how long the chain is, the type of clasp it has, and what type of stone.
- Your products should be labeled with your business name, the name of the product, ingredients and a how to use the product. If you could fit your website on the label, go for it. There are many places you can get your labels printed or you can print it yourself. I usually end up going with Vistaprint.
Always check your orders and convos. Sometimes you'll miss a notification on your phone or computer. Always check! One day a customer sent a message asking an important question about one of my products, unfortunately, I missed that notification. I ended up replying 3 days after she sent the message. It was a horrible feeling, just warning you.
Offer a 'Free Shipping' discount to local customers. Locals should buy from local crafters and it makes it easier for them to buy from you if you offer a discount. It can also be 10% off, whatever you feel is right for you and your business.
Do not copy from anyone else. Do not! Do not! Do not! It should be common sense but I've seen so many Etsy Sellers work being stolen.
Filling out your shop policies is crucial. You must figure out what your return, exchange, shipping and payment options are. Fill them out correctly, ever shop/seller has different policies.
- Titles...the first five words are important. When customers search for Chamomile Lotion, your product should pop up in their search. You should use at least 3-5 words in your title, so Chamomile Body Lotion will be much better.
Listing your products takes a lot of time. It depends on how many you're listing but it takes quite some time when you first start out. You'll get used to it after a while so no worries. My first time through, I listed around 20 products. Can you guess how long it took me? It took me 5-6 hours to list all of my products!
Keywords / Tags are crucial. Etsy says it's optional but this feature will also help get your items found. I see a lot of sellers not using this feature and they wonder why very little people visit their shops. You must use this feature. It's just as important as properly filling in your product title. Use all 13 tag! If you can't think of any other words to describe your item, be creative. Is your item vegan? Make sure you put 'vegan' as one of your tags.
Fill out your "About" section. This is where you shine, this is where you show that you're unique. You have a story, share it with everyone. Why did you start this business? What was your inspiration for your business name? You're a part of your brand, it's okay to be vulnerable.
Social Media. Do you have Facebook? Do you have Twitter? Do you have Instagram? Do you have Pinterest? If no to all, I suggest you least get an account on Instagram to help market yourself and your shop. Etsy now gives you easy access to connect all of your social media platforms. Post regularly on social media about your products. Instagram is better for marketing, in my opinion, the hashtags you could use will help bring traffic to your post. Traffic to your post means traffic to your shop.
Do not name any of your products after big-name companies and celebrity names such as Disney, Pixar, Beyonce and so on. You WILL get in trouble. If your product is inspired by Disney, I believe there's a specific way you need to state it on your listing/title. Research the best way to go about that.
Some sellers send previous customers a message about current discounts or sales they're running but I advise not to. Most of the time they will read it and not order. Don't waste your time spamming them.
You must understand it'll take months to build a following on Etsy, do not lose hope. The ultimate key is to create the best product you can make, take wonderful photos, offer great customer service and write amazing descriptions.
If you do vendor shows or craft shows, make sure to ask Etsy to send you their 'Etsy credit card Reader'. This will make your life much easier. Download the 'Etsy Sellers' app on your phone, log in, connect the reader, slide a credit card and BOOM-easy sale.
Have fun on your business journey!!!
Warmly,
Ivana
