How To Be Successful on

On Etsy The Ultimate Guide

Selling on EtsyIs selling on Etsy a good choice for you and your business? Making sales on Etsy requires consistent effort, so before diving in it’s important to make sure Etsy is right for you and your business.

Here are the questions you should ask yourself1. Do I have the necessary technological

skills to succeed on Etsy? 2. Do my products/handmade items fit

Etsy’s most productive price-point? 3. Am I willing to take the time to do all

of the preparation, communicating, and packaging/shipping Etsy requires?

1. Technological Skill

It is absolutely essential to have at least a basic working knowledge concerning uploading/editing photos, receiving/sending emails, and navigating web pages and drop-down menus. Once you have decided to take the plunge, be sure to check out Etsy’s Forums and  Seller’s Handbook Blog.

2. Productive Price-Point

Although there are successful Etsy shops whose average item sells for $50 or more, the majority of top Etsy sellers have an average item price of $50 or below. In fact, out of 15 of the top Etsy sites in 2013, 13 had an average price-point of $50 or less.

3. Willing To Take The TimeThe N.Y. Times ran an article in 2009 featuring interviews with several full-time Etsy sellers who revealed that being a success on Etsy comes with a price. Of the sellers interviewed, none worked less than 13 hours a day and several reported working even longer hours.

The 3 Most Important Steps

1. Creating a Connection With Your Client

People buy handmade items because they want to invest in someone’s story. They could get a commercial mug that is just as useful for $5 at any chain store. But that mug would not have a story or face behind it. Tell your story, make a connection, and Etsy customers will respond.

Your ‘‘About’’ Section

Your “about” section is one of the main ways a customer gets to know you. A well-developed “about” section should give the customer a window into who you are, not just what you do.

Be Personal In Your Customer InteractionsCustomer service is important for many reasons. Here, I just wanted to add that messages, shipping updates, etc. can be a great opportunity to develop a deeper connection with your customers. Instead of simply answering questions, tell them about yourself as well.

Taking “Droolworthy” Photos: Pro vs. DIY

High-Quality PhotographsWhen Etsy asked 5 full-time Etsy sellers for their top 10 marketing tips, “Make Your Photo’s ‘Drool-Worthy’” topped the list. This advice is not surprising. Photographs are one of the only ways a potential customer has to gauge the quality of your products.

Use Your Pictures To Highlight Your Brand/StyleWhen deciding how to photograph your product, think of the picture as a tool by which to highlight your brand/style. If your “about” section paints you as edgy, make sure your picture does as well. The goal is to convey a consistent message throughout your shop.

Do-It-Yourself

If you choose to take photographs yourself, expect an initial trial-and-error period. Good pictures take work. However, if you have the time, taking the photos yourself can allow for much more flexibility and experimentation. If you do not like the lighting, you can tweak it.

CostIf purchasing equipment to take high-quality pictures yourself, expect to spend a minimum of $200 for a point-and-shoot setup, to around $600-$1000 plus for higher-end DSLR setups.

Hiring A ProfessionalHiring a professional ensures high-quality photographs of your work. With professional lighting equipment and a studio setting, your photos will look great and be consistent from batch to batch. Hiring a professional frees you up to focus on other aspects of your business such as production and sales.

Costs & ResourcesProfessional photographer costs can vary significantly, from around $7-$10 a shot in areas with a higher living wage, to $2-5 a shot elsewhere. !

If you need a crash course, Fanchimp Blog has a great piece on hiring professional photographers which can be found here.

Get Your Products Seen With The Right Item Descriptions and Tags

Item Descriptions

Your item description is the place where you verbally engage potential customers. Approach your descriptions as informative conversation. You want to provide basic information, while at the same time maintaining an engaging and interesting tone.

Customers want to know what size of product they are purchasing. Pictures can often be deceiving in scale. For this reason, it is important to include basic information such as height, width, length, holding capacity etc . . . in your posts.

Provide Specific Information

Most items have some obvious use or function attached to them. However, many items have multiple uses, many of which your potential buyer may not think of without your guidance. The more things your item can be used for, the more perceived value it holds in the mind of a customer.

Demonstrate your product’s versatility

Tagging Items Effectively

Etsy’s search system used to feature those items related to the search keywords that had been most recently added. However, Etsy has now switched their system to highlight items which are most relevant to the keywords or phrases searched, regardless of how recently they have been posted.

Is that the days of posting/relisting items in order to appear higher in Etsy search are no more. Instead, it is more important than ever to have item tags that relate to what buyers are searching for.

What this means…

The more a word is repeated in your listing, the more chance someone searching that word on Etsy will end up at your page. Etsy pages also show up in good searches. For instance, if my item title is “Stoneware Mug with Rueger Pottery’s Variegated Blue Glaze,” I might want to include tags such as “Stoneware Mug,” “Blue Mug,” Blue Stoneware Mug,” etc . . .

Repeat keywords in your item title to increase SEO potential

Generating 5 Star Reviews For Your Etsy Product Pages

It is time to focus on customer satisfaction and service. The truth is, positive reviews drive sales. You may have a compelling brand and great product presentation, but if your customer is unsatisfied with your communication or feels that you are being insensitive to their needs, they will rarely leave a positive review, recommend you to others, or buy from you again.

Now that you have built your brand and presented your product at its best

Prompt, Polite, and Engaging CommunicationCustomers are going to send you messages with various questions, offers, and requests. It is important, whenever possible, to respond to these messages within one business day or less. This promptness conveys a sense of professionalism and also assures the customer that you value their time and potential business.

It just comes with the territory. However, responding in kind is never helpful. Instead, assure them that you are doing your best to make their experience positive. Be polite, even if you have to refuse a request or say “no” to some custom order.

There will inevitably be customers that are demanding or rude.

Following Up with Customers

A completed and shipped sale does not necessarily mean your job is done. Following up with customers can be a good way to stay connected and receive some valuable feedback. Several days after I know my product should have arrived.

You may ask them if they are willing to submit a shop review for their transaction. Etsy sends messages to remind buyers to leave feedback, but often for me, it is the personal interaction which actually prompts the buyer to follow through and submit a review. However, it is important not to come across as pushy.

If a customer is satisfied with your product and service

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