CraftyMamaMia's Tips for selling on Etsy

Welcome to the 3rd edition of "CraftyMamaMia's Tips for selling on Etsy"

Tip # 1 Descriptions
Many people would like to know the size of the item plus other details such as weight, materials, and anything else you can add to describe the item. Short descriptions may leave the customer wondering, and they will most likely pass up the item without asking the shop owner for more information.

Tip #2 Shipping
If you offer international shipping don't forget to add those to your shipping profiles. If you only stick it in your announcement an international customer may never see it and skip past your item. Don't rely on the customer to convo for international shipping prices. Here is fantastic blog with help on shipping internationally from home.
HOW TO SHIP INTERNATIONAL PACKAGES FROM HOME
and
International Rate Chart

CraftyMamaMia's Tips for selling on Etsy

Welcome to the 2nd edition of "CraftyMamaMia's Tips for selling on Etsy"

Tip#1 Consistency
Last week I touched lightly on consistency in photos. This week I want to talk about consistency in your whole shop. I never thought it was that important...boy was I wrong. Before CraftyMamaMia was Bath & Body and Incense, it was more of a variety store. I promoted on Etsy and away from Etsy, day and night, but I never sold anything...for months. So I decided that even though I have a bunch of crafts that I love to make, it just wasn't working. So I spent some time trading with other Etsy sellers to empty out my store some and I focused on Bath & Body and Incense. Once my shop was more consistent I finally started receiving real sales, and have had 40 sales in less than 2 months.
So if you are a Multi-Craft Artisan such as myself, either pick related items to sell in your shop and save the other crafts for craft shows or you can branch out and open another Etsy Shop. I have been working on opening a new shop myself.

Here is a great article from the Storque (Etsy's Online News) Finding your Etsy Niche

Tip# 2 Gaining Feedback
Most buyers will pass up a great item if the shop has little to no feedback. So new sellers need to find new ways to gain great feedback.

*One way is to go shopping on Etsy, you don't have to spend much, just buy a few items, make sure to pay right away and don't give the seller any reason to leave negative feedback.

*Another way is trading. There is usually a chatroom on Etsy dedicated to chat and trading (if there is not one currently, make one and name it "The Trading Room" or "Trade and Chat" doesn't matter as long as there is the word "trade" in the title) Sellers gather in the chat room and look through each other's shops. If you find an item you would be willing to trade for you can contact that seller either in the chat or through a convo. Be nice and ask specify which item you like and ask if they would like to look through your shop and maybe trade.
Don't be offended if someone says no. Everyone has their reasons why, and everyone has different tastes, so just say Thank you, send their shop a heart and move on.

You can find threads in the forums with people willing to trade, there is even a traders list.

*If you ever visit the Promotions Forum on Etsy there are games that sellers play. For every game you play or trade you make, you will gain 2 new feedback (one from the buyer of your item and one from the shop you bought from) plus you can make friends on Etsy (which is a good thing when you need someone who understands to lift your spirits)

To list a few:
Secret Shopper (SS)
Tag
BNR (Buy and Replace)
Trade Game (every Thursday evening at 9pm EST Hosted by EtsyFriends Street Team)

**When joining a game please read all the rules in the first post, if you are still unsure reply to the thread to have someone help you.**

My first 48 sales came from trading and games, but it helped me gain a ton of really great positive feedback, plus I was able to shop on Etsy and get some really great items without spending too much money.

CraftyMamaMia's Tips for selling on Etsy

Hello and Welcome to the first edition of "CraftyMamaMia's Tips for selling on Etsy" I will be blogging each week to help my readers with their Etsy Shop, or maybe you don't have an Etsy Shop, but are interested in opening one?

First I want to say selling on Etsy is not easy, you can't just list a few items and expect them to sell within a few days. It can take a month or longer to snag your first real sale.

This guide is for those who would like to make a business out of their Etsy Shop, not just a hobby.
Tip#1 Don't, no matter what even think about listing an item that is not Handmade, or it will be flagged and your shop could be closed. Of course there are 2 exceptions to this rule. You can sell crafting supplies but the first tag must be supplies. And Vintage, it must be at least 20 years old and in good condition of course, and you MUST tag it vintage as the first tag. Do not list any other mass produced items, this ruins Etsy for all of us.

Tip# 2 Photos
Every experienced seller will tell you that if your photos aren't fantastic than than you may not sell anything. When people are shopping online, they can't pick up the item and check it out. Your photos need to make them feel like they are right there with the item. They need to be clear and full of light. Take photos from more than one angle, if you make clothing use a model for pictures or even a manikin, don't just lay them out and snap a photo, buyers want to know how it looks.
If you were unlucky enough to see my shop when it first opened you know that my photos sucked big time. They were blurry and out of focus. I knew that if I wanted to advance I would need a new camera. So I spent $100 on the latest version of Kodak Easyshare. My pictures improved a lot, but I still had to work on them, for months...
Another tip for photos is consistency, either always taking the first picture at a certain angle or using the same background or both. Make them recognizable as one of your listings.