Etsy is one of the more effective platforms to help both aspiring and established small business owners sell their products without the hassle of creating and managing a website. With over 39 million active buyers, Etsy sellers have the potential to increase their sales, grow their business, and gain loyal and returning customers.
Is Etsy the Right Place for You?
Before you continue reading, we must first ensure that Etsy is right for your business. Etsy was created to assist craft enthusiasts with selling their goods online – somewhere besides Amazon and eBay. Etsy is primarily used to sell handmade and vintage items, but handmade doesn’t necessarily mean physical! Many sellers sell digital products including designs and patterns that buyers can purchase and download right away. If you created or designed it, Etsy may be the perfect place for you!
Getting Started
If you do not have an Etsy account, you will need to create one; once you have created a profile on Etsy, you can then move on to create a seller account. Visit the Etsy homepage, click the Sell on Etsy link, and then click “Get Started” to begin creating your shop. Once you’ve created your seller account, you must then customize your shop’s settings by selecting the language, currency, location, etc.
Selecting a Name
The next big step you will take when setting up your seller account is to select an appropriate name for your shop. Come up with a name that is easy to remember, reflects your brand, and is synonymous with your product offerings. Make sure to keep your target customer in mind and what resonates with them when you begin drafting name ideas.
Product Photography
The first thing that buyers will see is your product photos, so spend some time and energy taking high-quality product photographs. Etsy sellers are advised to have a minimum of five photos for each item. Make sure to include different angles so buyers have a proper idea of what your product looks like. Once your photographs are uploaded, adjust your thumbnails. Thumbnails are the first pictures a buyer will come across when they stumble upon your shop. These will dictate the look and feel of your shop so make sure that they are consistent and on-brand to create a solid first impression.
Listing Your Products
Start with a few items and then expand the number of listings you have once those items start selling. If you are able to sell your items in multiples, make sure that you can replicate them quickly and easily. You can also sell one-offs and originals if you choose to as many sellers on Etsy opt to sell their original pieces. Once you have uploaded your product photographs, complete your listing information with keyword-heavy titles and descriptions. Etsy is based on keywords, so making sure that your keywords match what is in your tags is essential to showing up in a buyer’s search results!
Pricing Your Products
Before you begin pricing your products, make sure to do thorough research on your competitor’s prices so that you are aware of the demand for and value of similar products. It is also important that you understand that the total required cost of selling your products on Etsy includes the listing fee, transaction fee, payment processing fee, shipping fee, and any additional promotional fees. Once you have determined a price based on your research and assessment of the total required costs, set a price for your products and continue to test those prices regularly to see what works best.
Optimizing Your Shop
To further optimize your Etsy shop’s performance, there are several steps you can take to attract even more sales. To gain the trust of your shop’s visitors, add a picture and a short bio about yourself to your user profile. As you set up your Etsy shop, it is always a good idea to write a passionate bio and create a connection between your shop and potential customers. You should also take the extra step of adding your shop policies and FAQs to your account. And lastly, make sure that you encourage customers who have made a purchase to leave a positive review to help build your shop’s credibility!
If you would like to learn more about Etsy and whether or not it is the right place for you, our consultants are more than happy to help guide you through it all! Make an appointment with one of our expert marketing consultants – all at no cost to you. Schedule an intake consultation at ociesmallbusiness.org/intake-appointment or give us a call at 800-616-7232.
