4 Tips For Starting Your Own Etsy Business

My little Etsy shop is not so little anymore. I started the shop in late 2011, but didn't get serious with it until about 5 years ago. I'm not going to lie. It did not take off as quickly as I'd initially hoped. Really, it didn't. I had these grand dreams of the sales rolling in. And they didn't the first few months. But every sale was a victory. And to be honest, I still do a little happy dance every time I hear that *chi-ching*.  I have learned quite a bit along the way and wanted to share a bit for anyone considering opening an Etsy shop.

For the sake of time, let's assume you've already narrowed down your niche' product or theme of your shop.

Disclaimer: I still have not read the Etsy Seller Handbook. Who does? Who has time for that? You go into it thinking, I've created an Ebay listing before, how hard would it be to create an Etsy one? Ha ha, right.

1.) Photos are sooooo important. Seriously, I'm not sure how I ever got my first sale with THIS photo....

Here is the same item (that has sold several times) but with a better photo.

2.) Renewing a listing often WILL NOT get you more sales / exposure. What it will get you is increased Etsy fees. The key to exposure if a good title, good description, good key words. Focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Also, networking is HUGE. Participate in giveaways that target your client audience and make meaningful and engaging posts on social media.

3.) This is probably true for any crafter / artist, even off Etsy... Do not overstock on supplies. Seriously, you will eat up any profit by investing too much in supplies. Find out what sells and stock up from there. I understand it's a necessity to come up with fresh new items, but I try to clean out and organize my crafting area at least once a month to determine what my "actual" supply needs really are. And I'll admit, my supplies are a bit out of hand at the moment. Maybe it's time for a supply destash?

4.) Pricing is important. I don't know how many times I am on Etsy thinking either, "Wow, are they on crack... $30 for a wipes case?" or "How do they make a profit at $5 for a wipes case." Know how much your supplies cost you, calculate your Etsy and payment processing / Paypal fees, and your time as an artist. Price competitively, but price for profit as well!


I am so proud of where my little shop is today. In 5 years, this little shop has had nearly 8700 individual sales on Etsy. I am no expert by any means, but must be doing something right. I welcome any questions you may have about selling on Etsy. Of course, I also welcome hearing any additional suggestions ya'all might have too!

Happy Thursday!!

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Etsy Selling Tips: Week 2

It's Tuesday again, and I'm here to share some more Etsy Selling Tips! So here's what I've got for this week.

1.) Join teams! I have found the Etsy Success team to be super helpful when I had silly good questions. I personally avoid the self promotion teams that "favorite the item above you" or "like the post above you's facebook page." These are views and favorites. Yes, you are increasing your views and stats, but this will NOT necessarily increase your sales. And to top it off, you are expected to promote other shops just as equally. You will end up with thousands of "favorites" of items you don't even care about. I prefer to use my favorites for items I genuinely would like to purchase or really adore.

2.) Shop smart for supplies. If you order supplies online, try to save up and buy when they are on sale or when there is discounted shipping. Price your items out and try out new suppliers. I've found prices vary greatly between suppliers and am always on the lookout for new ones.

By waiting for a 25% off sale with free shipping over $40 (like I did last week from The Ribbon Retreat) you will increase your overall profit margin.

I got this adorable Chevron pattern fabric from The Ribbon Retreat. Doesn't it look simply adorable on this wipes case? Also, new this week, dark brown satin hair clips for fall.

If you shop local, my recommendation is to not over spend or over buy. It's easy to buy that cute ribbon when it is on sale, but really think about what you are going to use it for. If you don't intend on using it in the next few weeks, don't buy it. The exception being seasonal items on clearance that you absolutely know you will use later.

3.) Lastly for today. Have fun with it! I make my best new pieces and proto types when I'm just playing around with materials and having fun. If it ever starts to feel like a job, and I'm not enjoying it, I will probably take a leave of absence from Etsy for awhile. It is an artisan marketplace, where you are to find lovingly crafted and uniquely created items. (I'll save the cheap chinese item wholesalers for another day, that's a rant that deserves a post entirely of it's own!)

Do you have any Etsy questions? Or have some expertise to share? Let me know and I will try to include it in my next post.

Etsy Selling Tips: Week 1

So last Saturday, I wrote a post called Five Things I'd Wished I'd Known About Starting an Etsy Shop. There was great response and so many good questions coming in through email! It was flattering, really!

I've decided to continue to share my Etsy selling knowledge weekly. I'm constantly learning and evolving my shop. So here's my tips for the week.

1.) Watermark your photos! You work hard on your items, and you want to get credit where credit is due right? Nothing stings worse for an Etsy seller than seeing their handmade creation posted blindly on Pinterest on a DIY or craft board with a comment saying, "I am so gonna make this." With absolutely no reference back to your shop. I am still in the works of getting all of my photos watermarked, but it's on my to-do list!

Here's an example of how I've watermarked mine.

If anyone is interested in a tutorial of how to watermark your photos in Picasa, let me know, and I'll get one posted!

2.) DO NOT make it a practice to give away your products for free! I made the mistake in the start of participating in SEVERAL giveaways. If you are opening your shop to make a profit, this is not the way to do it. While I'd like to think participating in the giveaways helped my Etsy shop, they really didn't. I did not see an increase in sales, and the new "likes" to my Facebook page, quickly dwindled after the giveaways were over.

If you are thinking of "giving away" a $10 item. Perhaps consider buying two $5 ad spots on some great blogs. Or give away that $10 item to a blogger who will review it for you and really promote your shop for you. I feel these are ways to get more bang for your buck.

On that note, make sure it is a blog you know and trust. How often does that blogger post? How many followers do they have? Are their followers likely to be interested in what you are selling? You sell baby items, great, look for a fantastic Mommy blog! You get the idea.

3.) I'm not certain how I feel about the BNS / BNR treasuries on Etsy. (Buy and Stay or Buy and Replace). Basically, you buy an item to be put on the list next, and someone buys your item to get their item up for sale on the treasury, and so forth. So you're spending money to make some money. Seems kind of silly to me. I'd love to hear from someone this works for though, and who might have some insights into it.


Well, I could keep going on and on, but then, what would I talk about next week?

Feel free to leave comments with anything you've learned from Etsy selling that you think might be helpful to others.

Got Etsy selling questions? Let me know! I will do my best to get your question answered. And, if your question gets answered in a future Etsy Selling Tips post, you will be entered to win a fantastic prize.

5 Things I wish I'd known about starting an Etsy Shop

My little Etsy shop is almost 10 months old. I'm not going to lie. It did not take off as quickly as I'd initially hoped. Really, it didn't. I had these grand dreams of the sales rolling in. And they didn't. They still don't. But I think I'd have gotten off to a far better start, had I known the following.

Disclaimer: I did not read the Etsy Seller Handbook. Who does? Who has time for that? You go into it thinking, I've created an Ebay listing, how hard would it be to create an Etsy one? Ha ha, right.

1.) Photos are sooooo important. Seriously, I'm not sure how I ever got my first sale with THIS photo....

Here is the same item (that has sold several times) but with a better photo.

2.) Renewing a listing often WILL NOT get you more sales / exposure. What it will get you is increased Etsy fees. The key to exposure if a good title, good description, good key words. Focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). I am not expert on this by any means, but am learning!

3.) Views do not always equal sales, so don't stress over your stats. I average less than 100 views a day, but around 10 - 12 sales per month. When I participated in Etsy teams, sure I got a lot of views and favorites, but no increase in sales.

4.) This is probably true for any crafter / artist, even off Etsy... Do not overstock on supplies. Seriously, you will eat up any profit by investing too much in supplies. Find out what sells and stock up from there. I understand it's a necessity to come up with fresh new items, but I try to clean out and organize my crafting area at least once a month to determine what my "actual" supply needs really are.

5.) Pricing is important. I don't know how many times I am on Etsy thinking either, "Wow, are they on crack... $30 for a wipes case?" or "How do they make a profit at $5 for a wipes case." Know how much your supplies cost you, calculate your Etsy and Paypal fees, and your time as an artist. Price competitively, but price for profit as well!

Something else I've learned from Etsy is that it really can be a great community. I have met some pretty great people! I've also encountered not so great folks. It happens.

I am so proud of where my little shop is today. My goal is to hit 100 sales by our 1 year shop-iversary on 10/8/12. I am no expert, but welcome any questions you may have about selling on Etsy. Of course, I also welcome any suggestions ya'all might have too!

Happy Saturday!!

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