Shop Critiques
Shop Critiques are a great way to give and receive tangible, specific advice.
1) Post your shop address
2) Let us know what you'd like us to focus on (i.e. - photos, description, titles, etc)
3) Be prepared to have a conversation to fully understand critiques and reasoning
4) Be direct, specific, and focus on item being discussed
5) Make suggestions for improvement
6) As always, be kind and be sure to compliment something too.
MikeKrausArt
Artist/Owner
Posted 5 years ago·Last reply 10 months ago
46 comments
MikeKrausArt
OP10 months agoThe ART Party is on Reddit! Join us while Etsy Teams and Forums are closed!
Etsy has announced that starting October 15, our Team pages and Forums will go into read-only mode until at least October 23. That means no posting, no promo games, and no way to stay connected during that time. But this doesn’t have to be goodbye; it’s just the start of our next great chapter!
We’ve already built our new creative home on Reddit, and it’s buzzing with life! Artists are sharing their work, joining the games, making sales, and keeping the energy flowing. The setup is fresh, easy, and full of opportunities to boost your shop traffic and meet other makers.
Join us now:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TheARTteam/comments/1mog4wu/ready_to_boost_your_shop_jump_into_the_games_and/
Let’s make this move together and show the world that creativity always finds a way. The ART Team spirit is alive and thriving. See you on Reddit!
MikeKrausArt
OP10 months ago@NovaDigitalsHub
ElSafiDeco
·11 months agoHello! I would be very grateful for honest feedback on my store. What would you pay attention to, what can be improved? https://bohoknotsbyelena.etsy.com I would appreciate any advice and constructive criticism!
ElSafiDeco
·11 months agoHello! I would be very grateful for honest feedback on my store. What would you pay attention to, what can be improved? https://bohoknotsbyelena.etsy.com I would appreciate any advice and constructive criticism!
MikeKrausArt
OP11 months ago@ElSafiDeco Your shop looks perfectly set up. If I were you, my focus would be on making and adding new items to your shop. Especially with the holiday season (October - December) approaching. Historically, that time of year accounts for 75-80% of sales. So, you'll want to have as much as possible to sell.
ElSafiDeco
·11 months agoThank you for the kind words about the store and for the valuable reminder! Indeed, an important season is coming up and I am currently focused on creating new products
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year ago@YunaPatterns Keep up the great work. It seems like your a quick learner.
I suggest focusing on getting to 150 items right now. But, in your downtime, it's a good idea to share your designs on social media. I see you're on Instagram and Pinterest. And we have lots of activities designed to bring new customers to your shop.
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year ago@YunaPatterns Keep up the great work. It seems like your a quick learner.
I suggest focusing on getting to 150 items right now. But, in your downtime, it's a good idea to share your designs on social media. I see you're on Instagram and Pinterest. And we have lots of activities designed to bring new customers to your shop.
YunaPatterns
·1 year agoThank you so much for your advice. My goal is to reach 150 products by the end of August. I truly love designing and drawing, and I also enjoy presenting my work on Etsy. I actively take part in the community’s activities, and I’ve really benefited from it. I’m very happy to be here. I don’t use Instagram much, but I try to make use of Pinterest. Thank you for your support.
YunaPatterns
·1 year agoThank you so much, Mike. I’m glad you like it. I’m not facing any challenges at the moment — I’m learning the process step by step, and I’m really enjoying it. I’m very happy to be part of this community. Thanks again.
YunaPatterns
·1 year agoHi everyone! Could you please take a look at my shop and share your overall thoughts?
https://yunapatterns.etsy.com
YunaPatterns
·1 year agoHi everyone! Could you please take a look at my shop and share your overall thoughts?
https://yunapatterns.etsy.com
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year ago@YunaPatterns Your shop looks beautiful. Is there something you're having difficulty about specifically?
Also, you're really close to having 150 items. And that's great. Once you have 150 items, Etsy will boost promotions to your shop. And that will be really helpful as we enter the holiday season (October - December)!
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year agoThis is usually how I go about choosing keywords:
Who am I: Mike Kraus Art
What is it: Painting, the subject,
Related details: colors, locations to hang it, types of activities related to it
Who it's for: specific type of person, gift, upcoming holidays
If I'm stuck, I tend to look at Instagram hashtags for similar items. It's a good way to see how popular specific words are
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year agoThis is usually how I go about choosing keywords:
Who am I: Mike Kraus Art
What is it: Painting, the subject,
Related details: colors, locations to hang it, types of activities related to it
Who it's for: specific type of person, gift, upcoming holidays
If I'm stuck, I tend to look at Instagram hashtags for similar items. It's a good way to see how popular specific words are
PoxyRose
·1 year agothat is brilliant I will give it a try
PoxyRose
·1 year agoHey hey all I am new to Etsy and not so new this is my second shop my first one I opened when etsy first started and those days I almost felt like where easier - but with this shop I started it 2 years ago but would say the past 7 months I started taking it seriously I do use erank but I am not sure if I am doing things correctly I know there is a strategic way to go about tags and titles and I would like any and alll advice if you notice page one versus say page 2 you hopefully can see the differences in my pictures but I am not sure my seo is working for me I do get good results on google but as for etsy search its tooth and nail. I use social media alot but any advice is appreciated always Gee
PoxyRose
·1 year agoHey hey all I am new to Etsy and not so new this is my second shop my first one I opened when etsy first started and those days I almost felt like where easier - but with this shop I started it 2 years ago but would say the past 7 months I started taking it seriously I do use erank but I am not sure if I am doing things correctly I know there is a strategic way to go about tags and titles and I would like any and alll advice if you notice page one versus say page 2 you hopefully can see the differences in my pictures but I am not sure my seo is working for me I do get good results on google but as for etsy search its tooth and nail. I use social media alot but any advice is appreciated always Gee
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year ago@PoxyRose You're not wrong. Etsy used to be a LOT more easier. The UX staff must not use Etsy themselves since most new designs seem to make us chase our own tails... anyway...
As for tags and titles. I find the best way for me is to think "what would my customer look up to find this?" And then I use those words in the tags and titles.
It's good to experiment too. Sometimes, different things work differently. Or it's just random because the algorithm changes nearly constantly. I'll have old items that suddenly become popular for what appears to be no reason at all
PoxyRose
·1 year agoTotally agree Mike I think we should be called scientist at this point lol do you have any tips on how to look for ideas - I have started implementing Pinterest search for keyword ideas along with etsy search and erank
ArtworkAtelierCo
·1 year agosuper helpful, thank you!
ArtworkAtelierCo
·1 year agosuper helpful, thank you!
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year ago@ArtworkAtelierCo Of course! and please let us know if you every need anything or have any other questions
ArtworkAtelierCo
·1 year agoHi, I'm new to Etsy -- about 3 months into it. I'm an Etsy Pick & Star Seller, have pictures maxed out, use Insight Factory to help with titles & tags ... yet I'm only getting 1-2 sales per week. I'd love a critique and feedback to help me get more sales. Thanks!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/artworkatelierco/?etsrc=sdt
ArtworkAtelierCo
·1 year agoHi, I'm new to Etsy -- about 3 months into it. I'm an Etsy Pick & Star Seller, have pictures maxed out, use Insight Factory to help with titles & tags ... yet I'm only getting 1-2 sales per week. I'd love a critique and feedback to help me get more sales. Thanks!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/artworkatelierco/?etsrc=sdt
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year ago@ArtworkAtelierCo
You're shop is beautifully set up. That is for sure.
AND YOU'RE SO CLOSE to one thing that could really help Once you have 150 items, Etsy will boost promotions of your shop. And this happens again at 300 items. More items = more traffic = more sales. And you'll want to be able to sell as much as possible for the holiday season (October - December) when 75-80% of sales occur historically.
Also, I see you're on Pinterest and Instagram. But, that you're not getting a lot of attention. I suggest participating in our games on here. They can really help you get discovered by lots of customers
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year ago@twinkletaters Unfortunately, this appears to be a macroeconomic problem, not your shop. US retail sales experienced a significant 0.9% decline in May, marking the largest drop in four months, according to the latest report. This decrease follows a downwardly revised 0.1% drop in April and was more substantial than anticipated by economists.
This is largely due to tariffs and the US political situation. Hopefully, these issues will be resolved soon.
twinkletaters
·1 year agoHey everyone! I'd love to get a third-party perspective on my shop/items... specifically, I'm wondering if I can improve my listing titles? Tags? Thank you!!
https://twinkletaters.etsy.com
twinkletaters
·1 year agoHey everyone! I'd love to get a third-party perspective on my shop/items... specifically, I'm wondering if I can improve my listing titles? Tags? Thank you!!
https://twinkletaters.etsy.com
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year ago@twinkletaters From what I see, it all looks very good. Is there something you're concerned about? Or having problems with?
twinkletaters
·1 year ago@MikeKrausArt I've just been experiencing a massive decline in sales and views the last few weeks, and I'm wondering what else I can do or tweak that might help to rectify that... unless that's something we're all collectively experiencing (blah).
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year ago@KristKC Selling in-person/conventions is a tough thing to do. There's a lot of other booths fighting for attention. For me, I only participate in specific types of events. I'll sell enough to cover the expenses. But, it's really about meeting people and developing relationships. As I have higher priced items, most people don't purchase from me immediately. I make most sales from events during the two weeks afterwards.
Friends and fans are a great source of success. If it's feasible to make what your friend asks; do it. My customers tell me what to make all the time. And when I do, they buy it.
It's good to set different types of goals too: what to make and how many, how will you invite people to buy from you, how will you give customer service, how many will you sell, and anything else that is important to you
To cancel Etsy Plus: Shop Manager, navigate to Settings > Subscriptions, and then cancel your subscription.
The most important thing is to have fun. Fun is infectious. And if you keep doing good things, your people will find you
KristKC
·1 year agoHello! I'm new to selling on Etsy. I've gotten some feedback about expanding photos on my products. Will do, but I need time to set all that up. =3
I had one question, the main forms overlooked. I've read that having more items in your shop the better, but I'm not sure if I can afford to buy a bunch of products. Should I spend money to make money, or place it safe and buy more when I've recupped funds? Anyone have thoughts on this?
I'm also open to any other feedback on my shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KristKC
Thank you!
KristKC
·1 year agoHello! I'm new to selling on Etsy. I've gotten some feedback about expanding photos on my products. Will do, but I need time to set all that up. =3
I had one question, the main forms overlooked. I've read that having more items in your shop the better, but I'm not sure if I can afford to buy a bunch of products. Should I spend money to make money, or place it safe and buy more when I've recupped funds? Anyone have thoughts on this?
I'm also open to any other feedback on my shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KristKC
Thank you!
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year ago@KristKC WELCOME TO THE ART TEAM!
More items = more traffic = more sales. Once you have 150 items, Etsy will boost promotions of your shop.
As for your finances, that's a tricky question to answer because it depends on your level of comfort.
You could be more cautious and wait until you've covered your expenses before you expand. It's fiscally prudent, but could cause your business to grow slower.
You could take a bigger risk by expanding much faster. The more money you spend, the bigger the burden. But, your business could grow faster.
There's also somewhere in between. Maybe you set an affordable expansion goal like "I'll add 3 new stickers per month." This gives you time to recover your funds. It allows you to expand and grow. And it's reasonably affordable. If it works you can expand it. And if it's not meeting expectations, you can adjust.
I hope this helps
KristKC
·1 year ago@MikeKrausArt Thanks! I agree, the 3 a month sound good to me.
I worry too about spending the money, My husband didn't know if this would work out became we tried a few conventions, and It didn't work out well.
But like, I have some online friends persuading me to make a few things. I told him, and he was just, "Then maybe you should make it" so casually. lol
So I've set a few goals for myself, at least for the next two months.
I hope all this expands. I'm having too much fun making stuff. XD;
I have another question. Right now I'm on the starter free Etsy+ premium, whatever it's called. I don't know if I will benefit from keeping it, being I'm new and smol. I don't know where to find the cancel that, unless It would be wise to keep it.
MikeKrausArt
OP1 year ago@PhotoPrintAndVintage WELCOME TO THE ART TEAM! And sorry for my very, VERY slow reply. Etsy blocked me from the ARTteam for a year because I criticized them. Anyway, your shop looks beautifully set up. The best advice for you right now is to keep taking photographs and adding new items. More photos = more traffic = more sales.
PhotoPrintAndVintage
·1 year agoHey there. Can you give me suggestions for my shop?
I'm new on Etsy and I'm just trying to learn how can I best for my shop.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/PhotoPrintAndVintage
MikeKrausArt
OP2 years ago@shimmercraftdisco There's no need to be harsh. We can be helpful and kind. And your shop looks beautiful. I didn't see any major issues. I assume you're looking for more traffic and sales. If so, it seems like any issues related to that would be related to marketing. Am I right?
shimmercraftdisco
·2 years agoHello dear colleagues, Please review my store https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShimmerCraft14 and give me harsh criticism. Because I want to do the best and I am ready for it!
MikeKrausArt
OP2 years ago@Pastetes I gave you my advice at: https://community.etsy.com/t5/art/Introduce-Yourself-and-Shop-To-the-ART-Team/m-p/145627326#M4847911
For tags/SEO/keywords, this is a good place to generate ideas: https://www.wordstream.com/keywords This is sometimes difficult because there's no "correct" answer. What works for you may not work for me. There's an "art" and a "science" to this. So, I suggest experimenting a lot. For some items, use all words that relate to "home decoration." For another item, use all words related to "art." And then another with all words related to "gifts." And then track which attracts more traffic and sales after a duration of time. Then adjust accordingly and experiment again.
MikeKrausArt
OP2 years ago@Pastetes I gave you my advice at: https://community.etsy.com/t5/art/Introduce-Yourself-and-Shop-To-the-ART-Team/m-p/145627326#M4847911
For tags/SEO/keywords, this is a good place to generate ideas: https://www.wordstream.com/keywords This is sometimes difficult because there's no "correct" answer. What works for you may not work for me. There's an "art" and a "science" to this. So, I suggest experimenting a lot. For some items, use all words that relate to "home decoration." For another item, use all words related to "art." And then another with all words related to "gifts." And then track which attracts more traffic and sales after a duration of time. Then adjust accordingly and experiment again.
Pastetes
·2 years agoThanks so much Mike!
What a great job you do in this group helping everyone! Thanks a lot!
I will use this advide and I will check the SEO post, thanks so much!
Vanessa
Pastetes
·2 years agoHi all!
This is my shop: Pastetes - Etsy Spain
I'm not sure about the quality of the pictures (I do it by myself :)) and the tags/SEO. Any suggestion will be appreciate.
Thanks so much!
StylishStoneJewelry
·5 years agoThanks Mike. I will do that. Actually I take tons of photo but still I do not like most of them.
Thanks again.
Banasree
NovaDigitalsHub
·10 months agoHi everyone!
I’m new to Etsy and just opened my shop [https://novadigitalshub.etsy.com]. I’m really excited to start my journey here and share my products with the Etsy community.
I would like to know what I can do better to get my first sales. Any advice on improving listings, SEO, or attracting buyers would be amazing!
Thank you so much for your support—I’m looking forward to learning from you all and growing together.