How did you make your first sale?

[#1]

Browsing through the members list of our team and looking at all your lovely shops, I started noticing we are a very diverse group of shop owners. Some of us have been on Etsy for years, others are just starting off and have yet to make their first sale.

Experienced sellers, let's share our stories on making that first sale with new shop owners. We all know it's that one magical moment, just that one sale, we're all eagerly waiting for when just starting out on Etsy.

So let's share!

It doesn't matter whether you only had a couple of sales or hundreds: please share your 'first sale' experience so new shop owners can be inspired.

Here are some questions that could help share your story with us.

- What things did you try to make that first sale? Share your hustle!
- What effort do you think ultimately triggered it?
- How much time passed between opening your shop and making that sale?
- What lessons did you learn from making that first sale?
- If you could do it all over, what would you do differently?
- What is your best piece of advice for new shop owners?
- What do you think is the best path to follow in order to get that first sale?

I can't wait to hear about it!

- Deb

[workyourart]

I love that idea! I will definitely set up such a game. It might just be the first truly useful game to exist ;)

[AliaHandmadeDesigns]

I posted, on my facebook page, that i'd opened my shop and within a minuet i got my first k-ching and a message oh FB wishing me luck!!!

needless to say, this rate of sales didn't continue but it was a lovely start. x

[workyourart]

Thanks to those who contributed to this thread so far with their first sale story!

Please note that I did have to remove a couple of people's posts that were actually promotions, stating they are hoping to get that first sale. I certainly hope you get that first sale as well and wish you all the best, but please note this thread is not meant for messages like that. They will be removed.

Please only post in this topic if you have an answer to one of the question posted in the opening of this thread or have something meaningful to share on the topic that others could benefit from.

I would love for this thread to become an archive of first sale tips new sellers can benefit from.

Thanks!

[HudsonHoundstooth]

I am very new to Etsy and to teams. I just opened my store Labor Day weekend. On my second day I got my "first" sale, however it was from a family member trying to support me. I am still hoping for a legitimate sale. I am enjoying reading this thread for both the advice and feeling like I am not alone in the struggle. Any advice on my shop, would be greatly appreciated! Good luck to everyone hustling for their first sale!

[AsterGift]

I opened a shop on July 2019. And received first order after 2 weeks.
During first one month I made 6 items sales.
After that no more sales so far.

I think keyword is a first factor, which should be unique but well known name for the item lovers or addicts.

First customer gets my shop through Etsy search.

I checked all the traffics to my shop, all traffics are coming from Etsy search. 0 from Google, 0 from Social Media.

If you search your item with your tag or title keyword, your item must shows up first page in Etsy search. Otherwise it is almost impossible to expose to buyer.

Now I tried to post my items to Instagram and Pinterest but no effects so far. But I will try to keep posting.

[VisualDistractions]

Hello, 

i had the same issue at first. I did invest a little bit into Etsy promotions and google ads and it has definitely payed off. Etsy and google are both turning into clicks and I had some sales as a result.

now I’m working on transforming my Pinterest as I read from many big sellers that’s their main source of traffic, but I need to learn a lot more to make this successful. My Instagram brings me some traffic but it’s so difficult to gain followers at the moment that I’m not sure if that’s the best way forward for me.

[bybeejang]

For IG, pay attention to your hashtags. Try to add more relative hashtags to your photo. People will find your photos with that.

And also, do follow some hashtags and like other photos too. I found that some people will like back or even follow you too. I always follow back except they set their IG to private. :-)

[VisualDistractions]

Hello! 

It’s so nice to read about all your different experiences! Even though I had a shop since 2015, I’ve been actually selling my designs for only a few months. I did the official opening in May. The one thing I had very clear was that I wanted to start it as a proper small business, taking it seriously and making it look very professional. I only have 15 listings but I have already reached 40 sales! At first it was just people I knew but in late June I started having sales to real costumers! My first real order was just a sticker but it made me incredibly happy! The sales have continued slowly coming in and I’ve recently had some quite large orders which has been very exciting! 

I know I still have a lot of work to do. I’m working on more products and I’ll be adding more listings, getting ready for the Christmas season. I’ll also be opening my shop to the USA market, which sounds like an amazing opportunity that I never thought I’d have.

I’m looking forward to carrying on with the hard work and seeing where this project will take me!

[Yazdica]

Thanks for your motivational massage. I find it so helpful! 

[YardApiary]

The first sale happened around 3 weeks after we opened our shop this year, so the first item traveled to other side of the world. Still remember, how excited we were.

[EpmoonStudio]

I opened my shop just a week ago and still waiting. I’ve been posting on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram but No real traffic and certainly no sales yet.

It seems to me like regular organic listings just get buried quickly. So I’m not sure how much success on can hope to get without paid adverts.

How much paid advertising did you need to do to get the ball rolling?

[tativiana]

Hi, folks! Hi Deb!

Well.. I just had my first sale, so it's easy for me to tell how I got it. A friend of mine saw my tweet promoting the downloadable vector emojis and purchased them.

Actually I'm on Etsy since 2010 doing custom caricatures and digital illustrations but had to change my username... so I couldn't do it without deleting my account and creating a new one. So I lost everything... my sales and everything else.

Well.. it's a bit frustrating but here I am trying again and hope I can make more sales.

Greetings from Brazil,

Tati

[ruspaint]

Моя первая продажа могла состоятся уже через несколько дней после начала публикаций на Etsy. Но у меня был прикреплён не тот PayPal. Покупатель связался со мной и попросил помочь совершить покупку. Я предлагал вариант выставления счета в PayPal. Он был согласен. Но реквизиты для этого не давал. Потом я увидел ошибку и изменил PayPal на действующий.  Сообщил клиенту. Но он больше не отвечает. Вот уже 2 месяца как я на Etsy, - продаж нет... Может у меня опять что-то не так, но клиенты мне не пишут, а просто проходят мимо. 

[bourneandthread]

Hi there I am still waiting for my first sale I just wanted To see if anyone had any tips for me I have got Pinterest and instergram and double checked my tags but I don’t seem to be getting any traffic at all maybe 2/3 visits a day? Any tips or advice would be amazing ☺️thank you in advance https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/bourneandthread   

[FairytalesGem]

hi. I too am waiting for my first sale. I have no experience but itook a look at your store. The only thing that i might say it is that if i wanted to buy a mobile, it would be very complicated.  The customer has to choose many things. Maybe if you had more listings of your mobiles with the choises ready to order, except the personalization details. I wish you will have your first order soon. 

[CheckeredCatCrochet]

Hi all! I'm Kathryn at Checkered Cat Crochet &

I, too am still waiting to improve traffic & sales, though I did have 1 sale last year. I've read & done everything that I know to do, including doing the best that I can right now with my photos (due to present circumstances, I can't do any better with those) but I have rewritten, reposted, upgraded, offered coupon & free shipping, linked FB & Instagram, I rewrite my tags every few months, check stats every other day....holy cow, what should I do next. My descriptions look very similar to other shops like mine...can anyone look at my shop & give me some ideas?

Thanks!

[CoiningAround]

these are cute!

[ruspaint]

Тут все так редко продается? Похоже не окупятся плата за выставления и реклама, которую я делал на две недели.... Очень жаль.... Я думал эта площадка работает..... Похоже зарабатывают только организаторы, а не продавцы.... А мы только обманываем себя накрученным командой трафиком.... А реальных просмотров от заинтересованных клиентов нет.

[BebaBlanketDesigns]

My first sale was on the next day I opened the shop. Excited ;) From such a small deal became such a big one! :)

Good luck to everyone! Find the way to bring people to your shop. Do not wait until they find YOU, it's not easy... so many shops offer so many handmade beauties!

[FairytalesGem]

I asked my cousin to buy something just to see how it seems. After her order came the first real one. 

[lostmitten]

I joined Etsy back in 2006 and listed my first few items...and sold my first item in the same day! I think that back then, the market wasn't over-saturated like it is now and it was easier to be seen. I used to make way more sales back in those days than I do now!

[TheSpritesHollow]

We just started 2 months ago and still have no idea what we're doing really 😂. Our first few sales have all been from family members. Learning a lot from reading this thread though. 👍🏾

[RosRuseva]

Hi, I need help! I do not know where I am messing with my shop and what mistakes I am making, I ask for your advice.

[ILaCraftStore]

My first sale was a great surprise to me. I'm very new in Etsy, not even one month old. I didnt even expect a sale for several months but three days after I listed my jewelries, a customer ordered two of my denim arm cuffs! I was shocked with joy, and very motivated to design new items for sale!

[DoodlePoshPrintables]

I started with my current shop about a month ago (I started earlier on Etsy but had no luck so re-evaluated my items) now I sell home decor and some clothing like hoodies and I've had 6 sales!  My goal is to have at least three sales a day by the end of next year... not sure if that is unrealistic or not but I'm using facebook ads and instagram and I design something new every week. Good luck to everyone..it's a long road!