30 Minute Ways to Improve Your Shop (And Make More!)

[#1]

Hi sellers,

A lot can be accomplished in a half an hour. In thirty short minutes you can optimize listings, write a Tweet, sketch out a new product concept, you name it. For the month of July in the Etsy Success newsletter, we're going to include some quick and simple 30 minute ways to improve your shop and help you make more. Feel free to share yours with us here and we might just include you in the newsletter!

[Former_Member]

Claire @ House of Hampton, Thank you soooo very much for the info on how to rearrange your shop! I did discover that I had that function disabled in my account settings and now i can rearrange at will!

[Former_Member]

Take 30 to read through your listings and add why you chose certain materials. Did the pattern speak to you? If so why? Did you choose it for its texture? Then describe the feel of the fabric. Did the colors make you smile? Then use words like playful, whimsical, fun-loving, spirited, warm to describe your color palette.

[Former_Member]

I am absolutely amazed how much I just learned to improve my shop. Being new to etsy I can not tell you how much I appreciated advice from others who have been running successful shops.

Just learning that I could rearrange my shop is going to be a life saver.

Please keep these articles coming, I always take valuable information away from each one I read. Thank You!

[AquarianBath]

Add links back to your main shop, to related shop sections and related items in every listing. This help shoppers find more of your items easily.

[LinorStoreDesigns]

I usually work on hearting items and circles if I have 30 min. Weekly, I try to rearrange my featured listings.

[Former_Member]

So many awesome tips here! I can't wait to get started! :)

I'm in the process of reshooting a lot of my items. If you photograph in natural light and you play with the angles of the sunlight you can get some amazing shots of jewelry! If the sun hits, say, a piece with Swarovski crystal at the right angle, it gets a beautiful sparkle that photographs well and catches a buyer's eye.

An added upside is that most of the time I don't have to edit levels and color balances in GIMP. I just crop, resize, and they're ready to go.

Other quick things I do...
Once a week I pick four items that match a theme. It can be a holiday, a color, a season, etc. These four items are my featured(starred) items of the week, the first four at the top of the shop page.

I also pick a daily featured item, and this, as well as the weekly theme, get posted to Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest.

The beauty of Tumblr is that you can set up a queue of posts if you don't have much time during the week. In half an hour I can get all my daily featured items set up and ready to go, and then once a day they get posted to my Tumblr page.

[EuraLee]

Rearranging is definitely possible and actually what I do in a brick and mortar store. Move things around and make them flow whether it's color or types of clothing or shoes/jewelry.

[Former_Member]

I'm working hard to keep focus on my *what to do list* on Etsy.
Everyday , from morning to night, I have a full time job at etsy.
Since I open my shop is being a learning process, always having in mind the tips for success.
Doing new pictures, rearranging my shop,new tags, extending my network...I create a page at facebook ... Unique Jewelry by Silvia LaViola ... under * Arts and Crafts Community * and my time line too.
I invite everyday artists...non artists to be part of.... They post everyday their promotions and posting me too to theirs pages .
Is working well...two ways of helping each other. I'm getting more and more people in.
I receive lots emails from friends loosing faith in sells and what I do is encourage them to do what I'm doing.
Because I believe if we keep focusing , expanding ,marketing ourselves eventually, we will sell.
The key word is Believe in what you do!

[Former_Member]

Take multiple photos of each item!

Even if you are selling something straightforward, like felt or yarn, you can show it in multiple ways - different angles, close ups, near related items, next to something showing size, in a grouping, on a model.
I'm buying online, not in person -- convince me it's awesome!

[TerrabellaAccents]

I love rearranging the pictures in my shop. I like to pass pictures from page to page to make sure some of my last listings (on the last page) get their chance at the main page of my shop. Makes me feel as if though my entire shop has been "refreshed".

[speakeasyboutique]

i love the reminders, have not been on Etsy long, but when i took the time to do some updating & adding info - it made me feel better...to be able to provide the information that i had not done when i first created the shop. it's a wonderful opportunity for people to get to know you better. i also find it helpful to rearrange the shop once in while, so things flow better or certain items stand out more for a period of time. + i love everyone's comments ;-)

[CreatiKnit]

Pictures invite buyers into your artistic world. It is the only connection to the item before they purchase it and are able to see it and touch it.

Take 30 minutes and do whatever you can in that time frame to spruce them up in any photo editing software. I LOVE http://www.picmonkey.com/#

Are they a bit dark? Brighten them up for more eye catching lighting.
Are the colors true or a bit off? Adjust the tint or color temperature to the right color.
Are there distracting objects in the background? You would be amazed at what a little photo cropping can achieve!

A little of this can go a long way in appealing to buyers and can make a huge improvement in your shop!

[Former_Member]

When I can find a moment away from my three kids I like to add new search tags to get more people to my site...I havent changed the pictures around I think thats my next move.

[Former_Member]

The two 30 minutes changes I've recently implemented (I'm a fairly new Etsy seller) were:

1) Tried to fill up my front page with products (I'm almost there)
2) Wrote my "About" page to introduce myself and to give my store a bit of background info.

Still working on my Policy page (and that will be another 30 minutes or more!)

:)

Elisa

[Former_Member]

FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A NEW ETSY SELLER WHO KNOWS THE AD BIZ TOP TO BOTTOM, SIDE TO SIDE AND BACK TO FRONT: I've been on Etsy a whole week. In that time, I've scanned hundreds of shops. What is with the teeny, blurry photos? Develop a dynamic photography style and work it. Don't put those teeny little photos out there; your items deserve better. Background is of little consequence when you are not taking advantage of the wonders of the macro setting. It will rock your world. Also, develop a brand personality. Write to it. Stay in character. Talk to people like you're talking to a friend. Give the item a personality. Make them want to have your item as a friend. They will love you for it.

[Former_Member]

This thread is so enlightening. I have read all the way up to page 8. I am so excited I am going to have to come back to this thread. I need to read how to rearrange my store.

Never new I could do that. Thanks I'll be Back!

[sewcutebykatie]

Thanks for the tip on rearranging your shop. I just spent a few minutes playing with that feature and my shop looks so much more organized.

[Former_Member]

I am new to selling on Etsy, but I feel like socializing is what's gotten me most of my views. I spend at least 30 minutes a day reading and commenting on blogs. This draws people to visit my blog, which has a link to my shop.

[ButterflyPlanner]

There are a lot of really good advice on here. I am definitely going to take the time over the next couple of days to refine my profile, search tags, and policies. Thank you!

[Former_Member]

hi... rose over at pumpkinandbutterfly.
i'm always trying to update my photos and try to get as clear a picture as possible for the client. each time i make a new print i go through my listings to see if i can use it and update.

i tried before to organize my shop with colors etc but i found it to be a lot of work especially now with the auto renew. if anyone has any tips of keeping it up i would love them.
thanks

[Former_Member]

1-10 minutes: use all the icons connected with your etsy store. Twitter, PinIt, Facebook, Etc promoting outside etsy to drive traffic back is an easy way to build your buyer base. Promo your best items this way

10-15 minutes: Check for consistency. Does everything look consistent in your photos, writing style, branding efforts? If not find a path that works best for what you are selling and then ask for outside opinions from strangers, who tend to be more honest as they have no real connection with you.

Last 5 minutes: write out or re-examine your goals for the next Month, 6 months or more. We can busy ourselves with such little things that sometimes the long term plans fall by the side,.....5 minutes to focus and examine are good habits to acquire.

[Olifin]

Here are some of the different ways I spend 30 min. to improve my shop...

1. Come up with my "Special of the day" and list it
2. Sketch out new ideas/designs and plan out how I am going to execute them
3. Look over my shop and item stats to find out; who is looking at what and when. I also search for my items from the Etsy homepage. Are they easy to find? That helps me to decide do I need to adjust my tags/keywords and then I re-list items as necessary.
4. From time to time I will check over my asking price on my items and make sure they are still inline with my ultimate asking price goal. I will redo some of my figures being that supplies costs can change. I will then make changes as needed.
5. I will do some spot checks on my listings for spelling errors, etc. I will also re-do listing descriptions to make them have a better flow and make them easier for the customer to read.

Thanks for the great tips everyone. Lots of great information that I will be using!

[NattyKnits]

Season up your tags!

I have items in my shop all year round that some people find a bit creepy. I don't tag them with Halloween in January, but I do now.

[FavreBijoux]

Shooting jewelry is tricky. Photography has gotten a bit easier and I have a newer camera. I look through and find items that need better photos. I re-shoot.

[Former_Member]

Just joined the team......& joined Etsy in May.

Just read the first 6 pages - 30 min. Lots to consume & think about.

It is tuff - buy exciting being a Newbe

Will be back in morning to read more

Thanks !!!!!!!