Do customers look at # of sales?

[BlackCatStudio98]

Do you think customers really look to see how many sales a shop has had? I never did before I had my shop. I never even knew it was there.

I'm wondering how important it is though because whenever I sell an item to someone in person, like coworkers, they never want to buy through etsy. I kind of try to get them to, but they always want to just give me cash. On the one hand that's nice because I don't have to pay etsy/paypal/credit card fees, but I do want my sales count to go up. Should I be pushing harder to get them to buy through etsy? Is it worth paying the fees to have my number of sales increase?

[Former_Member]

well if really want one item badly enough i don´t care about the number of sales this person had. of course many sales and good feedback are nice but it´s not all. i just bought a business card holder from a shop that had little sales and was around for quite some times but it looked nice and the price was very good so i decided to go for it and what do you know, it was a good decision. i even left lovely feedback.
if your coworkers don´t want to buy through etsy don´t push too hard. after all you get the money and that´s what counts doesn´t it??

[MaxplanationPhotos]

I look at it but its because I own a shop, I am sure they look because they use that to determine the quality of your work.

I sometimes do not check feedback, but I do check sales #s before I buy on ETSY

[Former_Member]

I agree with the others that I look at the number of sales and feedback to determine the quality of the work. I do not let it alter my choice of purchasing from the shop.

[Former_Member]

As I customer, I do look at number of sales. Honestly, if there are less than 5 sales and no feedback, then I do think twice about buying (I may still buy), but any more than that is fine.

I can say that once my shop reached 100 sales, the sales started coming quicker, so that may say that yes, it inspires customer confidence... however, I had made countless other improvements too.

I don't think you should push people you know to buy through Etsy, they are a separate market.

[RainnRoseArt]

I dont tend to look at number of sales, but i do look at feedback

[LeNidDeFleurs]

I tend to look at number of sales when buying from a shop. I know that seems bad but if it's low then I will look at the feedback to see whether they are a good seller or not.

[SnarkFactory]

I look at sales. If there aren't any sales, the pictures and descriptions have to be on point. A good description and professional looking photos make me feel more confident in the seller/vendor. Like, I'm a bit of a skeptic, so if there isn't feedback and if there aren't a variety of pictures from different angles, I wouldn't even consider buying from them unless I really like the item. If I really like the item, I wait until someone else leaves feedback on it and then reconsider. Haha, I have to spend all my money on tuition so i'm cheap, wah :(

[MothandFlameJewelry]

I definitely check sales and feedback, and now with my shop friends and coworkers have to buy off etsy. They get a discount as incentive, and the added bonus of being able to see things in person, but they need to buy from the site if they want it. I control the flow of choc and sugar at my workplace though so people generally like to make me happy:) When I'm happy I feed them!

[Former_Member]

It depends what I'm buying as to whether I look at sales numbers. If someone had a low % feedback score then I would definitely look into this but am less bothered if they just don't have much feedback. If anything though, I would prefer to support someone with fewer sales than one with lots, especially if they are making the effort with photos, descriptions etc.

It's difficult as someone with no sales as I know it puts people off and I need some sales to encourage new ones!

[Former_Member]

Personally I do look at sales, feedback AND policies. Being a new shop I like to try and support shops that are also new to give them the opportunity to increase their numbers. And like Camilla stated if they have put the effort, with nice photos, a great description why not support a shop with few sales and feedback, after all you need to have sales to get feedback. But I do also look as policies. To me that's more important, I feel more at ease when a shop has clear policies, such as shipping and their return policy, it's not only a safe guard to the shop but to the buyer as well.

For example I had contacted a shop a while back about about a possible custom order, when I realized they didn't have any policies set up, I was hesitant and in the end decided that it just didn't want to take a risk. I had too many questions that could have been answered in the policies page. You know like when you go to a garage sale, you want the item to be clearly marked so you don't have to ask "excuse me how much" you can just make that informed buying decision just by looking at the price tag, determine if you want to negotiate that extra $.25 off, buy it, or just walk away.

~Felie

[Former_Member]

I don't pay attention to the number of sales at all. If the shop has what I'm looking for at a reasonable price and there aren't any glaring feedback problems I'll purchase the item.

Everyone stared at 0 sales.

And if my local customers wish to continue to purchase from me the way they've been doing for the past 10 years, I don't mind at all.

Many of them would much rather call me and ask if I have something in stock or simply pop on into the shop for a chat.

[Former_Member]

Surely everyone has to start somewhere?

I'm not sure how it helps new Etsy sellers to be successful, if a person won't buy from a shop that hasn't got many sales?

Someone has to be the first person to buy from a new shop and everyone was new to Etsy once.

Personally, I only look at sales to see what people have sold and what's popular. But I buy because I like the look of something and can't resist it.

I suppose that means that great pictures are a must?

[gabriellapucci]

This encourages me alot...my store is on Etsy since Nov. 2012 but I put two things in and just let it be...when my actual work gave me more time I started really getting in to it..around June and I haven't had any sales but I'm happy because the views are increasing and it's a great prize for the effort I made in getting the photos better..putting the articles in with a logic..and getting to know Etsy better...which is a place a really like and am proud to be a part of....if the sales come..they will..otherwise it jut means that I have to things better..I like that kind of challenge
I hope you all have a great day!!!!!

[Former_Member]

I like to buy from Etsy sellers that have not had a lot of sales but you can tell they are really trying. I think this helps encourage the whole Etsy commerce mentality.

[Former_Member]

I do- and did before my shop opened. I found that since my sales hit over 100 they have been much quicker. Also look at ratings.

[NeatoKeen]

I actually try to buy from shops with low sales numbers. I like to help newbies get off the ground. I have found that they are excellent communicators, incredibly appreciative to have the business, extremely quick shippers and enthused about being a part of the Etsy community. Really refreshing!

[ClaybyStacia]

I like a shop to have at least 3 or 4 sales, and a high % of positive feedback, though not necessarily a high number of feedback. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I don't like to be the first shopper. Though I feel rude putting that in writing.

[WintergreenDesign]

I don't look at number of sales at all... everyone has to start somewhere and that is at "0" sales... we've all been there. I've bought from many people who had no sales or very few a number of times with great success. I am much more concerned about the professionalism of the shop... do they have policies, are their descriptions good, did they answer my questions in a timely manner, etc.

[Flinta]

I've had a bad experience with a shop before, so I generally do look at sales. I don't dig through them to see everything you've sold, but I like to check that a person has a good sales-to-feedback ratio. If someone has 10+ sales and no feedback, or only one or two, that tells me to steer clear.

I'm not looking at the number of sales, not really, but I've gotten into the habit of checking (as much as I can, anyway) whether other people have had a nightmare experience like the one shop I bought from.

[Former_Member]

Humm, this very interesting, because I look at the image, then the description and finally the feedback.

I am most impressed by the description..............I can tell right away if an item is NOT handmade by the description. I only buy handmade. I only support handmade.

If you are vague, you didn't make it. IF you cannot toot your own horn about your work, you didn't make it.

[Former_Member]

It makes me sad that so many people look at number of sales. I have been on Etsy for months (actually opened my shop a couple years ago but stopped selling after lack of sales and have gotten back into it in the last couple months full steam) I do everything that others are telling me to. I have loads of views and likes but still no sales. I guess this explains it. So, how does one go about getting that first sale so that others will buy?

[BlackCatStudio98]

Great replies everyone, thanks!

You can't always go by the number of feedback comments a shop has either though. My own aunt who has bought from me, and a friend who bought a bunch of stuff from me have never left me any feedback. And they love their stuff. I don't think they know about it. Now that I think about it, the only customers who have left me feedback are the ones who were complete strangers...

@Crudeco, now you have me worried that my descriptions are too vague. For the most part I just list what I used to make my items and what length/size the item is. Any suggestions for writing better descriptions?

[BlackCatStudio98]

@Jennifer, I guess your question goes back to my original post. Do you have anyone you know who buys from you and is willing to buy on etsy to get you your first sales?

[Former_Member]

For those of you struggling to expand your descriptions, I recommend looking at some other shops that sell similar items and read their descriptions. Look at 3-4 different items, pull some ideas from there, then work on writing your own.
After a while you will develop your own outline. Some things never change in my descriptions and are the same for every item. I just change the rest to fit.
HTH's