HOW SUCCESSFUL IS YOUR ETSY SHOP COMPARED TO THE AVERAGE?

[DecorDesignsAndMore]

How is your Etsy Shop doing? ETSY STATISTICS & a story too – For Your Information

Compiled from information found at: www.etsy.com/careers/?ref=ft_careers

Etsy has over 15,000,000 members of which about 800,000 are active sellers that leaves the other 14,200,000 members are buyers. Said another way about 5.3% of the total membership are Etsy Sellers.

There are over 13,500,000 listed items which averages about to about 17 items per Etsy Seller.

In 2011, $500,000,000 of goods were sold, which averages out to $625 for the year for each Etsy Seller.

There are over 1,000,000,000 page views a month on Etsy, which averages out to 1,250 average page views a month per active Etsy Seller.

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So, in summary, how does your Etsy Shop’s Statistics compare with the average on Etsy?

Are your monthly sales averaging over $52 (the average for Etsy Shop Owners)? If so you are doing better than average. Are your weekly sales averaging over $12 (the average for Etsy Shop Owners)? If so you are doing better than average.

Using my SWG formula (Scientific Wild Guess) that would conclude that the average Etsy Seller may be “keystoning” (or charging 2 times what it costs to make the product) so the average Etsy Seller is grossing about $6 per week in gross profit, before their labor and shop management costs.

Let’s see how does this compare with what many believe is the lowest paid worker in the world.

A recent UN International Labor Organization (ILO) reports shows that wage earners in China made and average equivalent of just $656 a month, ranking them 57th out of the 72 countries the report covered. This is $7,872 annually and $151 (divided 7,872 by 52 weeks) per week.

How does this make you feel, probably hating me for presenting these facts to you; sorry?

$151 compared to $6 per week means the average Etsy Seller is making almost 4% of what today’s average wage earner in China makes. Said another way, today’s average wage earner in China is making over 25 times as much as the average Etsy Seller is making each week (151 divided by 6).

Let’s see the average wage earner in China and I am making one of my SWGs here works about 50 hours per week to make $151 so per hour they are making about $3.02 compared to what the average Etsy Sellers makes per week of: 20 hours per week = $0.30 per hour, 40 hours per week = $0.15 per hour, or 50 hours per week = $0.12 per hour.

Are you ready to kill the messenger (Me) now? You’ve got me running scared. Please don’t kill me because I believe all of you are doing much better than the average Etsy Seller, and you are providing the world wide web with some of the most unique products they can find anywhere in the world. You are differently giving of yourself. Anyway it’s just fun and games running an Etsy Shop isn’t it?

[REFERENCE: www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2012/04/04/u-n-shocker-chinese-worke... ]

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BREAK TIME (so I can hide from those who have put a contract out on me)
Here is a positive thought to consider: “It matters not how long we live but how.” — Philip James Bailey

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I am sure there must be one of you Etsy Sellers that is grossing more than $1,000 each month; would you be kind enough to share your secrets with us here today? Thanks for sharing.

Everyone please check back to see the comments of those grossing more than $1,000 each month; this is the goods news that may save me and then you’ll stop hating me for sharing this factual news with you.

Please enjoy a wonderful day; after all, life does not have to be PERFECT for it to be WONDERFUL for you. It is and always has been that the best things in life are free! Please enjoy the wonderful gifts we have on our planet that someone other than man made for us, whoever that may be. If you are an early riser you may enjoy the Sunrise or after the day is done the Sunset. I like photographing Sunsets more since there are more “reds and orange” colors from all the particles in the air. Sunset photo tip: Set you camera on a TRIPOD facing the Sunset, then every 20 to 30 seconds press the timer button so your camera will be perfectly still when it takes each and every shot of the Sunset. Now, choose the very best photo to share with others and do not let them see the others and everyone will believe you are the world’s best photographer of Sunsets.

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I leave now to go find a secure place for those who I may have smashed their “happy bubble” – I am very sorry about that. These are sad facts, but there are just statistically analyzed from Etsy’s facts. Hopefully, “tomorrow will be a better day” (so said Scarlet when Rhett Butler walked out on her); yes, hopefully 2012 will prove to be a better day for us all. There is absolutely the finest talent here for unique and beneficial products found anywhere on the World Wide Web. Congratulations to all for sharing your handmade creations with this all. I think I spend more dollars on Etsy than I take in. And, I am truly enjoying what I purchase directly from the maker, creator, and very special unique person behind each and every sale!

WOW it really does make my day buying and selling (a little) on Etsy too.

Take great care of yourself, thanks for being a guest at my “messy” Etsy Shop, soon to be improved (I’ve just been playing for my 1st 4 months and I need to get serious about things so I can at least achieve above average results on Etsy).

And, a very special super-duper THANKS to all of my Etsy Shop Clients and VIP Guests, I really do enjoy helping you and your making my day when you click on the “add to cart” button, or just “favorite” and item or my shop or add me to your circle. It really makes me feel good.

Mike M.
www.etsy.com/shop/WOWPhoto

To help make up for being the messenger with not so great facts, please enjoy a visit to the beautiful Butchart Gardens on Victoria Island in British Columbia:

www.butchartgardens.com

And, if you don’t want to travel that far I have an Etsy Shop that I just 100% enjoy visiting right here in Etsyland – Garden Copper Art - www.etsy.com/shop/GardenCopperArt - I am a gardener at heart with over 87 roses in my home gardens.

Each morning when my Bride of over 45 years awakens I do my very best to present her with a cut rose in a bud vase I take with me when I cut the rose so it is the perfect length for the bud vase and I always have the vase filled with water so the rose can have a drink seconds after being cut. I find doing this helps each rose last a couple of days longer. I also present my wife with a photo love not from me and a gentle soft and tender kiss with some very special and personal I love you words. Following this I serve her orange juice while her tea steeps and I fix breakfast for you. It is just one tiny way I both show my love and respect for her each and every day that I can. And, do you know what? I love my wife each day more than the previous day, yet only half as much as tomorrow.

Ladies, please have your “hubby” or “significant other” read this so he or she can daily show love and respect to your each and every day in a very special way; you deserve it, especially because you share your all with the world wide web of folks here in Etsyland – the friendliest place on Earth – I would say the happiest, but California Disneyland has had a sign up since I was a little kid proclaiming it is the “happiest place on earth.” But, it is you and I that make Etsyland the “friendliest place on earth.”

Thanks so very much for reading my little essay story today of 1,379 words.


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[FengShuiPhotography]

Yikes!

[RaesSpirit]

I enjoyed reading the statistics even though I must be one of the lowest paid sellers on etsy! Fortunately, I know why I am here and I do enjoy the gifts that are given to us freely in life. A trip out in the mountains yesterday awakened all of the senses. A peaceful and joyfilled Christmas season to all!

[Former_Member]

Are you on a controlled substance?

[Former_Member]

you may be right saying, what we earn is way less than what someone in china earns, but for most of us this is just a side job so it´s not what we earn our living from. i for my part sell what i create in my free time so it is not that i charge my work in a way i would when working for a company. once i have my degree (should be in a year hopefully) i will earn probably a lot more than what the most successful people here do so it is not like i really need the money. still i sell my things here and i like it because it is not some kind of mass product and it was created with love and care and that is was people value here and why they buy here.
still, you have a point....

[seemomster]

Goodness.

[Former_Member]

Sorry, but I'm too busy workingon order to read it all...gave up after two paragraphs.

[Former_Member]

well, I have just sat and worked it all out and i have been open for 10 months and my weekly sales work out to an average of 42.53 or around 169 dollars a month. I think thats great, I wont be rich at this rate, but I am dead happy as it is my first year

[PrairieGarden]

LOL!

How much time did this take you? If not long, you should be in statistical analysis!

Now, if you could just include how many of the stores owners are active on Etsy as there are many empty stores and or stores that rarely add new products to the their stores which certainly reduce their sales.

That being said, this is probably a good thing for many of us to read because it does put it all into perspective. It’s sure to make many people who are overly optimistic (most of us, or why would we do this) feel a bit better that sales may not meeting lofty expectations.

Hope this Christmas season brings up those stats a bit, for us all :-)

[PureIntentions]

I just copied and pasted so I can give to my hubby. He wants to see results and this might help him understand. He He!

[PureIntentions]

I just copied and pasted so I can give to my hubby. He wants to see results and this might help him understand. He He!

[Former_Member]

The comparisons with Chinese wages are grossly inaccurate.

The majority of etsy shop owners set their shop up as a HOBBY, it is not their whole monthly salary or income.

Even a lot of the successful shops still do it only part time and have a day job as well.

Only a few of us live just from their business - where again, many people sell on other venues and craft shows as well, so again their Etsy income does not show their total "salary".

[BohemianHollow]

This didn't pop my happy bubble at all! In fact it increased it, I'm doing way more than above average! And like most are saying, this is just my hobby. I love create and love to share what I create. So hooray for doing well! :D

And hooray for all the artists, designers, crafters out there that make Etsy such a wonderful place! :D

[OxArtJewelry]

Very interesting read! A figure I continue to be interested in is the average $ per item sold which in Sept. was $19.25. That sounds really sad but I assume the sale of supply items brings the total $ amount down and the number of items sold up. I'd love to see a breakdown of $ and items sold in categories.

[Crafts2Love]

Agree with Mel and others above - those aren't accurate stats
1. there are lots of inactve shops that don't produce anyhting new and don't get payed (don't sell) anything, minus that number and average will be different
2. don't know about China, but $3 an hour is a decent salary in a lot of countires, minimal salary here is $2.4 at the moment :(
3. as was mentioned it isn't full time job for most here. I am full time mother and even if that occupation brings no income I am happy in it and just look for a bit of extra income in spare time...

and GoodIntentions, don't be too quick to try to discourage your husband... without my hubby's support I would have quit and drowned those first trying months instead of learning all I had learned and catching the wave!

[DecorDesignsAndMore]

Thank You All for your comments so far!

Regarding the statistics I relied on for the calculations, please see the Etsy link and the link to Forbes. Steve Forbes is on Fox & CNN. and Etsy is the venue we are on. I am not on a controlled substance.

please enjoy a great day

Mike M.

[DecorDesignsAndMore]

Compiled from information found at: www.etsy.com/careers/?ref=ft_careers

Employees

Approximately 300 (and growing!)

Stats

• Over 15 million members

• Over 800,000 active sellers

• Over 13.5 million listed items

• $500 million of goods sold in 2011

• Over one billion page views a month

FYI,

Mike M.

[JustForGiggles]

HAHAHAHA!!!! Soooo You're just gonna smoke whatever it is you're smoking and post away, huh??? hhahaha!!! i LOVE the Scientific Wild Guess!!!

Anywhoo, according to your #s, I guess I'm doing a hair better than the average seller but not as much as the average wage earner in China :~/ BUT I chose this. I'm sure it'll get better :o)

You keep smokin that stuff and being an awesome husband. I'll be looking to see more from you in the future♥

[DecorDesignsAndMore]

Hi Wanda,

I got a smile from the cat photo.

Have you ever heard of the 80/20 rule or the 20/80 rule?

Basically that is roughtly what might be the case here in Etsyland.

20% of the Sellers are making 80% of the sales. I do not have any reference statistics on this number just the commonly stated rule of 80/20.

Perhaps you may like to take a look at this Etsy Shop that has 18,648 sales since it opened. There certainly are some who are on their way to being million dollar Etsy Sellers!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/thewheatfield

By the way, do your have your photos named generically by the product without any numbers in the file name? When one searches through say Google Images then those with applicable generic names and no numbers on the file names are the ones that appear after a search.

No descriptive name without any numbers, then Google's crawlers miss the photos.

Best regards,

Mike M.

[DecorDesignsAndMore]

PS - That is one of the products I am offering to help Etsy Shop Owners get more out of all their hard work.

I am trying to write a guide to offer that talks about Search Engine Optimization - writing for Google and Other Search Engines and at the same time writing for real live people.

It is a challenge - writing for a Google Crawler and a Real Live Person at the same time.

But I do hope to get it finished sometime in the first quarter of 2012.

Best regards,

Mike M.

[Former_Member]

Well... Interesting, I am one sale away from hitting $1000 in sales this month but I have no real advice, I do very little promotion other than an occasional Facebook link rarely change keywords and have never had more than 30 or 40 itemslisted. I generally just kind a let things go their own way and it seems to work for me.

Daniel

[JustForGiggles]

I try to make sure that the first three words are search-friendly and tell about each item. The next bunch are the name I've given it. Then the numbers that follow later are the size of the piece. Are the #s throwing off my search???

I've heard of the 80/20. This is the way I'm looking at the future: I made 16 sales my first year and 34 in the second year. It doesn't seem like much but, if I've done the tweaking and put in the work. I plan on adding more. Traffic's up without having to spend as much in advertising as I did the first year. More of my work's out there and the people who have it love it. SO could I possibly be one of the 20% one day? I think so :)

I see the sellers who've sold 1,000s of products. I try to remember that some of them have been on here much longer than I. Some might run sales all the time. Some might have much cheaper items than mine. Some might just have a bunch of sympathetic friends with deep pockets ;~) Who knows??? All I can do is keep running my race.

s***w it! i WILL be a part of the 20%!!! Just give me time!

[StudioJulieAnn]

Great topic!!

[Former_Member]

I live in the center of the US, and my entire household income is about the average of a Chinese worker, and has been for years

[Former_Member]

So basically this thread is spam...lovely.