Help Wanted!

[Former_Member]

If anyone can help me, I would be so appreciative! I''ve just opened my etsy shop and don't know what I should expect in terms of viewing traffic/sales? So far I haven't made any sales and I don't know if it's just poor promotion'marketing on my part or if my stuff just isn't sell-able!
Thank you all in advance for your help: feeling a bit defeated!
x

[LovgrenandDaughter]

If you look at your shop like a brick and mortar store, you walk in off the street to see 6 items. That wouldn't make a great choice. There is no collection, people cannot choose between items because there is only 5 items. The rule of thumb is about 100 items.

Have you read the seller's Handbook? How are you bringing people into your store?

You have only been open 2 days. What were you expecting? Do you have any views yet? Are your immediate social circle going to be buying from you?

Who is your target market?

Having a store is a long term You have to make a plan and work the plan. You are at the very beginning. :) K

[gypseejewelrydreams]

Hi Kati!! Welcome to Etsy! :) Don't be defeated. You can look at it this way... If it was easy it wouldn't be worth doing. You have opened your shop so that's great! Now the best thing you can do is research, join teams such as this one and a great SEO team to help with search engine keywords and join a great team that is similar in your items or maybe local area (they have a lot of great UK teams) it is a lot of time well spent and great advice. I am still trying to get my items to 100/150 which they say is where your items should be at to get found. I would recommend getting your shop done too with a banner you can buy ones on Etsy that are very reasonable,or google free Etsy banners. Mine was a free banner and avatar.
here is the seller handbook: https://blog.etsy.com/uk/?ref=blog
I hope this was helpful? Good luck! Keep going!! It is only the beginning but Etsy can have a great community and be a lot of fun! :)

[Former_Member]

You shop has only been open for a few days. It usually takes several weeks before an Etsy seller makes the first sale. There is SO much to learn and apply to your shop.

Learning how to make your shop and listings more searchable on both Google and Etsy is important. For example, you have a listing in your shop with this title:
"We are all made of stars- hand decorated - able to personalise"
The listing title and tags should clearly say that this listing is for a mug.

Shoppers use words to search for items on Etsy. Using words that shoppers use is to essential to getting found.

Be patient and learn how to sell on Etsy while you wait.

[Former_Member]

Welcome to Etsy!

You haven't quite got a 'shop' as of yet but are well on your way. Right now you have 6 items sitting in a blank space.

I'd suggest that you build your space by adding your shop banner, shop announcement, shop policies and finishing your 'about' page.

Once those items are completed, then you can work on your items for sale.


Think about what your items are called and how you would ask for them if you were wanting to purchase.

When was the last time you went into a shop and asked for a
""We are all made of stars- hand decorated - able to personalise ""?
The title doesn't say anything about what it is (other than it is made of stars).

What to expect in terms of traffic and sales? That is totally dependent on how much merchandise you have in your shop at any given time and how well your marketing is reaching your target customer.

Your business plan is the best thing to look at when it comes to your expectations as that's where you have laid out your goals and how you plan to reach them.

If you don't have a plan or a goal, how will you know when you've got there?

[OodlesOfWhimsy]

Hi and Welcome to Etsy ! We all started out a bit dazed and confused :) Participating in Teams and Forums will help expose you to tips and instructions to help as well as getting your name out there for people to see. Etsy is a great hosting venue. You do have to promote your shop. Hand out business cards, share your shop with family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, anyone. Social medias, Fbook, Twitter, Pinterest, Wanelo, Craftori. Read the Etsy Sellers Handbook for info on shop set up and how-to's. Ask lots of questions. :)
Tags are important; they are what a buyer will use in the search bar to find your item. Use very specific 2 or 3 word phrases. If someone was looking for your "love" mug, how would they search ? Try: hand painted mug, typography mug, custom text mug, statement mug, mug with quote, custom lettered mug, hand lettered mug.
You are given 5 photo slots; using all of them will better your chances of selling. Take a model holding mug shot, a close up, different angles and lighting.
You are given 13 tag slots; for each slot you choose NOT to use, you are giving up a chance to be found.
Use some of the suggested tags in the search bar and find a similar mug. Read the description listed and check out what tags the seller used. Do any apply to your items?
Keep listing. There are millions of items for sale on Etsy. In very basic analogy, For each item you list, you have 5 photos and 13 tags that are chances to be found. 5+13=18 chances per item. List 10 items, you now have 10x18=180 chances. List 20 items, 20x18=360 chances. Add those to the number of people seeing your name on Teams, forums and in Treasuries as you participate and the chances go up. Best wishes~

[Former_Member]

Welcome, Kati!
I agree with everything everyone else has said... Great tips y'all!! And I would recommend taking care of these things, especially filling in the blank spaces... Getting a banner, or finding someone on Etsy to create a banner and avatar along with other shop listing photos, for you. That's how I did it... I purchased a package from another seller on Etsy who did graphic design, and she was able to help me create a new banner, using some pictures of jewelry I already had in my shop for sale.

But I also want to point out that it takes awhile to get sales. When I first started selling on Etsy, almost 4 years ago, I did not get my first sale for 6 months!!! Then it was another 2 or 3 months until I got my 2nd sale. By then, I had read as much as I could from Etsy's seller handbook, added several more items, researched selling handmade online and in books, and I had gotten better at my jewelry pictures, tags, titles, descriptions, etc. It seriously takes a while to read up on how to sell well, and you just have to keep at it, and stay motivated. Just don't give up!!! Good luck!!

[SilverReflectionUK]

Hi Kati, Welcome to Etsy. I'm new myself - opened in February and am very definitely still learning! I endorse everything everyone else has said and I would add that you maybe also need to, on each description, say something about the process, what it is made of etc. Also your shipping prices are a bit vague - it will cost you more to ship to the US or Australia than say Europe so look into your prices and get them right. Also I find that shipping profiles save a huge amount of time, so get them started.
I didn't get my first sale for well over a month and still only have 10, but you really do have to get your name out there and get more items to sell.
Very best wishes to you, Kim

[PiecesofMeCardsnMore]

You need sizes and lots more description on your items. I have no idea what a "duck egg chalk board" is. Your description says you love to make them but I have no idea how big it is, what it's used for, etc. You need to type your description as if there's no photo - size, color, material and why the buyer needs one.

Good luck with your shop!

[GabriellasTreasures]

Welcome - you've received some great advice here. It takes time and patience, join the cindylouwho team, all seo and marketting info there...it's a lot of work and a lot of research but Etsy has all that available to you.

Look at some other shops who sell similar items and have good sales and see how they title/describe/tag to give you some ideas.

Good Luck!