Holiday Boot Camp Week Two: Spruce Up Your Shop

[Former_Member]

In Week Two of Holiday Boot Camp, we're looking at all the ways in which you can spruce up your shop for the holiday. The holidays are a perfect time to infuse your shop with a little extra holiday sparkle. What are you doing to freshen things up and give your shop an edge among holiday shoppers? Discuss below!

Also be sure to attend our Online Workshop “Merchandising Matters” this Friday, October 18. Etsy’s merchandising pro, Emily Bidwell, will share insider insights and interview successful seller, Tamara Bavdek, of This Ilk, about holiday merchandising strategies. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/event/8639520037

Not signed up for Boot Camp yet? Sign up here: https://www.etsy.com/emails/seminars

Curious about other sellers’ holiday goals? Check out last week’s discussion here: https://www.etsy.com/teams/5002/etsy-success/discuss/13139423/page/1

[Accessodium]

I am going to buy Softbox Lighting Kit on craigslist today! I used to take photos on my balcony, but now it is raining and cold outside :( And I cannot make good photos... But I am making new hats! And I need Light! I am planning to make photo studio in my garage, Yaaaaay!!! I am so excited!

[threestonebirds]

If everything goes according to plan, I'll be rolling out a new product line by the end of this month. I've got a couple of things to take care of first, like ordering the rest of the supplies and figuring out how to ship them, but I'm staying on track so far and hoping this will inject some new life into my shop.

I'm also hoping the bubble mailers I already have work for shipping but I've never shipped paper products before so this will be a learning experience for me.

I don't suppose anyone here has any experience with shipping gift tags?

[SpangGangDesigns]

My goal is to finish listing my new block sets, then relist some expired photo blocks. Since I can't rearrange my listings within their categories, this was the best that I could think of to do to "mix things up"

[TheBloomingHare]

So excited about the holiday and appreciate the help here!

I've been adding new items to my shop all morning. Also, I intend to spruce up my shop banner this week to better fit my brand.

Best of luck everyone!

[Former_Member]

What i do each year is decorate my craft/office with the Grandkids ....

I usually like to be stock up with my blankies....that i sell and jewelry

i also let the Grandkids decorate my packages (the enevelopes)

norma

[Former_Member]

I am in the process of makings some new items---Quilt Kits with Embroidered Designs. I hope to have them online within the week!

[Former_Member]

I just overhauled my entire shop with new photos. I still have tons of work left as I thought I was renaming them all before I used them in the shop but realized this morning that my MacBook is not as easy when it comes to renaming photos as I thought. (This could explain the huge drop in google views and search results being so low as well - time will tell!!)

I also redesigned and ordered new business cards for the holidays and beyond.

Retagging and revisiting my titles and descriptions will hopefully bring in more traffic and sales too.

I started working on my "thank you gifts" for my customers. Each November, December and January, I include a special little something that I've made in my packaging for all the sales that come in. It's nothing big but it lets people know I appreciate their business. This year I'm color coordinating them with my new shop banner, avatar, business cards and website for a completely cohesive looking brand. I'm hoping this will leave a lasting impression for the rest of the year and help me get this business off the ground, once and for all!

[TheBloomingThread]

Ill be adding new bags and jewelry, and sprucing up my listing decriptions and tags.

checking things off my holiday planning calender feels great!
all the etsy changes this year to the site will make running the shop easier too!

[SuzeLakeDesigns]

This is exciting, I think I've overhauled my shop as best I can, but still working on listing more items, and SEO.

I'm enjoying the holiday bootcamp....thanks for all your hard work!

:)

[Emariecreations]

I'm re-taking some photos, adjusting prices and tweeking my listings before the holiday rush!

[Former_Member]

I am inspired - terrific idea to provide gift packaging worthy of the gift that you are selling.

[MadewithLovebyDeena]

I've tried to arrange my shop so that my Christmas items are grouped together - even though there are different items - I have tried to get them all together and the colors like red and green in the same place - so it looks like its Christmas"Y"
I have re - vamped my shop with my tags and descriptions - I hope it will help - along with my pictures (I used photofuze program - very cool) - I still some work on some of the pictures but that is a work in progress I guess...

[ShadyLaneDesignz]

I am adding new items as fast as I can. Also looking into changing up my banner.

[Former_Member]

I switched up my banner and now I need to somehow work on my product photos so they appear more festive. I am not sure at all how to do that without it looking forced or awkward.

[WaterstriderDesign]

I was thinking of trying to take some photos of my jewelry with the holly leaves in my yard. I thought that might fit with my photo style.

I am working on my packaging and you inspired me to work on my banner and at least add some color to it.

[MyLittleCrochetShop]

Ryan Nicole from TheBloomingThread said "checking things off my holiday planning calendar feels great!" ... what calendar? I need a calendar! (and a kick in the pants to be more self-disciplined!)

[Former_Member]

I have updated my shop announcement to include shipping cut-off dates, free holiday gift wrap & handwritten note, and a special pre-holidays coupon of 2euro off any painting in my shop.

I will be photographing my paintings with a simple/minimal holiday theme in the next weeks and will gradually tweaking my listings to include info regarding: who they are destined for, where they'd look good.

Let's get busy! ;-)

[sweetiepips]

I am in the middle of a total refurb/restock. Changed banner, christmas policies and am trying tiered pricing. Need to think about gift boxing/wrapping and continuing to add more items daily as I have a backlog! Very very busy but enjoying it. Lots of craft fairs booked too so need to make sure I have enough replen!

Good luck everyone and than you ETSY for all the boot camp help.

[Former_Member]

Hello, I have enrolled for this weeks Holiday Boot Camp: "Refresh Your Brand". It is very important to stick to the brand to be clear to our clients. But the photography is not always easy. E.g.: I don't have a good camera, and I don't have a proper lightful environment either. I found myself a little "trick" which enables me to create nice presentations. I would like to share it with you.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ClaudiaCoudert
What do I do? I like scrap booking for family souvenirs. I use this technique at the computer. Well - I shoot my product photos at daylight in my garden. It works always fine. Than I cut them in my Photoshop and do a montage with other photos of mine or embellishments from scrap booking. Check it out. Maybe it works for you, too.

[MidwestGypsy]

I am enjoying the bootcamp help. I have holiday goals set. I really have trouble getting good pictures of my jewelry. I bought a light box sometime ago, but still was not impressed with my photos. One of the lamps broke so now I never use it. Does anyone have photo advice?

[BlueSkyPotteryCO]

Thank you for running the boot camp again. This year I'm going to do more planning of specials, promotions, and holiday tweaking of tags and descriptions.

[Former_Member]

I have realised just how much work I have to do in my shop - new photo's, descriptions and tags are going to be needed.

I am not put off though, and am looking forward to making the improvements :)

Can't wait to see what the new lines are all going to be like :)

[Former_Member]

I've been working all summer on new designs and have a few more to add in the next week. I've re-designed the label on my jewelry gift boxes, and I plan to add a little thank-you gift with each order starting Nov. 1-- a pretty little gift tag with each item ordered....I have Moo mini cards printed with a variety of my artwork, with "To" and "From" on the back and add a ribbon tie-on. Moo is a little pricey so I order cards whenever they have a sale. Customers always appreciate their little "surprise" and it lets them know how much I appreciate them! About half my sales are from repeat customers...

[Former_Member]

You guys are so inspiring!

I hope to add a new line, retake winter themed items outside in a woodsy setting, update other photos that desperately need it, make a new shop banner, and add new gift sets in the next few weeks in order to prep for the holidays.

For the last month I have been reorganizing my workspace and streamlining my production. The month before that I did hordes of bookkeeping and financial stuff.
Now I feel like I can be ready for anything, bring it on, Holidays!