How can i improve my new shop - pretty new to etsy!

[Former_Member]

I love it here already, but I have no idea how I can improve my shop - does it need better pictures? More items? Should i offer to shop internationally? If anyone has any cool advice to give to a newbie that would be awesome! x

[Former_Member]

Filling out your policies page will help you out! Your photos look good but may need brightening up a bit so your jewellery really stands out , if you offer to shop internationally you have the chance of selling more things :). You may want to put a shop name on your banner too :)x

[Former_Member]

Ooo thankyou for that advice :) i may put the shop name in the banner, and i think i just need a better camera as mine isnt the best xx

[Former_Member]

Your welcome :)

[TheDarkFen]

imagery of the photos isn't bad. you probably don't need a new camera just need to learn to work with it. i used the camera on my phone for about a year until i had money to get a new one. just make sure you're in a naturally well-lit area and make use of macro and get SUPER close if you have to.

other than that the only think i would recommend is adding more items.

i'm still learning about SEO (search-engine-optimization) but you might wanna look at your titles. there is no need to tell us your earrings are 30mm wide in the title. hah. unless of course you were selling supplies then that is useful. but if you feel the need definitely put that in your description. instead of putting the size in the title try more colors or a phrase like "spring blossom" or something like that.

♥

[Former_Member]

I have started to make other jewellery like necklaces/bracelets but will be about two weeks untill i can get them up and running on here, and thats a bit of a releaf about the camera, i cant really afford a brand new one! and ahh i thought perhaps i was going a bit overboard, i shall try your advice with the titles, thankyou :) and great jewellery by the way! xx

[TheDarkFen]

thanks grace! you seem to be moving into etsy pretty well actually. i wouldn't overstress about any one thing creates a bad relationship with your shop. take a deep breathe and just design away and get the items up there for now!

here's a photo i took w/ my old crappy samsung $80 camera from like 8 years ago: http://www.etsy.com/listing/66798713/harpy-studs-fuchsia-vintage-glass

here's a photo i took w/ my android phone: http://www.etsy.com/listing/83410694/ranger-earrings-emerald-forest-green

here's a photo i took w/ my new dslr nikon: http://www.etsy.com/listing/97755478/tempest-vitrail-earrings-vintage-glass?ref=v1_other_2

see there really is not much difference in quality. so yes, definitely do not need to buy a new camera if yours works, then it will do the job. there is some help on the internet about taking macro photos. if you just do a google search for it some good advice will pop up i'm sure!

[threestonebirds]

The pictures have already been mentioned so I'll address the tags. Try to think about what a person would search for when they're looking for your item. This took me a while to get the hang of; I still have to go back and fix some of my earlier products, but having the right keywords helps you get found in the search engine much easier.

So those blue earrings would be [blue flower earrings, flower earrings, spring jewelry, blue earrings, resin flowers, stud earrings] and so on. Also, have you considered raising your prices? Things that are too cheap tend to turn some people off and on those earrings it doesn't seem like you're able to make a profit. Try not to price based on what you think someone would pay but what it's worth - your time and the cost of materials and the labor you put into it.

[Former_Member]

wow, great advice! its good to hear from people who have actually been in the same boat as me, and those pictures look good katie, i wouldnt have been able to tell if they were took on mobiles, i think im going to add some pictures of the earrings being worn to - or should i not do that? sorry if i am asking too many questions, and ah yes i think those tags make more sense than the ones i came up with vanessa! i shall get to work on them :D thankyou, and yes the materials i use are quite cheap but strong and shiny, so i wasnt sure what prices i should have used, as I wanted people to not be put off, but i see now putting them as cheap could put them off even more xx

[threestonebirds]

Prices are definitely tricky - you'll see tons of threads around the site from people asking if what they're charging is too high or too low, and I think few people, myself included, get the hang of it until they're been doing this for quite a while.

There's a formula I've seen variations of that might help you: (Cost of materials + labor)*2 = wholesale, and wholesale*2 = retail. You can adjust that to whatever you feel comfortable with, of course, but the basic idea is that it gives you enough room to not only make a profit but to recoup what you've spent. Checking around Etsy for products similar to yours can also help you get an idea of what a competitive price would be.

[Former_Member]

I have changed the prices and all the tags, and i think it looks a lot better for it! I just hope this works, and doesnt put people off buying them etc, and i hope the tags are slightly better... only time will tell i suppose :)