How many to start?

[Former_Member]

I know 100 seems to be the magic number around here for sale but it seems that most people don't open with 100 or even 50 items so, I was wondering how many items people typically open with.

[Former_Member]

Well I didn't start with 100, for sure. I still don't have 100 items. :) I think I had like 10 or so when I started, but I kept adding listings over time. I don't think it matters how much you start with, just keep up on updating your shop daily. But if you're like me and have other responsibilities (work, classes, boy, etc.), then just as much as possible. Post a couple new postings per day to keep your shop in the searches and in the "recent posts" sections. Also, keep promoting your shop in the teams and treasuries.

Like I tell my friends who want to start an Etsy shop: just start. Don't worry about the details right now. Those can be ironed out later. Just get your stuff out there as soon as possible so that customers can start looking at your products. That's my suggestion. Good luck with your shop!

[Former_Member]

=0) I started with one item. I opened in January 2012

[Former_Member]

oh gosh I was sooo stinking niave and clueless when I started!! I think I had like 3 items!!! lol!
But I quickly realized that wouldnt do it. I'm sure you could start with any amount... but I think it would be more benificial to have at least 10... I don't even have 30 yet, but am hoping to by the end of the month =)

[Former_Member]

I think I had 1 or 2.

[Former_Member]

I think I had a half dozen items and quickly learned that I needed to increase my inventory and got to work! I'm only at about 30 or so right now.

[seemomster]

I started with 20 or so...but if I were doing it again I'd wait until I had AT LEAST 40. I've got 86 now...so not quite to the "magic" 100 yet...hope to hit it by April Fool's Day...

[Former_Member]

I opened with none. hemmed and hawed. waited 5 months then listed one quilt. waited another 7 months and have added slowly but consistently since then. I'm at 13 and have about 5 to list. Just need to photo!

[Former_Member]

I think you need about five or six items to get started, so I think your doing fine,but obviously the more item you have the higher the chance customers will find you.
Good luck :)

[kidsstore]

I would try to have a least a variety of a dozen items, and make sure you have at least 2 of each of those (try for 4 or more) in your inventory. You don't want to have someone order an item or more than of of something and then they have to wait a few extra days while you make it up. It will happen, but it's better not to have it happen with your first sales. One important feedback comment to have is that your customer service is great and you are a fast shipper.

Good luck!

[PendulumsbyMarlaina]

I just did a revamp of my shop, I think I originally opened with like 2 or 3 items but this time after the revamp, I put 10 in to start with and I seem to be doing well with that, 2 sales so far. :) Cant complain. I'll be adding more soon. I figure if I add at least 10 items at a time per my collections I should be at 100 in no time. Heres good luck to everyone on the thread getting and keeping 100 items in there shops!!!

[PorcelainJazz]

I started May 4th of 2011 with just a few items in my shop. I can't quite remember how many now. Recency was still important then so I listed one or two per day after that just to keep my shop high in the etsy searches. I started selling about a month later.

Now I have over a 100 items in my shop, a fair number of sales and I am wondering what the optimum number of items is after one reaches 100? Also I would like to know if it is possible to have too many items in ones shop?

[livjewellery]

I opened this shop with over 200 items (I had been creating for a year before opening). But with my bridal shop I knew that, until I opened, I wouldn't force myself to build inventory. So I think I opened with less than 10. I still have a hard time growing that shop, but at least I'm open for business!

[Former_Member]

I started with 1, and boy did it take a long time to go through the listing process! Now I'm up to 230 and just keep adding as often as I can.

[MissJennyOT]

I started with probably 4-5 items. I finally have almost 100! (I would have 100, but a few expired and I decided not to renew them).

[Former_Member]

I started with only a handful of items. . .

Now I have 356. . .

[Former_Member]

less than 20. The partly full page bugged me. So I tried to fill the page asap. Sill brings me motivation to get to the next page full. Now I have almost 10. Can't wait to have 11.

[Former_Member]

You don't *have* to start with a lot of items, and not a lot of people really do. However, the fact that many people start with very few items is one of the reasons why new shops have trouble getting noticed. It's a mistake that I made in the beginning.

A new shop has very little feedback, and only a handful of circles and favorites. Having a good amount of items will help distribute you throughout the search and increase the chances of someone coming across your inventory. The amount varies from shop to shop. If you have knit scarves, 30 is a good amount in my opinion; if you sell stickers and beads, 100 is a good amount.

When in doubt, try to imagine your shop as a real brick and mortar store. If you walked into a brand new shop in your neighborhood, how long would you stay if they had only one shelf of products? Your impression would be that it looked empty and didn't have much to offer you.

[WhatCandySays]

I opened my store with less than 30 items. (now I have 300)

I think at least one page (more than 24 items) and three catagories would be good.

[IstriaDesign]

I started with one, because I didn't really know how things work around here lol. After three months I'm on 50, but I'm hoping to get to a 100 sometime soon. So, it doesn't matter with how many you start. I think it's more important you constantly add new things.

[Creatureshire]

I opened a first shop, and for about 2 months I had 10 items. Although I didn't had any sale, I learned a lot with it.
In February 2011 I opened my current shop and now I am working to have a decent number of items on sale (about 40). I hope to reach 50 by April, but I also want to provide some variety, so it's growing slowly.

[Former_Member]

I just started yesterday with my first items. I have 9 items now i I'm going to list some more in the next few days.

I think it depends on what products you sale. If you have supplies store it will need more items to look good. But if you have some very expensive specific piece of art you can start with just a few. I also thing that very few items may look not serious.

[Former_Member]

I'm sure it depends on what you're selling. With digital goods, like my shop, it's easier to fill it up with 100 items, I think, but when you're selling items that take a lot of time to produce, just launch with whatever you have in stock and feel comfortable with.

[Former_Member]

I started off with 24 items one full page. I tried to keep the page full as things sold. Now I'm up to three pages after two years and working my way up to the "magic' number 100. I did notice that sale went up remarkably at the 2 full page mark. So I'm thinking the better the selection the more you sell. Bearing in mind some items are more time consuming to produce and that some shopkeepers have limited to to create.

[SycamoonJewellery]

Just work to add up a portfolio in your own speed.
I started in October and have not gotten to the magic 100 yet, but am hoping to get there this month.
100 with good, versatile tags gives you a much better chance at being found and a good selection makes you look professional and serious about your craft :o)