Former_Member
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How to make that first sale?

Hey, all fellow Etsians!

I've found all the other critique threads so instructive, but I thought I start my own to get some personalized feedback.

I opened my shop about two months ago and haven't made any sales yet. I feel like things have started to pick up this week after reading heaps of articles about tagging and titles and tweaking them and adding new stock and renewing old items. I also made a FB page. My views are on a rise right now and I'm so happy about that, but I still haven't made any sales. Am I being just too impatient? Is there something I could do differently in my shop?

All suggestions, critiques and comments are most welcome!
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Former_Member
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Re: How to make that first sale?

so far my sales have been people I know who live out of state and saw it on fb
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Former_Member
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Re: How to make that first sale?

I have sold a few pieces to people I know, but they are not visible on Etsy.
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MevvSan
Post Crafter

Re: How to make that first sale?

Only a suggestion but I think your descriptions may use some more content. For example, do you make these clothes yourself or are they vintage? If you do make them try not to put down only one size. I along with hundreds of other people are not going to be able to fit into a extra small skirt. Knowing a piece of clothing can be custom made to the appropriate size would be more inviting.

Also if you are making these try to explain what type of fabric it is and maybe even the steps that were done to make them. Nothing gives more value to an item then understanding the steps that when into creating it.
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Re: How to make that first sale?

Hi :)
I am pretty new to this as well and I think we started up a shop about the same time. I am doing well offline but hadn't made a sale online until this week.

Two tips I would give you would be:
*You have no feedback so far and this puts people off. Maybe buy something cheaply off another seller just so you can get some feedback scores :). My shop was yet to make a sale and I bought something off someone, received feedback and then the same week made 3 sales!

* Your items have a low view count, maybe join some teams, do some promotion there and get chatting to other etsians.

Best of luck ! I know how hard it is to get sales in.
The Dorothy Days
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Re: How to make that first sale?

Hi I'm not in clothing but I would want to know if you altered/how you altered the garmet and especially about sizing. Most important to me would be fabric care. Dry Clean only may put people off but if it's not necessarily dry clean, I would love to I could wash it in cold water...

Here's another shop I searched eco-friendly clothing and got this shop:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/41988315/jacket-in-checked-in-purple-beige-white?ref=sr_list_1&ga_search...

Which does a good job of telling what sizes Europe vs US. And we're still on inches instead of metres....it's kinda hard for us to imagine mm. lol.

Two months isn't long. number of items in the shop adds more credibility and shopping on etsy does help.

I love the long shirt- btw. If you carried it in US plus sizes that might be another avenue to pursue. There aren't many shops that do sports wear for plus sizes....

Best of luck and keep going!
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Former_Member
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Re: How to make that first sale?

I truly love your stuff, too bad that I'm too old for your great mini -s .

I guess it just takes a lot of time to make it!
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Re: How to make that first sale?

To be honest, it might be simply because you're selling clothes. Generally, people will want to try before they buy, which is obviously why there are changing rooms in clothes shops. Personally, I never buy clothes online unless I can either guarantee the fit, or if they are happy for me to try the clothes on before actually paying, and not many people do that on Etsy, if any at all. That might just be me, but people have different body types that aren't always easy to accomodate.

However, you've only been here for 2 months. You have a lot of products, but when I enter your shop, there's only one full page of goods. More products always draw people in - each different item is bound to appeal to someone - and give them more to look at if they continue on to your shop. I would suggest to keep making clothes, and to just be patient. You're doing the right thing by making a facebook, but have you also made a twitter? How about tried to gather advertising outside of Etsy like on blogs or websites that share similar interests to your products?

That's all I have to suggest. Good luck!
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Former_Member
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Re: How to make that first sale?

It took me two months for my first sale, too. It came out of a blue when I least expected it. The brave lady actually bought a window treatment from for $70 or so, so I was quite shocked...Bottom line, it WILL come when you least expect it!
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KriyaDesign
Inspiration Seeker

Re: How to make that first sale?

Just wanted to tell you how I make the first sale. Not proven scientifically though just story for fun. It was sterling silver earrings and necklace set. Sold it for $30. I know it was on the lower end. Back then I priced something just to see what will happen. To feel the euphoria of the first sale :-). After the first sale happened I started to consider the best prices in relation to skill, time, materials and market prices (Etsy that is). I am not through playing with prices yet.

If you could afford it, keep adding inventory - more clothes. Test other price range too. A bit lower or ... higher (why not). One thing I learn is market determine the prices. I sold handbag pre Etsy. In the end I had to sell them at lost. Because I dare not play with prices and thought what I set were the best prices. For who? Me obviously :-). But the people, consumers have another ideas. They don't like the prices with that styles. And I was also ignorant of my fellow competitors' prices.

Wiser now (lol), I view my Etsy adventure as a game. One gotta have a playful attitude to things, so one feels free to test and tweak. Test and tweak. Nothing is set in stone. Nothing is proven until you find it to be so. Study, test and tweak. And dare yourself to explore.

All the very best
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Former_Member
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Re: How to make that first sale?

I made sure I had good descriptions and good, thorough policies in place to inspire buyer confidence.

My first sale was a custom order, and, like everyone else said, came out of the blue. I communicated in a professional manner and tried to make the ordering process as simple as possible.
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Re: How to make that first sale?

I am new on Esty my shop has been open since Oct.5th. I just joined the Esty success team because I do want to succeed. My story is kinda like the lead question I have not made any sales yet. Does anyone know the average time to make sales. I would really appreciate a couple of critiques for my shop. I do okay at shows but this is new for me. I am not sure if my pictures are really good or do I just think they are. Sometimes we can think we're doing it all right but really we are missing the boat. Do you have to apply for a critique? Its so much to learn on Esty. I am really enjoying but I could use some short cuts on knowledge of how things work that couple help me get a leg up. Thanks.
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olganna
Inspiration Seeker

Re: How to make that first sale?

I sold my fisrt item in March to a friend. SInce then I have built up my inventory and kept plugging away. Today I got my 8th sale. I work on this every single day, promoting, joining everything, blogging, facebooking and slowly slowly I am getting more attention. I think I might get a few Christmas sales so thats good but I don't think this year I will set teh world alight. Thats OK beacsue I am not quite ready for that so I will keep plugging away. Point is that its hard work and its slow. You cannot get disheartened just keep trying.
I would recommend stumbleupon for drawing viewers - it seems to be working for many of us.
I have a blog post about attracting new business - maybe it will be helpful to you -
http://justolganna.blogspot.com/2011/10/driving-business-forward-finding-new.html
Good luck! Helen at Olganna.
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Former_Member
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Re: How to make that first sale?

I didn't have my 1st sale till 3 months after I started my shop.. so give it time.. also be active in networking coz it really helps! :)
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Former_Member
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Re: How to make that first sale?

Thank you all for your input! I got a lot of ideas how to improve my descriptions. For me it is so obvious that since I make my clothing from discarded clothing I usually can make only one item from one material at a size that the material allows me. For example I'd love to have the peach orange mini skirt on other sizes, but I had one M size sweater to make it from and the width of the waistline determined the width of the hips. Maybe that's part of my struggle - it's hard a person to stumble across an item that they will love and fit into. I'm thinking about emphasizing custom orders.

Thanks again!
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