How to put 'sold' on an item and keep it listed.

[Former_Member]

Could someone please tell me how do I put 'sold ' on an item but still keep the photo listed. I am sure it is something simple, but I've tried but can not find out how to do it. I have not sold the item on line.

[PaperFlora]

Why would you put "sold" on an item but still keep it listed. Either you have one in stock or it's sold and you don't have one in stock.
You can relist it and it will show up again in your shop.

[Former_Member]

Is it something you make all the time and you want to keep it in stock? Just up the number of them you have.

[Former_Member]

If you sell something, and you have enough materials to make another one, you go into your Sold Orders and hit Renew Sold. It's in the menu when you click the little gear to the right of the item. If you don't have enough materials to make another one, you won't want to keep it listed, anyway. A lot of people go through my sold items to see other things I've made, so they'll see it there.

[WintergreenDesign]

If it's a one of a kind item and you've sold it off line you can simply deactivate it from your listings... it you can make another exactly like it you can keep it listed and have it made to order. But you can't just make something sold without someone actually purchasing it online from your etsy site... at least not that I know of...

[Former_Member]

Thanks everyone. I sold the bags off line but as I make custom orders I still wanted people to be able to see them like you can in sold orders. I will just have to deactivate them as they are hand painted and if I did repeat them, they would not look the same. Thanks again.

[ComfortAndGrins]

Oh I see. Maybe you should have the person who bought them come into etsy and purchase them so they will be sold :)

[Former_Member]

You can keep the same photo up and have the listing as a custom order listing. Just be sure to say in the listing that each bag is hand painted and there will be variations in appearance from one bag to the next. Most people understand that.

[Inugurumi]

You can list it as "Made to order". Most of my dogs are made to order, and I don't think it's keeping me from selling them. You should let the customers know how long it will take to make one though.

[AllieBlankets]

Since I have people that purchase things away from Etsy through Facebook, I have albums there of work I have done so that people can see everything I have done, including items that went through Etsy. People seem to enjoy being able to see all of the customized work I have done. If it is sold on Etsy I don't usually have a picture when the listing is sold since it has to be made still.

[PHILabilities]

I also had the same qustion. I have seen others post their item on Etsy with a "sold" burst over a corner of the photo.
I think it is good to show the item as sold so others can see what it looked like, especially if it is a one of a kind item and people can get a better sense of your styles. It's almost like, you missed this one but keep looking for other nice designs. It also adds validity that someone bought your item.

[PatsysPressedFlowers]

I have one item listed, a Pansy picture that a very good customer wants. I changed the title to "reserved" for Pansy Pretties, her Etsy name and still have it listed.

[Former_Member]

Just put a reserved in the title...