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[#1]

As soon as August rolls into September, and the summer here in New York comes to a close, I can’t help but think about the upcoming Holiday Season. Instead of searching for items for myself, I start prioritizing other people’s wish-lists. Since I usually don’t have a big spending budget to purchase items, naturally, this shift sparks a fire in me to DIY my holiday gifts, which in turn, inspires me to work on my Etsy shop.

This year, I’m going to approach things a little differently. Instead of prioritizing handmade gifts, I’m going to set goals around my shop. My goal for this year is to stock more items and create holiday themed branding, such as gift wrap and an updated banner, that I can highlight in my shop and in social media.

To help us achieve our goals throughout the Holiday Season, the Seller Education team has been hard at work compiling a great series of educational content. Lets start this Holiday Season off right by signing up for this years Holiday Bootcamp: https://blog.etsy.com/en/2014/register-now-for-holiday-boot-camp-2014/

Next, think about what your goals are for this Holiday Season and share them with us below!* A goal can be anything from listing a new item to reaching your 100th sale. By writing them down and sharing with others, you'll reinforce your commitment to them. Who knows, your goal could inspire others or even be featured in an upcoming Online Labs event with the Seller Education Team!


*When sharing your goal for this season, please introduce yourself and share how long you've been selling on Etsy.

[Former_Member]

Hi! I'm Lateisha, and I've been selling here on Etsy since February of this year.

My goals for this holiday season are:
- reach 2000 sales (yes, 2000!)
- market my items on social media daily (specifically Instagram)
- be featured in Etsy marketing e-mails and on the Etsy homepage
- keep a balanced home and work-life (which includes no working on Sundays to spend time with my family)

I believe that all things are possibly to those who believe. I'm looking forward checking off every single item on my list! And I pray success for everyone else in this forum to reach their goals as well. =)

[Former_Member]

This will be my first holiday season with Etsy. My shop has an emphasis on wedding paper goods and accessories but I would like to expand my rustic decor items so I can be a part of my favorite holiday as a seller! I have been an etsy holiday buyer for years. My plan is to design and make 20 new products in this line that I can also sell at local holiday craft shows her in NC.

[DJVintageCollectible]

Hello, I am Darlene and I co opened my first shop in September of 2012, then in June 2013 I opened my own shop, currently I have 432 items, by October I hope to have 500 items.

I am going BIG and taking a HUGE leap of faith, sticking with the Bible Verse, " You have not because you ask not." My selling goals is to sell 100-200 items through the end of this year. I will work hard to get my items recognized and add 2-3 items a days through the end of September.

Additionally, I want to continue to encourage my customers to leave me feedback after their purchase is complete, 2 feedback for every 5 orders would be considered success.

My Best to ALL the Etsy Shop owners.

[PaperComets]

I just opened up shop two days ago. I sell giclee prints of my artwork so the turnaround time for a project is a little slower than I'd like. My goals are:

1. Speed up turnaround time for creating a piece of artwork, digitizing it, and listing it from two weeks to one week per project.
2. List four more pieces of artwork
3. Sell 20 prints

I look forward to learning more about the Etsy sales process.

[BackAtTheOffice]

Hi Everyone

This is the second time I've posted on this thread. I;ve been working on a lot of things. One thing I've done to help me analyze what has been going on in my shop is to use the INVENTORY PLANNING GUIDE, I believe the link for it is shown on another thread on this team, where you can download it. It is just a 2 page Step-by-step guide to help you Study your Stats.

It helps you look at your last years figures for July - Sept and compare them to what you are doing this year.

Besides looking at the Revenue, orders, and average Order total, it has you looking at your KEYWORDS, PAGE VIEWS, YOUR ORDERS, so that you can see what your best selling items were.

Going over these things really helped me to figure out what I should re-fill my shop with for the coming season.

I really appreciated this, I don't feel like I am just wildly guessing when creating new things for my shop.

Looking at the stats made me think about something else too, as I was looking at the things that people had searched for and had landed on and looked at and then DID NOT PURCHASE, got me to thinking and wondering, WHY didn't they buy? So I realize that each one of those items from my stats is a project, I need to go to that listing and see if I can improve the listing. Such as the picture, do I need to re-shoot it, do I need to re-write the description?
I just wanted to mention this because analyzing the STATS can be of great help in knowing what you need to do in your shop in the way of improvement.
to your shop.

Thanks
Marilyn

[feltmeupdesigns]

Hi I've been on etsy since 2008 and christmas gets crazier every year.

It's started early with my first wholesale order already and I have changed my studio from create mode to pack mode setting up a packaging station, ordering my gift boxes and supplies I'll need to get me thru to Christmas.

I've also spent August building my first proper website for the business so things are super busy at felt towers!

Goals
2000 etsy sales... Which means over 100 for the holidays if I'm gonna get there for Christmas
5000 Facebook fans (I'm on 4729 right now)
Build and implement a social media Christmas campaign using tools to schedule tweets, Facebook messages and a promotions calendar including a Christmas giveaway.
Contact all my wholesale buyers before September 15th with price lists and new designs for 2014
Streamline the etsy shop for Christmas taking all made to order stock off or extending the making/despatch times.
Have my last Christmas shipping dates up on etsy and on the website by end of September

[Former_Member]

I'm approaching 3,000 sales so that is my 1st goal. My second goal is to increase my shop's inventory from 600 listings to over 800.

I also am working to help my team members have a successful holiday!

[DesignsbyTrilliants]

This will be my 3rd holiday season here. My goals:
1) To have more items in my inventory. My shop usually is kind of light by December.
2) Have more sales then the last two years.

I usually also try to set a goal on how many views I end up with by the end of the Year!

[poisonpear]

This year I'm going to continue what I started last year by doing everything I can to make the buying experience great, and eliminate as many unneeded convos by offering gift wrap options and express shipping. I will also be re-organizing and expanding my studio space to be more efficient so I can really pump out the product to support several selling venues, including wholesale, Etsy, craft shows, and a weekly market.

[ExquisiteGem]

Our shop is doing amazing right now... we sold 18 orders in August with a total of almost $7000. So our biggest hope is that our success continues into the holiday season. We are a little concerned that if views and orders keep growing each month, then Phillip might be overwhelmed with work so we want to start planning for the holidays now.

Here are some goals that we'd like to achieve by the end of this month in preparation for the holiday season!
* List at least 30 new items by the end of September.
* Take advantage of the longer afternoons during spring to take lots more photos of existing items and new stock.
* Update all of our older listings - now that we know so much more about SEO terms etc, a lot of our listings could be improved. We are also trying to ensure that all of our listings have links back into the shop - to view similar items.
* Create a range of small affordable pieces of jewellery for stocking fillers - items that won't require resizing such as pendants and earrings that will be quick & easy to parcel up for Christmas
* Pre-address all of our envelopes
* Stock up on our cardboard, wrapping paper & ribbons and precut our little hand made jewellery parcels that we use as packaging.
* Start on creating an ExquisiteGem fortnightly email

Looking forward to a busy holiday season!
Majella

[stitchednbooks]

I'm Courtney and I've been selling crocheted and sewn items since December 2010. My favorite item to create in my shop are cup cozies especially out of felt right now. I've never really been able to focus on the holiday season with working full-time, but now I'm unemployed and need to get some income going. My mom and I have already began working on our holiday goals (as well as getting ready for craft shows).

- Get minimum of 100 items in my shop (I'm half way there)
- Focus on the keywords that bring people to my shop and create accordingly
- I've become like the stores, I would like to start having my Christmas items listed before October is here... I'm getting there :)
- Focus on new outside promotions (I have Instagram for personal use, but I'm thinking about starting one for my shop)
- I also have a shop blog that's been neglected that I want to start really using.

Here's to a great holiday season for everyone.

[GrammasTreasure]

GREETINGS AND SUCH TO ALL OF YOU BUSY ELVES.....

Snoopy (shop mascot) and I talked over our holiday goals and decided:

1.) Gain more space in our storage room (translates to sell physically larger items- which starts with photoing and listing them.)

2.) Organize our storage room so we can FIND THE SMALLER ITEMS. No more lost sales due to lost product !!!

3.) Do most of our own Christmas shopping on Etsy through BNR's and BNS's, therefore getting some advertising for our "buck"

4.) ALWAYS CARRY BUSINESS CARDS and PASS THEM OUT! Of course with an invitation to visit our store as well as tell them about the truly great items available on Etsy.

5.) In an effort to avoid having too many listings, we have decided to have a collection of listings ready in "Drafts" to replace each OOAK item that is purchased.

We'd like to do many of the other things listed above, but we need to keep our goals attainable by being able to perform them ourselves.

Gramma Snoopy (yah'all come back now..."

[Former_Member]

I've been on Etsy since July of 2010. I focus on cotton home goods and upcycled clothing. My shop is constantly evolving, thanks to some really fun custom orders.

My goals this year are:
~Have all my photos updated and the best I have to offer
~Complete boot camp on time
~Find at least one craft fair to sell my wares
~Update all my banners
~100 items in my shop

[ArtistiKat]

Hi all! I've been here on Etsy selling handmade jewelry since 2008.

My goals so far (and I've found this to be fluid as time and circumstances change) is to:
1. stock up on shipping supplies now rather than waiting closer to the holdays. With so many businesses needing supplies at that time, don't take the chance that your supplier will be out of stock.
I remember one year that every single jewelry box supplier was out and I was scrambling desperately to find something (anything) that would work.

2. I have a mix of made-to-order and ready made items. Even with made to order items, much can be done ahead of time to reduce the time spent during the "crunch" holiday rush. I'll be making ear wires, connectors and clasps now. In short, if it can be done ahead of time, do it.

Also, this is not really a goal, but its a life saver just the same. Make and freeze a few dinners that you can easily thaw and heat. Sure is nice to be able to have a nice meal at your fingertips after you've been working hard all day.

;)

[Former_Member]

Hi everyone,
My twin sister, Cindy, and I own the TwinSisCreations shop on Etsy. We both love to create, I like to do it with my sewing machine and needle, where she likes to create with her beautiful strokes in many different art mediums. We started our shop last year a little late to get many orders during the Christmas season, but this year would really like to work on getting our shop more exposure and to list a lot more items earlier in the season.

So our goals for the shop are:
- List all items we already have made, and make more if needed, to make our inventory at 50 items by Oct. 1st.
- Continue to sew, paint, draw and build stock, adding some lower priced items, too.
-Have at least 75 items listed by Nov. 1st, including Christmas themed items.
-Post on all social media forums a featured item, one from each of us, once a week.
-Have a lot of Happy Customers, and more followers, with good seller feedback.
-Buy gifts for our family and friends from fellow Etsy shop owners.
-Keep learning from our wonderful Etsy community.

Best Wishes to everyone! Here's to everyone surpassing their goals this Holiday Season!
Much Love,
TwinSisCreations,
Cheryl and Cindy

[Former_Member]

I opened my shop in March of 2012. I have fairly simple goals... I want to beat my numbers from the previous last two year in sales & views, build a bigger customer base by participating (if my application is accepted) in the Renegade Craft Fair in NYC this November... Have maybe around 150-200 items, including holiday themed ones.... I just want a great holiday season. I'm determined to make that effort. It would me a huge deal for me because I work two jobs currently/seven days a week... So if my Etsy business picks up, I can take some days to invest in this dream... That day by day I inch towards making it a reality... Making a living off my art. A working artist :)

My last two holiday seasons I had zero sales... Big goose eggs. So anything has to be an up this year! Hard work and determination.

[AllieBlankets]

I'm going to try and have a TON of ready-to-ship items ready to go for the busy holiday season so that people have a lot to choose from for gifts or for themselves! :)

[TChipperfieldStudios]

Hi All :)

I really have one simple goal to make it to 200 sales by years end :)

Wishing everyone a wonderful selling season :)

Cheers, T. :)

[Former_Member]

My name is Jessica Mitchell and my shop has been opened for two years but I had closed it from January to this past week (my husband was deployed to Afghanistan and I have been busy with being in school full time and caring for our two boys). I have had a total of 136 sales to date and would really like to hit the big 200 by Christmas! I know it is a big dream but I really believe I can do it as long as I stay focused and get more products on my shop. I have big dreams and big goals. :)

[Former_Member]

Holiday season, selling season,

I do hope more people will love my items and buy them.

I try my best to make each of my item to be perfect and hope to make 10 orders until Oct. 1st.

Hope you all have reach your goals too!

[Former_Member]

i think i can define the following goal for the rest of the year which of course includes the holiday season. in the end i want to beat my revenue from last year. i think i´m at it, probably a little ahead of what i had made last year at this time so it should be a realistic goal. right now i´m trying to make as many items as i can so when the crazy season starts i´ll be prepared and have some more stuff to list

[Former_Member]

My goals this season are to post more the items I have completed. I sale items at pow wows (native american celebrations) and have trouble balancing between my etsy store and pow wows.
Another goal is to complete items I have started.

[Former_Member]

Greetings! My name is Cynthia and I've been active on Etsy since 2009. My jewelry shop is still a work in progress even though I have over 500 items listed there's always room for improvement. I just need to settle on my approach to making those fixes on a regular basis. Jewelry is so subjective ... there's no right or wrong. I need to find what works best for my customer and do away with what's not working.

I love Etsy and everything it has to offer for artisians like myself. I'm looking forward to this holiday season and sharing my ideas and creations.

My plan is to add something fresh and new to my shop in a weekly basis. I'm currently testing a new product that should fit comfortably under the CRawlinsCollection umbrella. I'm currently listing on Pinterest and Facebook on a regular basis but still need to do even more.

My master plan is NOT to be discouraged !

[Former_Member]

Hello! I'm Sara and I opened Mrs. Sara G Designs in March of this year but was not able to start being really active until August due to other obligations. I have had a total of 4 sales so far (with 3 being since August!) and I have a list of goals for this holiday season.

I want to get to 85 listings (Currently have 53) by Black Friday. Most of those will be holiday cards (I need to start designing!)
I don't really have a sales goal as I have no idea what to except or what would be realistic. Maybe to get to a total of 10 sales?

I also have a second shop, Mrs. Sara G Baby Boutique that I opened in August. It's brand new and only has 12 listings so far so my goal is to get to 35 before next weekend and then continuously build on that throughout the season. I'm hoping to get my first sale there before the month is over and then I have no idea what to except come holiday season.

Good luck to everyone else!

[Former_Member]

Hello! My name is Erin and I am the owner of the children's clothing store: Tea and Olive. I am a super busy mom of 1 - working a job and going to school almost full time, so running the shop has been a challenge so far. I have 3 sales so far since opening this summer.

My goal is to have the fall collection released by next Monday, 9/15 There are 4 official items in the works for that. My other goal is to fill the shop with fall and winter items up to 2 pages by the end of 9/22. These goals are really big since time hasn't been on my side lately but at least I have coffee!

My social media goal is to start doing 1 blog post every single week, tweet and facebook post at least every other day, and instagram every day. I would like to become more active in responding to others via social media to grow a sense of community surrounding my shop.

-whew- sounds big but I can do this!! :)

Good luck guys!