Former_Member
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Please help a newbie

Hey everyone! I am new to selling on Etsy. I've had my store up for a couple of months and have yet to make my first sale. I am hoping you all can give me some tips on what I can do to make my first (of hopefully many!) sale.

I appreciate any time and advice you can give.

Thank you,
Heather
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Re: Please help a newbie

You could start by reading a couple of the hundreds of threads that already exist on the topic.
And if you still have more specific questions after that, we can help.
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Former_Member
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Re: Please help a newbie

BeaG, I did read several threads and I have read several more threads in the SEO group, however I just don't see what I'm missing. I've worked on my About Me page, I've worked on keywords, I've worked on photography. I can only read and work on so much before I need some objective opinions on things I'm missing.

Heather
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Re: Please help a newbie

Well, it might help if you ask specific questions about specific issues you are strugling with.
If you want a general shop critique, you could consider joining one of the many 'critique my shop' teams on Etsy.
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Re: Please help a newbie

Other than what BeaG said.....you need a lot of patience when you are selling online and bear in mind that Etsy is a large site. It takes some time to get noticed and sell. Even if you have done everything right. Just go with the flow.
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Re: Please help a newbie

Hi, Heather!
Your photos are great - nice and bright! I think your titles work well too. Success on etsy takes some patience and time since it's such a huge market. Keep making your product, promoting like crazy, and you'll get your first sale soon enough. :)
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Re: Please help a newbie

Hello Heather,
I looked at your site and everything looks great there. So I searched the word headbands and found 570,351 items with that title. I looked through the items and was immediately drawn to the site below. When i shop I look at price first, the site below has been opened since Apr 16, 2012 and has sold 28,384 items. I think she is attracting a lot of customers because of her prices. Make sure that your prices are competitive and not too high or you will not attract people. I always try and sell things at lower prices because I know everyone likes a deal.

As a matter of fact my shop usually has the lowest priced items, especially when I look at other shops.

Your lowest item is $6.50 and that is only one item, the next item is $7.50, whereas the site below; lowest item is $ 2.75.

I hope this helps, hang in there your sells will come soon, just keep promoting.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/BabyliciousDivas?ref=shopsection_shophome_leftnav
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Re: Please help a newbie

Hi Heather,

You have many pretty things in your shop! You photos are nice and clear. You may have some luck by adjusting your titles. For example, you have super cute shabby chic headbands, but here is one of your titles:

OOAK/One of a kind gorgeous shabby chic girls's floral headband with sparkly charcoal elastic and complimentary rhinestone details

From what I understand, Google picks up the first three words of your title in search and eliminates symbols (like the backslash). So it will show up as "OOAKOne Of a" which isn't really relevant to anything. I would try something like 'Shabby Chic Headband" or "girls shabby headband' and follow with your other key words. I have also read to repeat your title phrases at the beginning of your description and in your tags. I have been working on that and it has helped me. Also, you are in a very saturated market on Etsy. There are a lot of sellers selling headbands as a previous poster said, so you have to stand out. I do not agree that you should make your prices low to gain customers. As a seller, I know I wouldn't want to stay in business for long if I was undercutting myself and not making a profit. It wouldn't be worth it. As a buyer, when I see a 'cheap' listing (especially if I know the work that went into it) it turns me away. I think that either the seller undervalues their work, or they are using cheap materials or shoddy workmanship. I think a lot of people come to Etsy for something unique and handmade, and are willing to pay a fair price for it. Undercutting hurts you, and it hurts other sellers who are trying to make a fair wage for their work. List at a price that you believe is fair, both for your time and your supplies. Work on your titles and tags, and find other ways to bring traffic to your shop and make your items stand out. You have beautiful things, but you have to be found! Best wishes to you!
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Re: Please help a newbie

Heather - I agree with Megan. You have cute stuff and nice photos. I think perhaps your biggest problem is in your titles - have you looked at where your items come up in searches? I think that might be key. If people aren't finding your shop in the first couple of pages when they search for similar items they won't find your shop. The SEO and titles and tags, etc.. was my biggest hurdle for sure, but once I got better at that everything else followed. I also don't think it has much to do with your prices - I think you maybe aren't being seen. How are your views? Do you have a business FB page? Instagram? Do you pin your items on Pinterest? All of these are free and helpful forms of advertising. I think once you figure out how to be found in the vastness of Etsy, the sales will come. Have patience and keep working on it. It takes awhile to get the hang of it and lots and lots of reading and tweaking and improving. It can be very helpful too if you can find at least 1 item that not a lot of other sellers have. This helps you to have a nitch and helps you to be found in searches for that item, even if you get a little lost in searches for the items that are plentiful. Good luck!
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Former_Member
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Re: Please help a newbie

Bea, your shop and items are gorgeous!

Might I suggest pitching a blogger to be on a gift guide, do a giveaway, or just provide them with some bows to maybe have a girl model and mention. They are too cute to remain unsold!
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Re: Please help a newbie

Shabby Chic is trademarked. I would change that immediately.

https://www.etsy.com/teams/7718/questions/discuss/9069739/

I'm not sure if it's my computer, since everyone is saying that your pictures look amazing, but on the first page of your shop, half the pictures look blue to me.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/211538855/grey-and-pink-knit-knot-headband-toddler

I also agree that you should revisit your prices. I don't agree that underselling is always the best idea, but competitive prices are more likely to lure buyers. Your prices are high end without the high end materials. To charge the prices you are, I would suggest upgrading your materials to organic fibers. If they are organic, mention that in the title and listing.

Your titles should be short phrases that are searched for by people looking to buy your items and your tags should match those phrases. I would suggest you re-read the SEO threads or find a better team to join.
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Re: Please help a newbie

I dont know if this will help or not but I might suggest perhaps showing the items on a model...like clothing it might help people to picture the item on...I also agree with title and working on key words...its amazing how much that can boost you in the rankings...customers tend to not look past the first few pages...I know I dont. I also will suggest that shoppers search differently than you might expect them to so play around with your key words and titles..make a change and check if it moves in relevance etc.
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Former_Member
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Re: Please help a newbie

Hello. I have the same dilemma as you, I did not make one sale since May 2014. I had my shop critiqued, I used etsy paid Ad promotion. Unlike your items I am in the tough market Art, its hard to invest $300 on the art item one cannot see. I try to remain hopeful, I just incorporated a help from Fiverr. A few people offer gigs there for $5, for instance to promote your Etsy shop on the Social media and in Blogs posts.
Etsy became very saturated market, when I shopped on Etsy for hat or gloves (from different account), I looked at first 5 pages or narrowed down by price.
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Former_Member
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Re: Please help a newbie

Thank you all for your suggestions. I made quite a few changes that you all suggested and already made my very first Etsy sale! I have more I want to tweak but I want to see how the changes I have made are working before I do more. Already my views seem to be up. :)
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