Post your questions for the experts!

[#1]

Hi everyone!

We are going to host some Online Labs for the holidays, and we'd love to get your questions! The guests will be:

Top sellers: PalomasNest and BlackbirdTees. Ask them anything about selling during the holidays (or more generally, successful selling).
http://www.etsy.com/shop/palomasnest
http://www.etsy.com/shop/blackbirdtees

AND

Emily Bidwell, who is an Etsy merchandiser - she curates emails and on-site merchandised areas. Ask her about popular items during the holidays and her tips for getting your items featured!

You can see the schedule of the upcoming Labs here:

http://www.etsy.com/community/online-labs

Thanks in advance, everyone!

[Former_Member]

How do you optimize etsy search listings? The general words we are allowed are to vague.

Regards,
Mima

[Former_Member]

I would also like the answer to these two previously posted questions:

"What, in your opinion, is the best vehicle for "getting your name out there"? What did you do do become so successful as an online shop?"

And

what is the best marketing strategy for a small up and coming business with a small budget?

[MacGregorArt]

I would also love to have a shop critique. I'd also like to know how to stand out from the crowd and to better understand tagging and SEO as ways to attract views that turn into sales.

[Former_Member]

There is any way to ask nicely to your Customers to participate in your FB page?

Does somebody got a great idea?

Thanks

[theshabbychateau]

I, too would love to have my shop critiqued! Also, any tips for weathering slow spells would be greatly appreciated!

[MyPrettyBabi]

Hi

Top sellers: I had worked on my SEO and had better traffic however how can I increase sales? Promotions do work from time to time (I can't have promotions all the time, right?) and I get good feedback from sales however which kind of promotions do work better for you both? I'd tried coupon code, Etsy On Sale and Facebook... What kind of promotion do you use to attract traffic to your Etsy and social media?

Emily: I'd found that Etsy features only a certain type of sellers... Sometimes I think I'll never have my 15 minutes of fame :-) so what are your tips to be noticed and eventually be featured? :-)

I'd love to have someone to look into my shop. Thank you,

Francisnelli :-)

[GranniesEmbroidery]

I have been selling since April of this year and my sells are not where I would like them to be!! I need someones advise about my shop!! Please critique my shop.I am not sure if I do too much detail on my items which takes more time and money? Thanks!!

[Former_Member]

Top Sellers: Is it better to express your personality through your pictures/descriptions/titles, or should I aim for sterilization (white backgrounds, one line descriptions,etc.) when trying to appeal to a wider audience?

[Former_Member]

Question for Emily:
Will there be promotional e-mails targeting holidays other than Halloween & Christmas (e.g. Hanukkah et al.), and what would a seller have to do (apart from having good photos) to get noticed & possibly included in one of those e-mails?

Question for Top Sellers:
How have you dealt with the economic downturn in order to maintain & increase your level of sales?

[cranberrydreams]

I seem to be lost this year in the Searches for Christmas items. How do you optimize etsy search listings?

Thanks!

Londi

http://www.etsy.com/shop/cranberrydreams

[HoookedSoap]

What's the secret to getting on the front page? That's pretty much all I'd like to know. I've got everything else covered.

[Former_Member]

Top Sellers: How do you compete during the holidays with other shops selling items of the same holiday items? Thanks for your expertise.

[Former_Member]

I would love advice on how to market my note cards to get them noticed and stand out!! Do you suggest selling them in packages of 5 10 or ?

[FreshRetroGallery]

Top sellers:
Top ten advertising or self-promotion tips
Top ten organization or time management business tips
Top ten inspiration or creativity tips
Top ten sanity tips, ha :-)

[Former_Member]

Hello!

I too am interested in pretty much, every question! But specifically:

1. If there is a shop critique I'd LOVE to have one.
2. I create wedding invitations, does the Christmas Season affect that part of Etsy, and if so, how.
3. My views seem to be going down, how can I drive views and sales back up
4. What is the most benificial thing you've done to your shop
5. Is there a way to hone in on search/key words based on what end-users are searching (not sure if that's available to shops or not.0 :)

thanks in advance!!!
Tasha

[Former_Member]

I would love to know how to better bridge the gap between "shop views" and "orders". I know customers are intrigued enough by my products because they view and "favorite" my shops and items daily - but how can I increase the number of orders I take in from those viewers?

[Former_Member]

I too would love some shop critiques and also, as someone that has a childrens accessory boutique (which ETSY is FLOODED with), how can I make my shop stand out from others?
Thanks so much! :)

[Former_Member]

Top sellers: do you replace one or two of your tags with holiday/Christmas tags during the holidays to optimize search words?

I'd love to get a critique as well, after things seemed to be going and sales started increasing, I suddenly got stuck for 2 months with no sales.

[ShoreCrafty]

How can I get More Traffic to my shop? and how do I know if I am pricing my items too high?

[Former_Member]

Top Sellers: My shop is only a little over 1 week old. I hear holidays can be crazy busy so I am hoping for lots of orders. But I would love a shop critique to know what I a doing wrong or right. I've had over 500 views but only 3 orders placed. Thank you so much!!

[ClaycrazyPottery]

marking

[Former_Member]

Top Sellers: If you pitch your products to different blogs, how do you find those blogs and how do you choose which blogs to pitch to?

[AeridesDesigns]

Emily: Is Etsy going to resuscitate the Merchandising Reports in time for holiday planning by sellers or are we just on our own this season?

Thanks!

[ZeeBestCelebrations]

We opened our shop on Labor Day Monday. We received our first sale within 4 days! Maybe an Etsy record? What advice does these successful Etsy shops have for stocking merchandise for the Holiday season and what tags can be used to achieve SEO? Thanks in advance for the opportunity for a shop critique and for answers to this and other inquiries.

Pam & Paula

[Former_Member]

I would absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE a shop critique!! :)

I am a new seller & would love some tips on how to become featured in the near future whether via my shop or just items.

I am hoping the RSVP for the online lab for shop critiquing will help :)

Thanks!