Renew Or Re-nope?

[Former_Member]

I just renewed my first expired items... my little baby shop is growing up! I'm happy to renew these pieces, most of them have a few "favorites" and bring some good traffic to my store. But I have a few questions.

- How many times do you renew an item before it sells?

- When do you stop renewing an item and give up on it?

- If an item receives a very large number of views, and still doesn't sell, should you let the listing expire?

- In the "race to 100 items," is it better to renew expired listings or create completely new items?

I'd much rather focus on tweaking SEO than renewing items to drive traffic. Thankfully, this is the first time since May I've had to ask these types of questions, but I'd still love some guidance.

Any insights, experience, or tips you could offer would be VERY greatly appreciated. Thank you!!!

[hooknsaw]

We keep renewing items that are getting good views and favorites. If the item isn't getting many views then we will let it expire AFTER the Holiday season. It just takes the right view, at the right time, by the right person to make a sale!

[beatroad]

I've had my shop open since 2009, and there were some items that I had to leave in my shop for a couple of YEARS before they sold. The only time I take a listing down is if I want to change the design or upgrade the materials. I never just "give up" on a listing. For me, they DO eventually sell. :)

I go through periods where I do not create new items, especially if I"m busy with other life matters. When I don't have anything new to list, I try and renew at least 5 items every day, otherwise my views are incredibly low. I just factor that into my monthly expenses. For me, it's worth it, but every seller has their own opinions on whether it's worth the money.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck! :)

[Former_Member]

Sorry no advice but I love your shop!

[Former_Member]

I'd keep renewing them til they sell and after a few renews reduce the price. I was just thinking about this the other day as I was checking my views stats. I was surprised that some of the items that had a lot of views haven't sold in a long time. So I think I'll reduce them. The more items for sale the more likely it will be to make a sale. You have a cute shop - I fav'd a few items.

Maybe add a few seashell Christmas orniments, to cash in on the holiday season. Best wishes.

[MoonstarCharms]

Renewing items is almost the same thing as adding new items as far as the benefits to your store go. Personally, when I renew items I use it as an opportunity to revisit my titles, keywords and photos. Most of the time I feel like they need some "sprucing".

When I had a physical store it was the same thing - I'd have a pair of earrings for a year and be sick of looking at them, wondering if I should scrap them or gift them. Lo and behold, someone walks in and buys them.

If it's a great item and getting attention, I'd re-list forever with confidence that it will sell eventually.

Your store looks GREAT! Lots of luck to you.

[QuirkyUniverse]

I've had stuff sell after sitting for a year. I like the ones that get a lot of views and hearts, they drive traffic to my shop, because of that I'm sad to see them sell sometimes.

[Former_Member]

I have decided that this month I will not renew on item. Add new items yes, but that's it. PLUS, I'll deactivate a whole page (20 items) every week to help bring them back up in the Google search.

Many items have until October 12th before being dropped......so, Yeah, that's my test for September.

[Former_Member]

For this shop, I have to renew more often, because I don't add as many new things as I do to say, my jewelry or soap shops. My turnaround time is a little slower right now, because I'm learning to work with leather, and it's a different learning curve than working with fabric.

We all need new challenges, right? ha ha.

I renew. It does help your SEO - having older links to your shop available for Google to crawl is a great thing. I get hits all the time from the very first clutch I sold three years ago, still, because the pic is still floating around in Google-land.

[Former_Member]

I'd say if it's receiving views, don't let it expire. Even if no one's buying it, it is getting eyeballs into your shop, so that's a GOOD thing.

For getting views in general though, I don't think renewing is as important as it used to be. Etsy does consider shop activity when determining relevancy, so renewing does help that, but it won't necessarily get your item to the top of the search list like it used to.

A much better way to get views is to have relevant tags/titles/descriptions instead. If those are working for you, you won't have to work as hard with promotion, marketing, renewing, etc.

[Former_Member]

I'm in no hurry to take listings down.

[SalemStyle]

after the item expires, I renew it once it becomes relevant again. For instance, I have a few items that are winter themed that I will not renew until a few months from now. I like to give my items a chance though, I don't think I would give up on an item and not renew it.

[Former_Member]

I only renew expired listings, never active listings, I know there are theories about moving up in the search and keeping them at the front on google but the constant renewing and the associated fees (I know they are small) just never made sense to me. My shop is busy for a niche market and I try to list at least 3 new item a week, my traffic is good in my opinion. One thing I try to do is keep up on the arrangement of the listings in my shop. I move things around all the time to keep it fresh looking. It's in a bit of disarray at the moment due to a cross country move. As for giving up on an item, I usually don't unless it's something that feels out of place in the shop then I end up giving it away to a friend or family member. I think titles and tags are the more important aspect to focus on rather than re-listing........but that what has worked for me. Everyones shop is different.

[Former_Member]

Thank you all so much for your great advice and kind words!

Does anyone else have any policies or suggestions for renewing expired (not current) listings?

[ElementalSilver1]

I will keep renewing.. Unless I decide it is something I want to keep for myself :)

[Former_Member]

Hi there, like others have said when I renew an item, I use it as an opportunity to change tags, edit the name, and adjust the price. Also, at the beginning of my shop I think I was pricing exceedingly low, and realize that.it.just.wasn't doable.People I knew even said to me that my prices were too low. I've also had to adjust postage rates upwards (just by a small amount)

I had a pair of iphone earrings that got favorited A LOT, and was in many treasuries, however it didn't sell for eons. Right now I have a pair of copper phone earrings (I think this is the third pair I've made) and they've been favorited a fair bit, but haven't sold but I expect they will at some point. One of the previous two pairs sold to a person who saw me wearing them, and she used her phone to order them from my shop immediately, and the other pair was a more "normal" etsy sale.

As far as gearing up towards the "magic" 100 items, I have mixed feelings-right now I have 48 items, and will be adding more within this next month, but I also know people who sell out of everything and consequently have an inventory of less than 20 in their shopfront. Also, I wonder if by having over 100 items in my shop it makes it too "difficult" for people to find something???? Any thoughts?

[ComfortAndGrins]

I would renew those things that get a looks especially if you need a few listings a day. This is a good way to throw an extra one in.

[Former_Member]

Good questions Cass!

[Former_Member]

Your shop is fantastic btw. So creative, bright and happy. It's perfect...the sales will come!

[hooknsaw]

Cass, I let many of our holiday themed items and scarves expire last January. I am now renewing 3 or 4 a week. I am re photographing some of them and tweaking their titles, tags and descriptions. If they don't sell this year, I will probably let them expire again and renew them next year :)

We have very few holiday theme items and they really don't sell well, BUT they do bring traffic into our shop.

[Former_Member]

Thanks, everyone! I was trying to factor listing renewals into some budget projections. There's a very real possibility I'm being a little impatient and overzealous.

I really do appreciate your advice. I'm excited to make some seasonal items that have a different renewal cycle.

Thanks again!

Let's keep these policies and suggestions for listing renewals in your shops coming!

[hooknsaw]

Cass, we set a monthly spending limit for renewals. Currently we will list 3 items a day. These can be new items, renew sold items, or renewing items that are about to expire. If we have a bunch of new listings we spread them out over a few days. At the end of the month it has only cost $18 in listing fees.